This movie is a solid martial arts drama mainly for Chiwetel Ejiofor's performance in the role of Mike Terry, the owner and head instructor of a failing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and martial arts school. His wife, Sondra (played by City of God's Alice Braga), has a small fashion designing business that allows them to stay afloat financially. Sondra, however, comes across as greedy and indeed a little shrewish. It seems every possible new person Mike meets and even his in-laws are trying to take advantage of him and screw him over personally and financially. It's frustrating how easy it was for people to do this to Mike. His past as a bouncer, martial arts teacher, and veteran would allow him to spot a con but no. Mike enters into a rigged mixed martial arts tournament after a personal tragedy sees his wife leave, leaving him in desperate need of money. It's a slightly silly homage to the samurai films of Kurosawa and maybe a cynical twist on the idea of the white knight trying to solve everyone's problems for them. No fighter would compete with the kind of disadvantage like the the one shown in this movie, a fighter has his arm strapped behind his back. It wouldn't be allowed by any reputable state athletic commission that licenses and sanctions MMA events.
Reviews
31 Reviews
Hard Target
(1993)
Van Damme plays sheriff in New Orleans
21 November 2016
John Woo's action direction helped lift this above the typical a B-martial arts film. Jean Claude Van Damme plays Chance Boudreaux, ex-Force Recon Marine and out of work sailor, is looking for a way to make the money he needs to pay his union dues. Natasha Binder (Yancy Butler) is an out of towner who comes to the Big Easy looking for father. Natasha makes the mistake of showing the cash she is carrying while looking for directions, leading to a local gang to try to violently rob her. Chance rescues her and she employs him as a bodyguard and guide for the search. It's not long before they run afoul of a crooked man-hunting game targeting homeless combat vets like Natasha's father operated by Emil Fuchon (Lance Henriksen) and Pik Van Cleef (Arnold Vosloo). Probably the best movie in Van Damme's filmography aside from Double Impact and Kickboxer.
Drive
(I) (2011)
Art house meets exploitation
11 August 2016
Driver is an old type of story. At it's heart we see a loner on a mission of vengeance. Ryan Gosling's Driver like Shane, not much back story is given to this character. Driver lives in a small apartment building where he befriends his neighbor (Carey Mulligan) and her son Benicio (Kaen Leos). The Driver is a mechanic at Shannon's service garage but also a part-time stunt drive and double for films. Shannon runs an illegal getaway service for criminals on the side which he uses the Driver to operate. The Driver has a very specific modus operandi when he act as a wheelman: he shows up at a predetermined time and place, the client has a five minute window to make their way to his car and if they don't make it to his car in the time allotted then he leaves.
Shannon also has ambitions to build a race car with the Driver competing for him. He seeks out financing from a pair of gangsters, Jewish mobsters Nino (Ron Perlman) and former low budget film producer movie producer-turned-gangster Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks). At the same time, Driver meets Standard Gabriel (Oscar Ramirez), Irene's husband who's been recently from prison. Driver finds Standard badly beaten one day and he admits to the Driver that he owes an Albanian mobster money paid for protection while he was in jail. The Driver makes a deal with the mobster called Cook and agrees to help Standard rob a pawn shop in order to pay back Standard's debt but the job goes violently awry with the Driver stuck in the middle trying to protect Irene and Benicio.
Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson, The Place Beyond the Pines) gives a riveting performance as Driver. He's an outwardly calm almost detached seeming persona but he demonstrates a volcano of emotion especially when he's seen taking violent action to protect Irene and her son. Carey Mulligan does holds her own in the story as well considering her character seems a little underdeveloped and maybe even here just to play a damsel. Ron Perlman imbues Nino with a special kind of bitterness. Nino is a man in his mid-50's who feels ineffectual and has an almost adolescent reason for setting everything up in the whole scam out of some desire to prove how truly smart he is. Albert Brooks' Bernie Rose is a no nonsense sadist despise his reasonable businessman persona. Bryan Cranson gives probably the best acting performance as Shannon, the garage owner who employs the Driver and is also the unwitting architect for the events that take place in the second half. Nicolas Winding Refn has an incredible eye and this film is photographed in a beautiful high gloss way. It's style has been compared to the American and European neo-noir of the late 1960's to late 1970's in particular the 1978 Ryan O'Neil film Driver, the 1967 French film Le Samourai and 1967's Point Blank with Lee Marvin.
Shannon also has ambitions to build a race car with the Driver competing for him. He seeks out financing from a pair of gangsters, Jewish mobsters Nino (Ron Perlman) and former low budget film producer movie producer-turned-gangster Bernie Rose (Albert Brooks). At the same time, Driver meets Standard Gabriel (Oscar Ramirez), Irene's husband who's been recently from prison. Driver finds Standard badly beaten one day and he admits to the Driver that he owes an Albanian mobster money paid for protection while he was in jail. The Driver makes a deal with the mobster called Cook and agrees to help Standard rob a pawn shop in order to pay back Standard's debt but the job goes violently awry with the Driver stuck in the middle trying to protect Irene and Benicio.
Ryan Gosling (Half Nelson, The Place Beyond the Pines) gives a riveting performance as Driver. He's an outwardly calm almost detached seeming persona but he demonstrates a volcano of emotion especially when he's seen taking violent action to protect Irene and her son. Carey Mulligan does holds her own in the story as well considering her character seems a little underdeveloped and maybe even here just to play a damsel. Ron Perlman imbues Nino with a special kind of bitterness. Nino is a man in his mid-50's who feels ineffectual and has an almost adolescent reason for setting everything up in the whole scam out of some desire to prove how truly smart he is. Albert Brooks' Bernie Rose is a no nonsense sadist despise his reasonable businessman persona. Bryan Cranson gives probably the best acting performance as Shannon, the garage owner who employs the Driver and is also the unwitting architect for the events that take place in the second half. Nicolas Winding Refn has an incredible eye and this film is photographed in a beautiful high gloss way. It's style has been compared to the American and European neo-noir of the late 1960's to late 1970's in particular the 1978 Ryan O'Neil film Driver, the 1967 French film Le Samourai and 1967's Point Blank with Lee Marvin.
Ready to Rumble
(2000)
WCW Movie
13 July 2016
This movie came along at a strange time pro wrestling. Pro wrestling had become the hottest thing on premium TV with the years leading up to the this movie's production being dubbed "The Monday Night Wars" due to WCW's Monday Nitro running straight up against WWE's Monday Night Raw. In late 1996, Hulk Hogan's morph into Hollywood Hogan made the company number 1 and Nitro beat regularly beat Raw for almost 2 years straight. It was also an incredibly profitable time for the Time Warner company. Newer rival stars like the WWE's The Rock and Steve Austin were getting offers for movies and television so WCW management at the time decided it was time to shoot a film. It was released by spring 2000.
It starred Scott Caan, David Arquette, Oliver Platt, Joe Pantoliano, "Diamond" Dallas Paige, and Rose McGowan. Sean (Scott Caan) and Gordie (David Arquette) run a sewage business in the town of Lusk, Wyoming. They're huge fans of WCW. They drive to Cheyenne to see a live Monday Nitro broadcast. Their favorite wrestler, WCW champion Jimmy King (Oliver Platt), has one too many backstage arguments with WCW President Titus Sinclair (Joe Pantoliano in a strange cowboy outfit). Sinclair decides that Paige is going over King in their title match that night. When they wrestle, Paige shoots on King and with help from some outside interference gets the win. Sean and Gordie are devastated by this and it puts them on a journey to find King and help resurrect his career. Along the way, they find out their hero is a drunken lout who ran out on his family.
I don't know what the writers and producers of this film were thinking of when they pictured a pro wrestling fan. Kayfabe, wrestling fiction, has been a well-known part of that business for decades, even before Vince McMahon's admissions about the business in 1989. The Sean and Gordie characters are too stupid to know this or else live in denial. You even see the acknowledgment of kayfabe when Titus Sincalir is discussing the main event's finish with DDP in front of the other WCW wrestlers before taking DDP aside to change it. During the match scene, you can also see Paige and King calling spots to each other. The whole smile and wink backhanded approach to acknowledging kayfabe is a little insulting to pro wrestling fans and it seems that the writers think they are all man-boys living with their parents.
I think they pictured these characters as innocent and enthusiastic, which Scott Caan plays well enough, but David Arquette may have been at his most obnoxious here as Gordie. He was a horrible casting choice. Joe Pantoliano was another odd choice, his clothing and wig were too much of a distraction. He would've been better playing it up as a New Jersey-born East Coast sleazeball in an expensive suit like Paul Heyman. Eric Bischoff could've easily played himself with his comic book villain grin as the evil boss. Rose McGowan is cast as a Nitro Girl named Sasha who takes a romantic interest in Gordie but she's just eye candy. Martin Landau has a memorable cameo as Sal Bandini, an old school wrestling trainer like Lou Thesz or Verne Gagne. DDP may actually have given the best performance playing the heel version of his pro wrestling character.
