My NYC Comic Con 2014 Experience

I've been to conventions in the past. In my 20's, my friends and I went to quite a few and got to meet a lot of the cast of the original Star Trek. It was great fun, and I was looking forward to getting back to one, after the smaller Wizard World Con I went to last year.

Was I ever unprepared for what I experienced.

I've never been to anything this big. I've been to cons, sporting events, and short of a NASCAR race, I have never seen anything this big before. I was overwhelmed by the sheer size of the event.

I'm sure a lot of people probably think of these events as a bunch of basement dwelling nerds getting out of the house. While there were indeed a lot of people there who may have fit that stereotype, they were actually small in numbers. This was people from all walks of life, from the comic/movie nerds to families with their kids, all gathered together in a celebration of the things they love, all under one roof. A united community of very different people, but all with common interests.

Everything was represented here. Science Fiction, Horror, Comic Books, Television, Movies, Fantasy, collectibles....if it's a part of geek/pop culture, it was there.

It's so easy to get lost in the never ending stream of things there to purchase. Things you have never seen, or have only heard about. Things you have always wanted, things you use to have, things you never knew you wanted. It's a collectors dream. The artists there were also all over, and so many different styles, as with the merchandise, almost any type of art that interested you, you could find there.

Some of the highlights for me included.....

The cosplayers. I've made or helped make costumes in the past, so I know what it is like to create these things, and you could see the amount of work so many people put into their costumes. The quality ranged from obviously amateur, to nothing short of professional. But it didn't matter what the quality was, the passion was there, in everyone.

I got to see a Q & A panel with Ron Perlman, star of Hellboy and Sons Of Anarchy. He spoke about a book that he just released, memoirs of his life and career. The way he spoke about it, and the things he talked about that were in the book, made me want to read it. He was very funny, very personable. He took questions from the audience and answered all of them. You could tell he is a guy who is extremely grateful for his career and the people that got him to where he is. I'm glad I got to see him.

Stephen Amell. He's the star of the TV show "Arrow", one of my current favorite shows. I got an autographed picture of him and got to speak to him, albiet very briefly. He also comes across as a guy who really embraces his fans and is grateful for his success. Even got a fist bump from him, which may seem silly, but it was still cool. He comes across as a regular guy, no ego.











Now this next one may throw some people, but I think there will be those who will appreciate it.

I was walking down one of the many aisles, and I came across a table where I saw a gentleman signing autographs. I did not recognize him on sight, and looked at the table where it said his name....Peter Robbins. I'm sure some of you are saying "Who?" I said the same thing until I looked below his name.....

The original voice of.......

Charlie Brown.

I was in awe. I grew up with the early Peanuts animated specials. I have such fond memories of A Charlie Brown Christmas, It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, and others. To get to meet the man who voiced Charlie Brown in those shows that i love so much, and speak with him for a short time, meant as much to me as meeting any big name celebrity...perhaps even more.

My only disappointments were the fact that we went on Friday, and there were even more things going on Saturday & Sunday that would have been great to see. Next time, we will make sure that we get tickets for the weekend so we don't miss anything. Also, we wanted to get a copy of Ron Perlman's book, as he was autographing them, but the books sold out quickly.

All in all, a great experience, a bit overwhelming, but next time we will be more prepared. Anyone who has not been to this kind of event, and has any interest at all, should experience it at least once.

Review - "Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes"

Following up the first excellent film in this revised series, “Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes” was definitely going to be a tough job. The end of that movie left you wondering where they would take the next movie. After the director, Rupert Wyatt departed, it left a big question mark as to who could follow up such a great effort. I can safely say that director Matt Reeves not only met, but exceeded expectations.

Set ten years after the events of Rise, Dawn starts with the apes living in their own community, away from humans, living in peace, and wondering if human beings even exist anymore. Well, the humans show up, and the conflicts begin.

What was so great about this movie was that you saw the struggles on both sides, and characters who were very similar in their fears in beliefs and sometimes in behavior, both ape and human. You could understand both sides, and you could see the inevitable conflicts that were to come in this very delicate situation. Everyone wants to live in peace, but you know that as much as either side wants it, somehow, something will go wrong.

Andy Serkis again delivers a stellar performance that needs few words to convey the emotions and struggles of the ape leader, Caesar.  The rest of his companions in the ape community are also equally well portrayed. Koba, played by Toby Kebbell, was also great as the ape who suffered greatly at the hands of the humans in Rise, and does not trust them at all, and wants nothing to do with them .I really liked that the apes, although capable of speech, choose to use it only when they feel it necessary. Speaking of their speech, it is done very well, they just don't talk like humans, they talk like a species that is just learning how to talk, which makes it very believable.

The human cast, led by Jason Clarke (“Zero Dark Thirty”) are also very solid, although no one gives what I would call a stand out performance, but that is not to say that anyone wasn't good. Gary Oldman wasn't in the movie as much as I though he would be, but delivers his usual solid performance as Dreyfus, the leader of the surviving humans in San Francisco, who cannot see the apes as anything more than mere animals, and considers them nothing but a threat to the human race.

The ape effects are absolutely stellar, you really believe you are watching animals, not actors. The music, composed by Michael Giacchino, is wonderful and adds a great emotional element to the movie.

To say much more about the story would give too much away, so I won't elaborate. I'll just say that there are so many great moments, I can't even pick one that I can say was my favorite.

The build up to the inevitable conflict is exciting, and the action set pieces really deliver the goods. There were even a few moments I got a bit teary eyed. Make no mistake , this is a dark movie, but one that is absolutely fantastic. I cannot recommend it highly enough. If you liked Rise, you will love Dawn. I can only hope that director Matt Reeves will return for another movie, he's stepped up to the big time now, and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Review - "RoboCop" (2014)

Where do I start.

I didn't hate it. But I didn't love it either. 

The original “RoboCop” is one of my favorite movies. So I went into this cautious, as remakes tend to always miss the mark when it comes to capturing the magic of the original. Comparison to the original is inevitable, as much as the film maker's tried to make their own movie, you will always have the original in your mind and comparing the two. But I tried as hard as I could to give it a fair try.

The cast....Joel Kinnaman was fine, but I didn't feel a connection with his Alex Murphy like I did with Weller's Murphy. With Weller, I immediately like Alex Murphy and dread what is coming for him. I didn't feel that here. Considering that you spent more time with the character before his transformation into Robocop, that's not good. Michael Keaton was fine, and Gary Oldman was Gary Oldman. Jackie Earle Haley's character was the most interesting, but they spend almost no time with him, he's just kind of there, they should have developed him a bit more. He's kinda just there to hate Robocop, for no real clear cut reason. 

The beginning kind of dragged a little, they took a bit too long to really get into things, and that dragged the movie down a bit. It picks up, but they should have tightened it up. I agree with the others who have said there is no clear cut villain. Keaton is shady, there's some corrupt cops, and a drug dealer that was pretty much a waste. I didn't like that they try take away his humanity after he becomes Robocop...did they really think his humanity wouldn't present a problem? The whole “illusion of free will” thing I wasn't buying, I knew it wasn't going to work. Oh, showing him without the suit? Hated it. Totally not necessary. What is it with movies lately where they have to show you everything? You can't just say something and not show it anymore. 

It was nice to see the family interaction before he becomes Robo, and should have made his tragic event even sadder, but it didn't. In the original, Murphy dies a brutal , painful, horrible death. That didn't happen here, in fact it seemed to almost be an afterthought. I felt nothing when it happened. Oh he got pretty badly damaged, but it didn't seem important to the film makers to show us just how horrible it was. After he becomes Robo, the family didn't seem to serve any purpose at all. This all comes down to one thing....Murphy should have died before becoming Robo. Takes the family out of the equation, and makes him an actual machine. His death gives everything more gravitas.  I think for me what it all came down to was this movie lacked the one thing that made the original so special...heart. Didn't feel that here at all. Felt kind of empty. I had no emotional connection to anyone in this movie. That's a problem.

