tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83123908516162724432024-03-14T08:32:20.914-07:00Rushy's ReviewsRushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-20700333185115777192019-12-19T14:08:00.000-08:002019-12-19T14:08:20.284-08:00STAR WARS MARATHON (1977 - 2019) Conclusion<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWPVek8E17NidpF4iMwMqaj8yxbB70X5kI5HqyRTb8EYKiDgFI55GWZEy2tnwm88DFzxxt-SZXZOaKGyeCNlmUnA7xFKNkwEcpUXpUUmGKe9FY5cyeYSOrJ9sC31RanfOGhLlEBfWcBPU/s1600/81-640x360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWPVek8E17NidpF4iMwMqaj8yxbB70X5kI5HqyRTb8EYKiDgFI55GWZEy2tnwm88DFzxxt-SZXZOaKGyeCNlmUnA7xFKNkwEcpUXpUUmGKe9FY5cyeYSOrJ9sC31RanfOGhLlEBfWcBPU/s320/81-640x360.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Well, I certainly didn't expect my marathon to last four years, but whatcha gonna do? Given that Disney has now re-labeled the episodic films "the Skywalker Saga", I figured I'd restrict my rankings and thoughts to them and maybe review <i>Rogue One</i> and <i>Solo</i> and other future projects separately.<br />
<br />
So, the three trilogies: the originals are more or less perfect. That is to say, they're not unflawed, but as far as being and entertaining and solid goes, you can't get much better with <i>A New Hope</i> introducing us to this universe, <i>Empire Strikes Back</i> upping the stakes and expanding the lore and then <i>Return of the Jedi</i> neatly resolving all plot lines. There is some valid criticism of <i>Return</i> repeating <i>Hope</i> in some aspects, most notably the Death Star, but I think the character development and the Emperor more than make up for it. It's still a damn great film.<br />
<br />
The prequels suffer from various eccentric production choices and lack of coherent direction from George Lucas, but the story it's trying to tell is still respectably epic in size, and as far as the lore goes, I genuinely believe the prequels did the best job in expanding the universe of Star Wars, with a lot of help from its spinoff <i>The Clone Wars</i>.<br />
<br />
Finally, the sequels are far too slavish to the originals, and having Rian Johnson's vision intercede in the middle of the trilogy gives it a slightly disjointed feel, but this trilogy perfects the spectacle and emotional aspect of the series, as well as making the Force truly feel mythical.<br />
<br />
BEST TO WORST STAR WARS FILMS<br />
<br />
1) <i>Return Of The Jedi</i><br />
2) <i>Empire Strikes Back</i><br />
3) <i>Revenge Of The Sith</i><br />
4) <i>A New Hope</i><br />
5) <i>The Force Awakens</i><br />
7) <i>The Last Jedi</i><br />
8) <i>The Rise Of Skywalker</i><br />
9) <i>The Phantom Menace</i><br />
10) <i>Attack Of The Clones</i><br />
<br />
BEST TO WORST JEDI<br />
<br />
1) Qui-Gon Jinn<br />
2) Obi-Wan Kenobi<br />
3) Yoda<br />
4) Luke Skywalker<br />
5) Mace Windu<br />
6) Ben Solo<br />
7) Anakin Skywalker<br />
8) Rey Skywalker<br />
<br />
BEST TO WORST SITH<br />
<br />
1) Darth Tyranus<br />
2) Darth Vader<br />
3) Darth Sidious<br />
4) Darth Maul<br />
<br />
BEST TO WORST DIRECTOR<br />
<br />
1) Irvin Kershner<br />
2) George Lucas<br />
3) Richard Marquand<br />
4) Rian Johnson<br />
5) JJ Abrams<br />
<br />
BEST TO WORST DROIDS<br />
<br />
1) General Grievous(I get that the fandom refers to him as a cyborg all the time, but <i>Revenge</i> explicitly calls him a droid general, and that was Lucas' concept as well)<br />
2) C-3PO<br />
3) BB-8<br />
4) R2-D2<br />
5) B1 Battle Droids<br />
6) Droidekas<br />
7) Mouse Droids<br />
8) Jabba's torturer droid<br />
9) D-O<br />
10) B2 Super Battle Droids<br />
11) Gonk Droid<br />
12) That sweary protocol droid from <i>Empire Strikes Back</i><br />
13) TC-14<br />
<br />
BEST TO WORST LIGHTSABER DUEL<br />
<br />
1) Anakin vs Obi-Wan, from <i>Revenge Of The Sith</i><br />
2) Vader vs Luke, from <i>Return Of The Jedi</i><br />
3) Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan vs Darth Maul, from <i>The Phantom Menace</i><br />
4) Vader vs Luke, from <i>Empire Strikes Back</i><br />
5) Yoda vs Palpatine, from <i>Revenge Of The Sith</i><br />
6) Obi-Wan vs General Grievous, from <i>Revenge Of The Sith</i><br />
7) Luke vs Kylo, from <i>The Last Jedi</i><br />
8) Obi-Wan vs Vader, from <i>A New Hope</i><br />
9) Obi-Wan and Anakin vs Dooku, from <i>Revenge Of The Sith</i><br />
10) Obi-Wan, Anakin and Yoda vs Dooku, from <i>Attack Of The Clones</i><br />
11) Rey and Finn vs Kylo, from <i>The Force Awakens</i><br />
12) Rey vs Kylo, from <i>The Rise Of Skywalker</i><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-51215986033729527382019-12-19T13:37:00.000-08:002019-12-19T13:37:09.172-08:00The Rise Of Skywalker (2019) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2EXkcRzPMMrfWQlxyvUniSsU7p1HBbtNxUntO_5GvTgRxCbVRu-KL_ViyILe6Z-D8JteEhprxYpfqcsbd4fP0WwK5VBtHcw18frSXmQpE3YGV7ZoSa16JY3J022bw6YUANzAVJmpm2Ah/s1600/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-theatrical-poster-1000_ebc74357.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1372" data-original-width="892" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2EXkcRzPMMrfWQlxyvUniSsU7p1HBbtNxUntO_5GvTgRxCbVRu-KL_ViyILe6Z-D8JteEhprxYpfqcsbd4fP0WwK5VBtHcw18frSXmQpE3YGV7ZoSa16JY3J022bw6YUANzAVJmpm2Ah/s320/star-wars-the-rise-of-skywalker-theatrical-poster-1000_ebc74357.jpeg" width="207" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i>The Rise Of Skywalker</i> is a bittersweet conclusion to what's now being retroactively termed 'the Skywalker Saga', a work of pure fan service that exists to betray the narrative of its direct predecessor. I don't resent it for that. <i>The Last Jedi</i>, whilst not a terrible film in my opinion, was still controversial for a reason and I think the fandom deserved a film that reminded them all why they're fans to begin with.<br />
<br />
What can be resented is the bizarre decision to make this film the finale of nine movies rather than just three. Not only will there inevitably be more Star Wars, but as a result, <i>The Rise Of Skywalker</i> is unnecessarily burdened not only with the sequel trilogy's unstable plotting, but that of previously closed storylines that <i>The Last Jedi</i> had deliberately moved away from in favor of exploring new territory.<br />
<br />
Perhaps this was a conscious decision by Abrams, for whom nostalgia is bread and butter. After all, once you take into account all the movies since 1977, and the fandom's complaints over the past (forty-)two years, the script basically writes itself. And I think that predictability is the main issue with <i>The Rise Of Skywalker</i>. It's a movie that knew what it had to be, but not an inch more than that. Abrams knows how to tantalize the audience - we've seen it with LOST(the classic mystery of the Hatch), we've seen it with Star Trek(a new alternate reality full of potential) and we've seen it with <i>The Force Awakens</i>(full of questions and open-ended arcs). But all those have one thing in common - Abrams is never the guy to actually give the answers, to tell an actual story. Because it's just not the kind of writer that he is.<br />
<br />
I think he made <i>The Rise Of Skywalker</i> easy for himself, but opening all those old worm-cans had a price of its own, namely that he has nothing better to offer. Isn't that why anyone would revisit an old storyline? To do something more impressive with it? The Emperor's return offers so many possibilities, but Abrams seems content with simply having him back. The Knights of Ren finally make their long-heralded appearance, but Abrams seems content with simply having them around. Lando shows up to help the Resistance, but Abrams seems content with simply having him around. You get the picture. The film isn't bad, but aside from upping the stakes physically, it's unambitious and I find that really unforgivable for a finale. Like 50% of the film is simply the audience nodding "ok, they did that thing that we wanted to see", but it's more ticking boxes than anything substantial.<br />
<br />
On a more positive note, <i>The Rise Of Skywalker</i> is a legitimately fun movie with a good pace, lots of exciting action and plenty of heart to it, and I wasn't left untouched by its dedication to the audience, even to Rian Johnson whose work is at least respected within the film, if not built on. The foundation of a great piece of work is there, it just needed more meat on the bone.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
One of my favourite things about the film is that Daisy Ridley's Rey, John Boyega's Finn and Oscar Isaac's Poe finally feel like a cohesive trio, and actually have really good chemistry together, the offscreen time together having bonded them all(specifically Rey and Poe) as comrades-in-arms. They also all get their moments to shine and grow. I loved seeing Poe struggle in a leadership position(hinted at in <i>The Last Jedi</i>).<br />
<br />
That being said, I am critical of Rey's development, as it's basically a copy of Luke's in <i>Return Of The Jedi</i> - confront the biggest evil, who is also your family and make sure you don't fall to the dark side. Been there, done that. It is sad that her character seems to have become less interesting with each passing film, as I was very fond of her initially.<br />
<br />
Adam Driver's Kylo Ren is also probably at his least intriguing here - aside from pointlessly rebuilding the mask, Abrams couldn't go back to him copying Vader, but he also clearly didn't want to pursue the "let the past die" storyline Rian introduced, so Kylo's character is left somewhat adrift in motivation. There is a satisfying resolution to his story, but overall, he's not quite the captivating figure he was in the first two films.<br />
<br />
I'm quite amazed at how well Carrie Fisher's scenes and character were integrated into the film. Not only would you be unable to tell that it's old footage if you didn't know about her death, but she also has a significant part to play in the story. Really superb work there.<br />
<br />
Billy Dee Williams hasn't missed a beat! Unfortunately, his character is somewhat perfunctory. Not to the extent of certain others, but plotwise, he's mostly just there for the family reunion feel and doesn't get much cool to do, which I really wanted to.<br />
<br />
Truly positive is to see Anthony Daniels... do things! I mean, R2 is still completely useless, but I'll take what I can get. C-3PO actually gets taken along on a mission and although I'm convinced his character has the droid version of senility at this point, he manages to be useful and entertaining. But to be honest, I'm just glad to see Daniels utilised in some capacity given how iconic he is.<br />
<br />
Iconic is the word that leads us to Ian McDiarmid, who reprises the role of Darth Sidious. McDiarmid is of course as perfect as he was ever was in the role, but I'd be lying if I said the Emperor's role was truly satisfying. It's rather hilarious that Snoke was tied to his character, because he's been given about as much backstory regarding his return and current motivations. He's just back and wants to get rid of the Jedi, because of course that's what he wants. There's very little, I dunno, idiosyncratic about his appearance. It could be any evil Sith Lord. It could be Snoke. It could be Kylo. My point is, there's really no reason for Palpatine to be in this film aside from tying it to the other ones. But hey, that cackle is always fun.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
The final score by John Williams is as nostalgic as the film itself, mostly a greatest hits from the original trilogy. Shame there was no Duel Of The Fates, or really any prequel material I could recognise.<br />
<br />
Visually, I'd say this is the least interesting of the sequels. It's certainly not up to <i>The Last Jedi's</i> amazing eye-popping colours and masterful cinematography, but it's not even matching Abrams' previous film, which boasted the Starkiller Base firing sequence and some neat camera tricks. The editing is very fast, with scenes often feeling short due to the need to get as much plot in as possible. On one hand, you never get bored, but on the other, it's not a very atmospheric film, perhaps save for the scenes on Exegol.<br />
<br />
Otherwise, the healthy combination of CGI and practical work is consistent with the rest of the Disney era.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
The sequel trilogy is a good time, sometimes innovative, often touching, but <i>The Rise Of Skywalker</i> solidifies that they will always be nothing more than an epilogue to a greater work.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-32654481623306849822019-12-05T16:33:00.000-08:002019-12-05T16:33:23.404-08:00Revenge Of The Sith (2005) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUC1eKf61DaWykWLfEYIW97qQ7JmxOZn1ARmN8sxOuyLI40VWAFGex1_OPjx2QIz40z5uL4xApIB-lTpI8TsVzA7ibrr11NCsMhgfMYlFCCsqBEbC4953hc7eYNk3AJOtser6iJY4ElpM/s1600/268x0w.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="268" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNUC1eKf61DaWykWLfEYIW97qQ7JmxOZn1ARmN8sxOuyLI40VWAFGex1_OPjx2QIz40z5uL4xApIB-lTpI8TsVzA7ibrr11NCsMhgfMYlFCCsqBEbC4953hc7eYNk3AJOtser6iJY4ElpM/s320/268x0w.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<i>Revenge Of The Sith</i> is a tragedy, all right. A tragedy that it took this long for the prequel trilogy to find its groove. As I watched it, I finally realized what the first two were missing. Star Wars. Think about it - <i>The Phantom Menace</i> depicted a relatively trivial Trade Federation affair that just happened to have the Sith involved. This would tangentially lead into the events in <i>Attack Of The Clones</i>, but even there the Separatists are merely political until the final Geonosis battle. This trilogy took two movies to actually get to the Star Wars, a huge error in George Lucas's judgment.<br />
<br />
As such, <i>Revenge</i> bears the brunt of its predecessors' mistakes, but is nonetheless able to deliver a thoroughly compelling story and make us finally care about these characters as the dystopian Empire beckons in the distance. The idea of corrupted democracy, of our own law turning against us is fundamentally frightening for anyone, and it's a concept that the more black and white original trilogy never touched on.<br />
<br />
The first act of the film puts us right into familiar territory - baddies have a MacGuffin, so the heroes get on the move. Compare it to the start of the previous films, which were "ambassadors coming to discuss trade dispute" and "Senator Amidala arriving to vote". It's punchy, fun, well-written, there's good banter between the characters, and a lightsaber duel to boot. That whole first act is like a mini-Star Wars film in its own right. So finally, we're thoroughly invested.<br />
<br />
Then we're forced down to Coruscant and it's here when the tension starts building as we learn of the differences between the Chancellor and the Jedi Council. That tension, and the wild card that is Anakin, keeps <i>Revenge</i> focused. And we know it will snap eventually and rain terrible hellfire on our heroes. So that adds an imaginary ticking clock to the film.<br />
<br />
That being said, <i>Revenge</i> is not without a flaw: there's some serious confusion in Anakin's motivations for turning to the dark side. It's meant to be two-fold - on one side, he simply wants the power to save Padme's life. But on the other, we're also led to believe that Anakin's been convinced the Jedi are plotting to take over the Republic. Which isn't really supported by what we're seeing onscreen.<br />
<br />
Anakin finding out that the Chancellor is a Sith Lord should surely be the end for Palpatine's moral arguments, right? I mean, even if Anakin believed the Sith and the Jedi weren't that different and that the Sith's passionate approach to the Force was the way to go, what part of his brain thinks that killing younglings isn't evil, but trying to assassinate a Sith Lord is? Not to mention, towards the end of the film, Anakin himself proposes overthrowing the Chancellor. It boils what seems to be set up to be a very clever subversion of morals down to "the dude's just gone power mad", which is a shame.<br />
<br />
I feel like a good way to fix this would've been to have Anakin ultimately just embrace the ways of the Sith, and declare them better than the Jedi, not rant about how the Jedi betrayed him in some way.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Ewan McGregor is the real stand-out of this film. After a fairly forgettable performance in Episode I, and a grouchy one in Episode II, here he gets to be the charming and wise Jedi we all know and love, and put his own stamp on the role(McGregor basically plays himself, but it works). He's very charismatic here, and it's no surprise the fans are still hankering for his return to the part all these years later.<br />
<br />
Hayden Christensen, whilst still not great, at least has something reasonable to chew on and clearly tries to make us care about him and Anakin's complex feelings of fear, betrayal, jealousy and confusion. It's a far cry from the whining creep he was in the last film. At the very least, he does his job well enough. It could've been an iconic performance had a superior actor done it, but Christensen doesn't have to be ashamed of his acting here at all.<br />
<br />
Ian McDiarmid gives his second legendary performance as the Emperor(one hopes for a third in <i>Rise Of Skywalker</i>). The fact that he's completely fascinating to the audienec both as the reserved, dry, kindly Chancellor and the megalomaniacal lord of evil is a testament to his talent as an actor. McDiarmid is nothing short of brilliant, and rightfully holds the title of one of the most iconic villain performers of all time.<br />
<br />
Christopher Lee's appearance is short, but he makes the most of it, and Dooku's death at least contributes massively to the birth of Vader. It also allows to spend more time with Matthew Wood's wonderfully fearsome and irascible General Grievous, adding one more brilliant villain to Star Wars's ouevre.<br />
<br />
Natalie Portman's Padme doesn't get as much to do here as in the previous films, and people have rightfully laughed off the unnecessary death by "losing the will to live"(though I should point out it's not too unrealistic in a fantasy environment). She manages to convey her bitterness and terror over seeing democracy's death well enough, but mostly she's just sad and confused around Anakin, which could be compelling, but Portman doesn't really show the character's inner depth much.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Whilst the greenscreen and CGI are still present in the same quantity, they are massively improved from what we saw in <i>Attack Of The Clones</i>. Most of what we see still feels more or less real, most notably the work done on Grievous, who is still a very impressive figure.<br />
<br />
The thing I remembered the most about this movie were the glorious music by John Williams(possibly his best in the series) and the impeccable lightsaber duels(definitely the best in the series). The showdown between Anakin and Obi-Wan is as amazing and spectacular now as it was back in 2005. It's a highlight of the entire franchise, and one of my favourite action scenes of all time, if not the favourite.<br />
<br />
