Retro review: A View to a Kill--satire at its finest!!!

 I recently decided to throw in A View to a Kill on Blu-ray, since I picked up the Bond 50 boxed set with all of the films. It was barely watchable to say the least. I'm being generous.

I'm not sure what the heck the Bond producers at the time (Cubby Broccoli, and Micheal G. Wilson) were thinking by allowing a geriatric looking Roger Moore come back for one last round as 007, but they're damn lucky it didn't completely backfire on them. This film could have easily been the end of Bond had it bombed financially, and boy it should have bombed in my opinion. There's simply no way to take this entry seriously when Roger Moore was 57 years old, and not only was he not convincing enough to believe he was doing the physical scenes as James Bond, but he looked like he should have been playing the lead Bond girl's father, not a potential love interest! The film plays like it's a satire of itself, and more than makes a big joke out of the character Ian Fleming created decades before. I can't imagine had Ian Fleming was alive to see this film, he'd have been the least bit happy with the direction it took.

The real crime? This film had all the elements needed to make an outstandingly cool Bond film, but was wasted on such an over the hill actor in Roger Moore. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed Roger Moore as Bond, particularly when he didn't look like he was pushing 60, but his being in A View to a Kill prevented it from being what it could have been. Having said that, Christopher Walken did a great job playing the lead villain, Max Zorin, and Grace Jones did a nice job as the villain's sidekick, Mayday. In the end, it was wasted simply because Moore wasn't believable as an agent with a License to Kill on screen. The script needed to be altered to eliminate the campy jokes, and over the top humor, along with recasting 007 at the time. Had that been done, it would have been a respectable Bond film. Another head scratcher, the casting of an even older sidekick for Roger Moore's James Bond character, Sir Goddrey Tibbet, played by then way over the hill Patrick Macnee just threw believability out the window with this picture. Several of the scenes early on, when Bond and Tibbet are infiltrating one of Zorin's facilities is silly at best. When the only good thing about a film is its theme song (A View to a Kill, Duran Duran), that's when you know it has major issues across the board.

It now makes perfect sense why with the following film, The Living Daylights, the producers were more than happy to allow then newly cast Bond, Timothy Dalton, to make the character of 007 a serious, no nonsense 00 agent. There was even talk that it was Roger Moore (at the time of A View to a Kills release) who resigned from the role, and for his own reasons, but come on, can you imagine him coming back for yet another film, 2 years later? I know I can't. A View to a Kill really was like The Naked Gun franchise merging with the Bond universe, only in the worst way possible.

Nuff said...

Moonrise Kingdom: Varying degrees of nostalgia..

 If you've never seen a Wes Anderson film before, brace yourself, you just may not enjoy it. I'm going to go out on a limb and say you better be good friends with the intellectual side of your brain. You need to be able to appreciate the small things in his movies, particularly with the main characters involved. There's definitely a dry humor at work not only in this film but his previous films, and if you can dig in to such wit, I'm sure you'll thoroughly enjoy the film.

Having said that, this is an intriguing film all around, regardless of the notes it may or may not hit on with humor. I also feel like it's the kind of film you must see more than a few times to pick up on all the subtle nuances that are on the screen. To sum up the plot, a boy named Sam, who is apart of a boy-scout platoon, goes missing and all in the name of falling in love with a local girl. The visuals and aura are what make this film work for me, along with some very convincing acting all around. There's also added charm by setting this film in the 60's, and getting to see the characters in an environment where one is not picking up their Iphone every 40 seconds to see if another character in the film messaged them. You may even find yourself getting nostalgic for a time when we all didn't have quite as many distractions and were able to be in the moment with those around us; much like you'll see with the characters of this film.

The acting is solid all-around. Ed Norton plays the boy scout platoon leader, Scout Master Ward. Bill Murray plays the father of Suzy, who flees with Sam. Bruce Willis plays the cop in this local New England town, named Captain Sharp, and I must mention the ageless Bob Balaban, who narrates the film at different points in the beginning and end. I'm beginning to think he (Balaban) never ages.
Last but not least, the film would never have worked if not for the acting chops of the two young lovers, played by Kara Hayward, and Jared Gilman. There's some key moments in the first leg of the film where they're isolated together, by a lake, and their chemistry works. It's just that simple.

Overall, if you want a nice escape into a world that not only doesn't exist anymore being that it's the 2000s, but also because it's a world that only Wes Anderson could create in his films, give this one a try.

Nuff said

E.T.: Still a gem 30 years later....