It seems like this of version WCW lives in a fairy tale world where they have no worthy competition because no one ever breathes a word of the WWF/E. Another irony is that many of the promotion's biggest stars-Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner and star Ric Flair-don't appear in this. Aside from DDP, the only really big WCW stars to appear were Booker T and Sting in throwaway cameos. Maybe one of the strangest things ever done to promote a movie was having one of the stars start participating in wrestling matches. WWF/E had celebrities like Mr. T and Cyndi Lauper making appearances during the old Rock and Wrestling era but neither was actually booked to win a promotion's title belt.
WCW booked David Arquette as their champion in an on screen feud, where he was seen aligning himself with DDP and Chris Kanyon against Jeff Jarrett and Eric Bischoff. It got even stranger from there, believe it or not, with Arquette defending the belt and then he turned HEEL on DDP. At the very least, though, Arquette was originally against wrestling in WCW as a promotional stunt and he gave all the money he made doing it to the families of Darren Drozdov and Brian Pillman.
It starred Scott Caan, David Arquette, Oliver Platt, Joe Pantoliano, "Diamond" Dallas Paige, and Rose McGowan. Sean (Scott Caan) and Gordie (David Arquette) run a sewage business in the town of Lusk, Wyoming. They're huge fans of WCW. They drive to Cheyenne to see a live Monday Nitro broadcast. Their favorite wrestler, WCW champion Jimmy King (Oliver Platt), has one too many backstage arguments with WCW President Titus Sinclair (Joe Pantoliano in a strange cowboy outfit). Sinclair decides that Paige is going over King in their title match that night. When they wrestle, Paige shoots on King and with help from some outside interference gets the win. Sean and Gordie are devastated by this and it puts them on a journey to find King and help resurrect his career. Along the way, they find out their hero is a drunken lout who ran out on his family.
I don't know what the writers and producers of this film were thinking of when they pictured a pro wrestling fan. Kayfabe, wrestling fiction, has been a well-known part of that business for decades, even before Vince McMahon's admissions about the business in 1989. The Sean and Gordie characters are too stupid to know this or else live in denial. You even see the acknowledgment of kayfabe when Titus Sincalir is discussing the main event's finish with DDP in front of the other WCW wrestlers before taking DDP aside to change it. During the match scene, you can also see Paige and King calling spots to each other. The whole smile and wink backhanded approach to acknowledging kayfabe is a little insulting to pro wrestling fans and it seems that the writers think they are all man-boys living with their parents.
I think they pictured these characters as innocent and enthusiastic, which Scott Caan plays well enough, but David Arquette may have been at his most obnoxious here as Gordie. He was a horrible casting choice. Joe Pantoliano was another odd choice, his clothing and wig were too much of a distraction. He would've been better playing it up as a New Jersey-born East Coast sleazeball in an expensive suit like Paul Heyman. Eric Bischoff could've easily played himself with his comic book villain grin as the evil boss. Rose McGowan is cast as a Nitro Girl named Sasha who takes a romantic interest in Gordie but she's just eye candy. Martin Landau has a memorable cameo as Sal Bandini, an old school wrestling trainer like Lou Thesz or Verne Gagne. DDP may actually have given the best performance playing the heel version of his pro wrestling character.
It seems like this of version WCW lives in a fairy tale world where they have no worthy competition because no one ever breathes a word of the WWF/E. Another irony is that many of the promotion's biggest stars-Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Jeff Jarrett, Scott Steiner and star Ric Flair-don't appear in this. Aside from DDP, the only really big WCW stars to appear were Booker T and Sting in throwaway cameos. Maybe one of the strangest things ever done to promote a movie was having one of the stars start participating in wrestling matches. WWF/E had celebrities like Mr. T and Cyndi Lauper making appearances during the old Rock and Wrestling era but neither was actually booked to win a promotion's title belt.
WCW booked David Arquette as their champion in an on screen feud, where he was seen aligning himself with DDP and Chris Kanyon against Jeff Jarrett and Eric Bischoff. It got even stranger from there, believe it or not, with Arquette defending the belt and then he turned HEEL on DDP. At the very least, though, Arquette was originally against wrestling in WCW as a promotional stunt and he gave all the money he made doing it to the families of Darren Drozdov and Brian Pillman.
The Last Dragon
(1985)
A fun martial arts comedy
8 July 2016
It's a fairly simple story with a single premise, a heroic martial artist searching for the ultimate technique and or enlightenment. In this case, it's Harlem Goju Ryu practitioner "Bruce" Leroy Green, Jr. Leroy is a Bruce Lee fanatic who loves Enter the Dragon and Fists of Fury, hence the nickname given to him at the beginning of the movie. When he's informed by his sensei that he's learned all that there is to be taught, he asks he's not surrounded by the sublime glow of the "final level." His sensei sends him on a journey to find a wise reclusive master named Sumdumgoy. While seeking the final level, he runs afoul of Sho'nuff, the self-proclaimed Shogun of Harlem and avowed kung fu master, and Eddie Arcadian, a showbiz wannabe and wealthy owner of a successful chain of video game arcades who wants to break into pop music by turning his Cyndi Lauper-lookalike girlfriend Angela Viracco into a pop star. Arcadian hopes to achieve his dream by having Angela's video for her single played on 7th Heaven, a video countdown hosted by beautiful female veejay Laura Charles. Leroy foils Arcadian's initial attempts to kidnap Laura, igniting a strong attraction between the two. It also sets up a final confrontation with Sho'nuff and Arcadian, when the latter enlists the Shogun of Harlem's help to gain revenge on Leroy.
This was executive produced by Motown founder Berry Gordy, directed by Krush Groove director Michael Schultz and the soundtrack itself is a lot of fun. It features "The Glow" by Motown artist/producer Willie Hutch of the 5th Dimension and "Rhythm of the Night" by DeBarge along with appearances by Smoky Robinson and Stevie Wonder. Taimak does a decent job here considering he had virtually no acting experience before this movie, he seems just a little innocent and altruistic enough to play the role of a humble martial artist. Vanity plays...well herself, enough said. She's okay. Prolific character actor Julis J. Carry's performance as Sho'nuff truly makes this film memorable. He's a larger than life, martial artist-wannabe and bully who also happens to steal every scene he's in. It's something that should be considered essential hip-hop cinema, with even rapper Busta Rhymes dressing like Sho'nuff and quoting the film for his "Dangerous" music video.
This was executive produced by Motown founder Berry Gordy, directed by Krush Groove director Michael Schultz and the soundtrack itself is a lot of fun. It features "The Glow" by Motown artist/producer Willie Hutch of the 5th Dimension and "Rhythm of the Night" by DeBarge along with appearances by Smoky Robinson and Stevie Wonder. Taimak does a decent job here considering he had virtually no acting experience before this movie, he seems just a little innocent and altruistic enough to play the role of a humble martial artist. Vanity plays...well herself, enough said. She's okay. Prolific character actor Julis J. Carry's performance as Sho'nuff truly makes this film memorable. He's a larger than life, martial artist-wannabe and bully who also happens to steal every scene he's in. It's something that should be considered essential hip-hop cinema, with even rapper Busta Rhymes dressing like Sho'nuff and quoting the film for his "Dangerous" music video.
Frailty
(2001)
Darkness and light
5 June 2016
A genuinely scary horror thriller, told in flashbacks, by a man named Fenton Meiks (Powers Boothe) to FBI Agent Wesley Doyle (Powers Boothe), about how Fenton's brother, Adam, was a serial killer called the "God's Hand" and committed suicide. As they drive to Fenton's hometown so they can corroborate his story, Fenton recounts growing up with Adam and his Dad (Bill Paxton), a widower and single father, who worked as a mechanic.
Fenton and Adam's Dad comes homes from work and tells his sons that he's been given a holy vision telling him about demons walking around in human form. He believes he his sons are the front line in the war against hell on Earth. Fenton is skeptical of his Dad and Adam enthusiastically agrees with him. Fenton's Dad is given another vision showing him the tools he'll need to destroy these demons and the names of the people who must be killed. Fenton is horrified when he sees his Dad begin to abduct and murder random strangers. He is unable to reconcile his own disbelief in his Dad's visions and this leads to strife between him and his Dad.
Truly a disturbing film that how thin a line there is between spiritual fervor and madness.
Fenton and Adam's Dad comes homes from work and tells his sons that he's been given a holy vision telling him about demons walking around in human form. He believes he his sons are the front line in the war against hell on Earth. Fenton is skeptical of his Dad and Adam enthusiastically agrees with him. Fenton's Dad is given another vision showing him the tools he'll need to destroy these demons and the names of the people who must be killed. Fenton is horrified when he sees his Dad begin to abduct and murder random strangers. He is unable to reconcile his own disbelief in his Dad's visions and this leads to strife between him and his Dad.
