The Amazing Spiderman: Not too far from Amazing...

I went into this film with lowered expectations, mainly because I wasn't so sure a film that reboots a series that had its last film released as recently as 2007, could be that well made. Then again, I'll admit, I was never blown away by any of the Tobey Maguire Spiderman film entries. Sure, Spiderman 2 was a well made comic book film, but the overall nagging complaint I had about those entries was how much Peter Parker worshipped Mary Jane. It was overkill, and in reverse, how much Mary Jane allowed Parker to worship her. It ruined any sincerity those films could have had because they didn't create a love story on equal footing. It was a stereotypical, one-sided affair, and I think it sends the wrong message to young girls and guys in general.

Fast forward to The Amazing Spiderman and that's one key area they knocked out of the park. Spiderman/Peter Parker, played so well by Andrew Garfield, is certainly smitten by his classmate Gwen Stacy, played by Emma Stone. However, it's not a case of him having to chase her, or beg for her attention. Gwen develops an eye for him even before he becomes Spiderman, observing his bravery at school when he refuses to let another classmate get picked on; and takes a beating for it in return. Additionally, Gwen is a self-sufficient, science loving, intelligent woman in this film, versus the sometimes smug attitude of the Mary Jane character in the previous films. The dynamic between Garfield's Spiderman and Stone's Gwen Stacy character just works, and never drags the film down with it. It's a 50/50 admiration for the two, and I hope more films like this approach it the same way in the future. Additionally, Garfield's interpretation of Peter Parker is vastly superior to Tobey Maguire's in my opinion. Maguire came off as almost too nerdy, and way too depressed over moments when things weren't working out with Mary Jane. Whereas Garfield adds multiple layers to his character, displaying not just a small nerdy side, but a socially awkward side as well that projects much more than what was seen in the original three films.

The rest of the film is built around Peter Parker learning about what it means to be responsible, and to take responsibility for his actions as a superhero. His Uncle Ben, played so convincingly by Martin sheen, really walks the walk by showing Parker what it means to help others and be a man when he tries to stop a thief from getting away on the streets of NYC. This was a defining moment in the picture when Parker understands he can't just be running around as Spiderman in an irresponsible way, and that he needs to temper his energy and sometimes immature attitude. Later in the film, when he has to save people from near death on a bridge, thanks to the transformed Dr. Curt Connors Lizard character reaking havoc, it's saving one child in particular from a car that's hanging from the bridge and on fire that cements Peter Parker as Spiderman. Not only is he firmly cemented as a superhero, but he gains an important ally out of saving the child that will help him later on in the film.

Special mention for Dennis Leary and his portrayal of Captain Stacy,  he does a nice job making you believe he really is a police chief of such a big city. I think the only disappointing performance for my money is the main villain, played by Rhys Ifans. It just seemed somewhat dull for me. Obviously the action scenes where his character is fighting with Spiderman as the Lizard are well done, and thought out, but overall Ifan's portrayal doesn't command a lot of attention in my book as a top notch villain the same way some previous comic book film bad guys have. Put it this way, you're not going to go home and quote any of his lines from the film like you may have with The Joker, General Zod, The Penguin, or even Obehdiah Stane from Iron Man. That's really my only gripe with the picture, and it's not enough to detract from how impressed overall I was with the story and execution of this film. I know some comic book purists may be upset they redid the origin story again, but I could care less. This is a comic book film and as far as I'm concerned it should be allowed to have many different interpretations of how a superhero came into harnessing such great powers.

Go see this movie, I have a feeling it'll be the only comic book film through the summer months (not counting The Avengers) that will be worth a hill of beans. The Dark Knight Rises, judging from trailers, looks more like a depressing episode of Law and Order than an actual bright, colorful, comic book film. Time will tell though. Nuff said.

The Rum Diary: A drunken mess of a film...

