Red State: Review
from Rob, October 1st, 2011 8:00 am | No Comments | Movies

Red State: by Edward Gambichler

 

“You better believe I fear God…..” – Pastor Abin Cooper ( Michael Parks )

 

One of the great obstacles in trying to compose this review of Red State is to try to encompass its director Kevin Smith’s film career. Yes, I could take the easy way out and compare him to the list of the early 90′s self financed writer-auteurs like Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez, and Richard Linklater ( whose movie, Slacker, served as an inspiration to Smith’s choice of being a filmmaker ). There are certainly similarities in each of their works: emphasis on dialogue over action, self aware sense of pop culture, and themes and subject matter that do not fit into a Hollywood formula ( such as a rom-com, or action “blockbuster”. What separates Kevin Smith’s career from the aforementioned filmmakers is that the majority of his films ( with the exception of Jersey Girl, Cop Out, Zack and Miri Make a Porno and Red State ) have an underlying shared universe of characters between it. Five of his films ( Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma and Clerks 2 ) take place in this shared universe, known to Smith fans as the” Viewaskewniverse”. As a major fan of Smith’s films , myself, I can understand the loyal following these films have acquired ( due largely to his hilariously insightful dialogue ). And Smith, in his own right, has transcended his movies and become somewhat of a public figure ( whose personal appearances and speaking engagements usually play to sold out crowds ). He’s also regarded as an ambassador of sorts to comic book fandom ( as the subject of comics is frequent fodder for his movies ). Although he is to be commended for wearing this many hats, there exists the possibility that Smith has found too specific a “niche” in regards to his filmmaking and and there seems to be a reluctance for the audience to embrace an effort like Red State.

The film is set in an unnamed town in the Midwest. It is the story of three friends: Travis , Jared, and Bill Ray ( played respectively by actors Michael Angarano, Kyle Gallner, and Nicholas Braun ). Like most high school teenagers, most of their energy is spent on devising ways to get laid. Jared ( as a result of this effort ) comes across a Craig’s List type of ad posted by a local woman, looking to engage in a “threesome”. The boys set out in Travis’ parent’s car to a trailer camp where supposedly the woman resides. There, they are met by Sarah Cooper ( played by Oscar-winner Melissa Leo, The Fighter ). Before they proceed to get on with the threesome, Sarah offers them a few beers, stating that the alcohol would help her “get up” to the sex. Unfortunately, as they start to get undressed, the boys realize too late that their beers have been spiked with a tranquilizer and they lose consciousness. Jared awakens to find out that he is trapped in a dog cage near the altar of a chapel. Above him he sees another horrified man, strapped to a cross and covered in Saran Wrap. He realizes that he is in the middle of a sermon being delivered by Pastor Abin Cooper ( played by the incomparable Michael Parks ). Cooper is the leader of the Five Points Church, an extreme right-wing religious sect whose views revolve around what they perceive as an end of the world apocalypse known as “the rapture”. They not only rejoice in their eventual  passing over to the afterlife, but the fiery demise of those groups they deem hellbound ( such as homosexuals , adulterers, and “sexual deviants” ). As a matter of fact, hours before their confinement, Jared encounters Pastor Cooper and the Church picketing the funeral of a murdered young homosexual. The congregation is made up Cooper’s immediate family and their spouses and children, including Sarah. As Cooper’s hate filled sermon reaches its crescendo, his followers shoot the cross bound man ( who it turns out is a homosexual ) and dump his body in a trapdoor where Jared and Billy Ray are kept. Terrified at what they are witnessing, the boys try desperately to free themselves from their predicament. Unfortunately for them, the situation escalates when one of the family members is forced to kill a deputy who has stopped by to question the Pastor of an earlier sideswiping incident involving Travis’ parents car and the Sheriff’s vehicle. The Pastor, using evidence of a homosexual affair as leverage, tries to deter the married Sheriff ( played by actor Stephen Root, Office Space ) from investigating further. However, the Sheriff calls in the ATF and its head agent Joseph Keenan ( played by the always dependable John Goodman of The Big Lebowski and T.V.’s Roseanne ) in the hopes of having their task force take out Cooper and the entire Family. Between the blind and unyielding devotion of the fully armed congregation and the stressed out and equally strapped ATF unit, the lives of the three boys hangs in the balance.

 

I’d have to say without a doubt that this is Kevin Smith’s  most polished looking film to date. He effectively uses shaky cam film techniques to convey the brutally unpredictable violence in the film. Also, his use of closeups on his various actors, especially with the brilliant Michael Parks, heightens the natural claustrophobia of the scene. You feel like you’re trapped right along with Jared in the dog cage.

This is Smith’s attempt at making a horror film and his choice of a villain is inspired. The threat does not come from an machete wielding indestructible man wearing a hockey mask that skirts our sense of reality, but a threat that jumps right off the front page of our early morning paper. There is nothing more frightening than the commonplace and the evil that lurks in our own backyards. With the examples of Ruby Ridge, Waco Texas, the Unibomber, and Timothy McVeigh as basis for the subject matter, Smith demonstrates that sometimes the most terrorizing thing in this world is how far some people will go just because they “believe” in something. It’s a mindset that he has become familiar with due to the various church groups who took part in picketing his fourth film, Dogma. With this film, Smith has also taken the unconventional step and distributed it himself ( despite the controversy of supposedly reneging on his promise to auction off the movie at Sundance for prospective buyers ). The film toured this past year in multiple cities with Smith himself holding a star studded Q and A session after the screenings ( one in which I had the honor of attending in New York along with  Alternative Mindz’ own Rob Base, his wife Crystal and the rest of the AMZ family). It is now available on Pay Per View on Time Warner Cable and will soon be heading straight to DVD.

Smith hinted that this may be his last film ( citing his bad experiences directing the film Cop Out  as a possible reason ). He was suppose to helm a movie based on the Warren Zevon and Mitch Ablom tune Hit Somebody ( the Hockey Song ) starring Sean William Scott and I hope he does wind up shooting it. It would be a shame for Red State to be his swan song. Unfortunately, the drawback of being the creator of the Viewaskewniverse is that fans have come to associate a particular and more light-hearted tone to his films. Asking him to end things on this film, would be like asking Martin Scorsese to make Cape Fear his last movie. A fine film, but ultimately not the one we want to envison him sailing off into the sunset with.

 

 

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Green Lantern: Review
from Shakil, July 6th, 2011 12:34 am | No Comments | Movies

By Edward Gambichler

 

Green Lantern

 

“…In brightest day,

In blackest night.

No evil shall escape my sight

Let those who worship evil’s might

Beware my power, Green Lantern’s light……”

Oath of the Green Lantern Corp


 

What makes a film an “epic”? Aspiring directors, in the hopes of lining their fireplace mantles with back to back Academy Award Oscars, have long tried to figure out the proper formula. Is it the choice of a larger than life main character? His/ or her emotional arc throughout the portrayed events? Is it a specific human defining theme such as love, war, or religion? The number of A-list talent in the cast? Certainly it is a combination of all these factors. However, the difference between past “epic filmmaking” directors ( David Lean, Cecil B. DeMille, or John Ford for example ) and their modern contemporaries is a sense of what is known as “scope”. Scope, in regards to film, is the balance between the characters, story, and geography ( or landscape ) in a  grand scale movie. The subject matter of comic books lends itself readily to this type of cinematic treatment. Iconic, larger than life heroes with unbelievable powers wrestling with forces beyond mortal comprehension. The character of “Green Lantern” is such a hero. The film adaptation of the property, is a “good” movie. It is not, however, an epic. And the problem is……it should have been.