Truly a disturbing film that how thin a line there is between spiritual fervor and madness.
Highlander
(1986)
Highlander (1986)
23 May 2016
This is the original and the best. An Immortal Scottish clansman Connor MacLeod beheads rival Iman Fasil during a duel at a parking garage in Manhattan. Connor takes the other man's power through the release of the Quickening, causing an electrical discharge that destroys cars and even makes the ground shake. He flees the police and sets off the events of The Gathering.
Connor's life story is told through flashbacks to his life as a Scottish clansman. He was born in 1450 in "Glenfinnan on the shore of Loch Shiel." Connor is mortally wounded by the brutal Immortal Kurgan in battle with the Frasier Clan but carried away by his kinsman back to his home village where he dies. Connor awakens the next day with no injuries driving the villagers to believe he's a Devil worshiper. They drive him away. Connor takes up residence in a tower, working as a blacksmith, and lives there peacefully with his wife Heather. Juan Sanchez Ramirez Villa-Lobos, an Egyptian Immortal who'd been Chief Metallurgist to King Charles V of Spain, appears one day with the knowledge of Connor's Immortality. Ramirez, as he's known, becomes MacLeod's mentor, refining his sword skills, teaching him about Immortals, and The Gathering, an event that will draw the remaining Immortals to an unnamed place to strive for the Prize. The Prize isn't explained very well but it's left to the viewer to assume that it makes the last Immortal all-powerful or something.
In 1986 New York, Connor is living under the name Russell Nash as a wealthy antiques dealer. He's under suspicion from the police for the death of Fasil at the beginning of the movie. A metallurgist and expert in antique weapons named Brenda Wyatt is working as a consultant for the police, also investigates Nash/Connor, inadvertently becoming attracted to him after sharing dinner and encountering the Kurgan together. New York is the place of the Gathering, setting up a final showdown between MacLeod and the Kurgan.
MacLeod is played well by French actor Christopher Lambert. He comes across as introspective and a little sad. Sean Connery does a pretty good job as Ramirez but he seems to be playing a screen version of himself. He, like Sir Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan explaining the Force to Luke Skywalker, can deliver the story's explanation for Immortality and the Prize to Connor without sounding banal or stupid. Clancy Brown gives arguably the best performance and nearly steals this movie as Kurgan, being funny and almost likable despite his character's being a psychotic barbarian.
There are a number of "sequels," but Highlander 2 maybe among the worst film of the 1990's if not all time. Highlander: The Sorcerer is a rehash of the first film. Highlander: 4 is forgettable. There's also a post-apocalyptic live action film and an anime film that this reviewer hasn't seen.
Connor's life story is told through flashbacks to his life as a Scottish clansman. He was born in 1450 in "Glenfinnan on the shore of Loch Shiel." Connor is mortally wounded by the brutal Immortal Kurgan in battle with the Frasier Clan but carried away by his kinsman back to his home village where he dies. Connor awakens the next day with no injuries driving the villagers to believe he's a Devil worshiper. They drive him away. Connor takes up residence in a tower, working as a blacksmith, and lives there peacefully with his wife Heather. Juan Sanchez Ramirez Villa-Lobos, an Egyptian Immortal who'd been Chief Metallurgist to King Charles V of Spain, appears one day with the knowledge of Connor's Immortality. Ramirez, as he's known, becomes MacLeod's mentor, refining his sword skills, teaching him about Immortals, and The Gathering, an event that will draw the remaining Immortals to an unnamed place to strive for the Prize. The Prize isn't explained very well but it's left to the viewer to assume that it makes the last Immortal all-powerful or something.
In 1986 New York, Connor is living under the name Russell Nash as a wealthy antiques dealer. He's under suspicion from the police for the death of Fasil at the beginning of the movie. A metallurgist and expert in antique weapons named Brenda Wyatt is working as a consultant for the police, also investigates Nash/Connor, inadvertently becoming attracted to him after sharing dinner and encountering the Kurgan together. New York is the place of the Gathering, setting up a final showdown between MacLeod and the Kurgan.
MacLeod is played well by French actor Christopher Lambert. He comes across as introspective and a little sad. Sean Connery does a pretty good job as Ramirez but he seems to be playing a screen version of himself. He, like Sir Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan explaining the Force to Luke Skywalker, can deliver the story's explanation for Immortality and the Prize to Connor without sounding banal or stupid. Clancy Brown gives arguably the best performance and nearly steals this movie as Kurgan, being funny and almost likable despite his character's being a psychotic barbarian.
There are a number of "sequels," but Highlander 2 maybe among the worst film of the 1990's if not all time. Highlander: The Sorcerer is a rehash of the first film. Highlander: 4 is forgettable. There's also a post-apocalyptic live action film and an anime film that this reviewer hasn't seen.
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
(2000 Video)
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (2000)
7 May 2016
This Batman animated was probably the true start of DC's straight-to-DVD and VOD dominance in animated comic book films. It served as a sequel to the Batman Beyond and Fox Animated Series. Terry McGuinness, the Batman Beyond of 2035-era, who while investigating theft of high tech satellite equipment is confronted by a criminal who looks and sounds just like the original Joker, Jack Napier, who reportedly died over 30 years earlier. Bruce Wayne, visibly disturbed and dismayed by this Joker's appearance, abruptly demands Terry gives up the mantle of Batman. Terry does so, reluctantly returning the powered Batsuit. The Jokers street gang take their name from the original Clown Prince of Crime and are being taken over for this Joker's schemes. He launches an attack on Wayne, apparently well aware of the other's past identity as Batman. This leads to a revelation from Barbara Gordon, formerly Batgirl and now Gotham PD Commissioner, about the final confrontation between the Bruce Wayne Batman and The Joker that forever scarred Bruce, Barbara and Tim Drake, then still working as Robin. This info sends Terry looking for answers about who this Joker really is and trying to prevent the destruction of Gotham at his hands. This story blends certain elements from The Killing Joke and A Death in the Family for it's plot but does produce a highly original story.
Bruce Conroy, as always, personifies Batman better than any other actor to take up the role aside from Christian Bale (corny voice aside he's still awesome as Batman). However, Mark Hamill owns The Joker's role. Never has The Joker seemed so completely, joyfully evil and depraved of feeling. His end in the movie was controversial leading to an edited cut, which aired on the WB, and unedited cut which was released on DVD. Will Friedle is a very good voice for protagonist Terry McGuinness and hold his own for the most part rather than being swallowed up by the stronger voiced co-stars. This film was also a start of the more mature, darker animation released to DVD and on-demand by DC and Warner. DC seems to have a stronger animated presence than Marvel despite Marvel having a better overall record than DC in recent live action film adaptations.
Bruce Conroy, as always, personifies Batman better than any other actor to take up the role aside from Christian Bale (corny voice aside he's still awesome as Batman). However, Mark Hamill owns The Joker's role. Never has The Joker seemed so completely, joyfully evil and depraved of feeling. His end in the movie was controversial leading to an edited cut, which aired on the WB, and unedited cut which was released on DVD. Will Friedle is a very good voice for protagonist Terry McGuinness and hold his own for the most part rather than being swallowed up by the stronger voiced co-stars. This film was also a start of the more mature, darker animation released to DVD and on-demand by DC and Warner. DC seems to have a stronger animated presence than Marvel despite Marvel having a better overall record than DC in recent live action film adaptations.
Warrior
(2011)
Brotherhood and family
2 April 2016
Tommy Riordan (Tom Hardy) is a Marine and former MMA fighter who returns to the sport to support the widow of a friend and veteran. His father Paddy Conlon (Nick Nolte), is a recovering alcoholic who reconnected with his Catholic faith, helps train and corner Tommy. Footage of a sparring session where Tommy knocks out prospect Pete "Mad Dog" Grimes (former MMA fighter Erik Apple)leaks and goes viral. Tommy finds out about an MMA tournament called Sparta, where the winner will be awarded a $5 million purse and decides to enter. Tommy's decision to have Paddy train him is partly due to the fact that no one could give the kind of specialized attention his father did.
Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgeton), Tommy's older brother, is a high school physics teacher. His daughter needs open heart surgery, leading to Brendan mortgaging his home to pay her bills. Brendan also returns to MMA as a secondary income. The superintendent learns about Brendan's fighting career and promptly suspends him without pay. Brendan reaches out to his old trainer Frank Campana (Frank Grillo) and enters Sparta as an injury replacement at Frank's urging. Paddy attempts to reconcile with Brendan, telling him about Tommy, but is coolly rebuffed and told to call or write a letter if he wants a chance to see his grandchildren.
Tommy and Brendan are placed at opposite ends of the Sparta tournament. Tommy and Brendan speak to each other during a break, revealing the underlying tension between them was due to Brendan having eloped with his wife Tess and seemingly leaving behind their terminally ill mother along with Tommy. Their seeds in the tournament lead to an inevitable clash.