The editing is also far superior to that of the previous two films. Not only is it not bad, but there's some terrific moments, like the cut from Padme's warm, inviting hospital room to the dark, cold one Vader is trapped in.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<i>Revenge Of The Sith</i> is an exhilarating, gripping experience and remains one of the best Star Wars films regardless of the stigma surrounding the prequel trilogy. It's no surprise that the tone and characterisation seen in the popular Clone Wars series is almost entirely based off of this movie.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-65131598376486455832019-12-04T15:10:00.004-08:002019-12-04T15:10:56.215-08:00Attack Of The Clones (2002) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgjSKzIcFOaakPGLR8KFEA7OCGKFSgt9fhCCJv1uEYRZ0rjAWI1x21pBdY94ieiTK31ppap6sr3EsQOznUv097khquz3JK5uNywJS0Lqbv2ve9aen7pXdhE4L985A4lM-jCANyj1PWrtJ/s1600/MV5BMDAzM2M0Y2UtZjRmZi00MzVlLTg4MjEtOTE3NzU5ZDVlMTU5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDUyOTg3Njg%2540._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1057" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMgjSKzIcFOaakPGLR8KFEA7OCGKFSgt9fhCCJv1uEYRZ0rjAWI1x21pBdY94ieiTK31ppap6sr3EsQOznUv097khquz3JK5uNywJS0Lqbv2ve9aen7pXdhE4L985A4lM-jCANyj1PWrtJ/s320/MV5BMDAzM2M0Y2UtZjRmZi00MzVlLTg4MjEtOTE3NzU5ZDVlMTU5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDUyOTg3Njg%2540._V1_.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i>Attack Of The Clones</i> shouldn't suck. It really shouldn't. We have two storylines, one full of intrigue and detective work, the other passionate and building on the mythos, both set in exotic, well designed locales. This is the middle chapter of the trilogy, where the tension should be at its peak. And story-wise, I would say it is.<br />
<br />
But all of this is brought crashing down by the sheer indomitable flatness of this movie. Now, I'm not referring to George Lucas's increasing dependence on greenscreen and dated CGI, although that certainly doesn't help. It's mainly the script itself, and George's lack of actor-specific direction, the latter of which I'll talk about further below. But for starters, the script is unusually godawful even for Lucas's notoriously pulpy sensibilities. We've all heard the jokes about Anakin and Padme's romance, but it really cannot be understated how dreadfully faux-Shakespearean they are. What Lucas was thinking with some of this dialogue, I will never know.<br />
<br />
I can appreciate the planning that went into the film's story. The way Palpatine worms his way into a position of absolute power and develops the Clone Wars for his own advantage is ingenious. I also like the inclusion of Boba Fett's backstory, as well as the doubt cast on the Jedi's methods by various characters. Most of these(and of course the entirely unresolved Sifo-Dyas arc) would be picked up by the Clone Wars television series, which really did redeem the prequels in a way, and provide the missing link. I know George wanted to structure this story as another trilogy to fit with the originals, but the prequels are in my eyes, a four-act story, and the Clone Wars is a vital part of that. Without the TV show retroactively filling in blanks, <i>Clones</i> would be even weaker than it already is. But on the other hand, all the great stuff we did get in that show depends on this movie to exist. So it is what it is.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Christopher Lee is always a win, and I believe that his Count Dooku is one of the best Star Wars characters(much like his friend Peter Cushing, who portrayed Grand Moff Tarkin in <i>A New Hope</i>). Most of this can be chalked up to Lee's natural charisma - <i>Clones</i> certainly doesn't give him all that much to work with, beyond his political alliance with the Separatists. In fact, I don't believe the film even really elaborates on what the Separatist faction is after beyond vague blackmail, making them more of a massive criminal organisation than anything else.<br />
<br />
But Lee's Dooku, as an aristocratic, erudite former Jedi is such an interesting and layered personality that I was begging for more time to be spent on him. And given how much of a contrast he is to the rest of the film's quality, he just stands out even more. Lee is without a doubt the absolute highlight of the film.<br />
<br />
I liked seeing Ewan McGregor's role as Obi-Wan evolve from the rather quiet Jedi Padawan he was in <i>The Phantom Menace</i> to the somewhat weary, cranky master dealing with an arrogant, though beloved student. That being said, I do feel like McGregor is at his least likable in the film. It's easy to say it's part of his journey, as Obi-Wan naturally had more to learn, but I think this didn't necessarily need to be at the expense of his charm as a character. To put it bluntly, Obi-Wan's basically a grouch here. His relationship with Anakin is stretched to the absolute max throughout the film, but not enough is done to show their genuine care, which is supposed to exist underneath their differences.<br />
<br />
Hayden Christensen in this is just a beautiful trainwreck. Christensen of course isn't the strongest actor in the world, but he is just pummeled by the combination of Lucas' indifference to directing actors(he famously considers them tools who are meant to deliver a script in whatever way they please just so long as they get it done) and the dreadful writing. The result is a monotone, creepy Anakin who couldn't possibly appeal to anyone in any sort of believable world.<br />
<br />
Natalie Portman, whilst dragged down considerably by the horrible romantic scenes, is mostly competent, though she has little meaningful to do outside of her relationship with Anakin. She shoots, can bark orders well enough. There's the sequence where she fights off a giant rat. Overall, she acquits herself fine enough.<br />
<br />
Temuera Morrison was a fine choice for Jango Fett. He's gruff, but has a somewhat rugged look to him that suggests he's hiding something. I can easily imagine him underneath the armor, both as Jango and as Boba in the original trilogy. Not to mention, his vocal performance for the clones is equally good, managing to sound like the pitch-perfect soldier.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Lucas has a knack for visuals, and the movie has many beautiful shots and is shot competently enough. The alien environments of Coruscant, Kamino, Tatooine and Geonosis are all distinct and fairly interesting in their own right. Unfortunately, the overuse of the greenscreens and CGI do detract considerably from the overall experience, and whilst the film is colourful, it also has this inescapably digital sheen to it. In this day and age, it is the worst-looking Star Wars film.<br />
<br />
That being said, there is a lot to like in it still. The lightsabers, which always vary a little, don't look as stiff here as they did in <i>The Phantom Menace</i>, nor as they as irritatingly vibrant and live as in the sequel trilogy. It's kind of a sweet spot.<br />
<br />
I think everyone loves the sound and effect of Jango Fett's seismic charges, and that whole asteroid sequence is exceptionally executed. Same goes for the Geonosis battle in the climax. In fact, the film as a whole is choreographed well, though sometimes it's crippled by editing errors, which were unfortunately numerous throughout the film, adding to the clunkiness of the overall production.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
I doubt it'll ever be anyone's favourite in the series. It was plodding, hard to sit through and ultimately not very memorable. It's frustrating, because <i>Clones</i> has such a good fundament for a great film, and a collection of excellent stars who could've brought that movie to life. But George Lucas just plain f*cked it up.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-42424517732010633932019-10-21T11:54:00.004-07:002019-10-21T11:54:55.273-07:00Firefly Trilogy (2003, 2005, 2019) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
In preparation for Rob Zombie's <i>3 From Hell</i>, I decided to have myself a little marathon and run through what's now unofficially become the Firefly Trilogy - comprising the three Rob Zombie movies featuring the eponymous Firefly family. With the entire series fresh in my mind, I figured I'd get all my thoughts out into the open in one big review.<br />
<br />
First of all, a little history on Zombie himself - he's a rock star who, at the turn of the millennium, decided to become a filmmaker. Inspired by Marx Brothers classics and rough 1970s grindhouse flicks, Zombie was initially a new voice of creativity in a stale genre. This early success led him to direct his most high-profile pictures, the two <i>Halloween</i> remakes from 2007 and 2009.<br />
<br />
The films had an extremely negative effect on his career as Zombie's indulgent, stylistic choices and scriptwriting were unfavourably compared to John Carpenter's restrained and practical storytelling(particularly in the infamously outlandish second film). Zombie would make one final attempt to win back respect with a tribute film to classic slowburn directors Argento and Kubrick in <i>The Lords Of Salem.</i> A noble effort that failed on account of the film being really dull.<br />
<br />
See, the one thing you have to understand when you go into a Rob Zombie film is that Zombie is an entertainer, not a storyteller. Zombie's films may include certain themes and many interesting characters, but his first instinct has always been simply to keep the audience's eyes on the screen by metaphorically dangling keys in front of their faces.<br />
<br />
Which isn't a bad thing, by the way. Sometimes that's all we want to unwind and there is nothing wrong with that. However, this does mean that Zombie only truly succeeds as a filmmaker when he<br />
A) embraces that approach and B) actually throws in enough fun and original concepts to keep the audience's attention. That's a lot harder than it sounds.<br />
<br />
Ironically, the closest Zombie actually got to being coherent was with his <i>Halloween </i>remakes, and those were lauded by both Carpenter and Zombie fans for not living up to either man's vision. So we're left with his original works, namely his one franchise - the Firefly Trilogy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiku1DkRqowZLQ3Ra3i8Jv86qKUZ-gya0FwEa9HtOlhUyonOSIrHlmvG2jtWISLjNyHbLb9EDFeRvYoonrjWF01KcXaJsTSsoF22xLgHSHo339YIs6XJZQ3SLujYiYaCszbvIYWksGTpGHW/s1600/house-of-1000-corpses.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="655" data-original-width="1000" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiku1DkRqowZLQ3Ra3i8Jv86qKUZ-gya0FwEa9HtOlhUyonOSIrHlmvG2jtWISLjNyHbLb9EDFeRvYoonrjWF01KcXaJsTSsoF22xLgHSHo339YIs6XJZQ3SLujYiYaCszbvIYWksGTpGHW/s320/house-of-1000-corpses.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i>House Of 1000 Corpses</i> is easily my favourite Zombie picture. It's bursting with the excitement of a new director wanting to make his mark, filled to the brim with colourful characters and dark humor and pays homage to many fantastic classics that came before.<br />
<br />
The story isn't anything special - in fact, it borrows so heavily from Tobe Hooper's <i>Texas Chainsaw Massacre</i> films that it's a miracle nobody sued Zombie. The psychotic redneck family, the dumb teenagers in a van, the sly gas station attendant are all accounted for. Heck, there's even a gigantic retarded family member wearing a leather mask! Given how absurd the <i>Massacre</i> sequels got, I don't think anyone would've batted an eye if this film was released as part of that series.<br />
<br />
But fortunately, it also happens to be better than most of them. <i>Corpses</i> has the story of the original film, but is tonally very close to the feverishly crazed second and that's before we mention Bill Moseley, who actually stars in both this and <i>Massacre Part 2</i>!<br />
<br />
Indeed, the cast are by far the biggest draw - Moseley plays a raving lunatic like nobody else, Sid Haig gloriously hams it up as the foul Captain Spaulding and Sheri Moon Zombie plays the best live action Harley Quinn we never saw. And even the lesser known family members are fun to watch in their own rights, as they interact with the other villains and of course the teenagers, who aren't memorable, but are thankfully likable.<br />
<br />
What makes <i>Corpses </i>work so well for me is that Zombie doesn't seem to hold back on any aspect of it - everything is extravagant. The acting, the script, the set design, the direction... it goes in the most madcap directions and you're never quite sure what it's going to throw at you next. You just know it'll be weird and fun and very disturbing at the same time. If there's ever a perfect tone of horror film for Halloween viewing, then <i>House Of 1000 Corpses</i> nails it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIQt3pGBxjTpuhuvIj7Y2yp5x2lqGaGr7LvcsfktQ7z4t6pta6TE3T12WJRZXjtl5T32oAdep8PxvC2Ps9l2uqM_a9AIw09h0YIt0rQ3EotB9x05hWOjsju0yLEfFOoDNDlHj5s5qO_Gl/s1600/31043232_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="704" data-original-width="1600" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIQt3pGBxjTpuhuvIj7Y2yp5x2lqGaGr7LvcsfktQ7z4t6pta6TE3T12WJRZXjtl5T32oAdep8PxvC2Ps9l2uqM_a9AIw09h0YIt0rQ3EotB9x05hWOjsju0yLEfFOoDNDlHj5s5qO_Gl/s320/31043232_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<i>The Devil's Rejects</i> is widely regarded as the best Rob Zombie movie and it's certainly up there in that regard, with the way it morphs the terrifying antagonists from the previous film into Bonnie-and-Clyde style outlaws whilst twisting the law into an unrecognisable tool for revenge.<br />
<br />
It feels almost like a reboot, like waking up from the bizarre dream that was <i>Corpses</i> into a stinky and unpleasant reality. The villains are no longer omnipotent torturers, but rather real people fighting for survival and their characters are reinvented to reflect that, with Moseley in particular being almost completely different, his "artistic" endeavours forgotten in favor of a self-glorifying Charles Manson-esque performance.<br />
<br />
But for me, the high points of the film <i>are </i>the premise and the unforgettable finale. <i>Rejects</i> comes in and goes out of with a blast, but the middle section of the film isn't quite as impressive. It feels like there's a lot of sitting around and talking, whether it's in the motel or the brothel or the sheriff's station or elsewhere. And sure, a lot of torture and assault and banter gets done during that time, but one gets the impression that Zombie became so fond of the characters that he wanted the actors to bounce off of one another more than anything else. It's all very incidental, and I end up just waiting for the Fireflies to finish harassing their victims and move on to more interesting places.<br />
<br />
Which leads me back to my word of the day, so to speak - entertainment. <i>Rejects</i> doesn't give me the impression that Zombie is trying to say something deeper about the Firefly family. He's simply experimenting and doing something very different, which I 100% support and clearly it paid off, but if we hold <i>Corpses</i> and <i>Rejects</i> up as equals, then <i>Corpses</i> simply is the film I like more. It's wilder, it's more memorable and it's a more pleasant viewing experience.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhylctWsO8y1-T-XPTPp8u5-L3Iu4NL41mIWp0X93-IiLe8Y4k_Zgv39v6zBWU4OqMmCrDUPgmOroP_ERm-lwNP0Iku-FSrH5e2eGWmrpOjFqdIA8YWEbDa_raArtJSMKVgFqgR8RulNbEV/s1600/three-from-hell-poster.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1434" data-original-width="1001" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhylctWsO8y1-T-XPTPp8u5-L3Iu4NL41mIWp0X93-IiLe8Y4k_Zgv39v6zBWU4OqMmCrDUPgmOroP_ERm-lwNP0Iku-FSrH5e2eGWmrpOjFqdIA8YWEbDa_raArtJSMKVgFqgR8RulNbEV/s320/three-from-hell-poster.png" width="223" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
14 years after killing off his golden goose, Rob Zombie brings it back to life in <i>3 From Hell</i>. It's not hard to see why. As I've already stated, the controversy of the <i>Halloween</i> remakes and the failure of <i>The Lords Of Salem</i> forced Zombie back into the sleazy corner of foulmouthed redneck horror. So in 2016(after crowdfunding because he's not big enough for a major release anymore), he released a film called <i>31, </i>which featured circus troupe members duking it out with Nazi midgets and French aristocrat Malcolm McDowell.<br />
<br />
And it sucked.<br />
<br />
So at that point, where else could he have gone?<br />
<br />
<i>3 From Hell</i> feels like exactly what it is, and it's especially painful as I saw it for the first time on the same night I watched <i>Corpses </i>and <i>Rejects</i>. It's like watching a fresh juicy apple sit next to a brown one, and then finally the moldy one. <i>3 From Hell </i>is Zombie going on fumes, and not much more.<br />
<br />
The premise is that the three Firefly survivors from the end of <i>Rejects</i>(Spaulding, Moseley's character Otis and Sheri Moon Zombie's Baby) all lived through the hail of gunfire that mowed them down at the end of that film.<br />
As silly as that sounds, it's actually the least problematic thing about the movie, I think. Sure, it would've been cool to have Zombie return to the supernatural elements of <i>Corpses</i> and literally resurrect them, but even so, it fits to have the Devil quite literally reject them.<br />
<br />
That is, until Sid Haig's Captain Spaulding is executed seven minutes into the film to accomodate the failing health of the actor. Unavoidable of course, and it's nice that Haig managed to reprise the part at all, but his replacement character bugs me. It's Richard Brake playing Otis's random half-brother "Winslow Foxy Coltrane" alias the Midnight Wolfman.<br />
<br />
The reason why it bugs me is because Brake actually starred recently in <i>31</i>, the previous Zombie picture, where he was the one and only fantastic element, a devoted monologue-prone assassin named Doom-Head. Why Zombie couldn't simply transplant that awesome character over to <i>3 From Hell</i> confuses me to no end. As Coltrane, Brake is fairly forgettable, because the script never gives him the same commanding presence he had in that movie nor even a true backstory of any sort. He's there to give Otis and Baby a third member to talk to, and that's about all.<br />
<br />
Moseley and Zombie, as the only two Firefly members, are fine. An attempt is made to showcase the passage of time by having Baby become even more deranged, but it's never really fleshed out and kind of fizzles out by the end. Moseley's the best thing in the movie by a long shot, he just looks like playing Otis is his vacation at this point. It's really funny seeing his performance progress over three films from a jaw-clenching cultist to a somewhat cranky old man who just happens to kill people. Tonally, the film goes for a similar dusty realistic feel as <i>Rejects</i>(ironic, given the much longer passage of time between this and that, versus the one year between <i>Rejects</i> and the wildly different <i>Corpses</i>)<br />
<br />
Anyways, they go to Mexico and fight the cartel and that's about it. There is a reason that harkens back to <i>Rejects</i>, but it's not exactly the same as battling the rabid sheriff from that film. And then the movie just ends with them hilariously burning the last Mexican with a special effect that reminded me of Jesus Franco's 1970 Count Dracula films(flames superimposed over an actor writhing with burn make-up on).<br />
<br />
So that's the Firefly trilogy, a truly weird, nonsensical series of horror flicks, each worser than the last. I've no idea what Rob Zombie will try next now that he seems to have exhausted all venues, but I'm still more excited than seeing the latest possession movie in the theaters, I can tell you that much.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-78567101286066020062019-10-11T09:58:00.000-07:002019-10-11T16:27:02.437-07:00El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaS0aJIug1FVECMD8LWgbtNItp6RYih06gcaq4svTKsIGr7NaLIGNJvWFSpoetNp12a7Txx9qCqC4GMt4g0E7nS-11woRCTe-Ct4Pkqt4M3a6K4e46vZTooNw64-PKKQiprVvIt3FPY7v/s1600/el-camino-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizaS0aJIug1FVECMD8LWgbtNItp6RYih06gcaq4svTKsIGr7NaLIGNJvWFSpoetNp12a7Txx9qCqC4GMt4g0E7nS-11woRCTe-Ct4Pkqt4M3a6K4e46vZTooNw64-PKKQiprVvIt3FPY7v/s320/el-camino-poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i>El Camino</i> feels like if Peter Jackson had shot and directed one of the endings to <i>Return Of The King</i> several years after its release. It's a matter-of-fact nostalgic revisit to the environment created in <i>Breaking Bad</i>, with little thematic or storyline development.<br />
<br />