 

 

Directed by Martin Campbell ( Casino Royale, The Mask of Zorro, Edge of Darkness ) and based on the Silver Age version of the popular DC character, the film centers around Hal Jordan ( played by actor Ryan Reynolds ), a test pilot who flies experimental aircraft for Ferris Industries.  Ferris Industries is co-owned and run by Hal’s former high school flame and fellow pilot, Carol Ferris ( played by Blake Lively ). When he was a boy, Hal’s father ( himself, a pilot ) was killed in one of the company’s earlier test flights. This tragedy has haunted Hal throughout his entire flight career and has manifested itself through feelings of fear. Unbeknownst to Hal, ( and far away on the other side of the galaxy ) a battle erupts between a hostile alien parasite named Parallax and his alien jailer, Abin Sur. Abin Sur is a member of an intergalactic peacekeeping force known as the Green Lantern Corp. Millions of years ago, a race of beings known as the Guardians harnessed the green energy of willpower and established a planet named Oa surrounding it. From this energy,  rings of power were fashioned and given to a select group of beings to patrol their individual sectors.  The ring gives the wearer the power to form anything out of its energy ( weapons, machinery ) with just a thought. Parallax, who feeds off the fear of other lifeforms was imprisoned by Abin Sur a millennia ago. Unfortunately, Parallax escapes and mortally wounds Abin Sur, who is able to make it to an escape pod. Before he dies, he instructs the ring to locate a being who is worthy of his power in order to replace him. His search leads him to Earth and the ring summons Hal Jordan to the crash site of the escape pod. As his last duty as a Lantern, Abin Sur bestows the ring and its lantern shaped battery source on Jordan and perishes from his injuries. Jordan flees just as military helicopters descend on the site.

 

 

Abin Sur’s body is taken by the authorities to a top secret lab run by Amanda Waller ( Angela Bassett ). Senator Robert Hammond ( Tim Robbins ), who is in charge of funding for the lab, positions his son Hector ( played by actor Peter Sarsgaard ) to be assigned as the lead scientist to Abin Sur’s autopsy. However, Abin Sur isn’t the only alien lifeforce present in the lab. Abin Sur’s wounds are infected with Parallax’s DNA ( due to their battle ) and Hector becomes infected in turn. Hector’s mind starts to evolve and he accumulates deadly and intense psychic abilities.

 

 

Meanwhile, the green energy of the ring takes hold of Hal Jordan ( after he triggers it by defending himself from three assailants outside of a bar ) and transports him to the planet Oa. He is greeted by another Lantern by the name of Tomar- Re ( voiced by actor Geoffrey Rush ). He is given the uniform of the Green Lantern Corp and taken to an assembly of Green Lanterns. There, Sinestro ( the Corp’s most senior and powerful member and played by actor Mark Strong ) addresses those present and warns them of the threat of Parallax. Sinestro takes an instant dislike to Hal ( due to the fact that Jordan has replaced Abin Sur, who was Sinestro’s mentor ). Sensing Hal’s fear and inexperience, Sinestro feels that Hal is not worthy of the ring ( and excludes Hal in the party of Lanterns who head out to confront Parallax ). Parallax, however, easily overpowers the unit of Lanterns and slowly starts to make his way to Earth ( responding to the energy emitting from Hector’s mind ). Hal must come to grips with his fear, take out Hammond and rally his inner willpower before Parallax descends upon Earth and destroys the planet as well as his loved ones.

 

 

Say what you will about George Lucas and Michael Bay, at least they are directors who know how to work on a big canvas. How they differ from similar directors ( say Steven Spielberg, Peter Jackson, and James Cameron ) is the fact that there is a lack of emotional connection between the main characters and the audience. The characters are only there to service the story and the effects within and usually are two dimensional at best. Martin Campbell is an excellent director when it comes to a film that needs to be personal and he succeeds in giving us a complete rounded character in Hal Jordan. As a matter of fact, all of the casting for this film has been spot on. What is lacking tho’ is a grander scale worthy of the subject matter. If there is one comic property that needed the “space-opera” film treatment, it’s the Green Lantern Corp. I blame this solely on the pacing of the storyline. This movie should have been about Hal dealing with the ring in his life and his conflict with Hector. I felt the film-makers should have taken a page from Lucas’ Phantom Menace and alluded to the threat of Parallax in the first movie and saved him for the second. Also, there is a end credits scene that reveals a major change to one of the primary characters ( a change that I feel should have been saved as a major plot point for a second film ). Parallax and this main character’s development were important events within the GL universe. They shouldn’t have to compete for space ( sorry for the pun ) in the same film.  The latter’s change felt rushed. Martin Campbell should have been building a trilogy and given a more complete arc for each of the characters. A big time GL fan and personal friend of mine, TJ , summed up his reaction for me when he said, “I got the GL movie I wanted”. I’m sorry TJ……but I have to disagree…….you should have been given more.

 

 

What worked for me was the overall aesthetic of the film. No one should have a problem with how Oa and the world of the Corp was represented despite misgivings from the first look of the GL uniform on the cover of Entertainment Weekly ( in the months before the film’s release ). A classic scene was Hal’s initial combat training session on Oa from the Corps resident drill instructor Kilowog ( voiced by Michael Clarke Duncan ). Although I felt they should have pumped this up more with a few montages, this scene was nonetheless pitch perfect in terms of comedy and in the showcasing of the power of the ring. And if you look harder at this scene, there is a wink and a nod to another comic character who is being given the silver screen treatment this summer ( especially in the ring duel scene between Hal and Sinestro ). A clever and gracious nod ( in regards to this character’s being a property of Marvel rather than GL’s DC ) by the filmmakers.

 

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X-Men: First Class Review
from Rob, June 8th, 2011 9:25 pm | No Comments | Movies

By Edward Gambichler

 

“My friend….killing will not bring you peace” -  Charles Xavier ( Professor X )

“…Peace was never an option….- Erik Lensherr ( Magneto )

 

Comic books ( like History ) are usually divided into “Ages”: There is the “Golden Age” and the “Silver Age”. For DC Comics, the Golden Age ( spanning the late 1930′s to early 1950′s ) saw the introduction of icons such as Superman, Batman, the original Flash, the original Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman whereas for Timely Comics ( later known as Marvel Comics ) it was Namor the Sub-Mariner, the original Human Torch, and Captain America. It was in the Silver Age ( spanning the early 1950′s to the early 1970′s ) where Marvel Comics introduced its icons to the medium. These characters were Spider-man, the Fantastic Four, the Hulk, Dr. Strange, Daredevil and the Avengers. And, finally ( in what would grow to become one of Marvel’s most popular titles )…….the X-Men.  And with that popularity came the inevitable screen adaptation in the form of a 2000 film directed by Bryan Singer ( The Usual Suspects, Apt Pupil, as well as DC’s Superman Returns ). It told the story of a school comprised of “mutants” , individuals born with an extra chromosome that manifests itself as superhuman abilities. This institution for “gifted” children was founded by a man named Professor Charles Xavier, codename Professor X ( played by Shakespearean actor Patrick Stewart ).  Xavier ( a mutant himself whose “X-factor” gene gives him enormous powers of telepathy ) brings together these students to teach them how to cope with their special gifts and to try to mold them into becoming productive members of a society that has grown to fear them as the next stage of evolution. The school is also home to the school’s former students now senior faculty members, a highly trained combat unit known as the “X-Men”. Their function is to deal with renegade mutants ( as well as fear-driven homo sapiens ) who are bent on being the dominant species on the planet. The most dangerous of these mutant terrorists is a former Holocaust survivor named Erik Lensherr, codename Magneto ( played in the first movie by Sir Ian McKellan ). Xavier’s former best friend, Magneto is a being who holds absolute magnetic power over anything metal. In order to further his vision of a “homo superior” only utopia, he recruits mutants for his group the “Brotherhood”. The film spawned two other sequels as well as a standalone movie, a prequel, centering around the origin of the X-Men’s most popular member, Wolverine ( played by Australian actor Hugh Jackman, making his American debut in the first X-Men film ).

And now, 11 years later , 20 Century Fox continues the series by going the prequel route again with X-Men: First Class. Directed by Matthew Vaughn ( Layer Cake, Kick Ass ), the film focuses on the events that led to the formation of Xavier’s school, the first meeting and close friendship between Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr, and finally, the fallout between them that set in motion their violent “war of ideologies” depicted in the previous trilogy. In an inspired move, the film begins with a shot for shot remake of the first scene in the first film ( set in a WWII German concentration camp ). A young Erik Lensherr is taken into custody by Nazi prison guards, after lashing out and using his magnetic powers against the soldiers for separating him from his parents. He is brought before the camp’s chief scientist, Dr. Schmidt, who orders him to demonstrate his power. When young Lensherr is unable to repeat his previous display, Schmidt executes the boy’s mother right in front of him. This tragic moment serves as a catalyst and Lensherr unleashes a devastating wave of magnetic energy ( causing everything metal in the doctor’s office to implode ). Meanwhile, a young Charles Xavier is awakened to a noise coming from downstairs in the kitchen of his family mansion in New York. He sees before him his own mother, but realizes it is really not her ( due to his telepathic powers ). The impostor turns out to be a young blue skinned girl named Raven Darkholme ( codename Mystique, Magneto’s right hand woman in the first film ), whose mutant ability is to mimic the appearance of other people. Charles, overjoyed at realizing that he is not the only one in the world that is “special”, invites the homeless girl to live with him in the mansion.