 
This is a Johnny Depp film I've been curious about since I saw the trailers a year ago on TV. I never got to the theater for it, and maybe it's good I waited until Netflix had it available. This is really a mixed bag for me. On one hand you have Depp playing this eccentric drunk, named Paul Kemp, who moves to Puerto Rico to work for a newspaper that's on it's last legs. On the other hand, as you witness the character adapt to his environment, you can see he easily loses focus, as does the story. At one point Kemp is motivated by a beautiful woman named Chenault, played by Amber Heard, who just happens to be married to a shady land developer on the island named Sanderson, and played by Aaron Eckart. Then, as time moves on and eventually she does throw herself at Kemp, he quickly shifts his mindset towards fighting a political agenda, and fighting against the suspect land deals conceived by Sanderson. Eventually, Kemp wants to help get money back into the hands of the natives, and go against the government in general. All of these quick changes happen within a span of about 10 minutes it seems within the third act, and that makes it a jumbled mess of a plot in my opinion.

Or, maybe the audience is just supposed to believe that since Kemp is such a drunken, hot mess, that the story should naturally flow with the energy of his character. Either way, it's easy to feel like it's a mixed bag of a film. The good things are obviously the beautiful sights and visuals of the film shooting in Puerto Rico, some funny character moments not just from Johnny Depp, but also the oscar nominated Giovanni Ribisi who plays a completely drugged out, and bitter newspaper worker. Even the editor of the newspaper, Lotterman, played by Richard Jenkins, has some really funny one liners that will make you burst out loud. Overall, if you are easily entertained by Johnny Depp's acting abilities and character driven moments, even if the plot doesn't make sense towards the end, then you'll enjoy this. However, the plot is such a disorganized mess, its made writing this review a major challenge to organize my thoughts on the film.

I say "netflix" it, and tell me what you think! Nuff Said:)

Prometheus review: I'm still asking questions...

OK, this is the second review I've written on this movie as I'm still asking questions as to what I witnessed in this film. I've been waiting for this movie to come out since it was announced over 2 years ago. Needless to say my anticipation has been through the roof. Now it's here, I've seen it twice, and now for my honest review.

If you're not familiar with the mythology of the ALIEN series, that's OK, because even though this is considered a loosely based prequel, set in the same universe as the previous movies, it follows its own original storyline. The film opens with one of the most breathtaking shots of a planet, which one would assume is earth, with a ship hovering overhead, and a humanoid being walking towards a cliff overlooking a waterfall. It drinks a black goo substance in a cup, and proceeds to flinch in pain as its DNA begins to break down. Cue the music, and cut to the opening titles that are equally stunning (even in 2d) Fast forward to earth, in the not too distant future, and two doctors uncover cave paintings that hint at ancient civilizations pointing humanity towards the stars. This is the basis for the films storyline, and the reason the primary characters of Dr. Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway, with the help of a rich company owner, are able to travel to this distant planet, in search of our "makers". You follow me so far? I'm not going to break down the plot any further but point out that you MUST have an attention span for this kind of film. If you get lost or confused at different happenings, it's quite possible you will leave the theater feeling short-changed. This is a film full of big ideas, and plenty of mystery regarding how humans were created, as well as the familiar aliens from the previous films. The visuals are incredible, the music suits the mood of the film perfectly, and the acting is for the most part, top notch. The set-design is as lifelike as a film can be. For example, early on in the film, when the Prometheus ship is headed towards the distant planet, you see the ship's android David, played so effortlessly by Micheal Fassbender, wandering around the ship, keeping an eye on members of the crew in hypersleep, watching movies, playing basketball, and overall trying to stay entertained. The set's are so convincing you really believe this is a real ship, on a real mission, with a dude who is really a robot acting as a caretaker, and none of what you see is make-believe. Movie making at its finest if you ask me.