The film takes place directly after the events of the series finale, where former meth cook Jesse Pinkman is now on the run from the law. Most of the runtime is spent on retconning certain plot points into the show so the film could take advantage of them and justify its existence. This also enables writer-director-producer Gilligan to reintroduce beloved characters with little fanfare(if you're not already a fan of the series, ignore the film, as it entirely depends on you having seen it).<br />
<br />
To avoid spoiler territory, I'd argue that whilst the film provides some kind of closure for Jesse's character, there's little to nothing here that one couldn't have derived from Breaking Bad. We knew Jesse had escaped. We knew he was either going to start over or end up taking his own life.<br />
<br />
I feel like <i>El Camino</i> could have done something new and sent Jesse into an unexpected direction(Gilligan in fact has a reputation for pulling the rug out from under our feet), but instead, it's content to simply... exist, as if the fact that it's new <i>Breaking Bad</i> material is enough to justify its very existence.<br />
<br />
In the film's favor, the acting and cinematography are all top notch and continue the expected quality. Whilst you can sense that the actors have all aged a little, it doesn't matter too much. We're happy to see them again, and they do as good of a job as they ever did(most notably Aaron Paul in his depiction of PTSD), but the material just isn't very strong by the standards set by Gilligan himself.<br />
<br />
Overall, it's not a bad experience by any means, but I was left empty. <i>El Camino</i> lacked a spark, and thus never burst to life and left much of an impact.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-83755641175091632862019-03-18T17:52:00.000-07:002019-03-18T18:00:43.540-07:00Phantasm: Ravager (2016) Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjY3uEX0CmcDCk6PzBrdjJohVe_-DeDqC5Vy8luPtkOO_geYZy4azFZB8BMOuFVSWf6pG0nx_dLT7ljklezmTiRlaDQb-H2Nk1lR_m3y7x-EHSYvASyXc2lr-KmFumVGzkAc1pgg8OZU7a/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<a name='more'></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjY3uEX0CmcDCk6PzBrdjJohVe_-DeDqC5Vy8luPtkOO_geYZy4azFZB8BMOuFVSWf6pG0nx_dLT7ljklezmTiRlaDQb-H2Nk1lR_m3y7x-EHSYvASyXc2lr-KmFumVGzkAc1pgg8OZU7a/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="512" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjY3uEX0CmcDCk6PzBrdjJohVe_-DeDqC5Vy8luPtkOO_geYZy4azFZB8BMOuFVSWf6pG0nx_dLT7ljklezmTiRlaDQb-H2Nk1lR_m3y7x-EHSYvASyXc2lr-KmFumVGzkAc1pgg8OZU7a/s320/unnamed.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<br />
<i>Phantasm: Ravager </i>is the fifth and final entry in my favourite horror franchise, and a movie that has split the fandom down the middle - many hold it as a brilliant tribute to the golden indie filmmaking that brought us the original 1979 movie and the loyalty of the phans and the series' longrunning cast. Others see it as disappointing and ugly mess.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, I belong to the latter category and today I want to elaborate on why I think this film not only fails to be a compelling finale, but is just... bad. I've seen a lot of fans have go in-depth into why they love <i>Ravager, </i>yet most negative reviews I've seen online tend to focus on the poor CGI or the disjointed storytelling(the latter of which, as any phan will tell you, is part and parcel for this franchise).<br />
<br />
To make my case, I am going to start with what I feel is this film's biggest failing in comparison with the other <i>Phantasms </i>and that's the characterisation of our main heroes. Because ultimately, the reason why people have stuck with this series for so long is their love for the trio - Mike, Reggie and Jody, and the actors who play them. The weird concepts are cool, but the trio made the movies fun. We could easily relate to these three nobodies as they got themselves lost in this insanity and then did their best to cope with it and stay true to one another.<br />
<br />
Now, as the movies went on, part of this charm was lost as they became more familiar with the Tall Man's universe. Some innovations were necessary to keep things from getting stale, like the arc about the Tall Man wanting to turn Mike into one of his own kind, or Jody's imprisonment in the iconic sphere. But they were still our heroes and we were eager to see how they would come together to defeat the Tall Man, or be defeated by him.<br />
<br />
And then <i>Phantasm: Ravager </i>happened. In this movie, Reggie has(for no reason that's ever explained) become splintered between different realities, and to make matters worse, the movie tries to be extra vague by constantly contradicting itself and changing the rules from scene to scene.<br />
<br />
The investment is lost, because we no longer have a definitive trio. Why should we care about post-apocalyptic Mike when the only thing connecting him with the Mike that we know is one itty-bitty flashback that completely brushes over the storyline he had going in the past two films? Not to mention dementia universe professor Mike, who is very obviously not the same person(until he kinda is, maybe? And then not). Same goes for Jody, whose death and subsequent rebirth at the hands of the Tall Man was an ongoing mystery, yet here it's just forgotten about(I am aware that a deleted scene would've shown Jody become a sphere once more, but that's all it is, deleted).<br />
<br />
Even Reggie, the heart of the series, is weak in this film, because<br />
A) We don't really know what he's been doing for all the years between this and <i>Phantasm IV. </i>Either he was "looking for Mike" or was brainwashed by the Tall Man(the latter seems likely, until it's not... ah, the magic of <i>Ravager</i>).<br />
<br />
B) The end of the movie has Reggie splintering off as well. In one reality, he's happily driving in the back of a Barracuda and in another, he's dying of dementia. The movie implies that Reggie has chosen to stick with the Tall Man universe and that's the Reggie we should care about. I'd be 100% onboard with that if the last we saw of the dementia universe was Reggie picking up the quadruple barrelled shotgun and obviously rejecting that world, but why waste our time showing Reggie dying next to Mike(who has magically forgotten all the memories he regained during the movie) and Jody(who was supposed to be dead in this universe to begin with)? Or is the car ride supposed to be a metaphor for how Reggie has gone to Heaven?<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP7lBkHwqAfhhQp87wT_njHcdrRHd1oXp80oOEGaN_KKsZxd4TQukx2aFddBs3UxBIMbjnv4aMtcAqAzqKCZfhlnZhuo7Hvu1ncRjm7qNDO-RlICEPaDz_UrB1spONVbltj2apuV_spjTi/s1600/Ravager.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="376" data-original-width="656" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP7lBkHwqAfhhQp87wT_njHcdrRHd1oXp80oOEGaN_KKsZxd4TQukx2aFddBs3UxBIMbjnv4aMtcAqAzqKCZfhlnZhuo7Hvu1ncRjm7qNDO-RlICEPaDz_UrB1spONVbltj2apuV_spjTi/s320/Ravager.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This exact composition is used in two different scenes featuring<br />
the Tall Man and Reggie. They couldn't ask the two to move around a little?<br />
Or just put the camera someplace else?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is the moment where the fans would say "well, <i>Phantasm</i> was always open to interpretation and I love <i>Ravager </i>because the movie is so vague". To that I say, without investment or any kind of cohesion, why should I want to interpret anything?<br />
<br />
The original 1979 <i>Phantasm </i>was a surreal, jittery movie that explained very little... but that doesn't mean it completely abandoned logic. There was still a plot that went from point A to point B. Cause and effect were a thing. And unlike <i>Ravager, </i>the original film didn't rewrite itself from scene to scene or throw new implications at the audience that didn't matter in the end.<br />
<br />
Sure, by the end of the movie, we were left wondering what even happened, but until the ending, the film was one complete experience. A wild and crazy one, but it was complete. <i>Ravager </i>is about as far away from complete as you can get. There is no plot aside from Reggie trying and failing to figure out what's happening to him.<br />
<br />
Now let's talk about how the movie fails as a follow-up to the first four films. That series, was more or less the story of Mike Pearson and his fear of death. Sure, Reggie took the center stage from time to time, but the story still belonged to Mike. This film, on the other hand, forgets Mike almost completely aside from being a prize for Reggie's character. The fascinating transformation of Mike into one of the Tall Man kind that both <i>Phantasm III </i>and <i>Phantasm IV</i> were centered around, is dropped without fanfare and brushed under the carpet with a few throwaway references.<br />
<br />
I've written stuff. I know sometimes a writer can decide that something isn't working out, or he simply loses interest. I wouldn't begrudge Don Coscarelli for losing interest in Mike's transformation, or David Hartman wanting to tell his own story. But at least they should've had respect for the audience and work the change in direction into the movie smoothly. It's <i>Phantasm</i>, they could've done anything! Hell, with split realities, they could've had two Mikes, one evil and one not! That would've been kinda cool.<br />
Instead, what happens is that Mike patches himself up and the Tall Man just claims his experiment is over and that's it. What a letdown after all these years of waiting.<br />
<br />
And what of the human-Tall Man war as a whole? Well, I do appreciate Hartman making use of Roger Avery's abandoned <i>Phantasm's End</i> script by upping the stakes for the grand finale, even with that CGI. But unlike the other films, which at least creatively kill off the Tall Man, <i>Phantasm: Ravager </i>gives him the lamest possible send-off - he's blown up(been there, done that) by a really obnoxious midget. And for no reason, since both the phans and the characters themselves are perfectly aware that the Tall Man will just walk out from between a fork like one second later.<br />
<br />
Surely they could've concocted some kind of cool send-off for him that wouldn't require 89-year old Angus Scrimm to move around too much and still seemed like it could be a definitive end for the Tall Man(even though of course, it's never over). This is the end of the franchise: the story may go on, but we should have a sense of finality regardless, because they must have known that the chances of making a new film were practically nil with this aging cast. Instead, midget explosion. Followed by a post-credits scene that brings back a fan favourite and only lets her interact with said midget, which leads me to believe she was only there as sequel bait. Which is kinda-sorta insane.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhKfwYyrKtsW5MqG9LP3Hi2tsq5t4_4qqJttFJtNDFDz_STwbFahL8qXVuCP5mrKzUwe9JhXKY00Smd_Y5ZlO6hdd5LuUEGTIZcdFLmDQcKDAqu22l2uGLSAZ9vVplaZnk_gO-k2ndcr8B/s1600/MV5BYzYwYjlkNDAtMDgxMy00YjM5LThlNDYtYzAwZjczNWYzYjViXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUyNDk2ODc%2540._V1_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="906" data-original-width="1600" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhKfwYyrKtsW5MqG9LP3Hi2tsq5t4_4qqJttFJtNDFDz_STwbFahL8qXVuCP5mrKzUwe9JhXKY00Smd_Y5ZlO6hdd5LuUEGTIZcdFLmDQcKDAqu22l2uGLSAZ9vVplaZnk_gO-k2ndcr8B/s320/MV5BYzYwYjlkNDAtMDgxMy00YjM5LThlNDYtYzAwZjczNWYzYjViXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjUyNDk2ODc%2540._V1_.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love how Reggie's hair constantly switches between dyed and grey in the later films.<br />
It was grey already in 1988, yet for some reason, mr Bannister wants me to assume<br />
that in 2016 it became magically black again. Far out, man.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
And now, here's a list of cool ideas that <i>Phantasm: Ravager </i>throws at the audience and then never does anything with:<br />
<br />
5) At the very end, Mike implies that their next plan will be to fight the Tall Man someplace extremely cold. Leaving aside the obvious question of what exactly was their plan in this film to begin with, why couldn't we have had <i>Phantasm In Antarctica</i>? And don't tell me it was beyond budget, I've seen cheap sci-fi shows from the 60s pull that off.<br />
<br />
4) Reggie wandering the post-apocalypse Earth. The first few minutes of <i>Ravager</i>, where we see him lost in the desert, collecting scraps, was so promising. It reminded me of the abandoned towns we saw in the earlier films and how the Tall Man was sucking the life out of Earth. It probably would've been better to stick with this desolate, atmospheric approach than the CGI hellworld we get towards the end of the film.<br />
<br />
3) An alien virus has spread throughout humanity(I'm inclined to believe that this was only in the film because they heavily hinted at it in <i>Phantasm IV</i>, hoping to do Avery's film next).<br />
<br />
2) Reggie is the Tall Man's bad dream. The concept of our heroes being a manifestation of Jebediah Morningside's own conscience could've been something beautiful.<br />
<br />
1) At one point, the Tall Man explicitly tells Reggie that they've time-travelled back to the funeral home Morningside, three days before the events of the original film. There is absolutely no follow-up to this. Reggie does visit a mausoleum shortly after, but it is a completely different place.<br />
<br />
And of course there's the regular movie problems - the CGI is ugly, and the cinematography is all over the place(some shots are actually quite beautiful, but Hartman's constant use of the zoom is terrible and cartoonish). The digital camera footage just doesn't look as good as traditional film, though I won't blame them for that one, since film is much more expensive now.<br />
<br />
The movie's also just full of very noticeable production errors, like the Tall Man's CGI shadow having hair twice as long as Angus Scrimm, or Reggie's grip on the gun changing completely as he turns around from the dementia reality to the Tall Man world. The acting ranges from great(the regulars, Dawn Cody) to indescribably awful (Stephen Jutras, Daniel Schweiger).<br />
<br />
I'm a <i>Phantasm </i>fan. I love the fact that this series lets the viewer fill in the details. In fact, my second least favourite is <i>Phantasm II </i>specifically because it is just a rerun of the first without the mystery. But my love for the series and its lore don't blind me to the fact that <i>Phantasm: Ravager </i>is a terrible film, and an infinitely worser send-off for the series than the fascinating and extraordinary <i>Phantasm IV: Oblivion</i> had been.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-11250863175969266802018-02-16T08:47:00.001-08:002018-02-16T08:48:43.472-08:00The Last Jedi (2017) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_Q5QoaQUMBm0qvCk5CyGrqD18iTohp6O3F34klwNyTIS1vyffW9M9pj77ltTKNf0bI7nocDzeDKemzY7HPcQTRNo_tAyFV0gdlHyv1OvsxWg85kZTs5cHfV91FDv6LIrFt6_r5-qpv3D/s1600/the-last-jedi-theatrical-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1081" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS_Q5QoaQUMBm0qvCk5CyGrqD18iTohp6O3F34klwNyTIS1vyffW9M9pj77ltTKNf0bI7nocDzeDKemzY7HPcQTRNo_tAyFV0gdlHyv1OvsxWg85kZTs5cHfV91FDv6LIrFt6_r5-qpv3D/s320/the-last-jedi-theatrical-blog.jpg" width="216" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<i>The Last Jedi</i> is a film mired in controversy, by design. Its immediate predecessor had celebrated the nostalgia of the series, but this film not only actively opposes it, but also cleverly uses it as a major plot device, analysing the effect of nostalgia on the individuals in the universe of Star Wars. There are exactly four Force users left: a master and apprentice on both sides.<br />
<br />
Snoke(re-interpreted in this film as intentionally nothing more than a shadow of the Emperor) and Luke Skywalker represent the original trilogy - old, stubborn and trapped by their own legend. Their apprentices - Kylo Ren and Rey - are also trapped, by their expectations. Kylo seeks to live up to his family name, to be a worthy villain in the mold of Darth Vader whilst the orphaned, random woman from Jakku seeks to become a Jedi and be the next great hero(seeing a father in both Han Solo and Luke) to save the galaxy. As they realise the significance of this together, it creates a vital bond between the two, each desiring the other's help in building a grand new world.<br />
<br />
During the course of the film, Snoke and Luke both die unexpectedly midway through the trilogy in the traditional Sith/Jedi way - assassination and a peaceful sacrifice, and leave the future of Star Wars in the hands of the next generation where it now belongs. As Yoda points out in a wonderful cameo sequence: "We are what they grow beyond."<br />
<br />
<i>The Last Jedi</i> pulls off the plaster of nostalgia without shame and bets all of its money on the new leads, an extremely daring move that was naturally going to split the fandom apart just like Anakin's iconic lightsaber in the film.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, apart from being an epic meta commentary, the film has some pretty lame plotting. Everything to do with the Resistance still feels either like a tired retread of the original films or just a boring cliche in of itself and a potentially interesting detour to a casino planet quickly devolves into a tiresome Captain Planet episode about saving the abused animals. Personally, I feel that the movie-long chase between the First Order and Resistance ships should've been scrapped entirely in favor of developing Canto Bight more and maybe giving some insight into the Snoke character, whose enigmatic nature, intentional or not, is still rather frustrating in this day and age of complex storytelling.<br />
<br />
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Mark Hamill is astoundingly great as an older Luke Skywalker, to the point where it seems laughable that his acting used to be mocked. He manages to juggle Luke's bitterness, guilt, but also his naturally charismatic side and threatens to steal the film from Driver and Ridley. The fact that we see him tempted to murder is difficult to accept, but Hamill does such a good job of selling the scene and Luke's inner struggle that they just about get away with it.<br />
My feelings on his death scene are mixed. Whilst I appreciate the ignominity as it continues the theme of toppling legends as well as showing off an amazing new Force ability, I do think it would've been emotionally more effective for Kylo to just cut through him, Obi-Wan style. Not to mention we actually might've had a lightsaber duel in the movie.<br />
<br />
I'm really not sure what to make of Carrie Fisher, in both this and <i>The Force Awakens</i>. The writing certainly caters to her, showing off Leia's dark sense of humor, leadership skills and even her latent Force abilities(for the first time!), but there's just something depressing about how exhausted Fisher appears to be, and all those raspy, forced line deliveries. Rest in peace, princess.<br />
<br />
Adam Driver's Kylo Ren has become one of my favourite characters in the Star Wars universe. I already quite liked his emo wannabe Vader gimmick in the last film, but the decision to have him kill the supposed main villain and take his place has put all the fears of his lack of originality to rest. Kylo is a mentally unstable, incredibly emotional and burdened villain of the 21st century.<br />
<br />
Daisy Ridley continues to do a terrific job as Rey. The film shows off her inquisitive nature, what with her trying to uncover the truth about Luke and Kylo's past, her attempts at getting Kylo to break off from the dark side and of course her continued search for her own origin story. And this of course has its downside... curiosity killed the cat. Like Kylo, she is vulnerable and quite relatable in her search for an identity.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, her two co-leads aren't as well developed. After being sidelined for most of <i>The Force Awakens</i> due to being a last-minute addition, Oscar Isaacs does get more screentime as the stalwart, hotheaded Poe Dameron, but it's mostly wasted on a meaningless mutiny subplot and he barely gets to do anything cool.<br />