This is a satisfying sports drama, with very good performances especially from Tom Hardy and Nick Nolte. The recovering addict role suits Nolte for obvious reasons. Tom Hardy's performance as the embittered ex-Marine is spot on. It's worth Googling the training videos of Tom Hardy just bulking up for the role, the physical transformation into the squat powerful build he shows off during the movie is amazing. Joel Edgerton is also very good as the struggling father, husband and provider but is somewhat overshadowed by Nolte and Hardy. This is superior to Redbelt, another sports drama with different revolving subplots since it doesn't have the ridiculous take on the MMA tournament format that Redbelt did. Warrior definitely has a Rocky feel, especially given Brendan's perspective since he's the film's main underdog.
Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgeton), Tommy's older brother, is a high school physics teacher. His daughter needs open heart surgery, leading to Brendan mortgaging his home to pay her bills. Brendan also returns to MMA as a secondary income. The superintendent learns about Brendan's fighting career and promptly suspends him without pay. Brendan reaches out to his old trainer Frank Campana (Frank Grillo) and enters Sparta as an injury replacement at Frank's urging. Paddy attempts to reconcile with Brendan, telling him about Tommy, but is coolly rebuffed and told to call or write a letter if he wants a chance to see his grandchildren.
Tommy and Brendan are placed at opposite ends of the Sparta tournament. Tommy and Brendan speak to each other during a break, revealing the underlying tension between them was due to Brendan having eloped with his wife Tess and seemingly leaving behind their terminally ill mother along with Tommy. Their seeds in the tournament lead to an inevitable clash.
This is a satisfying sports drama, with very good performances especially from Tom Hardy and Nick Nolte. The recovering addict role suits Nolte for obvious reasons. Tom Hardy's performance as the embittered ex-Marine is spot on. It's worth Googling the training videos of Tom Hardy just bulking up for the role, the physical transformation into the squat powerful build he shows off during the movie is amazing. Joel Edgerton is also very good as the struggling father, husband and provider but is somewhat overshadowed by Nolte and Hardy. This is superior to Redbelt, another sports drama with different revolving subplots since it doesn't have the ridiculous take on the MMA tournament format that Redbelt did. Warrior definitely has a Rocky feel, especially given Brendan's perspective since he's the film's main underdog.
Ip Man
(2008)
Wing Chun master and Bruce Lee sifu gets his own biopic
8 March 2016
A stylized biographical film based on the life of Wing Chun teacher Yip Man. Yip Man would go on to influence millions through the spread of Wing Chun and his early teaching of influential martial arts star and icon Bruce Lee. The story is set in Foshan and is seen as a hub for Chinese martial arts.
Yip Man is a respected martial arts master but doesn't have a school or teach. He runs off a group of rowdy Northern Chinese stylists though. Yip Man is a wealthy man but reduced to poverty by the occupation of the Japanese Army. He ends up working in a coal mine and only fights against Japanese opponents when he realizes that some of his neighbors have been taking fights against Imperial Japanese Army trainees for an extra rice ration.
It's extremely patriotic, almost to the detriment of the film itself. The Japanese are virtually faceless, depicted mainly as bullies, war mongers, and instigators while 1994's Fist of Legend, a very similar film, does the Japanese some credit by showing them with more honor.
Still some incredible fight scenes by the venerable Donnie Yen, who at was then 44-45 makes guys like a prime Van Damme or Seagal look pedestrian by comparison, witnessed in a brutal match with Yip Man against 10 karate practitioners. 7/10
Yip Man is a respected martial arts master but doesn't have a school or teach. He runs off a group of rowdy Northern Chinese stylists though. Yip Man is a wealthy man but reduced to poverty by the occupation of the Japanese Army. He ends up working in a coal mine and only fights against Japanese opponents when he realizes that some of his neighbors have been taking fights against Imperial Japanese Army trainees for an extra rice ration.
It's extremely patriotic, almost to the detriment of the film itself. The Japanese are virtually faceless, depicted mainly as bullies, war mongers, and instigators while 1994's Fist of Legend, a very similar film, does the Japanese some credit by showing them with more honor.
Still some incredible fight scenes by the venerable Donnie Yen, who at was then 44-45 makes guys like a prime Van Damme or Seagal look pedestrian by comparison, witnessed in a brutal match with Yip Man against 10 karate practitioners. 7/10
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
(2010)
Scott Pilgrim is a shallow, superficial wimp
6 November 2015
I found myself with mixed feelings about this movie after viewing it. Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) the titular character is dating a high school-aged girl named Knives Chau (Ellen Wong), whom he treats badly before cheating on her and breaking up with her to go out with Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). He's unemployed and lives with his roommate Wallace Wells (Kiernan Culkin, the most talented Culkin), whose generosity seems to be the only reason Scott isn't homeless. Scott's band Sex Bob-Omb seems like they're on the verge of a major break with a spot in a local Battle of the Bands contest but he doesn't take this too seriously either.
Scott learns quickly that Ramona has a spotty dating history with her embittered former significant others being labeled The League of Evil Exes. Scott's own history of bad break ups has caused him to accumulate his own League of Evil Exes. So now two people with obvious relationship and people problems want to date each other. That's besides the fact that I found the Scott and Ramona characters really unlikable, they were both manipulative and selfish with Ramona seeming really emotionally disconnected. It seemed like they were unconcerned with using and discarding people after becoming bored or meeting someone new.
This is really sad, because otherwise this is a pretty well made movie. The characters of Scott's bandmates and friends, in particular drummer Kim Pine (Allison Pill) and his roommate Wallace, are really interesting and funny. The movie looks great and the fights are well done looking like something straight off the screen of a next generation console game. I can't the past these two main characters though. Scott and Ramona are jerks and deserve each other, ironically, since they'd break up in less than a week in real life.
Scott learns quickly that Ramona has a spotty dating history with her embittered former significant others being labeled The League of Evil Exes. Scott's own history of bad break ups has caused him to accumulate his own League of Evil Exes. So now two people with obvious relationship and people problems want to date each other. That's besides the fact that I found the Scott and Ramona characters really unlikable, they were both manipulative and selfish with Ramona seeming really emotionally disconnected. It seemed like they were unconcerned with using and discarding people after becoming bored or meeting someone new.
This is really sad, because otherwise this is a pretty well made movie. The characters of Scott's bandmates and friends, in particular drummer Kim Pine (Allison Pill) and his roommate Wallace, are really interesting and funny. The movie looks great and the fights are well done looking like something straight off the screen of a next generation console game. I can't the past these two main characters though. Scott and Ramona are jerks and deserve each other, ironically, since they'd break up in less than a week in real life.
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey
(1991)
Bill and Ted tour the Afterlife
28 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
In the idyllic future created by the influence of the Wyld Stallyns, Chuck De Nomolos (Joss Ackland), has become angry with the society and system, so he decides to change things in such a way that his ideas would form the basis for a new future. De Nomolos and his followers seize control of Rufus' (George Carlin) classroom and the phone booth time machine. De Nomolos reveals that he's constructed android duplicates, Evil Bill and Ted, which will go back to the 1990's, kill the real Good Bill and Ted, wreck their lives and reshape history in De Nomolos' image.
In 1991 San Dimas, Bill S. Preston, Esq. (Alex Winter) and "Ted" Theodore Logan (Keanu Reeves), aka Good Bill and Ted, seemingly have everything going for them after they miraculously secure a place in the local Battle of the Bands Contest. The Princess of the first-Joanna and Elizabeth-also become engaged to the righteous duo. Not long after though, Evil Bill and Ted show up, proceeding to ruin Good Bill and Ted's arrive to ruin the lives and history of the Wyld Stallyns. Good Bill and Ted are murdered by the robots and must find a way back to world to the world living accompanied on their journey through the afterlife (the Bogus Journey of the title) by Death (William Sadler). The Grim Reaper is a parody of Death from the 1957 film The Seventh Seal.
Fact: The working title for this film was Bill and Ted go to Hell and thrash metal band Megadeth have a song on the soundtrack called "Go to Hell." The soundtrack also features music from Slaughter, Faith No More and KISS, who perform the credit track "God Gave Rock and Roll to You." It's a pretty entertaining film and a rare case of a sequel bettering the original. Some the jokes are childish along with the slang, California dude accents and musical anecdotes can be tiresome, especially when Bill and Ted quote "Every Rose has it's Thorn" by Poison at the Gates of Heaven. Some parts it haven't aged well either since the future glimpsed at the beginning looks like an encapsulated picture of over-the-top late 1980's/early 1990's fashion inspired music videos. It would cool though to have a class that could allow a person to learn musical theory and history from great composers and rock stars in person through the use of a time machine. The afterlife in particular, though,looks pretty strange in a good way, the bluish gray haze of the spirit plane, and Hell did look scary, at least it did to a 10-year-old when I first saw this movie.