Visuals were very good, I liked the new slick look of the ED-209 (although I still like the original better, but this one was cool). The action sequences were shot pretty good, I really liked the shootout that took place in the dark. A bit too much with the shaky cam, but not enough that it drove me crazy. I barely noticed the score, except when they used the original theme redux, which was ok, but didn't have the grandeur of the original theme. It almost felt like things were being set up for another movie, even though the way it ended a sequel isn't clear cut. Even the ending seemed a bit anti-climactic.

They didn't make many references or lift too many lines from the original. The two that stand out most were a split....one of the worked fine for me, and the other did not. The one that did not, felt like it was put in there for nostalgia sake. It didn't work in the scene they used it in, and if you have seen the movie, you know what I mean. If you are gonna use a classic line, DO IT RIGHT. 

All in all, as I said before, I didn't hate this movie, even though it may seem like I did. It was swiftly paced after a slow start, and it did entertain me on a basic level. 

While I do applaud the film makers for trying to do something different with this remake, in the end it doesn't matter how new and shiny everything is, if you don't have heart, if you don't have a bad guy you wanna see killed, and a hero (or any character) you don't connect with, you don't have much at all.

Review - "Riddick"

I give Vin Diesel a lot of credit. He loves the character of Riddick. I'm glad he finally decided to make another movie. I heard he even contributed to the budget of the film. That's dedication. Let him keep making Fast And Furious movies (another series I love as well) if it allows him to make more Riddick movies.

Now, the movie.

Loved it. I like that they went back to a more basic story, a la Pitch Black. Now I liked The Chronicles Of Riddick, I liked the wider scope the movie. That said, Riddick had his more epic story with that, and it was time to get back to basics, and that's what this movie did.

Riddick is stranded on a planet, and needs to get off. The first part of the movie is just about him surviving, but he knows he needs to get off this rock, so he pulls a very Riddick type move, and a way presents itself. From that point, we get the mercenaries. Are they cliche characters? Yea, but they work in this movie. Without spoiling it, one character's identity came as a pleasant surprise to me.  The rest of the movie is Riddick being Riddick, putting his plan in motion through stealth, violence, & misdirection. Good bits of humor, good action sequences, all building up to an inevitable climax with some pretty nasty creatures.

The effects were quite impressive considering the movie's relatively low budget. Loved the creatures. To me, it looked as good as other movies costing twice or even three times as much. Now that's getting the most out of your budget.

Performances were solid all around, with nobody being what I would call outstanding, but I was totally buying that these people were their characters. Of course, Diesel was, well, IS Riddick.

Now, was this cheesy pulp sci fi? Yup. But it totally worked for me, because that is what Riddick is. It was exactly what I expected and wanted out of another Riddick movie, just a good time with a character I really like.

More please.

The Greatest Movie Experience Of My Life

Movies today are not the events they once were. With the quick release of movies on DVD/Blu Ray, and the home theater experience becoming larger and larger, movies are no longer a “must see” in the theaters for a lot of people. The internet gives us much more information about movies then we have ever had. Some people are even happy with watching bootleg copies of movies while they are still in theaters, despite their usually sub par quality. I've been guilty of it a time or two myself, but I try not to do that. I prefer seeing movies on the big screen, something home theater really can't duplicate.

Which brings me to the last, and best, great experience I've had seeing a movie in the theaters.

The year was 1983, I was in my third year of High School. Everyone was waiting for the release of “Return Of The Jedi”, the third, and at the time, final “Star Wars” movie. We knew little about the movie, aside from the fact that we knew there was another Death Star. Anticipation was of course, extremely high for the movie. Being the hardcore “Star Wars” fan that I am, it had been what I was looking forward to more than anything.

May 25th, 1983, a Wednesday. The day we were all waiting for had finally arrived. The line at the theater I was at was so long, I can't even estimate its length. I was attending the movie with a friend and his sister, with the intention of seeing the movie at every scheduled showing, which we did. We brought a bag of food and drinks, and chatted with other fans while waiting on line. I made a conservative guess that at least 60-70% of my school cut class that day to see the movie.

I was dressed in a Darth Vader costume my friend had made. Many small children came up to me with their parents, wanting to meet Lord Vader. They shook my hand, I took pictures with a few of them, even scared one kid a bit when he said to me “You killed Ben!” I took two steps towards him and he ran back to his mother as she chuckled a bit. I was even briefly interviewed by a local radio station covering the premiere. Standing on line for a movie had never been so much fun.

We were finally let into the theater, and approximately 20 mins later, the lights went down, and the movie began. Oddly enough, this is not the moment it became the greatest movie experience of my life. The crowd applauded when the 20th Century Fox logo came on screen, and at various other times during the movie. The movie was great, and I couldn't wait to see it again. Luckily, I didn't have to wait too long. We sat through two more showings of the movie, and finally came to the last showing of the day. A few other friends had shown up and joined me and my friend for the movie. This is where it gets awesome.

The lights went down, and the applause started. Applause followed the Fox logo, then after “A Long Time Ago In A Galaxy Far, Far Away”. The applause erupted when the “Star Wars” logo appeared on the screen. Every major character received applause on their initial appearance.  When Luke first gets his lightsaber at the Pit Of Carkoon, everyone went crazy. You could just feel the excitement in the theater, the applause, the laughter, the reactions to things happening in the movie. It was like we were reunited with old friends, rather than just watching a movie.

Then we come to the final battle between Luke and Vader.

When their lightsabers first clash, applause. When Luke cut off Vader's hand, louder applause. When the Emperor was hitting Luke with his lightning, you could hear the crowd grumbling with tension. I've never been so glued to my seat and fixated on the screen ever before, and everyone else was reacting the same way. Then the moment came, Vader, looking back and forth between Luke and the Emperor. The rumbling of the crowd increased with each change of Vader's gaze. Luke's cries of “Father please....help me” only increased the tension. Then, Vader turns and grabs the Emperor.

The applause were so loud, it actually drowned out the movie...that's right, the applause of the audience drowned out the sound of the movie. People were jumping out of their seats. It was a moment unlike any other I had ever experienced watching a movie. The applause finally calmed, but not for long. The destruction of the Death Star caused more, and when the credits rolled, the applause was almost as loud as earlier.

The air of excitement that day has never, even been duplicated for me. Even when “Star Wars Episode I:The Phantom Menace” came out, after a 16 year gap in Star Wars films, it was not as exciting as that day in 1983. It gave the movie a special place in my heart, than can never be replaced or duplicated. Is it my favorite “Star Wars” movie? No, but the experience of seeing it  was something very special, something that sadly, I don't think people will ever get to experience. I feel very fortunate to have had that experience. It's something I won't ever forget, and something I am more than happy to share with others, as I have told the story many, many times since then. I never get tired of telling it either.

Movies are still my favorite form of entertainment, and the first “Star Wars” trilogy are still my favorite 3 movies of all time. But the magic of that day in 1983, is something that has sadly disappeared from the movie going experience. Sure, people still applaud at movies, but it just isn't the same.

May 25th, 1983. A day I will never, ever forget....The greatest movie experience of my life.

Review - "Man OF Steel"

Been a while since I have posted anything here, seems like I have been saying that a lot lately, but unfortunately life has a tendency to get in the way of things, even something like this blog, which I love doing.

Anyways, now is as good a time as any to start things back up again, so here we go.

“Man Of Steel” Directed by Zack Snyder.

Where to begin....this movie was phenomenal, on every level.

1978's “Superman:The Movie” was the first really big, serious take on a superhero at the time. Since that time, the Superman movies that followed ranged from very good (“Superman II”) to mind numblingly awful (“Superman IV:The Quest For Peace”). Bryan Singer's “Superman Returns” was an attempt at a continuation of the series, and although I liked it very much, it was more of a homage to the earlier Superman movies. “Man Of Steel” is a new vision, a new beginning, and it's different in many ways, but manages to maintain the spirit of Superman.