Also, this is the second movie where he is separated from the rest of the main cast, even his best bud BB-8(again).<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, John Boyega is saddled with the cringeworthy "Star Wars fan and moral crusader" character Rose, whom I just can't stand. The banter between them is fairly decent, but I just wish Finn was doing... well, anything else. He does get a pretty cool standoff with Gwendoline Christie's perpetually underused Captain Phasma.<br />
<br />
Once again, C-3PO and R2-D2 are cameo parts, which is really starting to get under my skin considering that even in the prequels, they played main parts.<br />
<br />
Despite the fairly rotten material he was given, Andy Serkis does a good job of giving Supreme Leader Snoke an actual personality at least, to the point where I actually liked having him around(versus the lifeless hologram from the last film). He's more laidback than Palpatine, and comes across as almost like the Sith equivalent of a bachelor. Damn, how I wish he really was Darth Plageuis. It would even seamlessly work in the context of the story. Oh well.<br />
<br />
Laura Dern's self-important Admiral Holdo just got on my nerves, especially since she had no motivation to not clue the other Resistance members in on what her plan was. And why couldn't it be Ackbar instead???<br />
<br />
It's a shame that Benicio del Toro apparently considers working in Star Wars a mistake, because his stuttering, shameless hacker character was a memorable highlight of the film, one of those minor parts that come across as so realistic that you could imagine their lives outside the film.<br />
<br />
Frank Oz never stops being awesome as Yoda, and his appereance here has to rank as one of the character's best moments. I will spoil no more.<br />
<br />
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
There really isn't much to say special effects side. It's 2017, it's Star Wars, of course the visuals are absolutely spectacular. Probably my favourite computer generated effect was of the Rebel cruiser lightspeeding through the Star Destroyer.<br />
<br />
On the puppet side, Yoda looked slightly off. Why is it so hard to recreate old puppets, I wonder? I was very impressed to hear that the crystalline canines on the mine planet Crait were intricate puppets, they look fantastic.<br />
<br />
Speaking of Crait, it initially looked like a Hoth ripoff, but the red salt appearing whenever the white surface was scratched was a visual spectacle.<br />
<br />
Did I mention... no lightsaber duel? NO LIGHTSABER DUEL. Why, in the name of Zeus?? Whom I do not worship, as I am Christian. But it sounds cool.<br />
<br />
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<i>The Last Jedi</i> is a film of extremes. Parts of it are boring and dull, and parts are some of the most innovative and compelling storytelling I've seen in ages. All in all, a fascinating, gutsy entry in the franchise.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-77947532720032356842017-12-15T13:58:00.001-08:002017-12-15T13:58:21.033-08:00Child's Play (1988) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4Wt4tK_7MWd_iohyOR6c-fKjrfZTamF7KhdSTQsaEhKYP1V1oWu1xXcjRFESIeTZ-jB5qy3evkFL5yyeJzAWsYD46_zkOyKzKaeCAY-Sdi-g6_wwYP67yLsGfp6RC-FqXOzIUAi4WX5l/s1600/large_6r9MOdGpOpSTH4jCQemyhPOHbZn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD4Wt4tK_7MWd_iohyOR6c-fKjrfZTamF7KhdSTQsaEhKYP1V1oWu1xXcjRFESIeTZ-jB5qy3evkFL5yyeJzAWsYD46_zkOyKzKaeCAY-Sdi-g6_wwYP67yLsGfp6RC-FqXOzIUAi4WX5l/s320/large_6r9MOdGpOpSTH4jCQemyhPOHbZn.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>Child's Play </i>is a curiously bonkers idea played straight, resulting in a memorably surreal horror.<br />
<br />
<b><u>PLOT</u></b><br />
Using voodoo magic, serial killer Charles Lee Ray transfers his soul into a doll with his final breath. Reincarnated as "Chucky", he seeks to regain human form by taking advantage of his new owner, the hapless 6-year old Andy Barclay.<br />
<br />
<b><u>CAST</u></b><br />
Brad Dourif is just perfectly cast, both as the deranged murderer and the foulmouthed doll, and it's largely his personality that drives the film, along with the already frightening concept of a malevolent childhood toy.<br />
<br />
Alex Vincent is a supremely underrated child actor. Not only is he genuinely good all the way through, but he's even got some badass moments - the scene of him torching Chucky is of course a classic, and I was terrified that somebody told him his dog died when he cried on-screen. The kid deserves all the praise.<br />
<br />
Catherine Hicks is lovely as Karen Barclay, who came off extremely natural and caring towards Andy.<br />
<br />
Chris Sarandon(more famous for his role as Jack Skellington in <i>The Nightmare Before Christmas</i>) does a solid job as the detective responsible for Ray's death, though his performance is a little onenote.<br />
<br />
<b><u>ANALYSIS</u></b><br />
This is an odd movie in the sense that it goes with the most absurd plot imaginable and actually tries to make it seem tense, like a regular action movie(its structure even resembles <i>The Terminator</i>). It's shocking that all of the leads weren't in the loony bin after starting to tell tall tales about Chucky.<br />
<br />
The film might've been genuinely unnerving if Chucky was more malevolent and supernatural, but its his normalcy that gives it the weirdly campy vibe mixed with more traditional elements. Chucky is just *a guy* who happens to be a killer who happens to know voodoo, because plot.<br />
<br />
Effects-wise, it's cheap, but cheerful. Lovely animated lightning strikes and early animatronics for the Chuckg puppet. A bit awkward, but nothing serious.<br />
<br />
<b><u>CONCLUSION</u></b><br />
The cult of Chucky began with this cult classic for a reason.Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-74047309249758559332017-05-31T13:24:00.001-07:002017-05-31T13:27:36.806-07:00Pirates Of The Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge (2017) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://media.comicbook.com/2017/02/pirates-of-the-caribbean-poster-dead-men-tell-no-tales-poster-1-233121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://media.comicbook.com/2017/02/pirates-of-the-caribbean-poster-dead-men-tell-no-tales-poster-1-233121.jpg" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="494" height="320" width="210" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
As a huge fan of the <i>Pirates Of The Caribbean</i> series, I was really looking forward to this. A chance to swim in nostalgic waters and to kick back and relax with Captain Jack Sparrow. Unfortunately, it ended up being one of the worst cinema experiences I've ever had...<br />
<br />
<b><u>PLOT</u></b><br />
Eager to save his father from the Davy Jones curse, Henry Turner enlists Captain Jack Sparrow to recover the Trident of Poseidon, which can put an end to any curse. Sparrow needs the Trident for his own purposes, as he's being hunted by the vengeful ghost of pirate slayer Captain Salazar.<br />
<br />
<b><u>CAST</u></b><br />
After entertaining us all with mercurial performances for four movies, it's sad to see Johnny Depp reduced to drunken buffoonery here. It's probably partially the horrid script's fault, but Depp makes no effort to connect to the film's events emotionally and the intelligence of the character is completely lost. It's like if Homer Simpson was the lead in a PG-13 blockbuster.<br />
<br />
Brendon Thwaites is serviceable as Henry Turner, though the script gives him very few chances to endear himself to the audiences. The only point he really has as a character is to be part of a token romance and provide awkward cameos for Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley.<br />
<br />
Kaya Scodelario is one of the few people in this film who shows any effort, and thus Carina Smyth is easily the most charismatic character. She manages to be memorable in spite of the lackadaisical story, having an amusing rivalry with Thwaites' Henry and an undercooked emotional connection to one of the recurring characters.<br />
<br />
Javier Bardem is rather amusing as the lead villain Captain Salazar. His eccentric performance provides a few chuckles(though it clashes with his backstory), however it's painfully obvious that he's simply a less interesting retread of Bill Nighy's famous Davy Jones from <i>Pirates</i> 2 and 3.<br />
<br />
And finally, there's the stalwart Geoffrey Rush as the rascally Captain Hector Barbossa, left flopping like a dying fish without any good lines to chew on. He's basically in the film only because he was in every other film(actually, that can be said about pretty much all of the returning actors except Depp).<br />
<br />
<b><u>ANALYSIS</u></b><br />
The cinematography tries to impress on a few occasions, but falls flat when it's most needed. Action scenes are often unfocused and confusing. However, there are many creative practical and digital effects. Highlights include a hilarious bank robbery early on and a Moses-esque parting of the sea.<br />
<br />
But the film cannot escape its script. It's simply a poor story, almost resembling fanfiction. Basically, all that happens is "lots of people are after Jack Sparrow and the Trident of Poseidon until the main villain anticlimactically gets tossed off an anchor". There is no build-up to an epic showdown, no character arcs(with the exception of Carina, but that's only in two scenes), no wit. Even the continuity is skewered at times, with a few retcons and characters popping up where they have no place to be. I don't feel like anything was accomplished by the end of this movie. It's a tacked-on, Looney Tunes-style epilogue to the first four films instead of an adventure in its own right.<br />
<br />
And the worst part is that thanks to the Marvel-esque post-credits scene, and the fact that the main trio(Jack, Will and Elizabeth) never say a line to each other on-screen, it feels like the entire movie just exists as a prelude to the "REAL classic <i>Pirates Of The Caribbean</i> adventure", coming a few years down the line.<br />
<br />
<b><u>CONCLUSION</u></b><br />
An incompetent, dull as dishwater outing for a thus far solid franchise. Tsk tsk tsk.Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-84237084140755696722017-04-16T05:17:00.001-07:002017-04-16T05:17:05.800-07:00Trainspotting (1996) Review<div>
<a name='more'></a><br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_medium/public/thumbnails/image/2016/03/11/09/Trainspotting1103a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://static.standard.co.uk/s3fs-public/styles/story_medium/public/thumbnails/image/2016/03/11/09/Trainspotting1103a.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Last summer, I was intent on getting myself some moviegoer credentials, as I had been content thus far with science fiction television shows and apart from some major franchises(Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Lord Of The Rings), I hadn't seen much at all. Now, I already mentioned how I became invested with horror movies, but another film that caught my eye was 1996's Trainspotting. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><u>PLOT</u></b></div>
<div>
In 1996 Edinburgh, a drug-addled slacker named Mark Renton struggles to find meaning in his life amidst his dysfunctional, backstabbing friends. After nearly dying from an overdose, he flees to London, but can he escape from the stench of heroin even there...?</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><u>CAST</u></b></div>
<div>
This film collected a phenomenal group of actors. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Ewan McGregor is now of course known as a natural leading man, but back then, this was one of his earliest movies and instead of confidence, he exudes corrupted youthfulness: with his skinhead haircut, clothes a few numbers smaller than they should be, earring, pale skin and near-skeletal figure, he's the nightmare of every parent. Mark Renton is a bully, introvert and substance abuser all at the same time.<br />
And yet at the heart of things, he's only human. What he wants is what everyone wants: freedom, health and comfort.<br />
<br />
Jonny Lee Miller plays Simon "Sick Boy" Williamson, who idolises Sean Connery and himself. Sick Boy's complete detachment from life is ultimately his Achilles heel, leading to the death of his daughter out of neglect and his own failure to really amount to anything. Miller plays the part as that of a youngster way over his head, but also has a kind of irredeemable acidity to him. In some ways, he represents the worst of the group: someone who could easily function in a normal society(unlike Begbie), but who chooses not to with barely a hint of regret.<br />
<br />
Speaking of Begbie, Robert Carlyle is a magnetic powerhouse in this film, portraying a character that at first glance seems to be devoid of subtlety. The foulmouthed, uncontrollable Francis Begbie is easily the highlight of the movie. He is terrifying in some ways, but so over-the-top rabid that you can't help, but feel safe from the more macabre elements of the movie whenever he's present.<br />
<br />
Kevin McKidd's Tommy MacKenzie is probably the saddest story of all. He's the most down-to-earth of the group, one of those special people whom everybody loves hanging out with, and what does he get? A break-up, AIDS and death from toxoplasmosis, all because Renton gave him drugs when he was at his weakest.<br />
<br />
And finally there's Ewen Bremner's lovable Spud, a weak-willed goofball with a heart of gold. He doesn't really get that much to do in the movie beyond showing a bit of variety amongst the otherwise depressed or violent members of the gang, giving some hope in life. But it's a wonderful and memorable performance nonetheless.<br />
<br />
The female cast are downplayed, but there is Kelly Macdonald's snarky Diane Coulston, who steals Renton's heart... despite being only 16 years old. Awkward. But funny. Shame it never worked out, because they had a ton of chemistry.<br />
<br />
<b><u>EFFECTS</u></b><br />
The film is renowned for its surrealism, and that's where the special effects come in hand. Whether it's an Exorcist baby, the worst toilet in Scotland or the bizarrely contorted rooms, it looks splendid on the minuscule budget.<br />
<br />
The cinematography is gritty, but also hyperkinetic, perfectly capturing the urban lowlife. It does a great job of following Renton's fragmented musings. The sets are painted in worn browns, yellows and greys(coming down from the flashy neon lights in the 80s), the music is gorgeously contemporary and extremely memorable and the editing is perhaps the best part of all(you can see in the deleted scenes how sluggish this film could've been in the wrong hands).<br />
<br />
<b><u>CONCLUSION</u></b><br />
If you had to pick one film to represent each decade, Trainspotting would be the 90s.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-3437938203897163842016-11-28T00:04:00.003-08:002017-04-14T11:11:13.409-07:00Friday the 13th (2009) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVCGZuPKjONTk1JgvBj8OB0-b3u4NKz38tMtETby62vfIqxpFM2sXqIMMZ9wk7_I0eOah_z2Ocn8tLNgSVB6EX-WhAD4Fn59Vq2_hSMHFRg7pwday6Do2_fnihrSjq3J4dKAry1XOqXmu/s1600/friday-the-13th-2009-540175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfVCGZuPKjONTk1JgvBj8OB0-b3u4NKz38tMtETby62vfIqxpFM2sXqIMMZ9wk7_I0eOah_z2Ocn8tLNgSVB6EX-WhAD4Fn59Vq2_hSMHFRg7pwday6Do2_fnihrSjq3J4dKAry1XOqXmu/s320/friday-the-13th-2009-540175.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
So, recently I've been on a bit of a horror binge. It's new and unfamiliar territory for me and so far, I've been tackling the classic 80s slasher franchises. I've already done <i>A Nightmare On Elm Street</i> and this review will mark the end of the <i>Friday the 13th</i> films. And thank God too, because those movies were really bad.<br />
<br />
<u><b>PLOT</b></u><br />
After seeing his mother get decapitated, a mentally impaired child grows up to be the vicious, legendary Jason Voorhees(in a very illogical series of events that for some reason, weren't rewritten for this remake), who murders anyone who comes anywhere near his territory - an abandoned children's camp at Crystal Lake.<br />
And that's exactly what happens. A bunch of people go there, get chopped up, then another bunch of people go there and get chopped up.<br />
<br />
<u><b>CAST</b></u><br />
One of the many endearing qualities of the original series was the poor acting. The <i>Friday</i> films were always as cheap as you could get, and the often inexperienced "actors" reflected that. Here, they bring in people with both obvious talent and a filmography... and have them deliberately act like morons. Not 'quirky Crispin Glover' morons, but like a bunch of awful, loud alcoholics you would try and ignore on the street. Even the supposed heroes aren't very much fun to watch, and are usually scowling, fighting or running for their lives. The only time I really felt something for them, was when a brother and sister were reunited after one of them was held captive for a long time, but even that wasn't given any attention at all by the filmmakers.<br />
<br />
They're not completely irredeemable and most of them get a likable moment here and there(for your knowledge, my favourite actor was Jonathan Sadowski, purely because he reminded me of James Rolfe aka the Angry Video Game Nerd), but they're easily the worst group of teenagers out of any <i>Friday</i> film.<br />
<br />
Now let's talk about the star of the film - Jason. He's had his ups and downs over the years with a variety of appereances and intelligence. In this film, both are ramped up. Jason is enormous... by far the biggest of all the incarnations and probably also the smartest, given that someone had to build all those tunnels underneath the camp, fill it with lamps and hook them all up with electricity, plus invent an alarm system that would tell him when someone's treading on his ground. He's also significantly faster, trading his usual unstoppable march for olympic marathon legs.<br />
<br />
So in that sense, he's the most efficient incarnation. But does all of that make sense to you? I liked Jason best the way he was in <i>Friday the 13th Part 2</i>: a slim, grown-up oedipal psychopath with some sharp weapons, who lived in an ugly, makeshift cabin in the deep forest. It was so much more... sensible.<br />
That, and the other films also gave him a dark sort of likability. Jason was a devilish child with a temper tantrum, stuck in a man's(and later a zombie's) body and often in the old films, you rooted for him a little bit, because in his own way, he just wanted peace and quiet with his mother. He would often get befuddled or annoyed with things, and it added character to him. Here, he's just a ferocious killing machine, which just isn't as interesting to watch.<br />
<br />
<u><b>EFFECTS</b></u><br />
Whilst the gore effects are impressive enough, the kills are not particularly inventive. There are a few good ones here and there(particularly a lovely tribute to the famed sleeping bag kill), but for the most part, Jason just unsheaths his machete like a sword and cuts people down.<br />
<br />
The cinematography is awful. During most action scenes, the editing is far too fast. Plus, this film has no concept of "night lighting"(aka adding light during the night, so the audience can see what's going on). Half of the movie takes place during the night, and you're left squinting all the time to make out what's going.<br />
Pair the darkness up with the fast editing, and you have an unsatisfied customer.<br />
<br />
As for Jason himself, he looks pretty cool. I like the costume they gave him(especially the T-shirt) and though we never get a proper look at his face, it's pretty repulsive, once again more so than any Jason before him. I'm not a huge fan of the blond, Gollum-esque look, but I can't really say it's bad either.<br />
<br />
<u><b>CONCLUSION</b></u><br />