 I remember watching this film as a kid but never truly grasping the themes of this classic: Friendship/Companionship/Loyalty, etc. But the simple magic presented on the screen of seeing this young kid who befriends a being from another planet was enough to keep me entertained from start to finish. And then when I turned 21, it was re-released in theaters just about everywhere in the US. I remember going to see it with a close friend, a fellow "dude" if you will, and being completely caught off guard at just how sad the ending was. It hits you right in the gut, that this child who has bonded to a being from another world, is about to lose a friend. Add to it, the absolutely majestic and emotional John Williams soundtrack, and you have the perfect recipe to make an entire theater weep like it's a funeral. It's simply one of those films that reminds you it's OK to think like a kid, and become nostalgic for the imagination your childhood was filled with.

I'm going to simplify the plot for all of you. An alien is left stranded on earth by his fellow alien pals, the government takes an interest in these E.T.'s, all the while a younger kid named Elliot allows his new alien pal to hang out and take shelter at his mom's house. Like any plot that needs to move forward, conflict arises, but in the form of the government wanting to capture E.T. The ending? Not going to spoil it for those of you who for some insane reason haven't seen this classic. Overall this story should remind all of us what it means to go to bat for a true friend, and the great lengths we sometimes have to go to ensure you take care of those who matter most in your life. Somehow director Steven Spielberg captures this theme the best I've ever seen captured in a film. What's ironic is that it's not dealing with a human to human friendship, it's with a human and non-human friendship story arc.

Watching it nearly ten years later on Blu-ray it's become apparent to me that nothing has changed. It's still a tear-jerker, and still tackles the themes of friendship and loyalty without losing the same punch it packed years ago. Even better, it looks brilliant on Blu-ray. If it can look epic while projected onto a white wall, about 90" size, I can't imagine how crystal clear it's going to look on your TV. Oh, and it doesn't hurt it sounds like it was recorded yesterday. Great cinematography, great soundtrack, well acted, well directed, and still holds up some 30 years after its initial release.

All around, if you haven't seen this film, go get it! But be warned in advance, don't be so sure it won't strike a cord emotionally, it's been known to make grown men cry like school girls!

Nuff said.... 

Interview with Troll 2 star George Hardy!

Hi friends, instead of writing a movie review for this blog I'm going to share with you a recent phone interview in which I was able to speak with the great George Hardy, known well from his starring role in the cult classic horror film, Troll 2, and the more recent documentary Best Worst Movie that catches up with those who were apart of Troll 2. He discusses everything from what got him started in acting to his thoughts on films, and the prospects for a Troll 3!!

Enjoy!

Blu-ray review: Jaws....

I'm going to admit that Jaws, for as big a movie buff as I considered myself, was a film I avoided in adulthood. After all, it's just a movie about a shark killing a bunch of people, that sounds just like a slasher film, right? Wrong!

For starters, let me address how awesome this film, that was made in 1975, looks in present day via the Blu-ray version: Like it was shot yesterday. You'd think Robert Shaw was sitting in your living room slurring his words, it looks just that lifelike. Secondly, the film really does hold up 40 years later. For those who haven't seen it, this is a film about a small town known as Amityville, home to a police chief Brody, played superbly by the late, great Roy Scheider, who grows increasingly concerned after a teenager is killed by a shark attack late one night. Later, a more paranoid Brody is watching the beach with fear, wondering when the shark will turn up next, and just when he thinks he's wigging out a little too much, it returns and spares no sympathy for the kids in the water. In the end, the character of Hooper, played by Richard Dreyfuss is brought in to help Brody to investigate what kind of shark is causing bloodshed in and around the beaches at Amityville. It's later decided by Brody and Hooper, that the only person who has the experience and knowledge in killing sharks is Quint, played by Robert Shaw. All the while the mayor of Amityville refuses to want to shut the beach down in fear of losing money and tourists, and gives the film an added theme of how corporate greed could care less about innocent people.

Towards the end of the film the three main characters of Brody, Hooper, and Quint, are out at sea, on a small fishing/hunting vessel and are truly at the behest of the killer shark. Even though it's obvious at some points the shark is fake, and has a rubber shell, it's the perfect acting from all three actors that convinces the audience they are indeed in a dire situation. My favorite moment during the last act is as Quint is riding the engine of his boat too hard, and burning it up, he begins to sing his favorite sea faring song, all the while laughing and winching, knowing the three of them are basically screwed.

The acting in this film is truly what carries it from being just an average film about a deadly shark, to that of a best picture quality feature film. I can't underline that enough, and it's obvious why the sequels never had the same impact as the original did. If you've seen this film before, but really want to see what it would have looked like back in 1975 with a clean print, get the Blu-ray edition. If you're simply a home theater enthusiast and want to see an old film look like it was shot yesterday, get the Blu-ray! This may be one of the best remastered projects the home-video world has ever seen, it's just that good.

Nuff said.

Super-8 review: Remembering childhood

I'm going to admit off the bat that the first time I saw JJ Abram's Super-8, I was only quietly entertained. I left the theater thinking that would be the one and only time I watched this film, and that would be all I would get out of it.