One of the first things I really loved about the movie was that Krypton, Superman's home planet, was a fully realized, alien world. Visually stunning, and definitely not just another planet like Earth.

I have heard some complaints about the nonlinear storytelling that the first part of the movie utilizes. Clark Kent's childhood is told in flashbacks, as we see him progress from place to place, keeping a low profile as he comes to terms with who he is. In my opinion, it is a refreshing break from the standard structure of an origin story. Some have said that the first act drags a bit, but I never felt that at all. IT was great to see Clark's reactions to his emerging powers, it wasn't just “gee whiz I got super powers how cool is that” kind of thing, he struggles to understand and deal with what is happening to him, and at first, it's not pleasant, it's overwhelming. Even when he first begins to fly, he doesn't just soar away, it's awkward for him. I also love that he isn't the perfect hero from the start, he has a hard choice to make in this movie and it is handled perfectly, and makes Superman grounded in a way we have never seen before, and sets the tone for his future behavior.

When I first heard about this movie, I was a bit bothered by the fact that General Zod was going to be the villain, at the same time glad it wasn't going to be Lex Luthor, because he's been done to death. Lex Luthor should be a part of Superman, he just doesn't need to be the bad guy in every single movie. I also loved Terence Stamp's portrayal of Zod in “Superman II”, so like many, I was weary of another actor 's take on the character. After seeing the movie, I can honestly say I really loved Michael Shannon's take on Zod. He is a military man, dedicated to his planet and his people, unfortunately he takes that dedication to a genocidal level. But his intentions at first are not what I would call truly evil, they evolve into it. Shannon took the part and not only played it to perfection, he became General Zod.

The movie is visually stunning, as you would come to expect from director Zack Snyder (“300”, “Watchmen”). But his movies, while visually brilliant, have always felt devoid of heart, almost as if he really didn't understand his characters to the degree that he needed to. Not so in this case, I definitely felt that Snyder understood Superman, and gave him some depth. Having Christopher Nolan on board as a mentor to Snyder was a great combination, although the downside, as many have pointed out, is that the main female lead, Lois Lane, played by Amy Adams, wasn't as fully developed as I would have liked to have seen. Adams was fine in the role, but I felt like there was more she could have done, I feel like they didn't do the character the justice she deserves, but perhaps they are going to do that with the inevitable sequel. That has always been an issue with Nolan, as his female leads never seem to be as strong as the male leads. Hopefully Snyder will remedy this in the next movie.

The action was on a level we have not seen in a Superman movie. The fights between Superman and the Kryptonians are huge, and there is massive destruction, as there would be from super powered beings fighting each other. There is also collateral damage, it is clear that people were killed as a result of these battles, something else we never really saw in a Superman movie. While that is a good thing, it brings up another point that others have pointed out. The collateral damage seems glossed over, no one really stops to look at what has happened, when all is said and done, it's basically, “ok thank god it's over” and that's pretty much it. Even a few lines about it would have at least given recognition to the fact that everything comes with a price. Apart from that, I thought the action was well staged and exciting, and on the level it needed to be at. Visual effects were solid, what imperfections there may have been , I didn't notice. I absolutely loved seeing Superman break the sound barrier when he flew, a very nice touch. The score by Hans Zimmer was also very good, although at times the score wasn't as noticeable as it should have been, but it could just be that the movie kinds distracts you from it. The one thing I missed was a central theme, the theme from “Superman:The Movie” is iconic, and one of, if not the best theme for a movie, ever. I wasn't expecting anything along those lines, but I was really hoping for a new Superman theme that was as fitting as the John Williams theme was. Not a big deal, as the rest of the music was solid, just the nostalgic side of me coming out.

The acting....solid all around, with Kevin Costner and Russell Crowe being the standouts, they owned their roles, two of the best performances from them both. In fact, I'd say it's the best role Costner has done in a long time, one of the finest of his career in fact. Laurence Fishburne was a great Perry White, Diane Lane was also excellent as Martha Kent. Henry Cavill, as Clark/Superman. While he was not what I would call outstanding in the part, he was very good, he made the part his own, he was not trying to emulate Christopher Reeve (the quintessential Superman, always has been, always will be) but that's not what the film makers were going for, so on that level, they succeeded. He did what he needed to do to make this a fresh start for a new Superman. Christopher Reeve was an outstanding actor, so anyone who takes the part of Superman, has a lot of weight on them, and Cavill handled it just fine.

I can see why people would not care for this movie, as it is very different from any Superman movie we have seen to this point. Many people, including myself, have a great love and affection for the 1978 movie. But this is a different time, and as we saw from the reaction to “Superman Returns” trying to  recreate the magic of that movie is a difficult task, and one that probably should not even be attempted. Like I said earlier, I liked “Superman Returns” but I see it as a stand alone love letter to the Reeve movies, and looking at it from that point of view, makes it enjoyable for me.

“Man Of Steel” brings us a new vision of Superman, one that can stand on its own as a great movie, but also serves as the beginning of a new series of Superman movies, and I look forward to the future adventures that Snyder and co. will bring us.

Most Anticipated Of 2013

These are some of my most anticipated movies for the coming year. I am placing them in order of release date, except for the movie I am anticipating the most, at least right now.

“Oblivion” April 19th

Tom Cruise, Sci-Fi, Joseph Kosinski, the director of “Tron Legacy”, and an original story. Not a sequel, reboot or re imagining. Since this is a rarity in Hollywood these days, how could you not want to see this? “Tron Legacy” got a very mixed reaction, some loved it, some hated it, some were indifferent. Count me as one of those who loved it.  I really liked the visual style of the movie, and I feel like Kosinski will deliver a solid sci fi movie with Cruise on board. Both of Cruise's sci fi outings, "Minority Report" and "War Of The Worlds", were great movies, so it seems he has an eye for good sci fi.

“Iron Man 3” May 3rd

Director Jon Favreau is out, director Shane Black is in for the third installment of the Iron Man series. Expect a darker, grittier edge this time around. The trailers give a sense of real danger, as if everything in Tony Stark's world is about to come crashing down around him. After the enormous success of “The Avengers”, Marvel studios knows they have to up their game with the moves that will lead to the next Avengers movie. I am expecting all of Marvel's upcoming movies to up the stakes, but this one needs to set the bar for the other movies that follow.

“Star Trek:Into Darkness” May 17th

JJ Abrams and the crew of the Enterprise are back from the 2009 reboot for a new, and from the looks of it, darker adventure. Benedict Cumberbatch plays the mysterious villain, on a quest for some kind of revenge. Ok, so Nero from the first movie was after revenge as well, but as long as there is no time travel involved, i'm ok with the whole revenge angle again. The  trailers look great, so I am expecting another great outing from JJ & Co. I am hoping that this one has a different feel from the last one, Star Trek has always been about different tones....dark, lighthearted, comical, emotional, and I hope that we see a different tone this time, and so far it seems there will be.

“Fast And Furious Six” May 24th

This series is a rarity...one that has gotten BETTER with each new installment. I did not see the second movie, “2 Fast 2 Furious”, and i'm sure i'll get around to it, but as far as i'm concerned, the only ones that really count are the one's with Vin Diesel's Dominic Torreto in them. So that would be the first, fourth, and fifth movies. Like I said, each movie has been better than the last. Fast Five being probably the best one so far. The presence of Dwayne Johnson really gave the movie a great presence, and seeing him back for the sixth movie is very exciting. This new movie looks to be even crazier with the car action than the last one, These movies are adrenaline fueled, balls to the wall action, and nobody does it better.