Now, if you're a die-hard fan of the Alien films from the 80s, don't expect the link to those films spelled out in cookie cutter fashion. If you blink, you'll miss the subtle nods that lead to bigger ideas as to how everything strings together. Trust me, the hints are there, but you actually have to use your brain to figure it out. Not only that, but trying to figure out how this race of engineers you'll see halfway through the film, and what their motivations were for creating or destroying humans, is a challenge as well. However, that fits the theme of this movie to a tee. Asking the question "why?" and not necessarily getting a clear answer is the focal point for the characters. As far as traumatic death scenes, they're aren't as many as found in previous Alien films, but the graphic ones you do see in this film are extremely well done. And in the end, the story is left open for a sequel. However, I think the questions raised in this film leave enough up to the imagination to decide for yourself what happens after the events in this film, and how it all ties to the first Alien film. That's what makes this film work. Even after you leave the theater, you may find yourself debating about not just the events within the story, but what comes next? That is the mark of a great film.

Lastly, it should also be noted, it was obvious in some parts that the films director, Ridley Scott, had to make some tough decisions in the editing bay. Some scenes standout as being awkwardly chopped, or dialogue that seems like it came after something we didn't get to see. I suspect this will be resolved in the now rumored "extended cut" that is in the works for home-video releases. I also suspect it will only make a great film, that much better. I don't think I've ever read such a split of opinions on any highly anticipated film before. Some love it, some hate it, and there doesn't seem to be much middle ground. Imagine how this film will be remembered 20 years from now? Bladerunner shared the same controversy during its initial release, and it's considered a masterpiece in some circles now. Either way, this film has great acting, great visuals, moments of the highest tension imaginable, and a plot that continually keeps your brain wanting more answers, in the best way possible. Go see it! Nuff said.

Forgotten review: What Planet Are You From?

I vaguely remember back in 2000, seeing TV trailers for this film that starred Garry Shandling, and also remember hearing about how badly it bombed at the box office. Well, let's face it, most comedies do horribly during their theatrical release, and then eventually find some sort of an audience years later. Every once in awhile you have a film like The Hangover, that breaks box office records across the board. In the case of What Planet are you from? it was a mega bust. Its budget was listed somewhere around $60 million dollars, and it didn't even earn half of that back.

I'm hear to tell you it wasn't for it being an unfunny film. I randomly found this on Netflix the other night, and being the Garry Shandling fan that I am, from his days on the Larry Sanders Show on HBO, I had to at least watch it for a little bit and see if the film's lack of success was warranted. It was not. I found myself laughing hysterically throughout the first hour of the film, and then enough through the last half to keep it afloat. The story was co-written by Garry Shandling, and he doesn't just insert goofy material into the script, there are some subtle, serious moments where he's trying to make a point about how humanity acts on this planet.

The plot in a nutshell involves Shandling's character, an alien from a distant planet who is sent to earth on a mission to impregnate one human female, in order to start a takeover from his alien homeworld. He's pre-trained with cliche pick-up lines and the result are some hilarious scenes where you see earth females responding accordingly. The rest of the cast is top notch, with Annette Bening, who plays the prototypical crazy woman so well, Greg Kinnear who plays an adequate prick, John Goodman as a somewhat paranoid agent who has a belief that Shandling's character, Harold Anderson, is indeed from another world. Ben Kingsley even has a supporting role, playing the leader of Anderson's homeworld! Garry Shandling's facial expressions alone will have you cracking up throughout the better part of the film, and the rest of this great cast fills their roles perfectly.

As the plot rolls along, you see Anderson evolve from more of a robotic alien, with no emotions, to one who embraces the tendencies of the humans around him. This film could even be played as a how-to guide for men on what to not say to a woman, and have men and women alike laughing out loud at how absurd some of the awkward situations are.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this comedy. I have a feeling because it has some sci-fi themes embedded within the story, that this is one of the main reasons it bombed at the box-office. Comedies are tough enough to find a big, universal audience. Mix in science fiction themes, and you've just cut your audience into a thousand pieces. However, I'm here to tell you to give it a viewing. If nothing else, the fact that the main character's penis hums anytime a woman turns him on, will have you gasping for air. Nuff said!

Are movies over-hyped?