In 1991 San Dimas, Bill S. Preston, Esq. (Alex Winter) and "Ted" Theodore Logan (Keanu Reeves), aka Good Bill and Ted, seemingly have everything going for them after they miraculously secure a place in the local Battle of the Bands Contest. The Princess of the first-Joanna and Elizabeth-also become engaged to the righteous duo. Not long after though, Evil Bill and Ted show up, proceeding to ruin Good Bill and Ted's arrive to ruin the lives and history of the Wyld Stallyns. Good Bill and Ted are murdered by the robots and must find a way back to world to the world living accompanied on their journey through the afterlife (the Bogus Journey of the title) by Death (William Sadler). The Grim Reaper is a parody of Death from the 1957 film The Seventh Seal.
Fact: The working title for this film was Bill and Ted go to Hell and thrash metal band Megadeth have a song on the soundtrack called "Go to Hell." The soundtrack also features music from Slaughter, Faith No More and KISS, who perform the credit track "God Gave Rock and Roll to You." It's a pretty entertaining film and a rare case of a sequel bettering the original. Some the jokes are childish along with the slang, California dude accents and musical anecdotes can be tiresome, especially when Bill and Ted quote "Every Rose has it's Thorn" by Poison at the Gates of Heaven. Some parts it haven't aged well either since the future glimpsed at the beginning looks like an encapsulated picture of over-the-top late 1980's/early 1990's fashion inspired music videos. It would cool though to have a class that could allow a person to learn musical theory and history from great composers and rock stars in person through the use of a time machine. The afterlife in particular, though,looks pretty strange in a good way, the bluish gray haze of the spirit plane, and Hell did look scary, at least it did to a 10-year-old when I first saw this movie.
Saved!
(2004)
A funny comedy about religion and high school social system
21 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Mary Cummings (Jena Malone), is an American Eagle Christian High School senior at the top of the social order as part of the Christian Jewels with her friends, Hilary Faye (Mandy Moore) and Veronica (Elizabeth Thai). While hanging out at the swimming pool in Mary's backyard, her boyfriend, Dean Withers (Chad Faust), tells her he might be gay. Her surprised reaction causes Mary to bump her head and she sees what believes is a religious vision telling her to try and help save Dean. After a conversation with Hilary about spiritual rebirth, in a shooting range of all places, Mary comes to the conclusion that she will sacrifice her physical virginity to help Dean. Despite all this, Mary learns that Dean's parents find a stash of gay pornography in his room and send him to a spiritual retreat/psychological clinic to be deprogrammed or 'cured' of his homosexuality. To her further shock, Mary believes she might be pregnant.
Her pregnancy makes her an outcast, so Mary befriends Jewish student Cassandra (Eva Amurri), Hilary's brother Dean(Macaulay Culkin) and the principal Pastor Skip's son Dean (Patrick Fugit) who form a new system of support for her. Everybody seems to hiding something in this movie, including Pastor Skip, who's separated but divorced and carrying on a relationship with Cassandra's single mom. Everything comes to a head by the time for prom, though.
Her pregnancy makes her an outcast, so Mary befriends Jewish student Cassandra (Eva Amurri), Hilary's brother Dean(Macaulay Culkin) and the principal Pastor Skip's son Dean (Patrick Fugit) who form a new system of support for her. Everybody seems to hiding something in this movie, including Pastor Skip, who's separated but divorced and carrying on a relationship with Cassandra's single mom. Everything comes to a head by the time for prom, though.
Young Sherlock Holmes
(1985)
Sherlock Holmes and John Watson in High School
7 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This is a non-Walter Conan Doyle story about school-aged John Watson meeting Sherlock Holmes at Brompton Academy. He also meets Professor Rupert T. Waxlfatter, a brilliant retired schoolmaster and Holmes' mentor, who's the author of numerous books on chemistry and physics. But he is considered a little crazy due to his brazen experimentation attempts with a manned bicycle-like flying vehicle along with his inherent eccentricity. Waxflatter lives in an unused tower on school grounds, along with his niece and Holmes' sweetheart, Elizabeth Hardy. Holmes is also close to Professor Rathe, the Brompton fencing master.
Several murders are committed in London using a powerful hallucinogenic delivered through a thorn shot by a cloaked assassin with a blowgun. Dudley, a school rival, frames Holmes for cheating on an exam and Waxflatter becomes one of the murder victims. Holmes secretly stays on the school's grounds in Waxflatter's old tower, getting help from Watson and Elizabeth to find Waxflatter's murderers. Their investigation leads to the uncovering of an Egyptian cult and an old grudge against Waxflatter and the other victims from a ruined business deal.
This movie had the Spielberg-Amblin Entertainment magic and feeling of an exciting 1980's adventure that seems to have been lost. It featured some cutting edge visual effects created by Lucasfilm and a script by Chris Columbus. Some of the action and violence is a bit intense for a family film but it's nothing you wouldn't see in Indiana Jones.
Several murders are committed in London using a powerful hallucinogenic delivered through a thorn shot by a cloaked assassin with a blowgun. Dudley, a school rival, frames Holmes for cheating on an exam and Waxflatter becomes one of the murder victims. Holmes secretly stays on the school's grounds in Waxflatter's old tower, getting help from Watson and Elizabeth to find Waxflatter's murderers. Their investigation leads to the uncovering of an Egyptian cult and an old grudge against Waxflatter and the other victims from a ruined business deal.
This movie had the Spielberg-Amblin Entertainment magic and feeling of an exciting 1980's adventure that seems to have been lost. It featured some cutting edge visual effects created by Lucasfilm and a script by Chris Columbus. Some of the action and violence is a bit intense for a family film but it's nothing you wouldn't see in Indiana Jones.
Terminator Genisys
(2015)
An average film
2 September 2015
Warning: Spoilers
So everyone was probably excited when they heard Schwarzenegger was coming back to this franchise. But it can be assumed that the makers of this film didn't learn from the failures of the last 2 movies-Rise of the Machines and Salvation. Rise of the Machines was a disappointment due to the casting choices of Nick Stahl (who the hell thought he was John Connor material) and Claire Daines (a whiny dope who looks like she'd cry over a broken heel). Salvation was set in the near-future Los Angeles during the War Against the Machines but it had a bad script and if your were like me, your were hoping to see, I don't know, the HUMANS WIN THE WAR AGAINST THE MACHINES.
This film opening has the humans capturing the original time machine and destroying the command center for Skynet's defenses and soldiers, so war won, right? Not so fast, the T-800 has already gone back to kill Sarah Connor in 1984 but Kyle Reese volunteers to travel back to save her. As he's traveling back, Kyle sees the John and the Resistance attacked from behind and a warning vision from his childhood in 2017 pre-war Los Angeles. The original T-800 arrives in 1984 Los Angeles but is quickly dispatched by another Terminator referred to as the Guardian and Sarah Connor. Connor was rescued in the mid-1970's from another attack by this Guardian and she refers to him as Pops since he also raised her in the aftermath.
Kyle Reese arrives in time to be attacked by a T-1000 and is rescued by Sarah and Pops the Guardian. They explain their knowledge of the war and events of Judgement Day. Their intention is to travel to 1997 with a scavenged time machine in order to prevent the original timeline's nuclear attacks and destroy Skynet. Kyle is convinced by the clearer recollection of his childhood memory that the timeline has changed and convinces Sarah to travel to 2017 while Pops the Guardian waits for them. They arrive in 2017, finding the majority of the human population waiting for the release of "Genisys" a new operating system for mobile devices and computers which is Skynet in disguise. Reese recognizes an apparently unharmed John Connor and introduces him to Sarah but it quickly becomes clear that John was changed. John was injected with nanotech, turning him into a shape-shifting cyborg, the T-5000. He's also orchestrating the final delivery of Skynet to the machines and infrastructure of the world.
The good is that Arnie gives a really good performance as Pops the Guardian. His homicidal looking grin gets old quickly though. The visuals are very impressive since Legacy Effects, a studio special effects legend Stan Winston founded, oversaw all the CGI, animatronics, prosthetics and other special effects. Looking great doesn't help with the story. Reaching hard for something amidst the wreckage of multiple timelines, reboots, and other story elements makes a mess of the plot. Time travel is a much abused plot device and is like the magical cure for cancer when it comes to ending wars or averting disasters by this film's logic. It sounded a lot scarier when Skynet was originally described as a military AI designed for missile defense that becomes self-aware and destroys much of humanity. Now it's just a malignant version of Windows or iOS. Emilia Clarke looks lost in this as well. You know she's trying hard but it just doesn't work. Jai Courtney is almost as boring playing John Connor but he it doesn't seem like playing a tough guy is as much of a stretch for him compared to her. The action is great but this doesn't stand up to the original two films but does better the last two attempts. Finally, John Connor as the main villain seems like a betrayal of something essential from the original plot. It makes me a little angry and seems unnecessary for him to become the Terminator's equivalent of Darth Vader.