“Man Of Steel” June 14th

Superman has had one heck of a bumpy ride. Some good movies, some so so, and one god awful abomination (“Superman IV:The Quest For Peace” for those fortunate enough not to have seen it). Although the last movie, Bryan Singer's “Superman Returns” did decent box office (approx $200 mil domestic) it wasn't the return to glory Warner Brothers was hoping for. So they went and hired the stylized director Zack Snyder (“Watchmen”, “300”) to give the son of Jor El a much needed restart. A new cast, including English actor Henry Cavill, who plays Superman/Clark Kent, Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, Russell Crowe as Jor El, Lawrence Fishburne as Perry White, and Michael Shannon as General Zod. Batman master Christopher Nolan as Producer, and hopefully mentor to Snyder. All those add up to a lot of promise.The trailers are very cool, and it looks like Superman may finally return to his former glory.

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“Despicable Me 2” July 3rd

“Despicable Me” really took me by surprise when it was released in 2010, an it was one of my favorite movies of the year. Of course, those little yellow minions stole the show, but the entire movie was great. Great characters, great voice acting, and a sweet, emotional heart among the laughs and silliness. It was nice to see Dreamworks getting away from “Shrek” and making something different and very entertaining. I hope they don't go too over the top with the sequel, strike the same balance that the first movie had, and you got a winner on your hands. They don't need to top the first movie, just equal its humor and sweetness.

My most anticipated movie of 2013 is....

“Pacific Rim” July 12th

Director Guillermo DelToro, monsters, giant robots fighting the monsters. That's a formula for a great movie. DelToro directed “Mimic”, “Blade 2” (the best of that series) and both “Hellboy” movies, 4 movies I really enjoyed. I have yet to see another highly praised film of his, “Pan's Labyrinth”, but I have heard nothing but good things about it. The trailer for “Pacific Rim” looks awesome, and it's refreshing to see a big summer blockbuster that is an original idea, not a sequel, or reboot. I guess you could say this is a decent year for those kind of movies, with “Oblivion” being the other one. I just hope that audiences embrace these movies. “Pacific Rim” has all the elements of a big summer movie, and a great director at the helm, Unlike the “Transformers” movies, which while entertaining, were devoid of any kind of substance,  DelToro should bring some.

Check the trailer out....

Along with the movies I just talked about, some others I will be seeing are: “Kick Ass 2” June 28th, “The Wolverine” July 26th, “Riddick 3” Sept 6th, “Thor:The Dark World” Nov 8th, “Ender's Game” Nov 1st, “Catching Fire” (the second “Hunger Games” movie) Nov 22nd, “Anchorman The Legend Continues” Dec 20th, “The Hobbit:The Desolation Of Smaug” Dec 13th. I am sure there are more that will come along, or have just slipped my mind. But so far, there's a lot I am looking forward to at the movies this year.

Dead On Arrival

This is basically one long rant, so if it doesn't make a lot of sense, forgive me.

This past Thursday, “A Good Day To Die Hard” was released, the fifth installment in the Die Hard movie series. Initially I was excited to see a new Die Hard movie, after the lackluster “Live Free Or Die Hard”.  Now, I have not seen the new movie, and unfortunately I won't be seeing it until it is released on video.

I normally do not go by what critics say about movies, a topic I'll cover another time. But the one time I put any merit onto what critics say is when they almost all say a movie is terrible. Currently “A Good Day To Die Hard” sits at 16% on Rotten Tomatoes. I also know people who have seen it and said it was, in a word...awful. Needless to say, that is extremely disappointing, as I am a huge fan of the first three Die Hard movies.

Part of Die Hard's appeal, is the character of John McClane,  a normal guy always being thrown into extreme situations, he doesn't always have the answers, and sometimes barely escapes being killed. But he's resourceful and clever, and that's what gets him through. Also, he's not indestructible. At least he didn't used to be. He used to walk away from things battered, cut, bruised and bloodied.

In “Live Free Or Die Hard” he never really seemed to be in a lot of danger, even when he was in dangerous situations, he was turning into a super hero. That's not what John McClane is.

Well, it seems as if the new movie is keeping the same idea, that he is a super hero, that has to vanquish the bad guys at all costs....even when he has no stake in the events, and can just walk away.

This is just another example of Hollywood coasting on name recognition. Seriously, the director of the new movie has the classic “Max Payne” and the needless remake of “The Omen” on his resume. So I guess that Die Hard is now gonna be played out like a video game. What's next? Are they gonna remake the first Die Hard with Zac Efron in the lead role? From what I understand, they couldn't get any worse at this point.

Word is that Die Hard 6 is already being planned. I don't know if that's good or bad. On one hand, hearing how bad the new movie is, you'd think they could only improve with the next one. But never underestimate Hollywood, cause just when you think it can't get worse, it does,

Here's an idea...keep it simple. The First movie was a guy, terrorists, hostages, and bad guys in a building. The second was an airport. OK the third was in New York City, but it still worked because of the strong cast and competent direction. They need to get back to the simplicity of the Die Hard formula. I guess they figured having McClane running around NYC in “Die Hard With A Vengeance”, worked, so they went with that free roaming in “Live Free Or Die Hard”. Keep the story contained, give McClane an honest reason to be involved, and put the guy in some real danger. Even though we know the hero always gets away, at least make us FEEL like there's a chance he may not.

Why does Hollywood always do this? Take something that was so good and make it....not good. This is my fear with Star Wars, I really hope they don't run it into the ground like they seem to have done with Die Hard. That's the problem, Hollywood doesn't know when to quit. Granted, with Star Wars, there are many more story possibilities, and what happens with that remains to be seen.

I get so frustrated with Hollywood sometimes. There are times when I think that they may actually be coming out of the lazy funk they seem to have been in for so long, and sometimes, for a short time, they do. But then they go right back into that creative black hole that always seems to suck them in. 2012 was actually a pretty good year for movies, something I will cover in another post. But with “A Good Day To Die Hard” 2013 isn't starting out too well, I just hope this isn't a sign of what's coming this year. The movie fanatic in me is hopeful that it isn't.

Star Wars Is Back For More

Anyone who knows me knows how dear the Star Wars franchise is to me. Since I first saw “Star Wars” in 1977 at age 11 (17 times in the theaters), it's been my favorite movie, and I have seen it literally over 100 times. The movies that followed subsequently became my favorites as well. In the years since, they became a world wide phenomenon, and grew into an industry. Movies, books, video games, TV shows, toys, role playing games, you name it. In 1999, Lucas released a new Star Wars movie (something I thought would never happen), the first in a Prequel trilogy. It's well known that I liked those movies more than most. Yea, I am very forgiving of George Lucas.

In 2012, George Lucas did something I never thought he would do. He sold his company, Lucasfilm and all his other companies to Disney, thus giving Disney complete control over all Lucas properties. George had come to the conclusion that Star Wars should continue, but under the care of someone else. Disney immediately announced that “Star Wars:Episode VII” was planned for release in 2015, with episode VIII and IX to follow. As much as I thought “Return Of The Jedi” would be the last Star Wars movie, and was surprised by the prequel trilogy, I never in my wildest dreams ever thought that a sequel trilogy would see the big screen.

So now comes the task of actually making these movies. Michael Arndt (“Toy Story 3”, “Little Miss Sunshine”) is writing the script. This is a screenwriter who gives lectures on the art of storytelling, and particularly why Star Wars works so well. So that instills me with a lot of confidence that Disney is taking this new venture very seriously. Then today I hear that director JJ Abrams will be in the chair for Episode VII. At the time of this writing, that has yet to be confirmed by Lucasfilm and Disney, but it's looking like it is going to happen.

NOTE:It has been confirmed that JJ Abram is indeed directing Star Wars Episode VII

Now, finally onto the point of this article...the future of Star Wars.

While it seems like for the time being, Star Wars is in good hands, I do have concerns. Disney has announced their intentions to release a new Star Wars movie every 2-3 yeas, and possibly even every year at times. On one hand, it is a Star Wars lovers dream, I know I can and never will get enough Star Wars (precisely why I hang my head in shame that I haven't really watched much of the animated Clone Wars series). But that also concerns me, and not in a totally positive way.