Trashy even by the standards of this franchise. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-65159478801743736712016-11-04T03:39:00.002-07:002016-11-04T03:39:54.955-07:00The Confession Of Fred Krueger (2015) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://horrorfilmcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Screen-Shot-2015-09-17-at-1.05.39-PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://horrorfilmcentral.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Screen-Shot-2015-09-17-at-1.05.39-PM.png" height="135" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<i>The Confession Of Fred Krueger</i> is a wonderful short film analysing the man behind the burnt skin, and a perfect companion piece to the original <i>A Nightmare On Elm Street</i>.<br />
<br />
<u><b>PLOT</b></u><br />
<u><b> </b></u>After being arrested, the vile, homeless power plant worker Fred Krueger spills his guts(pun intended) about the demented crimes he committed as the notorious Springwood Slasher, and why he became a child murderer.<br />
<br />
<u><b>CAST</b></u><br />
Kevin Roach is the star of the show, and manages to fit snugly into Robert Englund's sweater. What drew me into the original series was Freddy, and here he is in the spotlight all the way through without becoming the slightest bit ridiculous.<br />
And whilst I would argue that we learn a little bit too much about Freddy's character(there's also some creative liberties taken with the backstory that I'm not overly fond of), Roach embodies the gleefully evil everyman persona of Krueger so well that nothing else matters.<br />
His psychologically twisted, warped view of reality was incredibly compelling to see, and the dark humor was pitch-perfect. <br />
<br />
Somehow, Thomas Dunbar manages to play the most likable cop I've ever seen on film, Lt. Russell. He's not stupid or pigheaded at all, but careful and analytic, and genuinely good at his job. I was actually drawn into Dunbar's performance almost as much as Roach's. The two have an absolutely superb back and forth.<br />
<br />
The minor characters in the cast were all fairly decent, although I found the police officer from Freddy's past a little odd... but that's probably just me.<br />
<br />
<u><b>EFFECTS</b></u><br />
As a fan film, there weren't many. At one point Fred gets punched and the blood looks genuine. The locations all looked great, though, even if I always imagined Krueger's workbench to be in a somewhat more enclosed space.<br />
<br />
The music was awesome, particularly in the flashback where Freddy hunts his victim through the power plant(was nobody else working there lol?), and harkened back to the classic theme.<br />
<br />
<u><b>CONCLUSION</b></u><br />
A must-see for any fan of the horror franchise, or anyone who is into really psychological horror stories with strong, imaginative dialogue and a verbal duel between a spooky villain and a goodnatured, mature hero.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-79884999019397455252016-08-18T08:36:00.000-07:002017-04-14T11:13:13.348-07:00Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice (2016) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://trilbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/batman-v-superman-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://trilbee.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/batman-v-superman-1.jpg" height="178" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i>Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice</i> is, as the title itself implies, a dozen different films forced together into one ridiculous storyline. And mind you, I've only seen the neverending three-hour Ultimate Edition version, which is supposed to make MORE sense.<br />
<br />
<u style="font-weight: bold;">PLOT(S)</u><br />
After the massive attack on Metropolis in <i>Man Of Steel</i>, Superman becomes a controversial figure. Believing that Superman is a pretend God and that people shouldn't believe in him because he is not all-powerful and all-good(or something... it all boils down to daddy issues), Lex Luthor kidnaps his close ones, sets him up in a confrontation with Batman and creates "the Devil"(who is also not all-powerful and all-good, except he's more evil and more destructive... so where does that fit into Lex's weird biblical motivations??) aka Doomsday from his own DNA and General Zod's.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Batman is becoming jaded from years of fighting criminals and starts believing that Superman is too dangerous to be let loose. After the Flash visits him from the future in his dreams(???), he steals kryptonite from Lex Luthor and dukes it out with Superman, until he realises their parents have the same name and that somehow convinces him Superman has human interests in heart... even though Superman had never actually hurt anyone, UNLIKE HIM) and that he should join forces with him.<br />
<br />
Also, Wonder Woman hangs around the movie for no reason until it's time to fight Doomsday. She later joins Bruce Wayne in a quest to form the Justice League against the upcoming rise of Darkseid.<br />
<br />
<u style="font-weight: bold;">CAST</u><br />
Now, I never saw <i>Man Of Steel</i> so this was my introduction to characters from that movie as well...<br />
<br />
Henry Cavill was a decent Superman, although the script only gave him like one or two jokes in the entire movie. Throughout most of it, he's grimly struggling with his messiah destiny.<br />
<br />
Amy Adams irritated me as Lois Lane. Not only did she lack Lois' trademark sassiness, she was also randomly given plane tickets around the world by Perry White despite the fact that on her last trip, she got MISSILES fired at her!<br />
<br />
Laurence "Morpheus" Fishburne was a hilarious Perry White, and one of the few sources of genuine comic relief in the film. Although I'm not sure why he's completely disinterested in Batman, his exasperation at Clark was hilarious.<br />
<br />
Once Ben Affleck gets his own movie, he might just be my favourite Batman yet, combining the quiet awesomeness of Michael Keaton with the practicality and drama of Christian Bale. Jeremy Irons is DEFINITELY my favourite Alfred Pennyworth, though(sorry, Michaels, I love you both). He's sarcastic, yet caring at the same time. And if you close your eyes, you can hear Scar from The Lion King.<br />
<br />
I don't have much to say about the future Justice League members. Wonder Woman was alright, although her sword and shield seemed kind of primitive to me. I've liked Jason Momoa in other roles, so I'm all for him as Aquaman. The others... who knows(what was up with that cube bringing Cyborg to life)?<br />
<br />
Probably the most controversial of performances is that of Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor(Jr). I can't really say I disagree. He didn't annoy me, but he's just... weird. His motivations are all over the place, and he's the complete opposite of what Lex usually behaves like, trading in the comic version's icy demeanour for a socially awkward, bouncy attitude(both a facade for Luthor's insanity, true, but still... weird). His mental breakdown is interesting, and well acted by Eisenberg, however.<br />
<br />
<u style="font-weight: bold;">EFFECTS</u><br />
This is definitely the film's strongest part. The cinematography is excellent, with lots of memorable imagery(the murder of the Waynes is a particular highlight).<br />
<br />
I can't fault the use of CGI either. Whilst Doomsday looks a bit too much like the cave troll from <i>The Lord Of The Rings</i>, it's not a bad effect. I think the only time the CG bothered me was the overuse of lightning in the finale. It just hurt my eyes and was way too confusing. Lightning attacks, lightning explosions...<br />
<br />
The choreography was most excellent, although the Superman/Batman fight felt slightly lacking in that aspect. It should've been longer, and faster, especially when Superman is slightly weakened and brought down to Batman's level. I was expecting something like the Neo-Agent Smith battles, but instead they just throw each other around a bit.<br />
<br />
I was far more impressed with the Batman-focused action scenes. I loved the way the little "bat touches", like having him hide in the corner of the ceiling, and quietly swoop down. His fights were also remarkably intense and excellent, the first time the live-action Batman fights have matched the animated ones.<br />
<br />
But by far the best part of this entire movie was Hans Zimmer's soundtrack. It was way too good for this film. I especially loved Lex's discordant piano theme and Wonder Woman's electric guitar score.<br />
<br />
<u style="font-weight: bold;">CONCLUSION</u><br />
I feel like this film would've worked a lot better if A) Had it been two movies, <i>Batman V Superman</i> AND <i>Dawn Of Justice </i>and B) Had the Justice League members, ESPECIALLY Batman been given their own movies before this.<br />
<br />
The narrative is just incapable of holding the weight of all of these different stories without any sort of introductions before this whatsoever. They're all good things on their own, but it's a bad mix.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-22200427750545104882016-06-24T11:54:00.000-07:002016-06-24T11:55:12.658-07:00The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/o3A2CnTlVbmL91aXYnuriWlciA5NLPGA1fw-8KZhdFPug5EEuGI0TUTkYyHZrdhLqf3urcu_34Hd8aIO4cyc1rCvRSr4EAQEJI0XMzAsQwxV6iOgGn3vwpq5EljNvigtFg2DXXJA" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/o3A2CnTlVbmL91aXYnuriWlciA5NLPGA1fw-8KZhdFPug5EEuGI0TUTkYyHZrdhLqf3urcu_34Hd8aIO4cyc1rCvRSr4EAQEJI0XMzAsQwxV6iOgGn3vwpq5EljNvigtFg2DXXJA" width="225" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i>The Spy Who Loved Me</i> is the quintessential James Bond adventure. Not Bond film, mind you, but Bond adventure. Here, we don't see a member of the British secret service investigating a problem, but a dashing hero to whom beautiful women flock, battling against indestructible metal men, hired by a mad businessman trying to destroy the world. It's the romp that all romps are measured against. Brilliant and cheerful from top to bottom. And nobody does it better!<br />
<br />
<b><u>PLOT</u></b><br />
When strategically important British and Soviet submarines go missing, their respective secret services dispatch their ultimate agents - Agent 007 and Agent XXX(I love that name) to obtain a stolen microfilm plan for a submarine tracking system that, if discovered, could render the British western defence system inert.<br />
<br />
The culprit is discovered to be Karl Stromberg, a billionaire with a fetish for the sea, who wants to create a new civilisation under the ocean, after blowing up the world with nuclear weapons. It's up to 007 and XXX to adopt detente whilst also struggling with Bond previously having killed XXX's fiancee three weeks ago. Oops?<br />
<br />
<b><u>CAST</u></b><br />
After two decent, but uncertain films, Roger Moore finally nails down his interpretation of James Bond as an utterly shameless "naughty boy", mature enough to take his job seriously, but childish enough to get whatever he wants out of it in whatever way he pleases.<br />
<br />
Barbara Bach gives Agent XXX a teasing, but firm sort of personality. She takes obvious delight in setting Bond up to trip, but at the same time clearly enjoys his company, which really makes their relationship click. It helps that she's one of the hottest Bond girls ever.<br />
<br />
Curd Jurgens is the weak part of the cast, portraying megalomaniac Kurt Stromberg in a creepy, lowkey fashion. However, the lack of any quirky persona just makes Stromberg kind of forgettable. You don't really care about him that much and he's defeated without much fanfare.<br />
<br />
Richard Kiel's Jaws is legendary, and remains the only henchman in the series who reprised his role(in the following film, <i>Moonraker</i>). His grotesque features lend him to both "goofy giant" comedy and vampiric horror, which he succeeds at admirably. His high point is, obviously, biting an actual shark to death.<br />
<br />
This film also introduces two recurring characters in the series: Frederick Grey(the Minister of Defence) and General Gogol(head of the KGB). Whilst Gogol makes for an amusing anti-villain, I never really understood the point of Grey. I suppose he gives M and Bond somebody else to talk to outside of Moneypenny and Q, but other than that, he never really added anything(although I really liked the actor playing him).<br />
<br />
<b><u>EFFECTS</u></b><br />
It seems that 1977 was a really, <i>really</i> good year to be a moviegoer. Not only could you be dazzled by the brilliant work of Lucasfilm in <i>Star Wars</i>, you could enjoy the magnificient work done by Pinewood Studios here. This really is the height of Ken Adam's work as set designer, constructing the biggest sound stage on the world(with some unrecognised help from Stanley Kubrick, one might add!) and adding his wonderfully imaginative touch everywhere, from Stromberg's Atlantis to Gogol's office(deliberately meant to evoke the cold and dark of Moscow as opposed to the warmth and softness of M's office in London)<br />
<br />
This film also has one of my favourite soundtracks of all time. Marvin Hamlisch's score has that one thing I love about good scores: it's intensely memorable. And not only that, it's the sort of music that makes you flail around to the action sequences and draws you waaaay further in than you would be otherwise. No offense to John Barry's iconic music, but nobody does it better. Sequences like the underwater approach to Atlantis and the ski chase are brought to life by those techno beats.<br />
<br />
<b><u>CONCLUSION</u></b><br />
Whilst the film is a little too stylistic and too broadly comic for my tastes(I guess I prefer a rougher diamond), there's no denying that it's one of the best James Bond movies ever.<br />
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>
<b><u><br /></u></b>Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-61671271510915004002016-05-26T11:59:00.002-07:002016-05-26T11:59:18.404-07:00The Terminator (1984) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/70/Terminator1984movieposter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/70/Terminator1984movieposter.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i>The Terminator</i>, more so than perhaps any film I've seen in my life, deserves to be called a thriller. It's a dark, frightening film about an unstoppable force versus fragile, human love. A pretty basic, done-to-death concept nowadays, but here, it's actually treated with respect. The whole film feels like everyone involved want it to succeed, to be the best that it can, instead of a lazy cash-in or fan fulfilment. It's a passionate, innovative production, amazingly well directed by James Cameron and with a wonderful, all-around solid cast.<br />
<br />
<b><u>PLOT</u></b><br />
Two travellers arrive from a dystopian future war, one from each side. They're both on a mission to find Sarah Connor, the soon-to-be mother of humanity's hero, John Connor. One of the travellers is Kyle Reese, a traumatised soldier sent by Connor himself to protect his mother. The other is the eponymous Terminator, a cyborg killing machine who is sent by Skynet to rewrite history and destroy Connor's resistance. Now, the war comes down to one simple conflict: one family versus a killer who will never give up fighting. Who will be terminated?<br />
<br />
<b><u>CAST</u></b><br />
Once upon a time, in 1984, Arnold Schwarzenegger was the most terrifying thing on the Earth. A stone-faced, shades-donning hulk with a never-ending supply of awesome weaponry, constantly in pursuit, never giving up. As someone born in the late 90s, I was frankly shocked at how intimidating the cuddly Austrian really was in this film.<br />
<br />
As a counterpoint, we have Michael Biehn as the slightly disturbed, but hopeful Kyle Reese, escaping the ravaged future to save the only light of his life, Sarah Connor. Reese is a great character, mysterious, desperate, yet also clearly gentle at heart, trying to find his purpose in life by saving Sarah.<br />
<br />
Equally good is Linda Hamilton as everywoman(that can be a term, right?) Sarah Connor, who works as a waitress. I do think that she was a little quick to accept Reese's story, but otherwise, her terror and subsequent trusting of him was absolutely believable.<br />
<br />
Apart from the iconic three, we also have an interestingly slimy performance from Earl Boen as the police station's incompetent psychiatrist, who has a great bedside manner, but intends to use Sarah as his ticket to fame. He's an interesting, unique character in that he's both very likable and comforting whilst also being rude and abrupt at the same time.<br />
<br />
Finally, Paul Winfield puts in an authoritarian, intelligent performance as the police chief investigating the Terminator's rampage. It's kind of a shame that he got killed, as for a bit part, he was quite memorable.<br />
<br />
<b><u>EFFECTS</u></b><br />
Here is <i>The Terminator</i>'s major drawback: despite the ingenuity behind it all, it looks very dated. Most notable examples of aged special effects would be the Terminator himself, when he has finally rid himself of all his flesh: the movement of the exoskeleton was accomplished via obvious stopmotion and whilst it does make the Terminator somewhat menacing in an unreal sort of way, it's also... well, unreal.<br />
<br />
The other would be the scene in which the Terminator recuperates inside an abandoned apartment and removes his human eye. In order to accomplish the scene, an unconvincing Arnold puppet is constructed and it looks nothing like him, of course. To add salt to the wound, there's more stopmotion too.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, the stuff that you would expect from other movies back in the day holds up perfectly. All the action, the chases, the car crashes etc. is terrific. Checking online, I also discovered that a fan had counted up that the Terminator kills exactly as many people on-screen as the police chief states work there. That's either amazing for the attention to detail or for the coincidence.<br />
<br />
<b><u>CONCLUSION</u></b><br />
<i>The Terminator</i> is a stone-cold classic and I enjoyed every minute of it. It has a slow, atmospheric, but relentless pace that always keeps you on your toes, just like the villain would and has every cast member give 110%. It might look a bit cheesy on the effects side nowadays, but remains top-notch on every other angle.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-53839086670615057632016-03-31T13:23:00.000-07:002016-06-22T09:18:05.396-07:00The Phantom Menace (1999) Review <br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/40/Star_Wars_Phantom_Menace_poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/40/Star_Wars_Phantom_Menace_poster.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i>The Phantom Menace</i> is okay. It's definitely not great, but there are those moments when the imagination surpasses the horrid characterisation.<br />
<br />
For example, the whole final act: the lightsaber duel, the space battle and the ground battle show just how great the movie was in the mind of its creator. People who only see Jar Jar Binks completely overlook the wonderful story at heart here.<br />
<br />
The best thing <i>The Phantom Menace</i> offers is its plot. It doesn't feel like any movie I've ever seen before and in this day and age, that says a lot. In the final act, I was almost cheering along the heroes as they implemented Queen Amidala's brilliant plan to capture the Palace. Likewise, the concept of making traders the main villain of the episode(and having them not even be harmed at the conclusion) is a new concept to me. It's such a shame that the rest of the movie is... well...<br />
<br />
The pacing of the film is probably the worst part of it(patience, Jar Jar will get his own paragraph). There's an irritating lack of any interesting action scenes throughout the film, giving it a sort of slow, sleepy feel. They talk and they talk and while I'm actually quite intrigued by the politics(when it's not being explained with the subtlety of a sledgehammer), it grinds the film to a halt.<br />