The story picks up more than a decade later in Las Vegas, where C.I.A. agent Moira MacTaggert ( played by actress Rose Byrne ) has infiltrated the exclusive “Hellfire Club”. She and the Agency are surveilling a U.S. Army Colonel who is about to do a deal to with the club’s leader Sebastian Shaw ( who is secretly a mutant with the power to absorb kinetic energy and be strengthened by it ), to install U.S. missiles in Turkey. Shaw’s intention is to make the “Cold War” between the U.S. and Russia even hotter and to compel Russia to invade Cuba, setting the stage for a nuclear conflict between the two superpowers ( one that Shaw believes only mutants will survive ). MacTaggert is stunned when she witnesses one of Shaw’s associates Azazel “teleport” the Colonel out of the room ( and back to Washington ). Not knowing anything about mutants, MacTaggert travels to Oxford, England to recruit Charles Xavier ( who is living with Raven and has just completed his doctorate on Genetics ). Surprised to find out that both he and Raven are mutants, the C.I.A. enlists his help in dealing with Sebastian Shaw. While attempting to raid Shaw’s private yacht with a covert C.I.A. strike team, Xavier ‘s telepathic attack is blocked by Emma Frost, another of Shaw’s associates, who is a telepath herself. They are also hindered by another one of Shaw’s team, Riptide ( whose mutant powers to create destructive whirlwinds almost capsizes the C.I.A. battleship ). This diversion allows Shaw and the rest to escape in a secret submarine. Unbeknownst to Xavier and the C.I.A., Erik Lensherr arrives to try and take out Shaw himself. Lensherr has devoted most of his life hunting down and killing former Nazis to avenge the death of his family. Shaw, as it turns out, was actually Dr. Schmidt ( the former chief of the concentration camp and murderer of Lensherr’s mother ) and he’s at the top of Lensherr’s death list. Before Lensherr can drown trying to hold on to the submarine with his magnetic power, Xavier persuades him to let go. Realizing that he and the C.I.A. are outgunned by the Hellfire Club, Xavier persuades the top brass at the Pentagon to allow him to recruit and train other mutants at his mansion for his own strike team against the evil mutants ( before Shaw’s plans lead to nuclear Armageddon…..and the extinction of homo sapiens is an absolute certainty ).

To be honest, when I heard they were making this film I was not that excited. I felt with the first X-Men trilogy, that they had mined enough material to satisfy the title’s fans and that they should concentrate on other Marvel properties. However, sometimes what is needed is not a step forward, but a step back. And with that, the film-makers have given us an origin story that not only makes the material fresh but it is, dare I say, one of the “truest” Marvel adaptations I have seen. Many of Marvel’s properties have been given a modern update and set in today’s 21st Century ( with the exception being the upcoming “Captain America: First Avenger” in July ). However, the Marvel lineup was “born” in the Silver Age or 1960′s. With the production design, costuming, and historical setting of the Cuban Missile Crisis reflecting the time period, this is the first Marvel adaptation to give us the “feel” of the Marvel Age. The epic scope of the film and the emphasis on global events bring to mind the James Bond films from the Connery era. I couldn’t help but think of the artist Jim Steranko’s work on Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. , when looking at some of the film’s sets  and character’s Mod style of dress. And finally, the wardrobe department actually found a way to give the X-Men’s uniforms the “yellow” the original team in the comics wore ( a color that was derided in Singer’s adaptation, which emphasized black leather ).

What really makes this film come alive though, ultimately, is the performances by the principal actors. James MacAvoy ( Atonement, Wanted ) gives a compassionate performance that evokes the character Patrick Stewart had established before. However, MacAvoy makes it his own by instilling the character with a youthful charm and exuberance. Fans of the comic wouldn’t confuse a drunken college student Xavier ( using his power to pick up women in bars ), with the serious high-minded academic Stewart gave us. On the other end of the spectrum, actor Michael Fassbender ( Hunger, Inglourious Basterds ) gives us a tortured portrait of the man whose pain and hatred of homo sapiens will one day put him in direct conflict with the only friend he’s ever had in his life. However, the standout in this film is newcomer Jennifer Lawrence ( last year’s Best Actress Academy Award nominee for Winter Bone and star of the upcoming Hunger Games ) as the future Mystique. Another inspired move by the film-makers is the retconning of a sibling relationship between her and Xavier ( one that she wishes were romantic ) and which makes her defection to Magneto’s camp that more tragic. Lawrence conveys the nuanced emotions needed to portray the lightning rod that ignites the ideological war between the two men.

Not every scene in the movie is played to dramatic effect. Look for a hilarious cameo during the scenes where Xavier and Lensherr recruit mutants for their combat unit. Also, another cameo that gives a sly wink to Raven’s future. And, if die hard comic fans are watching, look for a scene near the end of the movie that gives a slight nod to the ending of Superman II (1980).

 

For every story that centers on good versus evil, there has to be a great hero….and an equally great villain. And Kevin Bacon ( Mystic River, A Few Good Men, Apollo 13 ), in the role of Sebastian Shaw, does not disappoint. In one chilling scene, the Hellfire Club raids the C.I.A. compound, housing Xavier’s students and go about systematically killing off several of their C.I.A. handlers one by one. Shaw offers his own brand of violently persuasive “recruitment” and this scene is one, if not, THE best in the movie. The full threat of the Hellfire Club and the power that they are up against, hit the young mutants like a spike through the heart. Bacon’s performance makes that threat even more palpable and any illusions held by this “first class” that they are a match for the Hellfire Club quickly evaporate. The look of abject fear on the faces of the actors playing the young, untested mutants is classic. In my opinion, this is the best film of the X-Men franchise and I hope it will not be the last with this cast and production team.

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Thor: review
from Rob, May 10th, 2011 8:23 pm | No Comments | Movies

By Edward Gambichler

 

Thor

 

“…You don’t know what your actions would unleash……”

 

Frost Giant ( Thor )

 

When it comes to cinema of the past, comic book adaptations used to have an easier time making the jump from printed page to the screen. There existed an unspoken agreement between the filmmakers and their audience in regards to a suspension of disbelief. The filmgoer of the past did not need a character or concept rooted in practicality ( by way of proven scientific fact or pure common sense ). Nor did they need a film’s premise explained or justified to them when it flew in the face of logic. As the tagline in Richard Donner’s “Superman: The Movie” (1978) stated, “You’ll believe a man can fly”. Not just because of the special effects wizardry of the various production technicians, but by the audience’s willingness to be carried away by the illusions crafted by these FX masters. Fantasy was always taken at face value. Today’s film audiences, however, seem unable to make that great leap of faith that is required for the success of these comic book properties. Now the average filmgoer wants the subject matter to adhere to a certain amount of plausibility found only in the laws of their “real world”. Simply put, “If you want me to believe a man can fly, you better explain to me how the hell he can do it”.

Now, in 2012, the filmmakers behind the upcoming movie, “The Avengers” ( 2012 ) , must navigate that viewer mindset and the limits it places on them. With the release of “Iron Man” ( 2008 ), “The Incredible Hulk” ( 2008 ), and the upcoming movie , “Captain America: First Avenger” ( in July ), Marvel Studios inches closer to realizing its goal of depicting a shared cinematic universe between its characters ( something that has never been attempted by any other comic company before). And although the individual main characters between these properties have been made cohesive at best, the one character that seemed destined to rock the “plausibility” boat is the character of “Thor”. The technology of armored battle suits depicted in “Iron Man” are reflected in actual military projects such as the Raytheon Sarco exoskeleton.

And the subject of human enhancement depicted in “Captain America: First Avenger” and “The Incredible Hulk” is reflected in today’s stem cell research as well as developments in human growth hormones. “Thor”, on the other hand, has its origins in Norse mythology and not science. Also, the fact that Thor is one of the founding members of the Avengers, makes the task of bringing him to celluloid life that much more difficult. The fans expect him to be in it, and in their eyes it will not be a true Avenger’s movie if filmmakers have to shoot around him. Yet despite these hurdles, Marvel Studios ( under the unlikely direction of Shakespearean actor Kenneth Branagh ) released Thor in theaters last Friday.