Then a couple of years later, a close friend texts me and asks if I've ever seen it before and I admit I saw it in the theater but never felt a reason to view it again. He tells me about how much that film took him back to growing up, and what it meant to be a kid again. That was enough for me to plop down $8 for the Blu-ray and give it one more whirl. The second time was the charm indeed. 

This is a movie that would and should tug on the emotional connection to your childhood. Making you long for the days when hanging out with your friends was an event, and usually an all-day one. You're only job, outside of school during the year, was to play outside and use your imagination as much as possible in creating your own fun. It also may even tug at you a little more if you've ever lost a parent at a young age growing up, and knowing what it's like to be parented by one parent who has to try shouldering the weight of two. Overall, this is a well made film, and a lot of the critics who felt it was too much like E.T. or The Goonies are wrong. It's very much it's own film, and has it's own sense of wonder and fun.

The story centers on the character of Joe Lamb, played by Joel Courtney, as well as his father, Jackson Lamb, played by Kyle Chandler. Joe has recently lost a mother, and Jackson lost his wife. The arc of the story truly centers around the process of emotional stress the father and son feel in trying to truly let go of their loved one. Add to it, Joel still an adolescent, as are his group of friends who love to make short-films with a Super-8 camera. This is the tie that binds their friendship and also provides a needed escape for Joel as he heals from losing his mother. Jackson is a small-town cop in the town  they live in and is very much reeling from not just losing the love of his life, but the extra stress of being a single parent, and primary cop in town. Things inevitably begin to change when on a night Joel and his friends shoot a scene for their zombie movie at a train station, they witness a truck smashing into a train carrying some very important cargo owned by the military. This sets off a chain of events in which the kids realize what they saw was out of this world and ultimately things begin to happen in their small town that get not just the police involved, but also the US Air Force as well.

I won't spoil the rest of how the story unfolds, but I can assure you there's a certain charm with this film that stands out from start to finish. I also won't spoil the mystery of what was in the cargo hold of the derailed train that serves a catalyst to complete the emotional healing of Joel and his father Jackson. Director JJ Abrams did a masterful job capturing the magic of what it means to be a kid again, and the excitement associated with a group of friends having to overcome some major obstacles together. Special mention to the films composer, Michael Giacchino, for hitting all the right notes that truly connect the audience to the emotion on screen.

Watch this movie, or if you need a second go around like I did, either way, you won't be disappointed!

The Films of Steven Spielberg: Jaws

Star Trek The Next Generation (Blu Ray) Review...

There was a baseball card set back in the mid 90s that claimed there were never original film reels for Star Trek: The Next Generation TV show that existed. Boy that couldn't have been farther from the truth, and truth be told this show now officially looks like it was shot yesterday.

CBS studios decided to invest in having a production team go back to a vault, buried somewhere in Pennsylvania, and dig up every single 35mm film reel that was shot for every episode of the entire series. So far, a season 1 remastered set in glorious HD has been released. Words can't describe how much this show pops to life now. I really can't give justice to all the painstaking work that has gone through to bring this show to high definition life for the first time, you'll just have to take my word for it. There are so many nuances you'll discover for the first time watching it in this format if you were a fan of the show previously. Subtle variables such as the different costumes characters wore that now look supremely bright and colorful, or the accessories that were worn that now just seem to stand out like never before.

There's one particular example, in the disc 1, season 1 episode, Code of Honor, where a guard standing next to Captain Picard clearly has something wrong with his right eye. This was obviously on purpose to hint that these guards get into fights all the time, however there's no way in hell anyone watching the show in standard definition ever would have noticed this before. It's simply that crystal clear. Add to it, the sound has been remastered into 7.1 DTS sound, which is quite remarkable considering this show use to air on TV with a standard two channel audio track. The opening theme has never sounded better thanks to the sound tweaking.

If you're a fan of this series, pick up this set. If you're a new fan of Star Trek in general and want a PROPER introduction to this classic TV show, do yourself a favor and only watch it in this format. It's almost criminal how faded, and bland the original aired versions of this series looked by being converted from film to VHS tape. I do realize a lot of fans hated season 1 of this series, and I can partially see why, but at the same time this season had a certain sense of zaniness and fun the later seasons just never had. That's obviously because the shows writers didn't have a grasp on how to write the main characters consistently and seemed to be trying very hard to emulate the feel of the original series. In the end, it's still worth the trip down memory lane because of the fact it feels like it was filmed on the Paramount lot this year.

 If there was ever an example of why Blu-ray is worth the upgrade for most films and TV shows, this is it. When proper time and money is invested in remastering an old film or in this case a now 25 year old television show, the results are beyond the realm of thought. Besides, now you get to see Capt. Picard's bald head in high-def, ya just can't beat that! Nuff said:)