But there is nothing worser than that pod race sequence. It just goes on forever! I used to enjoy it as a kid and again, I like the story that leads us to the race(the business deal between Watto and Qui-Gon), but the race itself is just boring and far too long. We didn't have to see all three laps, for heaven's sake.<br />
<br />
<i>The Phantom Menace</i> is a very thoughtful film. Apart from the infamous taxation issues in the Senate, there's the relationship between the Naboo and the Gungans that develops once they establish their respect for one another, Qui-Gon has a very interesting character arc wherein he develops a religious faith in Anakin's destiny to bring balance to the Force(similar to Morpheus from <i>The Matrix</i>, which came out at the same time) which Obi-Wan is suddenly forced to inherit when his master is killed. Let us also not forget about the continuing mythologising of the Jedi that the originals referenced in <i>A New Hope</i>. People hate on the midichlorians(which I never understood: they make it clear that the midichlorians are not the Force, but what connects life to the Force), but they forget how the children on Tatooine view the Jedi as fairytale heroes.<br />
<br />
It's this attention to story and of course, the special effects that is both the film's saving grace and doom. With his mind occupied, George Lucas had little time for the actors and it shows through their clumsy, unsure deliveries and general awkwardness. He's also writing dialogue like he's just trying to get it out of his way. It's only there to translate the points he wants to make, nothing else. It's very fortunate, that what he wants to translate isn't bad at all.<br />
<br />
<i>The Empire Strikes Back</i> and <i>Return Of The Jedi </i>proved that the best <i>Star Wars</i> film is one that Lucas produces and co-writes and someone else directs. That's when he's truly in his element. He's a storyteller and filmMAKER, not a director or writer.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Liam Neeson is the film's shining gem as he gives a reserved, peaceful, yet determined performance as Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, the most layered character in the whole film. Though he has achieved the rank of Master and obviously has the wisdom needed for the position, Qui-Gon is still rather idealistic(several altercations with the Council are mentioned) and is smart enough to be aware of his flaws, though incapable of changing himself. This leads to one of the nicest moments in the film as Qui-Gon praises his headstrong, pragmatic Padawan and predicts he will become a great Jedi.<br />
<br />
Ewan McGregor's first showing as Obi-Wan Kenobi leaves me surprisingly cold. It's not that he's bad, but he doesn't generate much emotion and his supposedly headstrong nature is contrasted by the shyness McGregor seems to exude.<br />
<br />
Jake Lloyd's Anakin Skywalker is entirely a product of poor direction. The thing is, Lloyd actually manages to act well. He can show off a variety of emotions and seems to enjoy being around the other actors. But it's the dialogue and delivery that makes him out to be annoying and over-the-top childish. If someone had told him to tone down and given him better lines, he would've been great.<br />
<br />
As a villain, I think that Darth Maul isn't bad. He's certainly intriguing in a proto-Darth Vader kind of way and since he doesn't have many scenes and almost no lines of dialogue, he comes across as an effective bad guy.<br />
<br />
I haved mixed feelings about Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks. As I've grown up, I have begun to notice that yes, he is annoying. The character was designed as the Star Wars equivalent to Disney's Goofy, which isn't necessarily a bad idea. Except that Goofy never stepped into turds or spaz out. In his quieter moments(like when he discusses the suffering of the Naboo people with the Queen), I don't have a problem with him and I don't think he would've received nearly as much hate as he has if they'd kept it that way. It's just that the humor goes way over-the-top at times, ruining what could've been an actually funny character.<br />
<br />
One new character that I legitimately love is Watto, played by Andy Secombe, a charmingly grumpy gambler and slave-owner(which isn't as bad as it sounds) whom Qui-Gon has to outwit in order to escape Tatooine and take Anakin with him.<br />
<br />
I am not overly fond of either Keira Knightley or Natalie Portman as Padme, since the character was really weak(the Queen constantly speaks in a haughty, unlikable tone and Padme just never does anything cool beyond getting close to the 10-year old, which is creepy).<br />
<br />
I'd just like to point out for the sake of pointing it out... I saw the prequels first as a kid, and I had no idea that the Chancellor was the Sith Lord. Like, it blew my mind.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<i>The Phantom Menace</i> is practically notorious for its over-abundance of CGI(particularly in Jar Jar's case) and quite right too. The film has a horribly dated PS1-graphics video game look, even more so than the two films that followed it. They at least were consistent in how fake their world looked, whereas <i>Episode I</i> still clinged onto some obvious location filming and puppet work, which doesn't mesh with the digital creations in this case at all.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, John Williams is let loose to deliver one of his most iconic scores and it's really his ever-operatic presence that elevates the film, particularly during the brilliant "Duel Of The Fates" section.<br />
<br />
Speaking of that, the choreography is stellar. It's not yet the unrealistic whirly dancing that we see in some later duels, but it's also not the rough "mano a mano" from the original trilogy either. It feels like a proper lightsaber duel between fighters in their prime(and in Obi-Wan's case, their youth). Whilst I would rank the more emotionally charged lightsaber battles above this, it's clearly the best one.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Despite the haphazard execution, and George being wrong about when to film this(he should've waited until CGI was refined a little), <i>The Phantom Menace</i> is an imaginative and even fun film at times that successfully expanded the <i>Star Wars</i> universe. Hate it all you want, but consider everything that it gave us.<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-26791294532335403642015-12-30T14:56:00.002-08:002016-06-22T09:17:10.944-07:00The Force Awakens (2015) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/en09yrHxhs4PHK1rRrUYAxeKPXM=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4173498/starwarsposter.0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://cdn2.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/en09yrHxhs4PHK1rRrUYAxeKPXM=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn0.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/4173498/starwarsposter.0.jpg" width="215" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Okay, so my childhood was just gutted with a lightsaber and thrown into a pit.<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Yeah, I ended up seeing this film a lot earlier than I had expected and didn't manage to get to the prequel trilogy beforehand. Fortunately, the film had little to do with the prequels and everything to do with the originals so it makes little difference.<br />
<br />
<i>The Force Awakens</i> has already been called a modern version of <i>A New Hope </i>by multiple critics over the web and I don't think I can effectively argue with that, except by saying it's much, much better than <i>A New Hope,</i> which, as you can probably make out from this marathon, was the weakest of the original movies for me(although by no means not great).<br />
<br />
I think this film is the modern version of the entire original trilogy. It's meant to get people back into that mood, to re-awaken(haha) those old memories, that old love that for many, was damped by the prequels and is going to lead into a whole new story for the next film. I could be entirely wrong of course, and the next movie could just be a remake of <i>The Empire Strikes Back</i>, but hope is never a bad thing.<br />
<br />
For starters, we have the wonder of the first film. Literally. The events of the original movies have now become legend in the eyes of our modern heroes and villains and have shaped the galaxy as we see it now. We are rediscovering(and for some, discovering) this new, unpredictable world. Things are no longer set in stone like in <i>Episodes I</i>, <i>II</i> and <i>III</i>.<br />
<br />
We also have the drama and intricacies of the second film. Instead of just having fun like in <i>Episode IV</i>, the relationship of the characters is immediately set up and explored. And it is dark. The many uncomfortable implications of the original trilogy become reality here. The stormtroopers have lives. The Rebels are fallible. Anyone can die. Anyone.<br />
<br />
And we also have the humor and experience that the third film offered, even more so. It's all appropriate of course, and there are a few obligatory tongue-in-cheek moments, but what really surprised me was that the humor was naturally there... but restrained. It wasn't all over the place like movies tend to have now. It arose naturally from the situation, from the reactions of the characters, plus their interactions with each other. Everything happened because it was supposed to. Absolutely brilliant.<br />
<br />
So in essence, all three original movies and what they did are in this one, superb flick. Genius.<br />
<br />
If there is any flaw that I can think of that isn't a nitpick, but something that quite bothered me, is that it's not clear at all what is going on in the grand scheme of things. Like, how much power does the First Order hold when compared with the reinstated Republic and their Senate? We know that the Resistance do not have the support of the Republic and are an independent force against the First Order so are they like the Maquis from Star Trek? Is the galaxy split between the Republic and the First Order now?<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Our new protagonists are Jakku scavenger Rey, who is strong in the Force and seems destined to continue the Skywalker legacy in spirit(unless the vague backstory she gets is related to Luke, although I hope it isn't), her Stormtrooper boyfriend Finn, who strangely has a moral center and tries to escape the First Order by any means possible and Finn's savior, the Rebel pilot Poe Dameron who is woefully underused, but hopefully will have more of an impact in the films to come.<br />
<br />
They are all wonderful actors who do an incredible job with the material given. I'd say Boyega(Finn) is a bit overexcited, but that's entirely understandable given the film he is in and the people he works with. I love them all and I'm so onboard with seeing them in future adventures.<br />
<br />
BB-8 is a wonderful new droid character and seems to have a really youthful personality, which creates a lovely contrast with the more experienced R2-D2(whom BB-8 seems to treat as either an idol or a big brother). I adore him. Also, the fact that he's a physical prop... wow.<br />
<br />
Our new villains are Supreme Leader Snoke, who we don't yet know much about, except that he seems to be some sort of alien, perhaps(for some reason, I immediately thought Yuuzhan Vong), although I could be mistaken. Snoke is using the powerful grandson of Darth Vader, called Kylo Ren to his advantage. Why he needs Ren is yet unknown, but will probably be explored in future films. I must admit, I'm not entirely impressed with Snoke. He's just not very interesting. In fact, his scenes reminded me a lot of Sauron's appereance in <i>The Hobbit</i>, except not as cool. I sincerely hope he is developed a lot in the next films.<br />
<br />
Ren himself is actually Ben Solo, the son of Han and Leia who destroyed Luke's Jedi temple and is determined to live up to his grandfather's legacy(doesn't he know Vader turned to the light side?). In a masterstroke reversal of the original films, Ren is terrified of falling back to the light side and even does something particularly... heartbreaking... to avoid it.<br />
<br />
We also have Stormtrooper Captain Phasma, dressed in glorious chrome armor. We don't yet know much about her, but she's a very cool, stern character and I can't wait to see her again.<br />
<br />
Another interesting new character is Max Kanata, who is older than even Yoda and though not a Jedi, has her own connection with the Force and recognises Rey's potential. She's also old friends with Han and Chewie. Whether or not she survived the Imperial attack on her bar/Jedi Academy(okay, it's not the Academy, but it looked a hell of a lot like the Academy on Yavin IV in the now non-canonical <i>Jedi Knight</i> games) is unknown, but she seems like the sort to get out of a scrape.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Let's talk about the returning cast now.<br />
<br />
Mark Hamill appears only at the very end as Luke Skywalker and has no lines, but his character is perhaps the most important in the film. Although Rey is the next generation hero, Luke still represents hope just like he did in the original films and finding him is the whole point of the movie.<br />
<br />
Carrie Fisher has a nice, non-central, but still thematically important role as General Leia Organa, now much calmer and completely free of snark, unlike her... erm, husband(they never really confirmed it)? She immediately strikes a lovely rapport with Rey.<br />
<br />
C-3PO was a bit odd. I'm not sure if it's the writing or the acting, but he seemed a bit senile here. "It is I, C-3PO!" His reunion with R2 was also far more sentimental than I ever thought 3PO to be(it's also one of the very few scenes they have together. In fact, he seems to spend more time with BB-8 than R2!)<br />
<br />
I'm not entirely too sure why R2-D2 powered himself down for 30 years either. The implication was that he was shocked or missed Luke or something, but I really could've used an explanation here. Also, why didn't Luke take him along? I know he went into exile because of the Kylo Ren debacle, but surely R2 would've been acceptable company. After all they went through on Dagobah and everything?<br />
<br />
It's kind of funny how Chewbacca doesn't seem to have aged a day. The official explanation is that Wookiees age very slowly and he's already a few hundred years old by the original trilogy's time. I wish they actually mentioned that. It's a very small nitpick, I know, but that's why I'm here, innit?<br />
<br />
From the first minute he showed up again, Han Solo was brilliant. His presence in the film was the absolute highlight and his becoming a de factor father figure for the new heroes was beautiful. The interactions they have with him really had a huge part in making the film as awesome as it is. There's also a really funny running gag where he keeps taking Chewie's bowcaster. I'd also like to mention that he wears his badass <i>Empire Strikes Back </i>jacket in this film instead of the sillier vest, which is great. But alright, alright, no reason to avoid this any longer... Han Solo is dead.<br />
<br />
Kylo Ren... his own son, took a lightsaber, opened it in Han Solo's guts and tossed him over the bridge. Whilst I knew it was coming, I'm not going to lie and say tears didn't sting my eyes. It is unreal to think that Han Solo is dead. That he fell into one of those Star Wars pits. And you know they're not gonna pull a Darth Maul with this one(they shouldn't have pulled a Darth Maul with Darth Maul, but that's another story).<br />
<br />
Han Solo is dead. Dead and dusted. RIP. RIP my childhood also.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
The effects in this movie were perfect, exactly what was needed. No overcooked CG nonsense, it was pure model work combined with muppets combined with real explosions combined with actual people. Yes, there was some CG, but it was limited. It was used to fill in the gaps that the original movies had, exactly as it was supposed to.<br />
<br />
The music by John Williams was, like in <i>Return Of The Jedi</i>, not exactly titanic, but everything it needed to be and then some. It was definitely new.<br />
<br />
My favourite effects moments in this film were<br />
<br />
A) The opening shot of the Star Destroyer crossing the planet. Innovative, mood-setting and immediately hooking.<br />
<br />
B) Everything to do with the Millennium Falcon. This movie shows the Falcon love in spades and it deserves each scrap, because it is a beautiful, beautiful ship. I love every little bit of it. It's just so, so homey. So perfect. So interesting and cool and suave and with character. We even see the dejarik board in action again!<br />
<br />
C) The lightsabers. They look quite different from the other movies, more alive, more flickerly, like real beams of crackling energy. This makes them a lot more dangerous and brings back that old feel of wanting to play with everything shaped like a lightsaber because they're new and fresh again. The only time I actually thought the new feel didn't work was ironically the lightsaber duel, as it became a bit distracting with two blades of crackling energy. But still, it works overall.<br />
<br />
D) When Rey and Kylo are duelling and struggling on that cliff, you see Kylo's sword reflected in Rey's eyes, giving her eyes a catlike, Sith appereance.<br />
<br />
E) The Starkiller. Whilst the station itself is a fairly huge rip-off of the Death Star(but then again, ROTJ got away with it too), the weapon is a lot more powerful and a lot creepier. It inspired awe in me in a way that the Death Star likely inspired awe in 1977.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
And that's exactly what I'm talking about. This film does everything the originals did... but makes it new. Makes it fresh.<br />
<br />
This film is like reliving the originals all over again and then some. Is it my favourite <i>Star Wars</i> film? I don't know yet. But it sure as hell is a blast and has practically everything that a good SW film needs.<br />
<br />
I cannot, cannot, cannot wait for <i>Episode VIII </i>to come out. In the meantime, I still have three more <i>Star Wars</i> films to watch to finish off the marathon. They sure as hell won't top this, though.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-69329976570354625902015-12-27T18:21:00.000-08:002016-06-22T09:15:36.059-07:00Return Of The Jedi (1983) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTp3yo363NlxQPqjGvsyD7g0lnhlaqX-oMGY4FTYapopI8k96_JBwvBDPQ5N131n-vcJNPM4lyGJTRh19PX5Ooz4Qcf5Jkrt5cX3OBigWRN5cPChCK-KYqXFKhbjuBey4jmTtLviGg2Q/s1600/Return+of+the+Jedi.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQTp3yo363NlxQPqjGvsyD7g0lnhlaqX-oMGY4FTYapopI8k96_JBwvBDPQ5N131n-vcJNPM4lyGJTRh19PX5Ooz4Qcf5Jkrt5cX3OBigWRN5cPChCK-KYqXFKhbjuBey4jmTtLviGg2Q/s1600/Return+of+the+Jedi.jpeg" width="215" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I don't care what anybody says, <i>Return Of The Jedi</i> is the best of the <i>Star Wars</i> movies or at the very least, the originals. Not only does it perfectly send off the series without losing any of its steam, but it manages to perfectly combine the wonder and imagination of the first movie with the upped emotional drama and atmosphere of the second.<br />
<br />
As the gang are busy rescuing Han Solo from the Tatooine gangster Jabba the Hutt in a crackling opening(some complain that it's overlong, but I think making it shorter would've taken away from the threat that Jabba as a character had), the Empire has constructed a second Death Star, now under the supervision of the Emperor himself. Once the Rebels reunite in proper, it's up to the heroes to destroy the shield generator that protects the Death Star on the forest moon of Endor.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Luke confers with Yoda and Obi-Wan and finds out that Leia is his sister who was hidden away at birth and that he is now ready to confront Vader and the Emperor for an ultimate showdown to decide the destiny of the galaxy...<br />