Thor is the story of an extra-dimensional race of beings known as the Asgardians. There existence on Earth ( known to them as “Midgard” ) is known only through Norse mythology where they were worshipped by early Man as gods. Asgard, along with Earth, is part of the “Nine Worlds” that make up what is known as the “Tree of Life”. These worlds are separated by an inter-dimensional gateway, a “rainbow bridge” known as the “Bifrost” ( which is guarded by an omniscient sentry called Heimdall, played here by Idris Elba of HBO’s series, “The Wire” ). Long ago, Asgard went to war with one of the Nine Worlds, an ice-encrusted planet known as Jotunheim ( occupied by a race known as the Frost Giants ) in order to stop their invasion of Earth. At the conclusion of this war, an uneasy truce was brokered by Odin, ruler of Asgard ( played by Academy Award winner Sir Anthony Hopkins )and Laufey, ruler of Jotunheim ( played by Colm Feore of Showtime’s “The Borgias”. In order to force Jotunheim to adhere to the truce, Odin confiscated the source of their powers ( an ancient relic known as the “Casket of Ancient Winters” ).

The movie begins as Odin enters the “Odinsleep” ( a period of hibernation which serves to rejuvenate his powers ). He chooses as his successor to the throne his warrior son , Thor ( who wields a mystical hammer known as Mjolnir which gives him superhuman strength, the ability to fly and control over the atmospheric elements ). The proceedings are interrupted by three Frost Giants who have broken into the trophy room containing the Casket of Ancient Winters. Although the three giants are killed by an armored sentinel called the Destroyer, Thor ( played by actor Chris Hemsworth ) becomes incensed by the breach of Asgard’s walls. Despite Odin’s wishes to maintain the truce, Thor resolves to cross the Bifrost and invade Jotunheim and strike back. He is aided by his close friends, Lady Sif ( played by Jaimie Alexander ), Volstagg ( Ray Stevenson ), Fandral ( Joshua Dallas ), Hogun ( Tadanobu Asano ) and Loki, Thor’s brother who is trained as a sorcerer and is second in line to the throne of Asgard ( played by Tom Hiddleston ). A fever pitched battle ensues between the four and  King Laufey’s forces ( despite Loki’s pleas for Thor to withdraw and honor their father’s treaty ). Before the fray escalates further, it is interrupted by Odin on horseback, who orders the four back to Asgard. As punishment for his arrogance and for disobeying his decree ( placing all of Asgard in danger as a result of his actions ), Odin strips Thor of his power and banishes him to Earth. He also sends Mjolnir on the other side of the Bifrost to Earth as well ( with the condition that , henceforth, only a person who proves himself worthy would be able to wield its power ).

Thor and Mjolnir both wind up in New Mexico. Thor is soon discovered lying in the middle of the road by Jane Foster ( played by last year’s Academy Award winner for Best Actress Natalie Portman ), an astrophysicist who was in the middle of tracking the wormhole anomaly which brought Thor to Earth. Along with her mentor, Erik Selvig ( Stellan Skarsgård ) and assistant, Darcy ( Kat Dennings ), she gives Thor shelter. On the other side of town, a large group of locals try to remove Mjolnir from the ground. Due to Odin’s spell, however, they are unable to make it budge. The crash site is soon placed under quarantine and the jurisdiction of S.H.I.E.L.D. ( the anti-espionage government agency which serves as the underlying thread through all of Avenger’s films ). Once Thor discovers Mjolnir’s location, he storms the S.H.I.E.L.D. compound to take it back. Despite overpowering a whole unit of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, he is unable to lift Mjolnir from the ground and is taken into custody and interrogated by Agent Phil Coulson ( Clark Gregg ), S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nicholas Fury’s right hand man ). To make matters worst, Loki ascends to Asgard’s throne and refuses to lift Odin’s ban on Thor. It seems Loki  ( who has secretly harbored a deep jealousy of Thor ) is in liege with Laufey and the other Frost Giants and was behind the attempted break in of the trophy room. Loki soon dispatches the Destroyer to finish off Thor once and for all, a move that soon places the whole town of New Mexico in mortal danger. Thor must find it in himself to be worthy of Mjolnir, in order to stop Loki’s final plan and protect his new found friends. What surprised me the most about this film was how well director Kenneth Branagh handled and respected the material, hitting all the right “fanboy” notes.

When I heard that the producers had hired him to direct, I didn’t know what to think. Known primarily for his adaptations of the works of William Shakespeare and indie films, he’s not exactly the traditional choice to direct a summer blockbuster ( let alone a comic book adaptation ). However, he balances all the performances as well as the various elements and plot devices with an assured hand. Also, I felt the explanation of the Asgardians as a race of extra-dimensional beings rather than deities went a long way in  anchoring the film in the common scientific ground of the other Avenger films. What makes this film come alive though is the performances of its two leads, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. Not since Christopher Reeve in Superman: The Movie has there been a case of an actor so suited to a role than these two actors. Hemsworth rises to the occasion and portrays Thor with the right mixture of arrogance and charm ( as well as deftly handling the comedic elements of the “fish out of water” aspect of Thor’s arrival on Earth ). And Hiddleston avoids playing Loki as a one note villain and conveys both sympathy and treachery in equal and nuanced measures. It is going to be a treat watching these two go head to head next year in “The Avengers” ( 2012 ). Also, do not forget to stay after the closing credits for a scene that ties the film to Captain America and gives audiences a clue as to a major plot point in next year’s movie.

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Scream 4 review
from Rob, April 18th, 2011 10:44 pm | No Comments | Movies

By Edward Gambichler

Scream 4

“…This isn’t a comedy, its a horror film. People live, people die……..and you better start running……”

Ghostface ( Scream 4 )

Do you like “scary movies”? With this one simple question, the declining genre known as “slasher” films was revitalized. Slasher films were generally defined by film historians and fans alike as films in which the primary antagonist ( a psychopathic killer ) stalks an innocent group of people ( mostly teenagers ) and dispatches them in violent and graphic means. Usually the victims are cut off from the outside world ( secluded cabins in the woods, severed phone lines,etc. ) and the killer’s motives are tied to a shared history or relationship with his/ or her victims. One by one, the group is eliminated until the main protagonist ( traditionally, a beautiful and virginal young woman ) remains. The genre became so popular that many of the actresses who were cast in this role were referred to by fans as “scream queens”. Among the more classic entries in this type of movie were “Black Christmas” ( widely regarded as the first true slasher film ), “Prom Night”, “Terror Train”, “Friday the 13th”, “A Nightmare on Elm Street” ( a slasher film with a supernatural twist ) and the most famous of them all, “Halloween” ( starring Jamie Lee Curtis, cinema’s most famous “scream queen” ). The genre reached its peak in the late 70′s and mid 80′s. However, the rise of independent films like “Sex, Lies, and Videotapes”, “Drugstore Cowboy” and “Reservoir Dogs” and the popularity of filmmakers such as Stephen Soderbergh, Richard Linklater, and Quentin Tarantino relegated slasher films to the film purgatory of “straight to video” DVD release. It wasn’t until 1996 that the genre received a much needed jumpstart when Miramax ( thru their Dimension Films label ) released “Scream”.

Directed by horror maven Wes Craven ( “A Nightmare on Elm Street” )and written by Kevin Williamson ( “Dawson’s Creek”, “The Faculty” and another slasher entry, “I Know What You Did Last Summer”), Scream is the story of a group of high schoolers from the town of Woodsboro who are rocked by the brutal murder of one of their classmates, Casey Becker ( played in a brilliantly staged opening scene by actress Drew Barrymore ). The main protagonist, a lovely girl named Sydney Prescott ( played by “Party of Five’s” Neve Campbell ) is particularly affected by the murder, due to her own mother’s brutal rape and murder one year earlier. This mysterious killer plays a sick and twisted game with his prey by quizzing them on the subject of scary movies ( calling them first over the phone ), then killing them with a hunting knife when they give a wrong answer. The assailant conceals his/ or her identity by wearing a dark cloak and a Halloween mask resembling a screaming ghost. The cast also includes Skeet Ulrich, Rose McGowan, Matthew Lillard, Jamie Kennedy, David Arquette ( playing the town deputy, Dewey Riley ), and Courtney Cox ( in the role of Gale Weathers, news reporter and author of the book on the subject of Sydney’s mother’s death ). Scream became such a book office success that two sequels soon followed: Scream 2 (1997) and Scream 3 (2000). Both of these movies continued the character’s story arcs and the movie that was made about their lives, “Stab”.

