The Watchmen Trailer

Ok, this isn’t a movie that’s been released yet, but today is a day I’ve waited on for a LONG time.

My favorite (as well as many people’s favorite) graphic novel of all time, The Watchmen, has been turned into a film.

Will it be as good as the book?  I hope.  Will it follow it directly?  Probably impossible due to time constraints.  Does Alan Moore (the graphic novel’s author) like it?  No, but he’s an jerk about property rights and frankly is trying to keep it in it’s original form.  I understand that he’s allowed an opinion since he created it…but geez, he doesn’t like ANYTHING that he’s created turned into a film (V for Vendetta’s another great example).

Anyway, The Watchmen is about a society that has grown tired of superhero vigilantism and so the Watchmen is a group of dysfunctional heroes that become outlaws and have to annoucne themselves.  Then, years later, they’re called back into service by the same people that outlawed them.  But after all the years of distaste toward them, they’d rather give a big “F U” instead.

You’ve GOT to check out this trailer.  I think they nailed some of the characters from the book.  Ozymandias, The Nite Owl, Silk Spectre (I & II), The Comedian, Rorshach, Dr. Manhattan and more come to life in this film, and I CAN’T wait to see it.

Check this trailer out at Apple’s trailer website, or just go directly here.

Hancock

Well, since I’m currently ‘between jobs’ you won’t hear a lot from me in the realm of recent release…cuz I’m being frugal.  However, listening to 89fm the Impact (MSU student radio) I won myself some free tix to go see this one, and I was happy to do so.

I’ll start with my big negative.  Stop the damn camera movement already!  Seriously!  It’s like the DP (Director of Photography) just said, “all I want is for you guys to shake the cameras, zoom in and out repeatedly and without any idea of what we’re looking at…and and throw a really deep focal length in there…yeah, right past the actors and backgrounds into nothingness.”  It was seriously distracting for the first 20 minutes.  Just constant disregard for film-making in my opinion.

That being said, this movie had a great plot.  I can’t tell you about it though.  The previews show VERY LITTLE of the movie, and for good reason.  This is not just about a superhero who likes being disliked and his rise to the publics good graces.  Although that has a lot to do with the start of it.  It quickly moves much deeper…and it’s good.  I didn’t see it coming.

And for those of you who have read spoilers…I really don’t think you’ve heard the truth just yet.  There’s been some murmurs about relationship stuff…but nah…you’ve got nothin’.

Sorry for the short review, I’ll just say this until it’s been out for a long time: Go see it, but sit in the back so you don’t get dizzy and disoriented.  I feel like apologizing for the camera work, even though I had nothing to do with it…just because I’m recommending it.  Anyway…check this one out!  If you can’t afford the theater, that’s fine, because it’ll probably be better on a smaller, less disorienting screen. 

O Brother, Where Art Thou?

If you haven’t seen this one yet…something is wrong with you.  If you’re worried that the title is that of a boring movie, or one where they speak all old-timey…you’re dumb.

Ok, now that I’ve insulted those of you who haven’t seen it and you probably haven’t read past my judgmental intro, let me explain why I feel that way.

This movie is incredible.  First of all, great casting.  Not a huge George Clooney fan (read: Not an 35+ woman with a penchant for Hollywood archetypal bachelors)?  Doesn’t matter, he’s still great here.  But even without him, you’re looking at John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman and directed by the Coen Brothers (Fargo; The Big Lebowski; more).  The digital effects in this movie are almost unnoticeable, it was basically just some dirty color-correction (or falsifying).

And yes, you can’t write an opinion piece about this movie without making the comparison to The Odyssey since it’s based on the epic poem follow-up to the Iliad by Homer.  The epic poem is about Odysseus’ (or Ulysses’ in the Roman version) journey home from war with Troy, and how he becomes cursed by Poseidon (deservedly so) so that he will not be able to return home for 20 years.  It’s not an exact interpretation by any means, but Ulysses in this story is a southern boy tryin’ to get back with his family after being in jail for a while.  And his wife much like the Roman Penelope is being approached by a suitor who wants to take his place as head of the household.  I’m unsure why the mythic tale’s one son is replaced by about 9 little girls instead…but I’m not great at this stuff.  I do know that it includes a soothsayer (on a railroad), some Siryn’s (who seduce), and a Cyclops.