<br />
Although <i>Empire</i> is a magnificient film that truly made Star Wars what it is, I feel like <i>Return</i> is the perfect final product, combining Lucas's cheesy, space adventure vision with the emotional rollercoaster that the series had gotten into by declaring Darth Vader to be Luke's father. That single fact is what elevated the series into a saga.<br />
<br />
To be fair, the reuse of the Death Star gives me mixed feelings. On one hand, it's a nice callback to the original film, but on the other, it's a bit too much of a callback. It feels a bit anticlimactic since the Death Star II is not really any different from the original beyond being in the process of construction. I know they needed to send off the franchise with a bang, but I wish they could've found some other way or at the very least, made the Death Star II a bit more interesting or dangerous than its previous incarnation.<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Mark Hamill really makes the role his own here as he portrays a far more wizened and peaceful Luke, whose teenage passion has evolved into confidence and deeper understanding of the Force. This, and his determination to save Vader from the dark side makes him a far more interesting and likable character. The Jedi get-up also helps.<br />
<br />
Similarly, Darth Vader's newfound relationships turn him into a wholly different character than the more generic evil villain of the previous movies. You can see him suffering now and truly questioning his identity. All his scenes with Luke(or anyone, really) are exquisite.<br />
<br />
Now replacing Clive Revill and Elaine Baker is Ian McDiarmid as the Emperor, who... let's just say not many franchises can produce two iconic villains, let alone one. But with his spidery, gleefully evil performance, the Emperor puts his stamp on this film.<br />
<br />
We also have newcomer Jabba the Hutt, the most brilliant puppet in <i>Star Wars</i> since Yoda. Though he doesn't move that much, his appereance is striking, coming off as a big fat pile of cash, blood and other people's sweat. Even his name adds to the atmosphere of the character - Jabba. As I mentioned earlier, it's nice that they devote enough time to this character so that overcoming him feels like an achievement. The whole first act is basically centered around him and after two movies of build-up, it's exactly what he deserves.<br />
<br />
The Ewoks. Are good. Why do people hate the Ewoks? I think their silly appereance works perfectly to disguise the spirit they have underneath. Yes, of course they were added in for the kids, but that doesn't mean they can't work for adults too. These Ewoks were smart enough to overthrow a Stormtrooper legion. Appereances can be deceiving is all I'm saying. Besides, I think they're pretty funny characters overall and give this movie levity and even charm without going overboard with it. Ask yourself: can you really imagine <i>Return Of The Jedi</i> without the Ewoks in it?<br />
<br />
Han Solo and Princess Leia are back, going through that final phase before properly stepping into a relationship("I thought you were in love with him?"). However, they've both definitely become more responsible and have left most of their defensive snark behind(give or take a tease). In fact, Luke, Han and Leia in this movie being such a closely knitted group is another reason why I love <i>Return</i>. All members of the trio have taken a massive step forward and Luke and Leia especially have gone through and dealt with personal trauma. <i>Return </i>is the culmination of their character arc, making them richer characters than in any other film.<br />
<br />
In the last film, I complained about Lando being more of an annoying caricature than anything and... yeah. Here, he still annoys me. Fortunately, it's not really the performance, he doesn't ham it up nearly as bad(and when he does, it's appropriate and actually awesome), but what bothers me is that they never reference his betrayal or rather(since I don't think he actually betrayed them), the rift between him and the others. I suppose Chewie would've told him that Lando's on their side now, but I would've liked to see it resolved better.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Music-wise, there's not much to say. The score for this film isn't particularly iconic(apart from maybe the Emperor's theme, when he's electrocuting Luke), but it is still extremely fun, powerful and fitting for every scene.<br />
<br />
Special effects are better than ever. You can see from the space battle above Endor how much bigger and better they've gotten since the clunkier first flick.<br />
<br />
Also, is it just me or do the lightsaber blades look a lot... stiffer in this film? I know it's a weird thing to point out, but there's something different about them.<br />
<br />
Set design is, naturally, on the top of their game. My particular favourites are Jabba's throne room and the Emperor's... well, throne room. I'm not sure whether they reused or rebuilt the Death Star corridors from the first film.<br />
<br />
One of the funny things about <i>Star Wars</i> is that practically everything about it has become the stuff of legend amongst fandom and yet so much of just appears in the background for a few seconds with no fanfare. A great example are the starfighters. Everyone knows and loves the TIE designs, yet most of them(apart from the generic version) were introduced in this movie and appeared just during the space battle. Same goes for the Lambda class shuttle, which does make extensive appereances, but just comes out of nowhere.<br />
The AT-AT appears on Endor for like ten seconds too.<br />
<br />
But really, what can I say? They're <i>Star Wars</i> sets. They were great before, they're great still.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Well, that was the original trilogy? What can I say?<br />
<br />
It all started out with a crazy 70s sci-fi flick that managed to reap in so much love and adoration(read: money) that the sequel inevitably received so much attention from everyone it had to top literally everything the first film offered. And it did. But now we're here. Lucas has made his magnum opus and more than saved it from a potential following disaster. Here he makes his finale by giving it what he wants and giving it what the fans want. Lightning is caught in the bottle and the most amazing<i> Star Wars</i> film of all comes out, at least in my eyes. Dark, dramatic, light and campy, this film has it all.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-17295308434514517692015-12-20T13:42:00.001-08:002017-04-14T11:14:31.656-07:00The Empire Strikes Back (1980) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3c/SW_-_Empire_Strikes_Back.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/3c/SW_-_Empire_Strikes_Back.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<i>The Empire Strikes Back</i> is a masterpiece and in my opinion, the real reason why the series became a cultural phenomenon. Whilst the first movie was a wonderful adventure film that tingled many filmgoers' imaginations, this one is a work of art and takes the whole franchise to a completely new level.<br />
<br />
Here, we see that fun, imaginative world expanded. Instead of just a clear-cut journey from one place to another and an explosive finale at the end, our heroes are separated and hunted down like animals by the increasingly obsessed Darth Vader, whose attentions have turned on young Luke Skywalker. The heroes are caught off guard and have to survive and escape for the majority of the movie instead of fighting.<br />
<br />
Luke, whose training was cut short, is sent by the ghost of Ben Kenobi to the murky, swampy planet of Dagobah with R2 to meet Master Yoda, an 800-year(or more) old Jedi in exile. There, Yoda puts him to through multiple mindbending tests to determine whether he really has it in him to defeat Vader and the Emperor. Meanwhile, Leia, C-3PO, Han and Chewie are relentlessly pursued by the Imperial fleet as their hyperdrive is damaged and have to conceal themselves within an asteroid field. As time passes, Leia and Han develop their budding relationship.<br />
<br />
It's the intricacy of the plot that really makes this movie for me. This isn't a jazzed up 70s sci-fi flick anymore, this is the very reason why <i>Star Wars</i> is described by Wikipedia as a space opera. It's a deep, thoughtful film and manages to build a proper mythology for the series. Not backstory, <u>mythology</u>. The previously fantastic element of the Force becomes by something different, something deeper. I don't know what to call it, but when Yoda spoke of the Force surrounding us, I could almost feel it myself. It wasn't just telekinesis anymore, it was all-encompassing, like God. Perhaps that's what the Force is... God's influence. Perhaps the Jedi and the Sith are like angels, chosen by the Force to bring justice to the galaxy. Some choose good, some choose evil.<br />
<br />
The friendship of Han, Leia and Luke has become a strong, deeply-rooted family between the two films and you can see they've been together long enough to develop a symmetrical relationship, with jokes and meanings that nobody else is likely to get. And before you ask, I'm not counting Chewbacca since that would also mean counting C-3PO and R2-D2 and they haven't really changed since the previous film and are not emotionally tethered to the plot. They're important to the team, but as backup players.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Mark Hamill has improved considerably as Luke Skywalker, who now has a position of authority in the Rebel Alliance. Though he still has his cockiness(which Yoda comments on), he is clearly an adult and doesn't face Vader out of recklessness, but out of personal dedication to his friends over the Force.<br />
<br />
Harrison Ford as Han Solo is great. Whilst his macho behaviour towards Leia can be cringeworthy, it makes the scenes where we see his real feelings all the more meaningful and beautiful. I also love how he's sort of a mentor to Luke in addition to being his best friend, a continuation of his offer to Luke at the end of Star Wars to come and join him on the Millennium Falcon.<br />
<br />
Carrie Fisher's Princess Leia might be the only returning character I didn't entirely enjoy. In the last movie, we see her as a strong, competent and slightly posh politician and sparks flew between her and Solo almost instantly(also with Luke, but... you know). I liked the way she could suddenly pull the carpet from beneath Han's legs, yet appreciate his ways when things got tough. Here, however, it feels more like Sean Connery and any old Bond girl. She's not tough and independent, she's "tough and independent", but Solo's obviously gonna get the girl. Yes, the scene where Han is frozen in carbonite is heartbreaking and I wish we had more of that romance, but Han's actual wooing her is just sort of creepy.<br />
I also hate how she completely refuses to listen to Lando's side of the story and immediately treats him as a traitor when it's obvious that Lando was only doing what was best for his people and was facing freaking Darth Vader!<br />
<br />
Speaking of the former, this is Billy Dee Williams's debut as Lando Calrissian and wow, he was never this annoying when I was a kid. Seriously, he's like Han, but without Ford's subtlety, just constantly showing off and wearing every emotion on his sleeve. His looks to Leia... eugh. Also, his first lines("Why, you...") were badly written, true, but the delivery was equally bad. I don't know if I've just outgrown him or what. As a kid, he was cool and suave and he still is likable, but... he's just really bad. Sorry.<br />
<br />
James Earl Jones returns as Darth Vader and boy, does he get menacing. In the previous film, Vader was a cool villain, kind of like General Grievous in <i>Revenge Of The Sith</i> later, but here he turns downright terrifying, particularly in his iconic confrontation with Luke Skywalker in the carbonite chamber. He only has two modes of fighting: disinterested and furious as hell. At first he toys with Luke, learning about him, tiring him(NOTE: I spent over half a day trying to figure out the word for "entertaining to buy time" and I still can't bloody do it) and then when Luke starts becoming even a slightest threat, completely rams him with attacks until he is beaten, bringing Obi-Wan's and Yoda's fears into reality. And then that reveal... I've seen it before, I've known it since childhood and it gave me such chills...<br />
<br />
Frank Oz is magnificient as Yoda. It's actually quite funny how different he is in this film from how the public has come to perceive him. In his original incarnation, Yoda is not an intelligent, old, constantly frowning Jedi Master who likes to tell other people how they feel, but more like an eccentric mr. Miyagi. He's cranky, weird and in a way, tired. You can see he's lost so much that the Force is the only companion he has left. So when Luke shows up, he doesn't take any of his crap and only trains him at Obi-Wan's request, even though he's supposedly their number one chance of beating the Emperor.<br />
<br />
Speaking of the devil, we also briefly see the Emperor in this movie in a perfect introduction scene where he calmly discusses his plans with Vader. It's a quiet and mysterious scene and a terrific counterpart to the Luke/Yoda scenes. Clive Revill and Elaine Baker make one hell of an impression and their portrayal of the Emperor is one of a subtle holographic cloud of malevolence, looking down on Vader with taunting, monkey eyes. As much as I adore Ian McDiarmid's portrayal in the other movies, I kind of wish we'd have seen more of him.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Whilst John Williams always composes a cool, dynamic, yet memorable score for every movie, likely none of them are as well-remembered and brilliant as the Darth Vader theme, the Imperial March. It's a masterpiece within a masterpiece, a haunting, dark and brutal piece of music that fits the character to a tee.<br />
<br />
The special effects in this movie obviously prosper from having a significantly increased budget thanks to the popularity of the first one. There's still a few moments where you go "ohhh, that really doesn't look good now." such as the Wampa scene(one of the few really good Special Edition changes) and the AT-AT walkers done with stopmotion animation.<br />
<br />
But there's no denying that on a visual level, the movie looks glorious. The sets are magnificiently thought out, semi-surreal and colorcoded, making them just futuristic and memorable enough to work. Balance is the key here and this film has it down pat. The environments seen in this film are alive, each with their own soul and atmosphere.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
All in all, the film is, as Obi-Wan would stay <i>Star Wars's</i> first step into a larger world and one of the most classic blockbusters of all time.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-84946949812252985592015-12-18T13:53:00.002-08:002015-12-27T18:23:55.779-08:00Star Wars (1977) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://warriorwriters.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/screen-shot-2012-08-20-at-7-53-37-am.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://warriorwriters.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/screen-shot-2012-08-20-at-7-53-37-am.png" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I love this film. The innocence and the fun mixed in with themes of responsibility plus the mysticism of the Force came together as a concoction of legendary proportions that is still felt to this day. And watching it again for the first time in years, it hasn't lost any of its fun.<br />
<br />
Truth be told, George Lucas did have the right idea when he started tinkering with his movies. As magical as they are, there's no denying they're quite dated in special effects. That's not to bash <i>Star Wars</i>... this was groundbreaking work on every level. But time has gone by, guys. It's okay to call it a bit silly now. Also, when I say he had the right idea, I mean I can see his viewpoint. I don't think the Special Editions are necessary in the slightest. These films deserve to age gracefully.<br />
<br />
<i>Star Wars</i> is about... well, a war that takes place in space. Where there are stars. It's about an evil Empire that dominates the galaxy and prepares to completely crush it into subordination with their new space station: the Death Star(I guess the wars or rather battles are about the Star in this movie, so the title sort of makes sense). However, the brave rebels have managed to steal the plans to the Death Star that contains its one weakness and in a last ditch attempt to smuggle it to their base, dispatch it with droids(robots) named R2-D2 and C-3PO to the desert planet of Tatooine where they come into the service of a brave farmer boy named Luke Skywalker.<br />
<br />
Luke discovers that R2's contact on the planet is his acquintance, old eccentric Ben Kenobi and delivers the droids to him only to find that his family has been killed by the Empire searching for the droids and that Kenobi is one of the few survivors of the mysterious Jedi who practice the Force: an energy field that connects all living things and can be used to manipulate reality physically and mentally.<br />
<br />
Kenobi, Luke and the droids employ the help of smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca to flee Tatooine before the Empire finds them, only to end up flying into the Death Star itself...<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
The acting in <i>Star Wars</i> is underrated, to be honest. Mark Hamill has an inherent likability about him, but it's the dialogue makes him into a bit of a whiner, particularly during the scenes where Luke and Han disagree about Han's departing from the Rebellion. Why is everyone so mean towards Han anyway when he decides to leave? He's a grown man and he's not exactly an idealist. Do they give the speech to every single non-Rebel person who visits the base?<br />
<br />
Harrison Ford is instantly awesome as the coolest character in<i> Star Wars</i> - Han Shot First Solo. Unfortunately, he also has the cheesiest lines in this movie. Or maybe his Harrison Fordness just magnifies how inherently cheesy the script actually is. Whatever the case, he oozes enough cool to slip by any hilarious piece of dialogue and is for me, the highlight of the movie, acting wise.<br />
<br />
Carrie Fisher, despite again, some unsavory dialogue that makes her all Princess-y(which she isn't) is cute and charming as Leia and the perfect foil for the Luke-Han bro team.<br />
<br />
David Prowse and James Earl Jones join together to create the second best villain of all time, Darth Vader(topped only by his master in the upcoming flicks). Vader's design is so perfect, I can't even... the black skull mask, the covering hood-esque helmet, the cape, the buttons on the front, THE VOICE... I'm amazed at just how right they got this villain.<br />
<br />
But let's not forget the legendary Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin, the only Imperial officer we've seen in the series who earned Vader's respect beyond the Emperor himself. Tarkin is cold-blooded as hell and methodical, yet has his own British charm to him. Great performance(fun fact: he was wearing slippers throughout the whole production since there was something wrong with the boots).<br />
<br />
R2-D2 and C-3PO are a wonderful duo, with 3PO's fussy personality and R2's unspoken snark creating so many perfect scenes. In later films, they sometimes got too carried away with this, but here, they hit all the right notes.<br />
<br />
Alec Guinness is wonderful as Obi-Wan Kenobi. I usually find it hard to watch actors whom I know to dislike the production, but Guinness takes his job so seriously that you can't take your eyes off of him. He is kind of like Dumbledore and Gandalf combined. Humble, but with an edge to him.<br />
<br />