Now, 2011,comes the release of Scream 4. This time out, the town of Woodsboro is rocked again by the double homicide of two young high school girls. The killer utilizes the same methods as the original Woodsboro killer ( Ghostface disguise, hunting knife, and cellphone ). Heading up the investigation is Dewey Riley ( who is now sheriff ) and married to Gale Weathers. Sydney Prescott has just arrived in town to start a book tour of her memoirs and when evidence linked to the murders is uncovered in her rental car, she becomes a suspect ( and is forced to stay in Woodsboro ). This time, the stakes are higher because it is Sydney’s niece Jill Roberts ( played by actress Emma Roberts ) and her friends ( played by Hayden Panetierre, Rory Culkin, Nico Torterella, Marielle Jaffe, and Erik Knudsen ) who are being hunted. As the body count gets higher, Sidney, Dewey, and Gale must race against time to catch the killer before tragedy strikes Sidney’s family again.

The one thing that made the first Scream movie unique from other slasher films of its kind was the level of self awareness ( especially in the character’s reactions to the events unfolding around them ). The characters in the film ( especially the “film geek” Randy Meeks, played by Jamie Kennedy ) would comment on how the situations they were in were like something out of a “scary movie”. The film was not just a straight up slasher movie, but also a commentary on traditional horror conventions. When Wes Craven directed the first “Nightmare on Elm Street” film and the third sequel “Dream Warriors”, he used the same structure as any other slasher film. When he was invited back to direct the sixth film in the series “Wes Craven’s New Nightmare”, however, his approach to the material was “out of the box”. The main characters of the film were not just Freddy Krueger and his victim Nancy, but their respective “real” world counterparts, actors Robert Englund and Heather Langenkamp ) and the plot centered around the actual production of a new Nightmare movie. Two years after, in 1996, he directed the first “Scream”.

I went to see the fourth film with a friend of mine, Juan. When we started to discuss the series of Scream films, Juan asked me to place them in order of 1 ( being the one I liked the best ) to 4 ( being the worst of the series ). I answered that I liked the first Scream first, Scream 4 second, Scream 3 third, and Scream 2, the last. Truth be told, Scream 4 would have been a lot better if the second and third one were never made. The same self awareness that made the first one unique, had by then been beaten to death. Also, the return of the three principal cast members ( Campbell, Arquette, and Cox ) fifteen years later, would have had a more nostalgic feel to it ( if the other two sequels hadn’t marred the original by convoluting the back story to Sidney Prescott’s family history ). When Neve Campbell first appears on the screen in the fourth film, I should have had the same reaction as when I saw Jamie Lee Curtis in “Halloween H2O: 20 Years Later” ( when she came basic to reprise her iconic role of killer Michael Myer’s sister, Laurie Strode ). There are times when I think that some film franchises would “feel” better to us fans, if we could just drop the second and third sequels from our collective consciousness ( Die Hard, Halloween, Highlander, etc. ). Unfortunately, hindsight is not foresight.

Also, the film convention that Scream 4 seems to be “ripping apart” this time are remakes of classic horror movies and how filmmakers change the rules making them fresh and less predictable. It’s not as enticing as the ones being parodied in the first film. Before the movie started, I saw a trailer for an upcoming film called “Apollo 18″ ( a movie about the supposedly last and secret lunar landing ). The movie utilizes the now popular “found footage” structure present in movies like “Blair Witch Project”,”Cloverfield”, and”Paranormal Activity”. For a second, I thought it would have been interesting to see a Scream movie produced in this vein. What makes this Scream film stand out this time is the killer’s motives behind the murders. The conclusion is logical and, at the same time, unsettling. All the character’s performances hit the right notes. Courtney Cox is especially funny this time out ( as well as “Mad Men”‘s Alison Brie in the role of Sidney’s publicist ). However, the standout in this film is Emma Roberts. She handles the young ingenue “scream queen” role just as well as Campbell or Curtis. Expect great things to come from this young actress. And I’m not saying that because her aunt is Julia Roberts and her father is Eric Roberts. Refrain from accusations of Hollywood nepotism, if you please.Trust me…..after this performance…….she doesn’t need to ride their coattails.

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Sucker Punch
from Rob, March 29th, 2011 8:03 pm | No Comments | Movies

By Edward Gambichler

 

Sucker Punch

 

 

“…If you don’t stand for something……you’ll fall for anything”

….Wise Man (Sucker Punch)

 

 

A few years back, I remember hanging out with a friend of mine from work named Ragnar during our lunch break.  Ragnar was thumbing through the Victoria Secret Spring catalog and without so much as a word held up a picture of Stephanie Seymour adorned in a red satin teddy and shot me an approving nod. I, in turn, held up the swimsuit issue of Flex magazine showing a centerfold spread of female bodybuilding champ Rachel McLish giving it the same “ME LIKE, ME LIKE” approving nod. Ragnar turned to me and asked, “Hey Ed……..you love women who can beat the living s#!t out of you…..don’t you”?  I didn’t give him an answer, but my sly grin conveyed it. I’ve never made it a secret, my admiration for powerful women. Mind you, you’ll never catch me in a hotel room, handcuffed to the bed, getting my nether regions shocked with an electric cattle prod by a $300 an hour leather clad S & M bondage hooker named Mistress Andromeda ( then again……maybe you would…..hey….some of you out there are my “real” friends…..you know me….). However, I can certainly tolerate a little “female empowerment” in today’s cinema. Could you blame me. Just look at some of the films this particular theme has offered to us in the past. From director Russ Meyer’s “Faster, Pussycat Kill Kill”,

Jack Hills, “Switchblade Sisters”, and as recent as Quentin Tarantino’s “Death Proof” ( the second segment in the double feature film “Grindhouse” ), this sub-genre has provided us with not only a plethora of beautiful kick-ass babes, but also some of the most fun and campy film premises ever committed to celluloid. When news that one of my favorite directors, Zack Snyder was shooting a movie with an all female cast and calling it…..of all things…”Sucker Punch”….I couldn’t buy my ticket fast enough. And as the highly stylized character posters from the film were being distributed around the subway stations ( in the weeks leading up to the film’s release ), I couldn’t wait to see his contribution to this time honored female exploitation theme. That is….until I actually saw it….and either Zack Snyder or somebody at Warner Brothers dropped the ball.

Set in the 1950′s, Sucker Punch is the story of a young girl by the name of Baby Doll (played by actress Emily Browning). The movie starts with the tragic death of Baby Doll’s mother and she and her younger sister are left in the care of her lecherous and evil step-father. When the step-father learns that he is cheated out of the mother’s will, he decides to take his anger out by trying to molest the two girls. When Baby Doll locks herself in the closet, the step-father turns his attention to her younger sibling. However, Baby Doll gets her hands on a gun and shoots at her step-father to stop his rampage. Tragically, the bullet misses him and ricochets, killing her sister. As a result of the shooting, she is committed to an insane asylum. Upon arrival, Baby Doll overhears her step-father close a financial deal with the hospital’s head orderly Blue Jones (played with eerie menace by Oscar Isaac). In order to silence Baby Doll from testifying to the authorities regarding the real events surrounding her and her sister’s attack, Blue will forge the signature of the head therapist Dr. Vera Gorski ( played by Watchmen’s Carla Gugino ) to approve an lobotomy performed by the Doctor ( an underused Jon Hamm ). Baby Doll has five days until the Doctor comes and completes the procedure. In the all-female wing of this institution, Dr. Gorski has the girls participate in a sort of “theater” therapy group. It is in this group that the girls adopt a shared alternate psychological universe. In this reality, the hospital is transformed into a burlesque nightclub owned by the gangster Mr. Blue (actually orderly Jones ) and the girls are the house’s exotic dancers trained for the clientele’s pleasure by Madam Gorski ( Dr. Gorski ). It is here that Baby Doll befriends four other dancers: Rocket ( played by Jena Malone ), Blondie ( played by Vanessa Hudgens ), Amber ( played by Jamie Chung ), and Rocket’s big sister and the club’s main dancer, Sweet Pea ( played by Abbie Cornish ). It is also in this setting that Baby Doll discovers a valuable talent for spellbinding dancing. With the clock ticking away till her inevitable appointment with the lobotomist, Baby Doll plans her escape from the club with her new “sisters”. In order to escape, they must retrieve four items from their orderlies/ employers: a map, a knife, fire, and a key. To obtain them, Baby Doll must dance and place each of their holders under a spell while the five girls do battle with hostile forces across four alternate fantasy worlds guided by a Wise Man ( played by actor Scott Glenn ).