Let me pause there, as the Cyclops in this movie is one of my favorite characters.  John Goodman plays a bible-salseman with an eye patch.  A GREAT adaptation of character in my mind since he is a “child of the Lord” just like the Cyclops in the original tale is ACTUALLY a child of Poseidon (a god).

This movie is a fun journey from start to finish.  If you’ve read the Odyssey you’ll catch some nods, but if you haven’t then you’ll just enjoy it because of how much fun it is.

Minimal language, and minimal violence, makes this a fun story for most ages.  Although it does have some Ku Klux Klan imagery that may be a bit overwhelming…aside from that, they’re pretty good about making this family friendly…go rent it!

V For Vendetta

Ahh, the consiracy theory, meets the comic book, meets the anarchist, meets Guy Fawkes.

The Graphic Novel from the 80’s comes to life thanks to the Matrix creative team of the Wachowski Bros & James McTiegue.  Alan Moore (the original writer) was devastated to find he had no way of stopping this from getting made.  He’s a mad scientist of a writer, brilliant, yet mad.

Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith from the Matrix) and Natalie Portman (Queen Amidala from Star Wars: Episode 1) portray the ‘terrorist’ V and Evey Hammond, his willing captive whom he teaches his ways to over the course of a year.

This is a hard story to explain.  Set in a fictional futuristic and post-holocaust England this world is very “Big Brother” and very Nazi Germany, had the Nazis won.  It’s an interesting look into the mind of a terrorist who is trying to free his country from a grip that no one realizes it has on them.

If you haven’t seen this one, it isn’t particularly chipper, but it is wonderful.  The previews showed a lot of action, but that was a tad misleading as this is a plot-driven story.  Changed somewhat from the original graphic form, it still (in my mind at least) keeps it’s anarchist roots and positively negative story form.

Pick it up from Netflix, Blockbuster, or your local Video-To-Go.

Fools’ Gold

Starring Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson, this treasure hunting flick was awesome.  I honestly loved it.  It reminded me of “How to lose a guy in 10 days” (of course – same stars; but seriously their chemistry is great together) mixed with “The Goonies” mixed with any old good action adventure comedy.  I think it was a great mixture of both of those things as well, comedy and action/adventure.  It wasn’t heavy-handed on either end.

Basically the plot goes as such: Crazy-outlandish guy is losing his crazy-outlandish-but-wishes-she-were-more-scholarly wife after being incredibly unreliable.  They get divorced just moments before she finds out that he knows where this treasure is that they’ve been searching for throughout their 8 years together (they’re treasure-hunters by the way).  So she goes back to work for rich Mr. Honeycutt on his yacht who is equal to the Hilton family patriarch and kind of coaxes but kind of blindly leads her (now ex) husband to the yacht where they sell the idea of digging up this under-water (just off the Key West coast) Spanish treasure to Honeycutt.  He and his Paris Hilton-esque daughter are on board and a hunt ensues.

Meanwhile, the island that they’re hunting just off of is completely owned by renowned rapper (and acquitted murder suspect) Bigg Bunny.  He’s a gangster.  But a well-educated one.  His two dummy thugs bring some good comedy along (one of whom is fake-Jamaican-accented Malcolm Jamall-Warner from the Cosby Show).

Anyway, this is one that the husband and wife can watch together for SURE, and I think even the kids will love it, although there is some violence, and I can’t remember if there’s some serious language or not…I don’t think it’s too bad.

Anyway, go rent it this weekend!