That much planned output could be a recipe for disaster.  As much as I would love to see a Star Wars movie every year, or every other year, I want quality movies. I don't want something rushed out with the Star Wars brand slapped on it. Now I would think that Disney would not allow that to happen. They have acquired two movie making giants in the past few years (Pixar and Marvel) and both studios have produced quality work, without interference from Disney. I hope that trend continues with Lucasfilm. As long as the movies are of top quality, keep making them I say. There seems to be no doubt that the new trilogy is being handled with great care, but is that just to pull us in? Again, I would hope that isn't the case, but with so much planned, it could be very easy for quality to suffer. Of course, if the movies fail to turn a profit, as unlikely as that seems, it could spell trouble.

I think the focus should be on quality, NOT quantity. As much as I'd love to see a Star Wars movie released every year, I’d rather wait a little bit longer and get a better movie in return. One of the big complaints about the Prequels was the writing, which honestly, was at times good, but most of the time, not so much. The stories are the heart and soul of these movies, and to me, that should be one of the top priorities with the new movies. Also, top directors need to be doing these movies as well. JJ Abrams is a good start.

Now, beyond the new trilogy, what does the future hold for Star Wars? In a word....anything. There are so many stories in the comics and books in the extended universe, that take place at so many different times in Star Wars history. Personally, I would love to see a series of movies based in the Old Republic, taking place decades before the events in all the movies. As much as I love the established characters of the Star Wars universe, I would love to see an entirely new set of characters. The rise of the Jedi, the Sith wars, the early Jedi masters and Sith lords, the possibilities are endless.

There are also a lot of great stories that take place after the events of the original trilogy, and I am interested in seeing what will be done for the new trilogy. It's been said they they will try to get the core three from the Original trilogy...Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher to reprise their roles. That's both good, and not so much bad, but not great either.

Harrison Ford is 71 years old, and while he is still making movies, it is doubtful he would be on board for three more movies, despite his saying he is open to the idea of playing Han Solo again. I can only realistically see him doing one movie.  Mark Hamill and Carrie fisher are not much younger, but I think they could make three films if they so choose to. But I really think as much as I wanna see them reprise their roles, maybe they shouldn't be the stars. Maybe the focus should be on new characters. Perhaps their children. Both Luke and his wife Mara Jade (from the Zahn trilogy of books) have a kid, Ben, and Han and Leia also have Jedi twins Jacen and Jaina. Of course those are characters from the books, and we don't yet know if they will be including characters from the extended universe.

Episode VII could be used to introduce new characters that would be the main focus of episodes VIII and IX. Like I said, the possibilities are pretty much endless.

There has also been talk of stand alone movies being made, movies that would be just one story told in one movie. That also could be very interesting, there are a lot of characters in the Star Wars universe that could easily carry an entire movie. Boba Fett....Darth Maul...heck even a movie about Chewbacca's days before he met Han Solo could be cool, I would love to see a movie take place on his home wold of Kasshyyk.

As of this writing, it has indeed been confirmed that in between the films of the new sequel trilogy, Lucasfilm will release stand alone movies. So far, they have a Han Solo story in mind (centered around a young Solo, and possibly a young Lando Calrissian taking place between Revenge Of The Sith and Star Wars) as well as a Yoda movie.

Now as good as all of this sounds, I am a bit worried that they could possibly end up diluting the brand. A Star Wars movie every year? Sure, I would love that. But sometimes anticipation is better than being given a constant flow of new movies. Obviously, I am very conflicted on this.

Part of the whole Star Wars experience is the waiting in between movies. The first two trilogies had a 3 year break between movies. Now I don't know how much of a gap there will be between Episode VII and Episode VIII, but there should be at least a two year gap. These stand alone movies will be filling that gap in between episode installments. I am worried that people may tire of Star Wars movies. It sounds incredible to say such a thing, but too much of even a good thing can be bad.

The James Bond movies have been a popular series since it started back in 1966. 23 movies over a 46 year period. That averages a movie every two years. Some didn't do as well as others, but they always did well enough to allow them to keep being made. That could work for Star Wars, but if they release a movie every year? They run the risk of overkill.

This of course, is all speculation. The prequel trilogy, as much as they were not nearly as good as the original 3, still made a ton of money. So if movies are released that are clearly better, there is no reason to think that they wouldn't do well.

All I know is that as a Star Wars fan, this is more than I could have ever asked for. Even if they only released the sequel trilogy, I’d be thrilled. But the ideas that they are throwing around are very exciting, and I really hope that Lucasfilm does the fans proud, and gives us top notch movies.

Star Wars is very dear to me, please Lucasfilm, don't let me down.

Review - "The Hobbit - An Unexpected Journey"

I came into this movie never having read the novel, so keep that in mind. I will start with the running time....2hrs 45 mins. Didn't need to be that long. Director Peter Jackson has a tendency to draw things out, sometimes longer than they need to be (“King Kong” anyone? Even though I liked his take on it, was too long) and in this case, it wasn't needed, in my opinion. Now let me clarify that statement by saying I was never bored the entire run of the movie, it just felt like things could have been tightened up a bit.

On to the actual movie....highly entertaining. Like most, I couldn't remember the names of all 13 of the Dwarves, but I didn't need to , they were all distinct enough that I could always tell who was who. Obviously the focus was only going to be on a few of the Dwarves, and it seems like a few kinda got lost in the shuffle. But with that many characters to juggle, it's bound to happen. It was a slow build up to things actually getting moving, but it kept my attention, which is most important. There was a lot of humor, the action was fun and easy to follow, thanks for no shaky cam Mr Jackson.

From what I understand, the Radghast The Brown character was made for the movie and not part of the original story. While I didn't mind the character, and thought he was well done, I haven't decided if he was actually necessary to add to the movie.I felt that his whole purpose was to introduce this Necromancer character, which we never see, and I felt like they could have at least given us a glimpse of the character. I was also a little disappointed we didn't get to see more of Smaug the Dragon, we barely see him in the beginning and a tiny glimpse later on. It feels like they are saving things for the next two movies. I feel like they could have taken the material from three movies to make two leaner movies.

Despite my criticisms, I overall enjoyed the movie very much, heck I even teared up at one point thanks to a very touching scene. The visual effects were well done. I loved the Goblin city sequence, and the stone giant scene was also very good, and the Trolls were really funny, I loved that scene as well. The ending was tense and exciting. The musical score was also excellent. Performances were good all around...Martin Freeman as Bilbo was just great, he had the presence that the character demanded. Ian McKellen was his usual great self, and Andy Serkis brings Gollum to glorious life again, save for some unintelligible dialogue. Nice to see Hugo Weaving and Christopher Lee in there as well. I definitely want to see the next two movies, I just wish they hadn't felt the need to stretch this tale out over three movies. Regardless, a solid effort all around.

Review - "Zero Dark Thirty"

Well it's been a long time since I did anything on this blog, (almost 3 years? Wth!) but I decided to get it going again, and I am gonna start off with a few short reviews of some movies I have recently seen. I will also be posting my Best of 2012, once I decide what exactly they are, So until then, here we go...


In a word....excellent. Director Kathryn Bigelow manages to create tension in a situation where you know the eventual outcome. Especially during the raid on Bin Laden's compound at the end. Performances were solid all around, Jessica Chastain was excellent as the agent determined to see this thru no matter what. While there are not many likable characters in the movie, you can see why they are the way they are from all they have gone thru to complete the difficult task they set out on. Jason Clarke was also excellent, as he is able to show the toll it takes on a person who is frustrated and tired, it was obvious that torturing suspects was getting to him, and it made me understand more about what it does to not only the one getting tortured, but the one giving it.


The action was tense and not stylized, not made to be the usual overblown Hollywood action sequences, they were realistic and well played out, the end raid really felt like you were following real soldiers into the situation....even though I have never done that, I got the sense from the sequence that it would be just like that.

There has been talk about if this was a true accurate account of what happened, but when the movie starts off with "Based on a true story" You KNOW it's probably not going to be 100% accurate. It's doesn't matter in this case, from what I know it is fairly accurate, and even if it isn't as factual as it claims, it is one hell of an entertaining movie, one I recommend highly.