 
More specifically, are movies over-hyped to the point our expectations for a particular film are raised so high, it makes it next to impossible to truly enjoy that movie?

In the era of the internet, film connoisseurs, geeks, nerds, all have 24-7 access to information regarding any film that's due to come out later in the year (or the year after that!). When I was a kid, the only inside access we had was either movie trailers that we'd see on TV or at the movies, or heading to the local corner store to pick up the latest issue of various film magazines. Word of mouth seemed to be the hype machine 30 years ago, and it wasn't uncommon for a films box office to go up in the second or third week of release as opposed to the first. From my perspective, that limited amount of exposure films received until released, offered a sort of innocence along with going to the movies. Now it's just too damn easy to get access to the latest tidbits, and rumors regarding a highly anticipated film.

For example, Ridley Scott's Prometheus has been over-hyped from day one of being announced it was green lit back in 2011. Maybe for good reason, a lot of closet geeks like myself want to see if he has the ability to catch lightning in a bottle twice, by returning to the "ALIEN" universe he successfully delivered on screen back in 1979. OK, great, but what if it sucks? And what if that suckage really stems more from the constant stream of news related to its production, it's leaked plot information, and all of the current movie fandom websites that spew something new every other day about this film? Time will tell what kind of palpable effect it has on the audience opinion.

It makes me wonder if all of this overabundance of information sort of destroys the point of movies altogether. JJ Abrams, who is a writer/director/producer in Hollywood has always hammered home the point of keeping things a mystery to film audiences. The longer you can keep the audience wondering what the movie is about, the better the payoff when they actually get to see the film firsthand. I agree. It gives you a better chance to be in awe once the theater lights go dark.

In the end, it's probably better to avoid the internet all together when it comes to leaked, upcoming film information. Watch the trailer, and leave it at that until you pay your 10 bucks or whatever the hell it costs to see movies these days. Nuff said.

Retro Review: The Conversation (1974)

Some would argue, myself included, that Francis Ford Coppola was at the top of his game when he made The Conversation in the mid-70s. I've spoken with a few people who viewed it and felt it was boring, and slow. I couldn't disagree more. There's a lot of building in this film from start to finish. It all starts with it's main character, Harry Caul, played so masterfully by Gene Hackman. Caul is an extremely private man, and very paranoid within the confines of his world. His one outlet is playing the saxophone while he's not on the job, a job that has him running surveillance of people he's hired to track. One gets the feeling this guy never has any fun, and his only true outlet is his work.

As the story begins he's tasked with tracking a young couple, in park in San Francisco. The deeper we get into the film's second and third acts we see how increasingly paranoid Caul is that this couple he was spying on in the beginning of the film, are going to get murdered. Add to it, he thinks it will be at the hands of the person who hired him to track their every move. (Uncredited character played by Robert Duvall, as well as his assistant played by a young Harrison Ford) Surrounded by this major plot element are more intimate details of Caul's life, and the relationship he has with his main co-worker, Stan, played by the late John Cazele. Stan never feels as if Caul lets him into the know on what's really going on with their work. That drives Caul to the point of quitting as his right hand man. It all connects to the complexity and darker side of Caul. A very private man who wants to do things his way, regardless of anyone else's opinions. It also lends a connection to how he feels about the women in his life. We see a scene where Caul visits what seems to be his main love interest in the film (played by Teri Garr), yet he keeps his distance from her. It's obvious from this scene Caul is a loner, and has no real need for a woman to be living with him. All of these emotions are sold so well by Hackman in the role, you almost forget he is even acting. Even better, midway through the film, Caul is treated to a party from co-worker friends, and essentially a call girl spends the night in his dark, murky apartment. When he wakes up and realizes she isn't there, it really sets off a rage in his face that lets you know he's got some hidden demons when it comes to the relationships of his past. This is a man who has indeed been hurt before.