This film opening has the humans capturing the original time machine and destroying the command center for Skynet's defenses and soldiers, so war won, right? Not so fast, the T-800 has already gone back to kill Sarah Connor in 1984 but Kyle Reese volunteers to travel back to save her. As he's traveling back, Kyle sees the John and the Resistance attacked from behind and a warning vision from his childhood in 2017 pre-war Los Angeles. The original T-800 arrives in 1984 Los Angeles but is quickly dispatched by another Terminator referred to as the Guardian and Sarah Connor. Connor was rescued in the mid-1970's from another attack by this Guardian and she refers to him as Pops since he also raised her in the aftermath.
Kyle Reese arrives in time to be attacked by a T-1000 and is rescued by Sarah and Pops the Guardian. They explain their knowledge of the war and events of Judgement Day. Their intention is to travel to 1997 with a scavenged time machine in order to prevent the original timeline's nuclear attacks and destroy Skynet. Kyle is convinced by the clearer recollection of his childhood memory that the timeline has changed and convinces Sarah to travel to 2017 while Pops the Guardian waits for them. They arrive in 2017, finding the majority of the human population waiting for the release of "Genisys" a new operating system for mobile devices and computers which is Skynet in disguise. Reese recognizes an apparently unharmed John Connor and introduces him to Sarah but it quickly becomes clear that John was changed. John was injected with nanotech, turning him into a shape-shifting cyborg, the T-5000. He's also orchestrating the final delivery of Skynet to the machines and infrastructure of the world.
The good is that Arnie gives a really good performance as Pops the Guardian. His homicidal looking grin gets old quickly though. The visuals are very impressive since Legacy Effects, a studio special effects legend Stan Winston founded, oversaw all the CGI, animatronics, prosthetics and other special effects. Looking great doesn't help with the story. Reaching hard for something amidst the wreckage of multiple timelines, reboots, and other story elements makes a mess of the plot. Time travel is a much abused plot device and is like the magical cure for cancer when it comes to ending wars or averting disasters by this film's logic. It sounded a lot scarier when Skynet was originally described as a military AI designed for missile defense that becomes self-aware and destroys much of humanity. Now it's just a malignant version of Windows or iOS. Emilia Clarke looks lost in this as well. You know she's trying hard but it just doesn't work. Jai Courtney is almost as boring playing John Connor but he it doesn't seem like playing a tough guy is as much of a stretch for him compared to her. The action is great but this doesn't stand up to the original two films but does better the last two attempts. Finally, John Connor as the main villain seems like a betrayal of something essential from the original plot. It makes me a little angry and seems unnecessary for him to become the Terminator's equivalent of Darth Vader.
Dracula 2000
(2000)
Lamest Dracula movie of all time
31 August 2015
So here's the bare bones. Dracula is alive, kept in stasis by Abraham Van Helsing since 1887. Van Helsing has regularly injected himself with the vampire's blood to sustain his life. His protégé, Simon Sheppard-whom is officially nicknamed Puddles due to his tendency to follow Van Helsing like a puppy, believes his mentor is merely Van Helsing's descendant. A group of the stupidest on screen thieves ever conceived break into Van Helsing's antique store and come across the coffin of Dracula. Assuming it's valuable, they take it with them on a plane to New Orleans. Dracula attacks the thieves after being inadvertently revived. Their plane crashes in a Louisiana swamp and Dracula escapes.
Van Helsing, realizing the coffin is gone and Dracula may be awake, follows with Puddles close behind. Dracula is looking for Van Helsing's daughter, Mary, since she was conceived after Van Helsing was injecting himself with the vampire blood, there's some magical hoodoo about her being a dhampir or something. Dracula quickly eats three women, making them 'brides' which in turn ambush and murder Van Helsing after he arrives in The Big Easy. Puddles is left alone without training pads and the responsibility of finding Mary before Dracula can have his way with her.
So, not only is this movie bad, the soundtrack is filled with early millennial nu-metal and rap-metal bands who suck: Saliva, Papa Roach, Disturbed, (hed)p.e., Taproot, and Linkin Park. It's almost surprising that Limp Bizkit didn't make into the film since it looks any band who had a hit or was reasonably popular could've made an appearance. Besides the ridiculous slasher feel brought to a classic horror character, some of the worst acting witnessed occurs as Vitamin C (Colleen Fitzpatrick) makes her on screen debut as Mary Van Helsing's roommate. Corporate branding was never a bigger eyesore due to the now-defunct Blockbuster Music stores shown all over the place as Mary and Vitamin C work there together.
Van Helsing, realizing the coffin is gone and Dracula may be awake, follows with Puddles close behind. Dracula is looking for Van Helsing's daughter, Mary, since she was conceived after Van Helsing was injecting himself with the vampire blood, there's some magical hoodoo about her being a dhampir or something. Dracula quickly eats three women, making them 'brides' which in turn ambush and murder Van Helsing after he arrives in The Big Easy. Puddles is left alone without training pads and the responsibility of finding Mary before Dracula can have his way with her.
So, not only is this movie bad, the soundtrack is filled with early millennial nu-metal and rap-metal bands who suck: Saliva, Papa Roach, Disturbed, (hed)p.e., Taproot, and Linkin Park. It's almost surprising that Limp Bizkit didn't make into the film since it looks any band who had a hit or was reasonably popular could've made an appearance. Besides the ridiculous slasher feel brought to a classic horror character, some of the worst acting witnessed occurs as Vitamin C (Colleen Fitzpatrick) makes her on screen debut as Mary Van Helsing's roommate. Corporate branding was never a bigger eyesore due to the now-defunct Blockbuster Music stores shown all over the place as Mary and Vitamin C work there together.
Robin Hood: Men in Tights
(1993)
A fun and entertaining Brooks film
31 August 2015
This was a parody of the Kevin Costner vehicle Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves from 1991 and 1938's The Adventures of Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn. Cary Elwes even bears a passing resemblance to Flynn, seen even more with the copying of Flynn's Robin facial hair and costume: a leather yeoman's vest, white shirt, green leggings, and a feathered cap. Everything a medieval forest outlaw needs besides his sword and longbow.
Like Costner's Robin Hood, Robin in this movie escapes from a prison after being taken prisoner while fighting for Richard the Lionheart during the 3rd Crusade. He escapes with help from Moorish prisoner Asneeze (Isaac Hayes), who tells Robin about his son, Achoo (Dave Chappelle), who's a student in England. Robin makes it back to England, where he meets Achoo after saving him from a roadside beating from a group of the Sheriff of Rottingham's soldiers (a la Rodney King). Robin invites Achoo back to his family estate but finds it literally being repossessed due to unpaid taxes along with his family and pets having died of various ailments. His manservant Blinkin, an insulting portrayal of a blind man shown to be also intellectually disabled, is Robin's only link to the past. He flees into Sherwood Forest where meets Little John and Will Scarlet O'Hara along with the other Merry Men.
Robin crashes Prince John's feast with a dead buck as a gift where he meets the Sheriff and the enchanting Maid Marian. Robin and Marian share an immediate connection. He successfully fights off an attempt at an arrest with help from Achoo, John and Will, while receiving Marian's favor and the enmity of the Sheriff of Rottingham. Robin and his Merry Men return to Sherwood, where they recruit and transform themselves through a silly song and dance routine about dressing up in the Robin Hood uniform, emphasizing the green pantyhose legging which come in giant over-sized plastic egg shells (L'Eggs). Robin and his Merry Men wage war against the unjust treatment of people and harsh taxes, striking from the forest at wealthy travelers and sharing the loot with the poor of Nottnghamshire.
This a typical Mel Brooks film, it has the feeling of a musical but only has a handful of songs in it. Cary Elwes and Dave Chappelle are a good on screen pairing but they're no Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder. Frequent Mel Brooks collaborators, Dick Van Patten and Dom Deluise, appear as the Abbott and Don Giovanni from the Channel Island of Jersey. It lacks the adult humor and biting satire of a Blazing Saddles but it's definitely entertaining in a Looney Tunes family style way. The biggest problem with this film is the portrayal of Blinkin, a blind servant, whose intelligence and blindness are used for intended humorous sight gags, with him falling off ladders and running into walls. It's sobering to see how difficult it can be for a low vision or blind person just to make it down the hallway of a building to use a public restroom.