Review - Tron Legacy

----Begin Transmission----

Greetings Programs...

So I can absolutely say that Tron Legacy is a great movie.

The critics? Useless, they didn't get it.

Lack of action? I don't know what they are talking about. The action was there, and it was good.

Bad acting? (other than Jeff) Wrong. Sam was fine, was he oscar worthy? Of course not but I had no problem with his performance.

Clu takes you out of the movie? Nope, at least he didn't have that effect on me. Could you tell he was digital? In some parts yes, in others it was more difficult to tell, but as I have said before, he is a computer program, so I can allow for some kind of artificial feel to him. Overall, I bought it.

Bad/lacking story? Wrong, if you can accept Avatar's story, you won't have a problem with this, as I felt it was better than Avatar's story. Not what you would call deep and meaningful, but it moved things along at a nice pace

Speaking of which, I felt there was virtually no filler, I never once sat there and was like "Ok we get it, move on". For me there are two things that speak well of a film. One is looking at my watch. Never once did I look at it. That's not to say that if I look at my watch it's a bad movie, it speaks more about how good a movie is if I never think to look. Second, did not take a bathroom break at all, and trust me I had to.

Those are the main complaints I heard about the movie, and like I said, they are wrong. As far as making another should this one be a hit...yea I think they could do it, but part of me feels like they they shouldn't, the story arc feels complete.

Either way, the movie was great. For those who never saw the original, it is not a requirement to enjoy this film. It will help you get the nods to the original, and some of the inside jokes, but it is in no way a prerequisite, this film stands on its own as much as it is a continuation of the first.

My only real complaint is with the 3D, it wasn't bad in any way, but it wasn't great either. At some points I almost didn't notice it, it was very subtle. Did not in any way take away from the movie, I guess I feel it could have been a bit better. But in IMAX? Amazing,

So that's the deal gang, critics be damned, Tron Legacy is fantastic.

----End Of Line----

Review - "Iron Man 2"

In 2008, "Iron Man" came out of nowhere to be one of the biggest films of that year. Naturally, as with all hits in Hollywood, a sequel was immediately planned for 2010. Some felt the pressure of releasing a follow up so soon after the first film would result in a rushed, less than stellar film. Well I can honestly say that did not happen in this case. "Iron Man 2" takes all the stuff that made the first film so enjoyable, and made what is, in my opinion, a sequel that is just a bit better than the original.

There is a lot going on in this movie. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) faces his own mortality. A Russian physicist (Mickey Rourke) seeks revenge on Stark for his fathers death, which he blames on Tony's deceased father, Howard (seen in this film through "old" film footage) and uses Tony's technology to achieve it. The Government is putting pressure on Stark to hand over his Iron Man technology for military use. Stark's competitor Justin Hammer (a great Sam Rockwell) is working with the government to develop Iron Man type equipment. S.H.I.E.L.D, the covert agency seen briefly in the first film, is pressuring Stark to join their "Avengers Initiative" aka Superhero team. Whew i got tired just writing all of that.

But it all works, and all comes together coherently. Robert Downey Jr. gives another great performance as Stark, a guy who has taken the weight of protecting the world on his shoulders and it is starting to take its toll on him. Mickey Rourke chews up each scene he is in, he lays the Russian accent on a bit thick at times but that really wasn't an issue for me. Don Cheadle steps into the role of Rhodey with total ease, I didn't even miss Terrance Howard. Sam Rockwell is hilarious as Starks wannabe rival. Everyone involved in this film had a blast and it shows on screen. One of my few complaints with the first Iron Man movie was that although the action was good, there was not quite enough of it. Definitely not a problem this time around.

This movie, just like the first, never takes itself too seriously, nor does it come across as too lighthearted. It strikes a good balance between the two. It's smart but doesn't hold back on the fun. The visual effects are well done like they were in the last film, and director Jon Faverau resists the latest gimmicks of modern film making ("shaky" cam, super quick cuts) and stays true to the world he established in the first film. I, for one am looking forward to another Iron Man film, as well as the upcoming "Avengers" movie, which Marvel studios is moving towards with each new super hero film ("Thor" and "Captain America" are filming now). Stay til the credits end and you will get another cool treat like at the end of the first Iron Man film.

Four out of Five stars.

Summer 2010

Editor's Note: Well it has been over a year since I have updated this blog. Unfortunately life interfered and I just was not able to dedicate anytime to it. Well thankfully things have settled down to the point where I can actually get back into it to talk about one of my passions, Movies. So here we go!! As always, feel free to leave comments, all I ask is that you stay on topic. If you like what you read, please become a follower! Enjoy and it's great to be back!

So begins another summer movie season, the time of year when the studios pull out the big guns, the "event" movies, the continuing and potential franchises. Every year Summer movies bring surprises, both good and bad. What will the summer of 2010 be like? No doubt it will be like most summers, there will be unexpected hits, unexpected flops, guaranteed hits, & pleasant surprises. The question is.....which movies will fall into which category? Let's take a look at some of the more high profile releases for the 2010 season.

"Iron Man 2" - May 7th. A sure thing if there ever was one. It crushed the competition with a first weekend gross of $128 million, $30 million more than "Iron Man". It looks to follow in the footsteps of both "Spider Man 2" and "X2:X Men United" as sequels that out do the originals, partly because they can jump right into the story without having to tell the origin story. All of the things that made the first movie so good seem to be returning, and the action is definitely being pumped up in this one, which is a good thing because my only real complaint about the first movie was that there actually could have been a bit more action. I will be seeing this tonight so I will post a review this week.

Predicted gross: $350 million


"Toy Story 3" - June 18. Pixar. Toy Story. Enough said. Toy Story is the only Pixar movie that has had sequels, (soon to change with "Cars 2" being made) and with good reason. Great characters. That's what makes us want sequels. They may be toys, but man do they have personality. That's why "Toy Story" was a hit, and why "Toy Story 2" was an even bigger hit. Judging by Pixar's track record, I have no reason to think this film will be nothing less than great. Even mediocre Pixar movies ("Cars" has always been though of as Pixar's weakest film) are better than half of the nonsense released into theaters. With the entire cast returning, (with the exception of the late Jim Varney), and some new voices - Michael Keaton, Timothy Dalton, Whoopi Goldberg and Bonnie Hunt, I can say that this is a movie I would go to see with OR without my kids. Then again, I can say that about any Pixar movie.

Predicted Gross - $300 million

"The A Team" - June 11. Movies made from TV shows have been hit and miss. Being a big fan of the classic 80's TV show, I was of course very skeptical about this being made into a movie. Then I saw the casting and became very hopeful. Liam Neeson as Hannibal, Bradley Cooper as Face, Sharlto Copey ("District 9") as Murdock. The only question mark for me was Rampage Jackson as B.A., because he is not an actor by trade, I believe he is from Ultimate Fighting. But then I thought, well, Mr. T was not a good actor so as long as he looks the part and is intimidating, then it should work. Still cautious, I was at least hopeful. Then I saw the trailer and my fears were put to rest. Now I know that a good trailer does not guarantee a good movie, but knowing the show, I can pretty much conclude that the movie is going to be fun. All the actors look their parts. The action looks, at times, over the top, which is a good thing. The film makers seem to be taking a bit more of a serious approach, while at the same time keeping the spirit of the show intact. Director Joe Carnahan ("Smokin' Aces") is capable of directing good action, although "Smokin Aces" was a disappointment because of the muddled ending, the movie was about 10 minutes too long. So I'm holding out hope it's gonna be good.