 

Now on to the positives it’s a Zack Snyder film. The man who directed “Dawn of the Dead”, “300″, and what many have considered to be an impossible film to make, “Watchmen”. As a visualist, he ranks up there with Victor Fleming, Ridley Scott, and Tim Burton to name a few. The range of his palette is reflected in the set pieces of the fantasy battlefields (ranging from feudal samurai Japan, WWII goth steampunk, to Barbarella-esque futuristic Metropolis). The fight scenes are also well choreographed and emphasized by the “slo-mo” technique that has become Snyder’s staple. And I have to give special mention to the film’s soundtrack. It contains some truly exceptional covers to classic songs like Eurythmic’s “Sweet Dreams” (in the opening scene), Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit (during the WWII segment ), and my own personal favorite, The Pixies “Where Is My Mind?”. What is also surprising is that the covers “Sweet Dreams” and “Where Is My Mind” contain vocals by lead actress Emily Browning. She has a lovely voice which lends a soft melancholy vibe to these traditionally off-kilter tracks.

Unfortunately, of the five actresses, only Emily Browning and Jena Malone’s characters really stand out. This theatrical release is only one hour and forty nine minutes long. The other actresses’ characters are not strong personalities and they disappear into the background. I don’t blame the actresses, but the way their roles were written for the screen. According to interviews with Zack Snyder, the studio made extensive cuts and trimmed the movie from an R-rated to a PG-13 Rated release. However, a Director’s Cut will be made available for DVD and Blu-Ray release and that, as a reviewer, leaves me in a quandary. It’s hard to render a final judgment on a film or a director’s capabilities, based upon a studio edit. I and other reviewers run the risk of being too harsh on a film only to put our feet in our collective mouths when a re-release proves we “jumped the gun” in our initial negative assessment. I did not think too highly of Mark Steven Johnson’s theatrical version of “Daredevil”, but his Director’s Cut made it a different viewing experience altogether ( lending the movie a more nuanced tone ).

Another problem with this film in regards to a fantasy genre film-maker of Snyder’s stature is that its subject matter has given him too much to work with. Not to say the CGI in this film is not impressive……it is just too much. After awhile, the effects have a tendency to take the audience out of the film due to sensory overload (making a PS3 fed generation of movie-goers especially susceptible). There isn’t a particular “money shot” that stands out from the rest of the scenes. What Snyder needs to do is take a step back in his next film, like Tim Burton did with “Ed Wood” and concentrate on substance rather than presentation. The one director who seems to be immune from this overindulgence is Christopher Nolan (who’s dream within a dream narrative in “Inception” worked better and made more sense than the structure in this film).

Nolan’s emphasis is on large scale physical effects and it gives real weight to it’s surroundings and the characters that appear within. And last, the dark and somber mood to this film has torpedoed my initial hopes for a real fun and carefree femme fatale fest. I wish this level of CGI and Zack Snyder were around in the 60′s or 80′s. A sort of Mamie Van Doren meets “Tank Girl” hybrid, instead of Avril Lavigne meets Marilyn Manson. I like my “good girls gone” BAD, not MANIC DEPRESSIVE SUICIDAL.

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Red Riding Hood:Review
from Rob, March 22nd, 2011 6:56 pm | No Comments | Movies

By Edward Gambichler

Red Riding Hood

 

“…What big eyes you have……”

Valerie ( Red Riding Hood )

 

In answer to the eternal question posed to fans of the series of Twilight films,  “Which team are you a member of….Team Edward ( vampires ) or Team Jacob ( werewolves )….I have to place myself firmly in the latter’s corner.  Not that I’m desperate to see Taylor Lautner with his shirt off anytime soon, ( although…gotta admit…the guy is buff…) I just sympathize more with the werewolf’s lot in life. It all goes back to Lon Chaney Jr.’s tragic performance as the doomed lycanthrope Larry Talbot in Universal Pictures “The Wolfman” ( released in 1941 ). Lycanthropy is more or less viewed as a curse the victim does not ask for. The human lycanthrope ( usually afflicted by the bite of another werewolf ) is unable to halt the change that comes upon it during a full moon cycle.  And as depicted in pop culture (  the 1981 movie ” American Werewolf in London” and the original BBC TV series “Being Human ), this change is not without a considerable amount of physical agony. He / or she also cannot control their actions in their lycan forms nor the killing of innocent victims and must bear the guilt and horror of being the cause of their deaths.  However, I mostly side with werewolves because I’m so sick and tired of vampires complaining about living forever and having abilities 10x times that of any normal human being……as well as being irresistible to women.

 

In literature, the Wolf is often portrayed as an antagonist to the hero or heroine. Examples can be found in stories such as  “Peter and the Wolf” and “The Three Little Pigs”. The most recognizable of these stories is “Little Red Riding Hood”, made popular by the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault. In this fairy tale, a young red cloaked Girl, on her way to her Grandmother’s house, is confronted by a hungry Wolf. The Wolf does not want to eat her in the open, so he suggests she go pick some flowers. The Wolf then steals away to her Grandmother’s house, consumes the old lady, then dresses up in her clothes and waits for the young Girl. When she finally arrives, the Girl mistakes the Wolf for her Grandmother. However, she grows suspicious about her Grandmother’s change in appearance ( she has larger eyes, larger nose, and teeth ). Before the Wolf can pounce on the Girl, a Hunter enters the house just in time and shoots the Wolf.

 

In the movie “Red Riding Hood” ( directed by “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke ), this time the werewolves are given the tortured romanticized facelift. In this adaptation of the popular folktale, Valerie ( the red cloaked heroine played by Amanda Seyfried ) is in love with the woodcutter Peter ( Shiloh Fernandez ). Unfortunately for the two lovers, Valerie’s parents, Cesaire and Suzette ( played by Billy Burke and Virginia Madsen ) promised her hand in marriage to Henry Lazar ( Max Irons ) in order to pay off a debt to his wealthy father, Adrian ( Michael Shanks ). Valerie and Peter decide to run away together, but their plans are tragically cut short by the vicious killing of Valerie’s sister, Lucy. It seems that similar killings have been attributed in the past by a powerful Werewolf. However, the townspeople had reached an agreement with the beast and monthly sacrifices had been offered to it in exchange for them being spared his hunger. The men of the town form a hunting party and soon capture and kill a large grey wolf ( thinking it is the culprit ). However, the local magistrate and experienced witch hunter, Father Solomon ( played by Gary Oldman ) arrives in town with an infantry of soldiers and deduces that the real Wolf is still at large ( stating that if the grey wolf were indeed a true werewolf then he would have reverted to his “human” form once killed ). And that not only is the real Wolf still at large, but that he is actually one of the townspeople.

First off, let me begin by stating the positive aspects of this film. The cinematography is beautiful and lush and the production design is a match for it. Also, Amanda Seyfried makes for a capable lead and the camera loves her. So few of today’s actresses are as capably photographed as Miss Seyfried is by this film’s cinematographer ( with my own personal gold standard example being Grace Kelly in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Rear Window” ).

Unfortunately, as far as an adaptation of the popular folktale of Little Red Riding Hood goes, this film falls short. The “whodunit murder mystery” aspect of the film feels forced as well as obvious and the same themes of forbidden love were already explored by Hardwicke in the first Twilight movie. Nothing new is being added to the  formula and not even the prestige of a brilliant actor of Gary Oldman’s class can lift this production. Also, today’s special effects teams have veered away from traditional physical makeup appliances to depict werewolves and instead rely on CGI depictions ( making the film’s Wolf look like something out of a “Big Boss” level in a PS3 video game ).

Gone are the brilliant effects that made “The Howling” and “American Werewolf in London” the classic films that they were. If you really want to see the story of Little Red Riding Hood done right, I suggest renting the movie “The Company of Wolves”starring Angela Lansbury as the Grandmother

( a 1984 film by Neil Jordan, director of “The Crying Game” ). This movie not only offers a unique take on the fairy tale but also goes deep into the folklore and myths associated with Lycanthropy. However, if you really want to treat yourself to a true “out of the box” depiction of this classic fairytale then look no further than the dementedly skewed dark comedy 1996 film “Freeway”,

starring Reese Witherspoon and Kiefer Sutherland ( in the roles of the Red Riding Hood and Big Bad Wolf characters respectively ). This re-imagining is pure genius and Sutherland’s take on the Wolf is no less inspired. It is Reese Witherspoon, however, who steals this movie and she is a revelation. Although she is known primarily today for her numerous high profile dramatic turns and rom-com roles, this earlier performance of hers just happens to be my personal favorite. I dare anyone watching this film to name another actress in recent history who could have “knocked it out of the ballpark” in the way Miss Witherspoon does in this one. She is, as they say, an absolute “hoot”!