So as the story nears the films climax, Caul is running around watching his back, and ever so paranoid about what may happen to this young couple that he's convinced will be taken out by his former boss. There's no time to spoil what happens, but if you've never seen this film, the end result of Caul's findings will more than likely have you covering your mouth. Sure, it's not as extreme as some of the vivid things you see in the cinema today, but for 1974, it was a pretty big deal! The rest of this classic is wrapped up beautifully by the soundtrack of David Shire (Some may remember his contributions to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack a few years later), as well as the fantastic sound design, that brought the audience into the world of a surveillance expert. You get to hear so many unique and interesting sounds, and voices you've probably never heard mixed in a film before. For that reason alone, this film begs a viewing on blu-ray, in 7.1 surround sound. You'll think your sucked into the world that Coppola created with this tense, and dark masterpiece. I'm even going to say this film reminded me a lot of the same themes you see in another classic of the same era, Taxi Driver. Two main characters who really start to open their eyes at how dark the world can be, without any light at the end of the tunnel. Nuff said.

Retro Review 2: Rocky II

 
Rocky II has to be one of the more underrated sequels to any movie franchise in the history of cinema. The film's writer/director/actor, Sylvester Stallone, managed to take a character that went through an incredible character arc of the first film and classic, Rocky, and give the character new life. Definitely not an easy thing to do from a writers standpoint. So how did he (Stallone) accomplish this? He wrote a tale about life after a taste of the spotlight.

Yes, Rocky II picks right up where its predecessor left off, and you see a badly bruised and injured Rocky Balboa in the hospital recovering from going the distance with his nemesis Apollo Creed. There's a scene early on in particular that really gave this movie a sense of humility early on. Rocky wakes up in the middle of the night and walks over to Apollo's hospital room. He quietly asks Apollo if he did indeed give him his "best". Apollo (played so well by Carl Weathers) responds by saying he did, and in a tone of voice that exudes mental and physical exhaustion. This wasn't the norm for Apollo's character, who usually is as bombastic sounding as real life boxer Muhammad Ali. Not only did this scene add a true sense of complexity to Apollo's character, it also reminded the audience of just how important the final fight was in the first film.

From there, you get to see Rocky try and find a real job, and life after boxing. He's been told he should never fight again, due to the eye damage incurred from the beating he took from Apollo. Not only going on the job hunt, Rocky and Adrian get married. A lot of subtle, yet touching scenes that continue the magic both characters displayed on screen in the first film. However, after several attempts at finding a regular job, and the frustration that goes along with that, Rocky decides he has no choice but to try and fight again. Not only does he want to do this to support Adrian, but the child that Adrian is now carrying. This leads to seeing Rocky become extremely vulnerable, having to relearn how to box now that he has the added distraction of a wife, and a child on the way. The conflict's that brew central to this character also come from his manager, Mickey, who truly doesn't think it's a smart idea that Rocky goes back into the ring. Add to this, even Apollo's character is going through his own arc of being told he's a loser by fans for allowing Rocky to take him the distance. This motivates Apollo to really go after Rocky in the media, cementing a motivation and drive that forces Rocky to want to fight him again to prove the first fight wasn't just luck.

Now, let's get to the real gem of this film. The final fight. This is in my opinion the best choreographed boxing match I've ever seen in the cinema. Sure, it may not be completely realistic in terms of how many punches are thrown, but it's just a thing of beauty to watch nonetheless. Add to it, the insanely classic score from Bill Conti, and it truly sucks the audience into it, and gets the adrenaline pumping at key points during the fight. It not only tops the fight from the first film, it ups the stakes in the best way possible. I couldn't imagine seeing this film for the first time, before the internet and fan boards ruining plot details, and wondering whether Rocky or Apollo will get up before the ten count. Absolute edge of your seat drama, and I'm not sure many films of today have that kind of gravitas going for it in the third act.

So take a trip down memory lane. Watch Rocky II (especially if you haven't seen it before, shame on you!), and make sure you do it with an adequate surround sound set-up to really make the movie pop the way it should. Nuff said.