Like Costner's Robin Hood, Robin in this movie escapes from a prison after being taken prisoner while fighting for Richard the Lionheart during the 3rd Crusade. He escapes with help from Moorish prisoner Asneeze (Isaac Hayes), who tells Robin about his son, Achoo (Dave Chappelle), who's a student in England. Robin makes it back to England, where he meets Achoo after saving him from a roadside beating from a group of the Sheriff of Rottingham's soldiers (a la Rodney King). Robin invites Achoo back to his family estate but finds it literally being repossessed due to unpaid taxes along with his family and pets having died of various ailments. His manservant Blinkin, an insulting portrayal of a blind man shown to be also intellectually disabled, is Robin's only link to the past. He flees into Sherwood Forest where meets Little John and Will Scarlet O'Hara along with the other Merry Men.
Robin crashes Prince John's feast with a dead buck as a gift where he meets the Sheriff and the enchanting Maid Marian. Robin and Marian share an immediate connection. He successfully fights off an attempt at an arrest with help from Achoo, John and Will, while receiving Marian's favor and the enmity of the Sheriff of Rottingham. Robin and his Merry Men return to Sherwood, where they recruit and transform themselves through a silly song and dance routine about dressing up in the Robin Hood uniform, emphasizing the green pantyhose legging which come in giant over-sized plastic egg shells (L'Eggs). Robin and his Merry Men wage war against the unjust treatment of people and harsh taxes, striking from the forest at wealthy travelers and sharing the loot with the poor of Nottnghamshire.
This a typical Mel Brooks film, it has the feeling of a musical but only has a handful of songs in it. Cary Elwes and Dave Chappelle are a good on screen pairing but they're no Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder. Frequent Mel Brooks collaborators, Dick Van Patten and Dom Deluise, appear as the Abbott and Don Giovanni from the Channel Island of Jersey. It lacks the adult humor and biting satire of a Blazing Saddles but it's definitely entertaining in a Looney Tunes family style way. The biggest problem with this film is the portrayal of Blinkin, a blind servant, whose intelligence and blindness are used for intended humorous sight gags, with him falling off ladders and running into walls. It's sobering to see how difficult it can be for a low vision or blind person just to make it down the hallway of a building to use a public restroom.
A Few Good Men
(1992)
A Few Good Men (1992)
24 August 2015
A Few Good Men was part of a trend of stylish courtroom dramas made in the 1990's. What sets it apart is the setting of a military court and an incident involving U.S. Marines stationed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. PFC William Santiago (Michael D. Lorenzo) is an outsider at his assignment as an infantryman. He writes letters begging for a transfer and a last letter to the NCIS Office promising information about an illegal fence line shooting into Cuba catches the attention of high ranking officers: Col. Nathan Jessup (Jack Nicholson), commander of the Marines in Guantanamo; Lt. Col. Matthew Markinson (J.T. Walsh), Guantanamo Marines' base executive officer; and Santiago's platoon leader 1st Lt. Jonathan Kendrick (Kiefer Sutherland)), all USMC. Jessup orders Santiago to be disciplined.
L. Cpl. Harold Dawson, Santiago's squad leader, and PFC. Louden Downey are the ones to institute the discipline. They pull Santiago from his barracks room at night and put a gag in his mouth with the intention of shaving his head. Santiago, however, asphyxiates as a result of ketoacidosis. Lt. JG. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) and Lt. Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollak), both USN, are appointed lead and co-counsel respectively. Kaffee sees this case as an easy opportunity for career advancement. Kaffee meets Lt. Cmdr. Jo Galloway (Demi Moore), also a lawyer and legal investigator, who travels with Kaffee and Weinberg to interview Jessup, Markinson and Kendrick. Their efforts to collect information is met with latent but polite hostility. Kaffee also learns from Galloway about the practice of "code reds," a tradition of enlisted men physically disciplining each other, synonymous with hazing.
This causes Kaffee and Weinberg to have reservations about the case they've been handed. It becomes even more tense, when Kaffee and Weinberg are offered a plea bargain by Capt. Jack Ross, the Marine Corps prosecutor, which includes a reduced sentence and charge for their clients, otherwise they'll be charged with murder. As the case unfolds, Kaffee, Weinberg and Galloway are embroiled in the concealment and cover up involving Santiago's death. Kaffee is caught between ambition, guilt, and trying to live up to his father's legacy as a former US Attorney General.
L. Cpl. Harold Dawson, Santiago's squad leader, and PFC. Louden Downey are the ones to institute the discipline. They pull Santiago from his barracks room at night and put a gag in his mouth with the intention of shaving his head. Santiago, however, asphyxiates as a result of ketoacidosis. Lt. JG. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) and Lt. Sam Weinberg (Kevin Pollak), both USN, are appointed lead and co-counsel respectively. Kaffee sees this case as an easy opportunity for career advancement. Kaffee meets Lt. Cmdr. Jo Galloway (Demi Moore), also a lawyer and legal investigator, who travels with Kaffee and Weinberg to interview Jessup, Markinson and Kendrick. Their efforts to collect information is met with latent but polite hostility. Kaffee also learns from Galloway about the practice of "code reds," a tradition of enlisted men physically disciplining each other, synonymous with hazing.
This causes Kaffee and Weinberg to have reservations about the case they've been handed. It becomes even more tense, when Kaffee and Weinberg are offered a plea bargain by Capt. Jack Ross, the Marine Corps prosecutor, which includes a reduced sentence and charge for their clients, otherwise they'll be charged with murder. As the case unfolds, Kaffee, Weinberg and Galloway are embroiled in the concealment and cover up involving Santiago's death. Kaffee is caught between ambition, guilt, and trying to live up to his father's legacy as a former US Attorney General.
Ronin
(1998)
Taut, European-style action-thriller
13 August 2015
A team of mercenaries: Sam (Robert De Niro), former ex-CIA officer; Vincent (Jean Reno), former French intelligence agent; Gregor (Stellan Skarsgård), a KGB-trained East German agent and electronics and surveillance expert; Larry (Skip Sudduth); a mechanic and expert wheelman; and Deirdre (Natascha McElhone), an IRA operative working in Paris, plan an attack on an armed convoy to steal a steel briefcase.
Their hijacking is successful, but Gregor takes the case and Deirdre is intercepted by her former IRA handler, Seamus (Jonathan Pryce). Sam and Vincent finds themselves left together and soon make an effective duo. They chase the briefcase through Paris, while competing against Deirdre, Seamus and Gregor's Russian mob buyers for ownership of the case.
It also features some of the most elaborate car chase work ever filmed, with pursuits all over the streets and traffic tunnels of Paris. This was made with a number of high performance luxury cars from Peugeot, Audi, Mercedes, and BMW. The car chases were indicative of filmmaker John Frankenheimer, who's the director car racing thriller Grand Prix.
Their hijacking is successful, but Gregor takes the case and Deirdre is intercepted by her former IRA handler, Seamus (Jonathan Pryce). Sam and Vincent finds themselves left together and soon make an effective duo. They chase the briefcase through Paris, while competing against Deirdre, Seamus and Gregor's Russian mob buyers for ownership of the case.
It also features some of the most elaborate car chase work ever filmed, with pursuits all over the streets and traffic tunnels of Paris. This was made with a number of high performance luxury cars from Peugeot, Audi, Mercedes, and BMW. The car chases were indicative of filmmaker John Frankenheimer, who's the director car racing thriller Grand Prix.
Full House
(1987–1995)
Painfully bland
10 August 2015
Boring white people, perhaps synonymous with The Brady Brunch, then this show could've been its offspring or at least a clone. This show was a staple of the ABC TGIF block of family sitcoms. It featured a San Franciscan widower named Danny Tanner (Bob Saget), a recently widowed father of three young girls, his brother-in-law Uncle Jesse Cochran, later Katsopolis to better suit John Stamos' real-life Greek ancestry, and best friend Joey Gladstone (Dave Coulier) who are single at the beginning and share the parenting responsibilities. The only thing innovative about the show was depicting three bachelors raising a house full of young girls. Danny is a sports reporter but takes over the job as co-host of a morning talk show. Danny's daughters are Donna "D.J." Jo (Candace Cameron Bure), Stephanie (Jodie Sweetin), and Michelle (Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen). Rebecca "Becky" Donaldson-Katsopolis, the show's co-host, becomes Uncle Jessie's girlfriend and wife. They later have twin boys, Nicholas and Alexander (Disney's Blake and Dylan Tuomy-Wilhout).This pretty much rounds out the main cast for the entire show's run. Relationships are short and infrequent for Danny and Joey with the exception of Danny's recurring serious girlfriend and fiancé, Vicky, whom he later broke up with. D.J. had a serious boyfriend, Steve Hale (Aladdin's Scott Weinger). Joey probably had the saddest romantic life of them all. Career is a focus of the show as well. Danny switches from reporter to GMA-style talk show host. Uncle Jesse works as a exterminator, a an advertising pitchman and jingle writer (partnering with Joey in this venture), an infrequent wannabe musician and owns a live music venue-style restaurant. Joey works in advertising and does some gigs as a comedian but too much is left in the air about his life except him also being an amateur hockey player and fan. Music and comedic stardom are supposed to be the life-long goals of Uncle Jessie and Joey but they seem to treat the pursuit more as a serious hobby than an actual feasible career choice.