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The Adjustment Bureau
from Rob, March 9th, 2011 11:29 pm | 1 Comment | Movies

Review by Edward Gambichler

The Adjustment Bureau

“You can’t outrun your fate, David”

- Terence Stamp, The Adjustment Bureau ( 2011 )

In the two months of being a member of the staff of AlternativeMindz.com , I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of an exceptionally creative group of people ( whom I also have the honor of calling my friends ). And not only that, but I also get to contribute to this (in the words of the great philosopher and part-time pharmacist Charlie Sheen) EPIC collaboration by doing something that has long been close to my heart: watching and discussing films. I’ve written three movie reviews for the site so far. And when I write up these reviews……my only goal is to be hopefully as in depth and unique in my opinions as the movies I am discussing. For the “casual film-goer” who is asked to describe a film he/or she has seen, one of the most common phrases used in order to accomplish this task is “It’s like Movie A meets Movie B”. As a “film-lover” who takes great pleasure in dissecting a film’s themes, I am loathe to provide my fellow aficionados with so ham-handed and shallow a description. Unfortunately, I must fly in the face of my own approach and describe the subject of my fourth review…The Adjustment Bureau……as “An Affair to Remember” meets “Dark City” meets “Matrix Reloaded“.

I’d like to be able to say that the fault rests with me and my “oversimplified” view towards today’s box office releases. Unfortunately, the movie industry has not made it easier for me by sticking to time worn plot devices and genres. As I said to my good friend, Juan (and what would already be obvious to you), original films (ones consisting of a unique idea, plot, direction, or theme you have not come across before) are few and far between. Movie B is either derivative, a pointless sequel to, or an outright remake of Movie A. Although you are confidant you’ve never seen The Adjustment Bureau, it will no doubt strike several familiar chords.

The movie centers around a young up and coming politician named David Norris ( played by actor Matt Damon ) whose campaign for the New York Senate seat is derailed when questionable photographs of a drunken barroom “mooning” episode from his wild past come back to haunt him. Afterwards, he finds out he has dropped significantly from the polls and has lost the election to his older opponent. While rehearsing his concession speech in a men’s bathroom, he is startled by an enchanting young woman named Elise (played by actress Emily Blunt) who snuck in to use one of the stalls. To say their attraction to each other is strong is an understatement. and not only does David get a kiss from the young lady, but a second wind in the form of inspiration from his brief hookup. His concession speech goes from a humbling admission of defeat to a rousing and honest promise to bounce back and further pursue his political future.  From there, his Life is back on track and everything goes according to plan. Not David’s plan as we find out………but the Plan that has been implemented by a god-like being known as the “Chairman”. The race of human-like beings ( who are distinguishable in appearance from other humans only by the fedoras they wear ) who serve the Chairman to guide humans like David along their individual Path are referred to as simply, The Adjustment Bureau. They are the ones who are really in control of our reality and who make sure all the events in our lives are engineered towards the execution of this Plan.

David is  derailed from his Path one day,  however, when his assigned Adjuster Harry ( played by actor Anthony Mackie ) falls asleep and misses guiding David though a crucial window.  It is within this unexpected gap of time that David bumps into Elise again on a downtown bus (an event that was not supposed to happen ). The attraction between them is still palpable and she gives him her phone number. However, Harry was supposed to delay David and Norris arrives in his office ten minutes earlier than what was planned. There he is a witness to a bizarre event unfolding….. his co-workers and his best friend and campaign manager Charlie, frozen in place……while a team of Adjusters led by a man named Richardson (  actor John Slattery of Mad Men fame ) fine tune their victims memories and choices. When David observes the surreal scene unfolding him, he flees the office with the Adjusters giving chase. Despite his best efforts to shake them ( every time David seems to turn a corner………an Adjuster is there waiting for him..), they finally corner him and they take them into their custody. Knowing they have no other choice ( now that Norris has seen too much )…….they divulge their entire existence to David. Richardson informs Norris that he and his political ambitions are an important part of the Chairman’s Grand Plan. Unfortunately for David, and his budding romance, Elise was only suppose to inspire his rebound speech…….and that was the extent of her role.  However, David ( who is still infatuated with Elise ) is unwilling to acknowledge the stakes of his role in the Plan. He is then informed that if he does not turn away from a Life with Elise…..not only will he jeopardize his future in politics…..but her dreams of being a famous dancer.

However, the attraction David feels for her is so powerful that he’ll risk everything he has to try to manipulate the forces and events surrounding him so he can keep Elise in his Life. In order to do that, he must go on the run with Elise, find the Chairman and convince him to forge a different Plan for the two……with a determined team of Adjusters hot on their trail.

This film is based on famous sci-fi novelist Philip K. Dick’s short story Adjustment Team. And like the majority of film adaptions of Dick’s work….it is “loosely” based. Dick is one of those rare authors whose story concepts and central ideas translate well to film……but not his overall tone. With the exception of Blade Runner and A Scanner Darkly…….most of these adaptations had to take on some of the aforementioned time worn devices to make it palatable to general audiences. With Total Recall…..it was an Action film.  With Minority Report….it was a Chase film. And finally with the Adjustment Bureau….we have the Love Story.

Unfortunately, we have seen some of the themes present here in other movies already. In Dark City the world is populated by sinister beings who can manipulate humans ( much like the Adjusters ) in order to make them respond in ways they dictate.  The Adjusters, in this film, utilize inter-dimensional doorways to travel from one geographical location to another (much like the corridors programs use to travel between two digital worlds (as in Matrix Reloaded). All in all………there is nothing that really makes this film stand out in the science fiction genre. People will likely recall this film ten years from now, but, it will not be first on anyone’s minds when they are asked to name the top sci-fi films of all time.

What this movie does benefit from is the extraordinary amount of onscreen chemistry between the two leads, Damon and Blunt. Damon has a gift for providing a relaxed atmosphere and rapport with his female co-stars (much like with Vera Farmiga in The Departed ). Based on their performances alone, this film would probably have found better success as a normal rom-com or drama ( without the sci-fi element ). Hopefully, this will not be the last screen pairing of the two.

Do we control our destiny, or do unseen forces manipulate us? Matt Damon stars in the thriller The Adjustment Bureau as a man who glimpses the future Fate has planned for him and realizes he wants something else. To get it, he must pursue the only woman he’s ever loved across, under and through the streets of modern-day New York. On the brink of winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, ambitious politician David Norris (Damon) meets beautiful contemporary ballet dancer Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt)-a woman like none he’s ever known. But just as he realizes he’s falling for her, mysterious men conspire to keep the two apart. David learns he is up against the agents of Fate itself-the men of The Adjustment Bureau-who will do everything in their considerable power to prevent David and Elise from being together. In the face of overwhelming odds, he must either let her go and accept a predetermined path.

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Red State trailer
from Rob, February 23rd, 2011 8:42 pm | No Comments | Movies

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The Green Hornet
from Rob, January 18th, 2011 8:12 pm | 4 Comments | comic book, Movies

The Green Hornet by Ed Gambichler (co-host of the flicks picks)

“Let’s roll, Kato” – Britt Reid

Whenever movie makers have to deal with casting decisions based upon characters portrayed in well known properties ( whether it be literature, television series, or video games ), they must always confront that nearly impossible task of facing down the invisible dragon that is the nemesis of film making: audience expectations.  And there is no greater hurdle in this process than comic book adaptations. It is one thing for directors and producers to reach the conclusion that an actor or actress is the “One” ( based on his/ her audition, their chemistry between themselves and their co- stars, and how they fit in the overall aesthetic of the film )….it is quite another when those decisions have been made for them by the very audience they are trying to reach ( even before one frame of film is committed to the “can” and shown on screen ). It places them in a box that asks them to forgo their personal vision as well as their sense of originality and daring and settle on the “safe” route of acquiescing to what the “fan-boys or fan-girls” want. And if the filmmakers were to go ahead and cast an actor or actress that the fans perceive to be “totally out of left field”, then the entire production can be expected to be criticized and in a sense “condemned” on every blog pertaining to the genre (critical to a production which is, in a sense, totally dependent on and at the mercy of “good word of mouth”. So one could only imagine the filmmakers trepidation in announcing Seth Rogen ( a traditionally perceived comedy star ) and Jay Chou ( an unknown Taiwanese pop singer) in the respective roles of the cult comic book characters The Green Hornet and his partner Kato.