The supporting cast are great too. Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru are perfectly natural, the Stormtroopers come across as slightly goofy, yet also kind of scary to be honest. They don't seem like the mockery they've become in pop culture, but the tough soldiers they really are supposed to be. All of the Imperial officers are given a personality, which I really appreciate and I can see the backstory just appearing in my head, almost subconsciously.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Though I mentioned that the special effects were dated, I never said they weren't impressive. And indeed, by dated I only mean "you can see how they did this". And even that only half of the times.<br />
<br />
But I don't think it takes you out of the movies at all. Children watching won't be able to tell and adults will think "wow, it's so cool how they did this". It's a complete success on every level.<br />
<br />
My particular favourite effects would be the lightsabers, which were a stroke of genius if ever there was one. They were built out of three-sided tubes, each reflecting light to create the illusion of a "light sword"(which was later colored in with computers).<br />
<br />
I also have to give a shout out to the endlessly creative alien creatures such as fricking Satan in the Mos Eisley Cantina. Seriously. That dude knows how to live. My point is, never before or since has a universe felt so diverse and alive as <i>Star Wars</i>.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
In conclusion, <i>Star Wars</i> is a clunky film that reeks of the 70s, but within those boundaries it manages to accomplish so much, have so much fun and present so many good ideas that it becomes timeless and managed to touch my heart as if I was seeing it for the first time.<br />
<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-13408570585435460792015-12-14T13:27:00.001-08:002019-12-04T15:14:50.477-08:00STAR WARS MARATHON (1977-present)<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh433tFt5qmyUNJ6Ntt7knnRw3qUKg_dhpkwhPuhQlH_rDE74JE-83ejAW5RuGLeDsEYYS9s9522UAOB2F8I2iC7M3lxQaVlQgtiIRr9Vd3N-u49Tohtgo6FiNFb-jsYZVmN1sBp833aKz9/s1600/Custom-Canvas-Art-Star-Wars-Poster-Star-Wars-Wall-Stickers-Marvel-Wallpaper-Comic-Sticker-Mural-Kids.webp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="399" data-original-width="600" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh433tFt5qmyUNJ6Ntt7knnRw3qUKg_dhpkwhPuhQlH_rDE74JE-83ejAW5RuGLeDsEYYS9s9522UAOB2F8I2iC7M3lxQaVlQgtiIRr9Vd3N-u49Tohtgo6FiNFb-jsYZVmN1sBp833aKz9/s320/Custom-Canvas-Art-Star-Wars-Poster-Star-Wars-Wall-Stickers-Marvel-Wallpaper-Comic-Sticker-Mural-Kids.webp" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
To prepare myself for the upcoming Episode VII of <i>Star Wars</i>(It's only about a week away and I still can't believe it's happening), I've taken it upon myself to quickly marathon through the series in order of release.<br />
<br />
Since I grew up with the 1997 Special Editions, I want to give myself the full experience. I want to see the films as they were seen in theaters and finally form opinions on films that have been such a huge part of practically everybody's childhood, including mine.<br />
<br />
But first, some history: the first <i>Star Wars</i> movie I think ever saw was <i>Episode I: The Phantom Menace</i>. As of right now, I still have a huge sense of nostalgia about it and I think it's a fairly decent film, actually, certainly more imaginative than many blockbusters today. But it failed to be the magnum opus that the <i>Star Wars</i> fans had built up in their minds and it remains semi-unfairly one of the most hated films of all time.<br />
<br />
<i>Episode II</i>, on the other hand, was never particularly interesting for me. Even as kid, Hayden Christensen was just... weird. And Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi left me cold. He wasn't very likable(oh, how things would change) and the only interesting characteristic about him was that he looked and acted just like my dad. Wow, exciting. Also, whilst I had no understanding of filmmaking and CGI at the time, I did notice the visual change when compared with <i>Episode I</i>. Overall, not many fond memories of this.<br />
<br />
The one way I can tell when exactly I saw these movies is from the fact that<i> Episode III</i> wasn't out yet when I first started watching them, meaning that most likely I saw them in early 2004. When <i>Episode IV</i>(1997 Special Edition, for those who are wondering) rolled around and Darth Vader made his grandiose entrance, I distinctly remember asking my mother who he was and being immediately satisfied with "He's Anakin, but he's evil now." Okay, seemed legit at the time. Yes, I really didn't have trouble moving from <i>Episode II</i> to <i>IV</i>. They explained the missing period fairly well so I just assumed they had decided not to show it for some reason.<br />
<br />
After this, my memories end, but the point's been given. I've been a fan since childhood. <i>Star Wars</i> games are my favourite video games. I'm currently binge-watching <i>The Clone Wars</i> too.<br />
<br />
And now, I'm going to go back to the beginning and see these films proper as they were released in theaters and hope to come out with a more mature opinion of the franchise towards the end. May the Force be with me(or am I not allowed to say it like that?).<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-17634203937690144612015-11-28T12:54:00.002-08:002015-11-28T13:03:41.450-08:00Atop The Fourth Wall: The Movie (2015) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv86HyUBQxxrKy3_6y5LYxFmyBFYUZ_LgetJZDhESSd0iOoQgnk2db5U2fIHbwDtWlxmTdFQ8YDaMjQb-THKujSkJmDG3CUZjU1ACTdhHbhgqfm-gDeF07fDv1lOLepQXu8SLTRccckbD9/s1600/2820499.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv86HyUBQxxrKy3_6y5LYxFmyBFYUZ_LgetJZDhESSd0iOoQgnk2db5U2fIHbwDtWlxmTdFQ8YDaMjQb-THKujSkJmDG3CUZjU1ACTdhHbhgqfm-gDeF07fDv1lOLepQXu8SLTRccckbD9/s320/2820499.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;">In honor of Linkara's first video review, I thought it only fair to appear as myself. :D</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
Aaaand I'm back! What's that? Nobody reads this? Well, then don't complain. It's my page, I can glorify myself if I want to. Okay, okay, chill. Let's review some more internet critic movies.<br />
<br />
<i>Atop The Fourth Wall</i> is one of the most popular review shows on the Channel Awesome website, in which Linkara(played by Lewis Lovhaug) looks at bad comic books and fights alien menaces in the off hours. Its deadpan sense of humor, intelligent analysis of material and sci-fi drama storylines also make it(in my opinion) the most well put together show on the site.<br />
<br />
I mean, I don't even read superhero comics(Estonia favors <i>Mickey Mouse</i> and <i>Tom & Jerry </i>comics), but Linkara's sheer skill at deconstructing bad comics is worth watching every episode, doesn't matter if you're in any way connected to the material or not. And let me tell you: I never watch reviews of things I don't know. He's that good.<br />
<br />
So, with that said, I was a happy, if slightly disbelieving fan when I heard that an AT4W movie is on the ops. I get the Nostalgia Critic and the Angry Video Game Nerd, they're internet legends. But Linkara? A movie? What new spore of madness is this?<br />
<br />
The film takes place after the events of <i>To Boldly Flee</i>, in which the "Death Bomb" exploded, destroying the villains Mechakara, Terl and General Zod. Now, several years later, the US government sends up the Caelestis, the second Insano-class spaceship(yes, I'm going with that) that looks like a house.<br />
<br />
Despite being on a mission to Jupiter, they deviate to study the remnants of the Death Bomb and ascertain if anything can be recovered. Unfortunately, something can...<br />
<br />
When the Caelestis loses contact with Earth, the government dispatches Linkara(who, as he likes to say, "HAS A SPACESHIP!!") to check out what's wrong. For no other reason than "movie", a bunch of inexperienced other reviewers accompany him on his trip. My particular favourite is Nash, who has never been on a Channel Awesome adventure before and so has to deal with lightning shooting colleagues.<br />
<br />
The reviewers(and other AT4W characters) form a tight crew and find the Caelestis, only to discover that Mechakara has risen again, more pissed off than ever before(did he always wear that red shirt? I just noticed that...) so it's up to the reviewers to battle him whilst also trying to come to terms with how bizarre their universe is. Great stuff.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
The first thing to understand about the film is that it's not really much different from the show itself. There's more guest stars and two sets(unless you count the houses), but that's about it. The format, the style and the dialogue are all pure AT4W. That works... partially. On one side, it's great to stay true to the series of course, but at the same time, I feel like the film was somewhat slow and not in the "there's no action every five minutes" kind of way, but just the fact that most of it consisted of people talking in empty, echo-ey rooms.<br />
<br />
Star Trek and Doctor Who get away with that by having detailed, beautifully designed spaceship sets with a sense of home about them. However, in AT4W, the spaceship set is cold and gray-green, with no sort of comfort or soothing look about it to appease the viewer. It doesn't feel alive.<br />
<br />
The acting is also a mixed bag, ranging from spectacular(Nash, Joe, Lovhaug as 90s Kid and Mechakara and Lupa) to decent(Lovhaug as Linkara and Harvey, the astronauts, Snob and Alan) to Marzgurl, who, no offense, brought to mind the famous "I'm ACTING!" line.<br />
<br />
The script is good, but it's fuzzy in parts and goes over the details a little too quickly, resulting in a multitude of questions in the comment section of the AT4W webpage. There's nothing major, but it could've used another draft.<br />
<br />
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Overall, the film is a great watch for any Channel Awesome fans, but I wouldn't recommend it outside that circle and I suggest going over the show itself before getting into it. There's some excellent plot compilation videos on Youtube if you're interested.<br />
<br />
For a first time production, it's well done. Despite the afore-mentioned fuzziness, the script is quite thoughtful and gives a moment of humanity to each character, most notably the 90s Kid. The comedy is absolutely brilliant, there were many LOL moments in the film and there's that sense of hope and wisdom found in the greatest of stories. The cinematography isn't spectacular and the movie sometimes lacks in atmosphere, but is much supported by the sheer likability of the main cast, the classic harshly menacing villain and most importantly, the emotion and love that went into making it a treat for the fans.<br />
<br />
All in all, a big applause to Lewis Lovhaug, for making a cool adventure flick. I'd love to see this go bigger and better in potential sequels.<br />
<br />Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-65111168825604809702015-02-21T14:34:00.001-08:002015-02-21T14:41:18.194-08:00Two And A Half Men (2003 - 2015) Review<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpY5mvdffHktnhxqCcRAeLUGYQGqmpjCq89Y8vidORftRAoRSbosbBYA6lviICla_HkGRsvTmCV51ZnAIydREQoe0hxRAwJbnuOguS4f4KyiZ18vf5P1milZfuE2xujKvFMIyxeMn2yHlL/s1600/1342727684468_2x1_Overlay_1280_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpY5mvdffHktnhxqCcRAeLUGYQGqmpjCq89Y8vidORftRAoRSbosbBYA6lviICla_HkGRsvTmCV51ZnAIydREQoe0hxRAwJbnuOguS4f4KyiZ18vf5P1milZfuE2xujKvFMIyxeMn2yHlL/s1600/1342727684468_2x1_Overlay_1280_640.jpg" height="160" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Going through <i>Two And A Half Men</i> really is like going through the life of protagonist Alan Harper(Jon Cryer). The first few years/seasons are pretty great, with lots of brilliant comic moments(my favourite episode of the series was "Hi, Mr. Horned One" - it was one of the few laugh out loud ones). Then it started to feel like the characters were going through a subtle mid-life crisis.<br />
Charlie Harper(Charlie Sheen) was left without a girlfriend after trying to fix himself for a whole season and went back to the bachelor behavior of the early years, but now with a deprecating tinge.<br />
Alan Harper was still living in his brother's house and became increasingly unhinged.<br />
And Jake Harper(Angus T. Jones) lost any semblance of intelligence.<br />
<br />
It's true that when Charlie's character was killed off between seasons 8 and 9, the show changed dramatically. The "Sheen family" was pretty much broken up, only to return for guest appereances later on.<br />
<br />
By the time of season 12, it felt like I as a viewer kept watching for the same reason Alan was still there - because that darned Malibu beach house was impossible to give up, no matter how bad things get.<br />
<br />
<i>Two And A Half Men</i> centers on rich songwriter Charlie Harper, who lives in a beach house, sleeps with beautiful women(sleep being an euphemism) and generally does whatever he wants until his uptight, moralizing and slightly creepy brother Alan is kicked out by his wife and is forced to "temporarily" stay with his brother, with his 10-year old son Jake tagging along.<br />
<br />
For the first 8 seasons, we watch them evolve into caricatures as they survive girlfriends and personal agendas. The lesson being that everyone inevitably becomes a jerk or an idiot.<br />
After the "death" of Charlie Harper, the show reinvented itself with the introduction of net billionaire Walden Schmidt, who buys the house and ends up letting Alan and Jake stay there.<br />
For seasons 9 and 10, we watch him evolve into a caricature who can't decide on just what personality he's going to wear this week.<br />
After Jake heads off to Japan to join the army, Jenny Harper, the lesbian daughter of the late Charlie shows up, looking for her dad and Walden ends up making room for her in the house.<br />
For season 11, we see her doing what her father did - make out with chicks.<br />
Then, Walden decides to adopt a child to fill a void in his heart, but is forced to temporarily marry with Alan, since he can't adopt the child on his own. Oh yeah, Alan still lives in the beach house and doesn't even have a job anymore because quite frankly, he doesn't give a damn. He's got a thing going, geddit?<br />
In season 12, we see them(minus Jenny, who is basically kicked out) fiddling their thumbs until the finale comes along to reveal that Charlie actually survives! And he's a crazy psycho now!! And it was actually a TV show all this time!!!<br />
<br />
Right, I hope you got that.<br />
<br />
There's no denying that the premise of the show has only gotten weirder and weirder, but unlike so many of my co-viewers, I've stayed hooked to the end.<br />
<br />
Looking back on it, I think most of the audience were right to ditch it because the show really had its golden years in the first half(seasons 1-6). It seemed to me that as time went on, <i>Two And A Half Men</i> had a bad tendency to turn its characters into caricatures. Charlie became a sex-hungry idiot, Alan became a creep AND a sex-hungry idiot, Walden became goofy, Jake became an idiot, Barry became an idiot, Larry became... an idiot.<br />
Yeah, the characters really do have a tendency to deteriorate on this show.<br />
<br />
Is it really a surprise that the finale was basically about how ridiculously idiotic the show is rather than anything that actually concerned the show itself?<br />
<br />
The main things that actually bugged me about the show were things like pot jokes(drugs ain't funny), the idiot characters(constantly saying stupid things gets old fast) and the potty humor(if they didn't need it in the early seasons, why do they need it now?)<br />
<br />
I guess I liked it better during the early Sheen years, because it actually felt plausible back then. There were actual characters and good humor instead of the bizarre meta humor of the Kutcher years.<br />
<br />
And I'm not saying the Kutcher years were all that bad(shining highlights include Alan's Gollum moments and the Arnold Schwarzenegger cameo in the finale), but it was certainly more surreal.<br />
<br />
Overall, <i>Two And A Half Men</i> is a strange beast. Brave heart, those who dare to go through the whole thing.Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8312390851616272443.post-30208631145417903362015-01-03T10:31:00.000-08:002016-06-22T09:08:58.605-07:00BATMAN MARATHON (1989 - 2012) Conclusion<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/167/3/3/batman_of_the_ages_by_qbatmanp-d53p4lf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2012/167/3/3/batman_of_the_ages_by_qbatmanp-d53p4lf.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I started watching these movies to get a better idea of why people like superheroes(whom I grew up viewing as guys in Halloween costumes saving the world from other guys in Halloween costumes). I was curious. Have I got answers?<br />
<br />
Well, yes, but surprisingly, not from the <i>Batman</i> films. You see, after completing <i>The Dark Knight Rises</i>, I had a sudden urge for more. I wanted to have more films to watch because Batman had made one hell of an impression on me.<br />
<br />
So I picked <i>Superman</i>(1978) for my next watch. Five minutes later, I was done. It was so boring, so worthless of my attention. I'm sure it was well crafted, but why would you create a superhero with superpowers? How do you relate to that?<br />
<br />
I think what makes superheroes cool is that you can imagine yourself in their shoes. That, and their reality is fantastical. I mean, Superman is all nice and dandy, but an alien who looks like human AND fights crime in a ridiculous outfit is one step too far. Batman got the right idea by not only having a regular guy be the protagonist, but also give him dramatic value(the death of his parents and his use of fear as a weapon).<br />
<br />
So yeah, I'm a Batfan now and will probably check out the Animated Series for Mark Hamill's Joker alone.<br />
<br />
But now, my favourite part: the Best To Worst lists:<br />
<br />
BEST TO WORST BATMAN FILM<br />
<br />
1) <i>The Dark Knight Rises.</i><br />
2) <i>Batman.</i><br />
3) <i>Batman Begins.</i><br />
4) <i>The Dark Knight.</i><br />
5) <i>Batman Returns.</i><br />
6) <i>Batman And Robin.</i><br />
7) <i>Batman Forever.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
BEST TO WORST BATMAN<br />
<br />
1) Michael Keaton.<br />
2) Christian Bale.<br />
3) George Clooney.<br />
4) Val Kilmer.<br />
<br />
BEST TO WORST DIRECTOR<br />
<br />
1) Tim Burton.<br />
2) Christopher Nolan.<br />
3) Joel Schumacher.<br />
<br />
BEST TO WORST SUPPORTING CAST<br />
<br />
1) <i>Batman.</i><br />
2) <i>The Dark Knight.</i><br />
3) <i>Batman Begins.</i><br />
4) <i>The Dark Knight Rises.</i><br />
5) <i>Batman Returns.</i><br />
6) <i>Batman And Robin.</i><br />
7) <i>Batman Forever</i>.<br />
<br />
BEST TO WORST MUSIC<br />
<br />
1) Danny Elfman.<br />
2) Hans Zimmer.<br />
3) Elliot Goldenthal.<br />
<br />
BEST TO WORST LOVE INTEREST<br />
<br />
1) Nicole Kidman.<br />
2) Michelle Pfeiffer.<br />
3) Everyone else.<br />
<br />
BEST TO WORST ENEMIES<br />
<br />
1) The Joker (Jack Nicholson)<br />
2) Two-Face (Aaron Eckhart)<br />
3) Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer)<br />
4) Ra's Al Ghul (Liam Neeson)<br />
5) The Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy)<br />
6) Bane (Tom Hardy)<br />
7) The Joker (Heath Ledger)<br />
8) Poison Ivy (Uma Thurman)<br />
9) The Penguin (Danny DeVito)<br />
10) The Riddler (Jim Carrey)<br />
11) Mr. Freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger)<br />
12) Two-Face (Tommy Lee Jones)<br />
13) Bane (Robert Swenson)<br />
<br />
Thank you for following(I know there's no one out there, but I like saying it nonetheless) and I'll see you next review!Rushyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13584375790614532125noreply@blogger.com0