Hancock
(2008)
Hancock vs. Inadequacy, drugs, booze and ultimately himself
7 August 2015
This movie could've been better, and with the lack of a strong second act it just ends up being slightly above average. The opening scene with Hancock drunkenly waking up from a bender after a kid informs him of a shootout between cops and Asian gang members during a high speed pursuit sets the tone for the style of crime fighting Hancock undertakes. Before leaving his park bench, he gropes at a random woman and grabs his liquor to go take on the bad guys. He does stop the gang members but not without causing a huge amount of collateral damage to buildings, roads and presumably injuries to people unlucky enough to be caught in his drunken highway showdown.
Hancock meets Ray Embry, a corporate image consultant, when he saves Ray from a collision from an oncoming train at a railroad crossing. Hancock tosses Ray's car upside down to get it off the tracks and derails the train as well. Hancock is invited by a grateful Ray back to his house for dinner, where he meets Ray's wife and son. He is slowly convinced by Ray to turn himself into the police to stand trial for the collateral damage caused by his heroics.
Hancock goes to a maximum security lockup with the assumption that crime will escalate quickly enough for Los Angeles to want Hancock released. He slowly sobers and is released to help police confront a group of heavily armed bank robbers and rescue a wounded officer. The second act deals with the origin of Hancock's powers and the attempts by one of the former bank robbers and several other inmates placed in jail by Hancock to get revenge. It descends into a maelstrom of CGI-crafted battles and a vague mythological origin to compensate for lack of a decent back story. The idea of a superhero with struggling with alcoholism and rehabilitating his image sounds but this suffers suffers from weak character development and some shoddy acting from Charlize Theron. Will Smith is good as Hancock, but that isn't saying much since he just seems either exhausted/hungover or emotionally distant through most of the movie. Jason Bateman gives a good performance as the nice guy trying to do a friend a favor, and this is considering he's usually the straight guy in these Frat Pack movies lately.
Hancock meets Ray Embry, a corporate image consultant, when he saves Ray from a collision from an oncoming train at a railroad crossing. Hancock tosses Ray's car upside down to get it off the tracks and derails the train as well. Hancock is invited by a grateful Ray back to his house for dinner, where he meets Ray's wife and son. He is slowly convinced by Ray to turn himself into the police to stand trial for the collateral damage caused by his heroics.
Hancock goes to a maximum security lockup with the assumption that crime will escalate quickly enough for Los Angeles to want Hancock released. He slowly sobers and is released to help police confront a group of heavily armed bank robbers and rescue a wounded officer. The second act deals with the origin of Hancock's powers and the attempts by one of the former bank robbers and several other inmates placed in jail by Hancock to get revenge. It descends into a maelstrom of CGI-crafted battles and a vague mythological origin to compensate for lack of a decent back story. The idea of a superhero with struggling with alcoholism and rehabilitating his image sounds but this suffers suffers from weak character development and some shoddy acting from Charlize Theron. Will Smith is good as Hancock, but that isn't saying much since he just seems either exhausted/hungover or emotionally distant through most of the movie. Jason Bateman gives a good performance as the nice guy trying to do a friend a favor, and this is considering he's usually the straight guy in these Frat Pack movies lately.
Disturbing Behavior
(1998)
Jocks vs. Stoners
29 July 2015
A teenager named Steve Clark (Jamie Marsden of X-Men fame), moves with his family to a small town called Cradle Bay in Washington State after leaving Chicago due to his older brother committing suicide. He encounters outcast stoners named Gavin Strick (Nick Stahl) and U.V. (Chad Donella). They're at the bottom of the social ladder at Cradle Bay HS. Steve also meets the Blue Ribbons, a type of Phi Beta Kappa-esque group of seemingly civic-minded student athletes. They seem like typical high achievers at first, but they're violent elitists, given to random acts of bullying, intimidation, assault and seen in the opening scene, murder. Before participating in the mysterious Program run by the resident school psychologist, some of the Blue Ribbons' leaders were once good friends of Gavin and U.V. It seems that Gavin, Steve and Rachel Wagner (Katie Holmes), Gavin's only other friend and Steve's love interest, are the only ones that truly take notice of the Blue Ribbons destructive nature while parents and community leaders look the other way. On the plus side, they did have an interesting idea of an almost cult-like group of student high achievers along with some creepy scenes seen with the 'recruiting' they do. The negatives, they give in to stereotyping, with jocks, stoners and social outcasts. The most disturbing thing about this movie may be the idea of some misguided educator deciding that the 'bad students' need to be improved through aggressive Pavlovian conditioning.
Saved by the Bell
(1989–1992)
May have been the first Young Adult sitcom
20 July 2015
Saved by the Bell originated as a show called Good Morning Miss Bliss, based around a popular junior high school teacher named Miss Bliss played by Haley Mills. Mark Paul Gosselear was there as Zack, Lark Voorhies as Lisa, Dennis Haskins as Principal Richard Belding and Dustin Diamond as Screech. Miss Bliss taught history at JFK Junior High in Indianapolis, Indiana, with the show following her students' interactions along with some glimpses of Miss Bliss' home life. The show was made for the 1988-89 TV season and appeared on the Disney Channel but didn't last long. Since it was originally produced by NBC, the show was retooled as a teen sitcom focusing on Zack Morris, a fourth wall breaking popular guy who attended Bayside High School. The show was moved from Indiana to Malibu, California. Mr. Belding, Screech, and Lisa were all there but Mario Lopez as Slater, Elizabeth Berkley as Jessie and Tiffany Thiessen as Kelly were all added. Zack's character was based on Ferris Bueller from the 1986 film with him being the most popular kid in school, though he doesn't have the adversarial relationship with Mr. Belding that Ferris did with Dean of Students Ed Rooney. Zack wasn't a slacker academically, seeming to at least do well enough to pass his classes and played basketball and ran track as well. Jessie, was an obsessive high achieving academic, class president and feminist. She seemed like she believed the school's self-appointed social conscience at times. Screech was a prototypical supernerd, he invented weird and useless things, excelled academically, was a chess champion, and always seemed hang out with the popular kids despite those things. The wardrobe always seemed to emphasize the nerdiness of Screech by dressing him in the worst clothes-rainbow suspenders, tie-dyed shirts, and ugly Chuck Taylor Converse were his typical costume. Lisa, she was the pretty girl who was into fashion, make up and seemed to be the most interested in dating despite rarely being shown with a boyfriend. Slater, he excelled as a star football player and wrestler, his dad was supposed to be an Army officer, and he had an on and off again relationship with Jessie. He was also shown as a dancer and enjoyed cooking. Kelly, she was the pretty girl next door, cheerleader, athletic, and the most popular girl at school. She and Zack were the main couple on the show and had on and off relationship too. All the other kids on SBTB seemed to come from wealthy or well-to-do families but we do see Kelly's family struggle financially at times. Kelly was also the oldest in a large family with her babysitting her younger siblings as part of her responsibilities. Sometimes the show got a little ridiculous in trying to teach a moral lesson, with the infamous caffeine pill episode where Jessie was using them to stay awake so she could study and get into Stanford.
Tomorrowland
(2015)
Disney, please making stop making films out of your theme park attractions
9 July 2015
The idea of a boy and/or girl genius entering into a Utopian advanced city sounds like it has potential but this movie is quickly bogged down in self-importance and the need for flashbacks. It's also very boring and extremely long, clocking in at 130 minutes! I haven't seen George Clooney phone in a performance this badly since Batman and Robin and Britt Robertson as the plucky and cute tomboy protagonist is just as forgettable. Hugh Laurie's misguided bad guy seems like the only person with any noticeable personality. It's hard to believe that Brad Bird, a director with films like The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and Up on his resume, in addition to transitioning well to live action film with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, also directed this mess.
The Punisher
(2004)
Flawed but satisfying revenge action film
25 April 2015
First of all, the casting for The Punisher role itself was dead on. Thomas Jane was a fantastic choice and his on screen transformation from loving husband/father and dutiful FBI agent to coldly raging antihero is incredible. His on screen wife, Maria (Samantha Mathis), son, father (Roy Scheider) and the rest of his family die in a heartbreaking scene that's also a little disturbing. The villains aren't quite as well cast. The bulk of the story takes place in Tampa after mob boss Howard Saint's younger twin son was killed in an accidental shooting during a sting to catch arms dealers. John Travolta was a bad choice as the main villain Howard Saint, he seems to be overacting and ineffectual. Laura Harring as Livia Saint wears the pants in the family, as Howard Saint's coldly vindictive wife she orders the deaths of Castle's family, and is far more effective a villain. The same goes for Will Patton as Quentin Glass, the Saint family attorney and chief enforcer, who is portrayed as a gleeful sadist and murderer.
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