The Green Hornet was first conceived as a radio serial by George W. Trendel and Fran Striker ( who were also responsible for the creation of the Lone Ranger as well ) with input by station director James Jewell. The premise centers around the character of Britt Reid, a newspaper publisher by day and the costumed masked vigilante The Green Hornet at night. He is aided by his similarly masked partner and Asian manservant Kato. Together they fight the corruption that plagues the city of Los Angeles by taking on crime bosses, utilizing exceptional hand to hand fighting skills ( especially Kato ) and a technologically tricked out and weaponized vehicle ( tin the form of  a Chrysler Imperial Crown ) dubbed “The Black Beauty”.

Of course, there have been many comic characters who have worn a mask or driven a souped up muscle car ( for instance The Spirit, Batman, and The Phantom to name a few ). However, what makes the characters of Green Hornet and Kato so unique is the ingenious concept twist that they are perceived by their city and it’s citizens as members of the same crime underworld whose very grip the two swore to free them from. By being known at large as one of the “bad guys”, it makes it easier for the masked duo to infiltrate various criminal organizations and gain access to information that they would not normally be privy to if they existed on the legit side of the Law. This brilliantly subversive concept allows the duo to take down the “Mob” from within (thru misinformation and bogus business deals they set up with these mobsters) and not put innocents in harm’s way while doing it. The Green Hornet  radio show was also spun off into a collection of two 1940′s film serials ( starring Gordon Jones in the first and Warren Hull in the second as Britt Reid and Keye Luke as Kato in both films). The character appeared in comic books, and (in its most famous incarnation ) a 1966 television show. The series achieved cult status …..not due to actor Van Williams portrayal of the title character, but by the introduction to American viewing audiences of legendary martial arts icon Bruce Lee as Kato (  so popular in the role that overseas Asian markets advertised the series as “The Kato Show”……a move that would springboard Lee’s Hong Kong action film career ).

Since the early 1990′s, Hollywood had tried unsuccessfully to launch a film adaptation of the character. One of the first pair of actors to be named in connection to the roles were George Clooney ( who even announced the project during a guest appearance on The Tonight Show )and Jason Scott Lee ( who had played the lead role in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story which included a scene depicting the actor in costume as Kato, filming a scene on The TV series set ). The movie was to be directed by then music video director Michel Gondry (known for his emphasis on visual effects…..most notably pioneering the “bullet time” sequences made famous by the Wachowski Bros. film, “The Matrix”.  The project changed many hands, from Gondry to director Kevin Smith, to  actor-director Stephen Chow( star of Kung Fu Hustle in the role of Kato ), and actors Greg Kinnear and Jake Gyllenhaal . The production finally landed back in Gondry’s lap, giving star billing to the unlikely pair of comedy actor Seth Rogen and the relatively unknown Jay Chou.


First off, I have to say , this adaptation works for me. Most of the fans feared that this comic book property would be dumbed down as a “buddy comedy” rather than a version that reflected the serious noir tone of the TV series. But then again, that’s my point. The TV series ( in my opinion ) had already satisfied the fan base’s expectations for the characters to a point where I felt that Rogen, Chou, Gondry and writer Evan Goldberg really had nothing to prove to them. Much like I didn’t feel disappointed when Superman Returns fell short of my hopes for it to be great movie since the first Superman movie starring Christopher Reeve more than fulfilled my wishes for a faithful adaptation of The Man of Steel ( even going so far as to set the bar for other future comic book film adaptations ). There is no way Chou can live up to the impact Bruce Lee made in the role of Kato. Nor can Rogen be expected to be taken seriously as a straight up matinee action movie star of Van Williams’ caliber. However the actors, as well as the filmmakers, succeed in making their version exist as its own “animal”. What makes it easier is that it’s subversive concept is what makes the Green Hornet the unique property it is. The actor’s being cast for the characters of Bruce Wayne or Clark Kent, for example, must live up to or meet the same fan expectations associated with Batman or Superman respectively. However, the Green Hornet  and Kato are cult heroes……not cultural icons. The alter egos of Britt Reid and Kato are not so ingrained in the pop culture psyche, that they must adhere to a set list of criteria that demands a specific actor. Bottom line:  everyone knows who Batman and Superman is. Who Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent is. Even if you’re a comic geek or a random filmgoer. Only a handful know who The Green Hornet and Kato is. There isn’t a “general” audience expectation of who should play these roles, and that is what Rogen and Chou have going for them.

In this adaptation of the title character, Britt Reid is the wealthy and spoiled son of a disapproving father, a respected newspaper publisher.  At a young age, Britt had a heroic impulse to help others. This impulse led to a fight at school where he rushed to the aid of a classmate being bullied in the schoolyard. However, instead of  praising young Britt for coming to the aid of others, he sharply criticized the young boy for being a problem ( an incident which would caused Britt to spend the rest of his adult life behaving irresponsibly and being a burden to his father…….causing a deep rift between the two ). On his way home from another one of his decadent parties, however, he learns that his father has suddenly passed away due to an allergic reaction to a bee sting. Now the sole owner of his father’s newspaper, The Daily Sentinel, Britt finds himself having to live up to the legacy that his dear old Dad has established. However, knowing that he’ll never measure up to this standard, he deals with it by getting drunk and firing most of the housekeeping staff of his father’s mansion. He wakes up expecting a cup of his favorite coffee,but finds that it is nothing like the cup of Joe he normally enjoys.  When he realizes that he fired the one person capable of making the fantasic brew, he promptly hires the servant back, a young asian man named Kato. Kato, a mechanical genius, was hired by Britt’s father to maintain his rare collection of automobiles. Soon, the two bond over a couple bottles of beer and their mutual resentment of Britt’s father. This resentment leads to a bit of midnight vandalism on their part of a statue of Britt’s father the citizens had commissioned to commemorate his crusade against citywide criminal corruption.  During this act, the two witness a young couple about to be mugged by a roaming street gang. Rediscovering his childhood impulse to help others, Britt confronts the gang….but is immediately overpowered by them. To Britt’s surprise, Kato comes out of nowhere and dispatches each member of the gang with martial arts expertise backed up by lightning fast precision. Realizing that both he and Kato can continue on their mission, fighting the same corruption in Los Angeles his father tried to expose, Britt creates the persona of The Green Hornet. He also comes up with the plan to for Kato and him to pose as criminal masterminds, in order to get close to the city’s real criminal element. They are successful at first, making a name for themselves and having their exploits grab headlines in the The Daily Sentinel. However, they soon show up on the radar of the murderous and up and coming gang leader, Benjamin Chudnofsky ( played by Christoph Waltz….coming off his recent Oscar win as Col. Hans Landa in director Quentin Tarantino’s film, Inglourious Basterds. Also, their new partnership ( as well as their friendship ) is soon threatened by the introduction of Britt’s new secretary at the newspaper office, Leonore Case ( played by Cameron Diaz ). They both engage in a jealous romantic rivalry between each other over Ms. Case, who’s knowledge of the methods of various criminal organizations ( thru her college courses ) they solicit.  The two must overcome the fallout of their friendship to deal with the growing threat Chudnofsky’s growing power lust poses to the Los Angeles.

The chemistry of the two principal leads is spot on. Jay Chou (tasked to fill the shoes of the late great Bruce Lee ) acquits himself well in the role of Kato. He also holds his own with Seth Rogen in the films more comedic scenes ( in which Rogen is dependable as always ). And as Chudnofsky, Christoph Waltz displays the appropriate balance of both menace and impeccable comic timing.

The only one who falls short in my opinion is Cameron Diaz, although I feel it is not her fault due to being saddled with the largely thankless role of the “love interest” ( which, unfortunately, every production team feels the need to burden an action film with). Finally, this is one of those rare film productions that actually took the time and made a concentrated effort to make the 2D to 3D post film conversion a success. When the 3D effect is married to Michel Gondry’s inspired visual effects, the results are worth the admission price. Although I will always recognize the 1966 T.V. series as being the one true adaptation of the character, that fact didn’t prevent me from enjoying this film adaptation for what it was.

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