Predicted Gross - $160 million

"Inception" - July 16. Ok I will admit, I don't know much about this movie. Then again, neither do too many other people. What we do know is this - It stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy, and Michael Caine. It is directed by Christopher Nolan ("The Dark Knight", "Batman Begins", "The Prestige"), and it has something to do with a technology that allows a person to invade another person's dreams, and some sort of plan to implant, not steal information from someone. Sounds a bit like a combination of "Dreamscape", "The Matrix" and a good old heist movie. An odd combination to be sure, but if anyone can pull this off it's Christopher Nolan. With two great Batman movies under him, as well as "The Prestige" and "Memento", Nolan is a director who consistently delivers quality films and there is no reason not to believe "Inception" will be any different. Not knowing much about the movie's story usually proves to be an advantage with Nolan's films, so I will definitely make sure I know as little as possible going into this one. Nolan has not disappointed yet.

Predicted gross - $200 million

"The Expendables" - August 22. Sylvester Stallone surprised us with two sequels no one really thought would be as good as they were in "Rocky Balboa" and "Rambo". Both movies closed out their characters nicely, and word is Stallone is finally done with those characters. Not one to sit back and do nothing, Stallone has assembled a team of action stars unlike any we have seen before....Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lungren, Mickey Rourke, Danny Trejo, with cameos from Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger, in a story about a team of mercenaries heading to South America to overthrow a ruthless dictator only to find that nothing is as it seems. That is a set up for some potentially awesome action sequences. It's nice to see Stallone making an attempt at creating a new franchise, and seeing the trailers, this has potential. Being super violent and rated R, I don't think it is going to be a blockbuster, but it will make enough that it will be considered a hit and give Stallone the chance to make a sequel. Cant wait to see it.

Predicted gross - $100 million


Well that's it for now, what are your opinions on the movies I just talked about? What movies are you looking forward to this summer? Check out my review of "Iron Man2" in my next entry sometime this week.

The Rant

Hey all, time once again for me to rant about random things, good, bad, indifferent, with no particular rhyme or reason, so here we go.

So Heath Ledger was nominated for an Oscar, should he get it? Only if he truly deserves it, not just because he died, his performance should be awarded, not his life, that is up to those who loved him....This summer is shaping up to be pretty good as far as movies are concerned, what will be the biggest hits? I will say Transformers and Terminator will be among the big draws......After all the nonsense concerning "Watchmen" will the movie be the big hit that WB & Fox hope it will be? I will say yes......Mike Meyers, oh what has happened to you, first it was "Wayne's World" and the "Austin Powers" movies, then we get "The Love Guru" which seemed to be like Mike Meyers badly imitating himself. Mike, wake up, you cannot ride on your name anymore, and your reputation? Badly damaged dude, badly.......Was it right for the Academy to snub "The Dark Knight" for best picture? Yea, as good as it was, I am sure there were better movies out there last year. I didn't see any of them, but I am sure there was........Will 2009 be the year that "Star Trek" is resurrected? Hell yes........George Lucas, please, I beg you, let someone else make new "Star Wars" movies. Write them, supervise them, give them your seal of approval, whatever you like, but please let us see some more SW adventures, just because you are done telling the stories you wanted to tell doesn't mean someone else cant tell us more stories and trust me, we want to see more.....James Cameron is finally making a new movie, titled "Avatar", claiming to be using new state of the art special effects. Will it be good? I hope so, because a whole bunch of fanboys will probably commit group suicide if it isn't, because all the talk on movie forums and talkbacks have "Avatar" already anointed as the crown jewel film of the 21st century, and we have seen just two, yes, TWO stills from the movie so far, one of Cameron and an actor on a generic looking sci-fi set, and a futuristic bed, yes, a bed.......Word out of Hollywood says they are making a live action movie of "The Jetsons" and all I have to ask is, why? why? why? The first "Flintstones" movie was ok fun, the second one I have never and will never see (see my first "Rant" to understand why), and overall cartoons don't really translate well to live action, so why desecrate another cherished (well cherished to me) cartoon?.......Have I mentioned that I am SICK of Hollywood remaking everything under the sun? I know I have but I just had to say it again.......So "Paul Blart Mall Cop" was #1 at the box office in its first week. Is Armageddon truly coming or could Kevin James actually become a bona fide box office draw? Seeing as this is only the first film he has had to carry as a leading actor, his next few films will actually be the judge of that.....How can you not love Clint Eastwood? The guy is almost 80 and still making movies, acting in them and kicking butt. A lot of wanna be stars could learn a thing or two from Clint. Heck real stars could learn something from him.....Is it me or do the action stars of today pale in comparison to the action stars of the 80's? I don't feel much intimidation from today's action stars. Whenever Stallone, Schwarzenegger, Segal, Van Damme, Chuck Norris, any of those guys came across some bad guys, you knew, and so did the bad guys, that they were gonna be in a world of hurt. I just don't feel that from today's action stars......So the remake of "The Day The Earth Stood Still" did not fare well at the box office, or in the opinions of audiences. Is that really a big surprise? How can you remake a sci-fi classic like that and expect it to come close to measuring up to the original. Another case where Hollywood should have just left well enough alone. They won't ever learn.

Well, that's all for now, stay tuned for more rants here on Movie Talk, and keep coming back for more commentary and insight on the world of movies. As always, feel free to leave your comments, I welcome them.

Push - Video Clip

On Feb. 6th the Action/Thriller "Push" comes out. now I have not heard too much about this movie but what I have seen of it so far looks pretty cool. It is about a government agency that is creating an army of psychic soldiers, and a small group of young people who are against joining the agency. It stars Dakota Fanning, and Chris Evans (the human torch in the "Fantastic Four" movies). I try not to get too excited about movies like this from the previews, because I thought "Jumper" looked great in the trailers, and it was a major disappointment because it turned out to be basically a 90 minute trailer, it just didn't feel like a complete movie. Anyways, I hope that "Push" lives up to the promise it shows in the trailers and in this clip here, provided for us by IGN.



Pretty cool huh? What do you think, does this look good?

Terminators & Transformers

Well 2008 saw a lot of good movies come out, and now that we are in 2009, as always the new year brings new hype. There are many big movies coming out this year - "Night At The Museum 2:Battle Of The Smithsonian", "GI Joe:Rise Of Cobra", "Underworld:Rise Of The Lycans", "The Wolf Man", "Sherlock Holmes", "X Men Origins:Wolverine", "Avatar", "Watchmen", "Star Trek", "Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince". That's some list isn't it? That is only the really high profile movies, there are always the ones that will take us all by surprise and who knows what films will do that this year.

Two of the highest profile movies coming out are "Terminator Salvation" starring Christian Bale, and "Transformers:Revenge Of The Fallen". Both big name franchises, and both by directors that people seem to really like or really hate.

I have talked about Michael Bay before (he is directing Transformers), he makes brainless popcorn movies that, despite what detractors say, entertain people. He is not an artist by any stretch of the imagination, but like it or not, he makes movies that people like. When the first Transformers movie was such a huge hit, everyone knew there would be a sequel, and this summer, we are getting it. Mr. Bay will be letting loose again with big robots, big explosions and as always, minimal substance.

McG, the director of "Terminator Salvation" is another director who people have varied opinions on. He directed the first "Charlies Angels" movie, which was well liked by most. But then he hit the wall with "Charlies Angels 2:Full Throttle" which was in a word, terrible and most audiences agreed. He did a little better with the true story "We Are Marshall", but he has only done 3 feature films and when it was announced he would be directing "Terminator Salvation" fans, including myself, became concerned. The first two Terminator movies were directed by the great James Cameron, and the third film was directed by Jonathan Mostow, and even though Mostow is no Cameron, I felt that T3 was a good entertaining film and a worthy addition to the franchise. McG has stated he is taking this film seriously and wants to do right by the franchise. So far what I have seen from the movie, it is looking like he is keeping his word. Add to the fact that Christian Bale is a good judge of scripts, as I have not seen a movie he was in yet that I did not enjoy, so to me that adds some credibility to the film as well. Apparently the studio also has a lot of faith in the film, as two more sequels have been approved, although no word if Bale will be returning, but studio support is always a good thing. This could be a career making film for McG, so he had better be a man of his word, because it could also be a career killer if the film flops. Oh and one more thing, he really needs to change the whole McG thing, just use your real name dude.

There is not much to say about Michael Bay that hasn't already been said. He is really hated in many circles, I have been on many other websites and have seen some very harsh words said about him. But as already stated, he makes movies that people enjoy. One of the things that people complained about in the first Transformers movie was not enough robots, and word is in the next film there will be a significantly higher robot count. The dizzying editing style of the first film is also something a lot of people didn't like, including myself. I can handle fast paced action, but when I cannot tell what is going on and who is fighting whom, things needs to slow down. As always you can't expect much substance from Bay and co. Big, loud, dumb fun. It has been said that a movie can be big and loud and still be intelligent, as proven by "The Dark Knight", that we should not have to "turn off" our brains at a movie. Well, why the hell not? If I want deep meaningful entertainment I will seek it out, but I don't want nor do I expect meaning from Michael Bay. If Transformers was being directed by Christopher Nolan, I would expect a lot more substance, but it isn't. So I like big dumb fun, why is that so bad? Most of the world likes it as well and that's why Bay continues to make movies and they continue to do well at the box office. I am looking forward to the next Transformers movie.

It looks to be a good year for robots, on one hand you have giant robots kicking the crap out of each other, and then you have an army of robots pretty much killing everything in sight. There is definitely more at risk with "Terminator Salvation" then there is with "Transformers:Revenge Of The Fallen", because everyone knows what to expect from Bay, but McG is the mystery here, can he take hold of the Terminator name and give a film worthy of the name? Only time will tell, but I am going to say that I think he will deliver the goods.

"Star Trek" 2009 - I Hope It Doesn't Suck

I have always been a "Star Trek" fan, even when I was a kid and didn't always understand what was going on, I watched. I was excited when they announced the creation of "Star Trek:The Next Generation", all my friends and I got together to watch the first episode together. That first episode was really well done and showed much promise. But, for me anyway, it really never lived up to the quality and potential of that first episode. Sure, there are a bunch of episodes that I really enjoy and will always watch when I see them on. But I never really felt connected to the characters, I never had an emotional investment in them like I do with the characters from the original series. I really did not like "Star Trek:Generations", in fact the only Next-Gen movie I liked was "Star Trek:First Contact", mostly because of the Borg, one of the best Sci-Fi race of baddies. The films that followed, "Star Trek:Insurrection" and "Star Trek:Nemesis" were mediocre at best and to be honest i really don't remember all that much about them.

So now director JJ Abrams is bringing us a new "Star Trek" in May of this year. He has recast the classic characters, telling a story of events that happened in their early days after graduating from Starfleet Academy. As I have said in many other entries, this is a big risk, recasting iconic characters always is. The story is being kept under a tight lid, and all we have seen is images from the new film. The images I have seen have impressed me, and I think the casting is shaping up nicely, the actors, for the most part, look like the characters they are portraying. But all of that means nothing without a compelling story, and the need to feel that the actors ARE who they are playing. This is going to be a different "Star Trek" then what I, and I am sure many other Trekkies, are used to. But that's ok, Trek needs to change, it needs to grab a new audience as well as the devoted fans, who, like me, don't care that much about Trek anymore. I hate that I don't care about Trek anymore. I hope Abrams makes me care again. As much as I knew the new "Star Wars" trilogy was being made for a newer audience as well as the established fans, it is the same with this new Star Trek, and if anyone going to see this new movie can take that into consideration, and as long as the finished product is a well made film, fans new and old will welcome Star Trek back, and I for one am looking forward to that.

A Few Words About 2008

Happy New Year! Here is a few words about some of the highlights on cinema for 2008.

Everyone does a "Best Of" and "Worst Of" at the end of the year so I thought I would do something a little different on top of the usual stuff.


Biggest Suprise - "Get Smart"

Steve Carell is great on "The Office" and I have found him funny in just about every movie role I have seen him in. For some reason, I was not expecting much from "Get Smart". I knew Carell would be good, I knew Anne Hathaway would be good for the role of Agent 99, but I was really suprised at how much I enjoyed the movie, it turned out to be way better than I had expected, and I would like to see a sequel. Good supporting cast, notbly Alan Arkin as The Chief and Dwayne Johnson as Agent 23. Good action, funny bits, and the blending of action with the comedy was really well done, which is more than I can say for the movie in my next category.

Biggest Disappointment - "Tropic Thunder"

What a letdown. Ben Stiller, someone I always count on for a good funny movie, and usually delievers. Add to that mix Jack Black and Robert Downey Jr. and you have a great comedic cast. The setting, actors in an action movie being thrown into a real life war zone, was a great idea. Too bad it fell way short of its potential. It completely separated the action from the comedy. The action itself was really good, but the comedy was sparse, and not even as funny as it could have or should have been. Downey was the best part of the film, and he was the funniest one in the movie. I didn't even really care for Stiller's character all that much. I have heard raves about this movie on other sites, but I just don't see it. Not terrible, an enjoyable movie, but not even close to what it should have been.

Most Fun - "Iron Man"

2008 was Robert Downey Jr's year, with two standout performances.No disrespect to "The Dark Knight" which was an amazing achievement in film. But let's face it, you cannot categorize it as a "fun" movie. "Iron Man" had a perfect balance of many elements. Drama, comedy, action. Robert Downey Jr took the movie and carried it on his shoulders. He played Tony Stark perfectly, and I cannot see anyone but him as that character. Things never got too serious, the action never got to be too much, in fact if anything was wrong with the movie you wanted just a bit more action. It also did the one thing a good superhero movie should do, it gave you a great movie with a great character that you want to see more of.

An Hour And A Half Of My Life I Will Never Get Back - "Meet The Spartans"

Ok I admit, I paid to see this turd. I like spoofs, and the previews looked kinda good. God how wrong I was. In 90 minutes, I think I chuckled, not laughed, maybe twice. A good comedy should make you laugh every couple of minutes should it not? Nothing about this movie was good. The acting, the story (story? or lack of), the attempted jokes. A good spoof will concentrate on a
specific movie or genre. "Blazing Saddles", "Spaceballs". But this turkey thought it would be funny (in a spoof of "300") to throw in jokes about "Dancing With The Stars", Britney Spears, video games, and way way too many gay jokes. This could possibly be the absolute worst comedy of the past decade. Hopefully the clowns who make these movies (they are responsible for the cinematic abortions "Superhero Movie" and "Disaster Movie") will stop getting money to make these unfunny ameturish dribble.

A Flop That Didn't Deserve It - "Speed Racer"

I don't know what people were expecting from this movie, but obviously it was not what anyone was thinking. Directed by the Wachowski Brothers, the duo that gave us "The Matrix" and its two sequels. It was exactly what it was supposed to be, a cartoon brought to colorful vibrant life. The special effects were top notch, the race sequences were fast paced and exciting. Ok, so it wasn't the deepest story in the world, so what?? It's a live action version of an old cartoon, what else was anyone expecting? The actors were good in their roles, there were some annoying aspects of the film, but overall it was an enjoyable family driven film. Maybe because the Wachowski's directed it people were expecting something more serious and story driven, but I thouroughly enjoyed this movie and it should have fared a lot better than it did.

Now, a quick rundown of some other noteworthy stuff-

Best Movie Of The Year - "The Dark Knight" It Changed the way we see Superhero movies forever, and gave us Heath Ledgers greatest, and sadly, final performance, thankfully it was the performance of a lifetime.

Best Performance - Heath Ledger as The Joker. Like I said already, he saved his best for his last.

Comeback Of The Year - Robert Downey Jr. "Iron Man" & he was the best and funniest thing in "Tropic Thunder", good to have you back Robert.

Best Cameo - Tom Cruise in "Tropic Thunder". Had he rest of the movie been as good as Tom's cameo, it might have been a lot better.

Well that's my little wrap up on 2008, what are your opinions on the best and worst of the year?