Pan’s Labyrinth

While it’s been a while since I’ve seen this movie, I just have to say, if you like fantasy, or if you like mythology, or if you like stories, and aren’t terrified of nightmares…you have to see this movie.  I know that’s a strange way to explain a movie, but seriously, it’s such a strange, yet beautiful and sad movie, you’ve got to watch it.  It will make your imagination race, your heart soar, and then drop again, and it will have you pissed off.  Any movie that can manipulate you so well should be paid attention to. Director Guillermo Del Toro is no stranger to the fantasy genre though, he was also the guy who helmed the fantasy/comic-adaptation Hellboy.
To be honest, the reason I was thinking about Pan’s Labyrinth was because I was researching what comic book movies are coming out in the next four years and saw Guillermo is releasing Hellboy 2: The Golden Army this summer, and is slated to direct Doctor Strange in 2010.  If you’re not familiar, Dr. Strange is the modern day imperial wizard…it’s a sweet, yet crazy comic.  And Guillermo is perfect for it.
Check out Pan’s Labyrinth if you have time, but to be honest, you may want to watch it with someone just so you don’t go into a deep depression, or angry tirade while watching it.  But it’s sweet.  Trust me.

Drillbit Taylor

Another Judd Apatow production!  I love it.  Judd is behind some great projects, look it up!  Starring Owen Wilson and Leslie Mann as well as some freakin’ funny kids.

Let me tell you a few highlights that I found in this movie:

• The bully was incredibly believable and NOT cheesy as expected
• They talk about how easy it is to be a teacher
• The fight scenes were incredible
• The fat kid reminds me a lot of Cartman, only less of a pain.

Honestly, I didn’t expect much from this movie, and it delivered much more.  The beginning was a bit slow, but it picked up and took off.

I know I’m being vague…sorry, I’m tired.  Go watch Drillbit Taylor.  Parents, it’s got some language, but still…FUNNY.

Mad Money

What do you mean you’ve never heard of Mad Money?  Oh that’s right, because it flopped out of the cinema before it was given a chance (or deserved one).

Here’s my opinion: Terrible casting, a flimsy plot, and overdone reversal editing normally would come together for a terrible piece o’crap…but this…somehow…was different.

This didn’t suck.

Again though, the casting was terrible.  They want us to believe that Katie Holmes & Queen Latifah are just your average everyday line workers at the Fed.  That’s right, the US Government’s Federal Reserve.  Where money goes to die (literally in this case).  Then, they throw Diane Keaton in as a stuck-up upper class woman from outside DC whose husband is fired from his corporate management career and can’t find work (for over a year) so she takes up a job with the Fed as a custodian.  Right.  Because that’s what all middle class women resort to…

The terrible plot you ask?  They’re going to successfully rob the Fed.  There are absolutely NO explanations as to why they’re able to work a system that no one else has ever been able to crack before…but whatever.  We’re supposed to look past this.

The reversal editing theme starts us off with all the secondary characters being interrogated by some governing body of law enforcement.

But again…I actually found myself enjoying this movie.  And do you know why?  Ted Danson and Roger Cobb.  Two of the three lead males in the movie.  The only voice of reason.  Seem sexist?  I’m not one to conspire such things, but of course, two male writers did lead to this screenplay, so I’m shocked that Diane Keaton signed on.  She strikes me as a feminazi…total judgment there on my part, forgive me, I have no clue what she’s like.

Anyway, through out the movie, in-between my running mental commentary of “this is ridiculous and could never happen” was the part of me that kept saying, “Cool…get the money!”  I found myself actually rooting for this group, but at the same time seeing the fatal flaw that Ted Danson’s character also saw.

Without giving too much away, the ending was also a bit over the top ridiculous.

Nonetheless..this one would be a great date movie, and not bad to just watch because you’re bored.  I enjoyed it.

Knocked Up

Starring one of my favorite actors, Seth Rogen along with Katherine Heigl and in my opinion an all-star cast of friends:
Jonah Hill (Superbad)
Jason Segal (Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Martin Starr (Freaks & Geeks)
Jay Baruchel (Undeclared)
Paul Rudd (Anchorman; Friends; 40 Year Old Virgin
Leslie Mann (40 Year Old Virgin; Big Daddy)
Joanna Kerns (Growing Pains)
Harold Ramis (Ghostbuster)

…and the list goes on with small appearances by cast members of the office, and just generally funny comedians over all.

The first thing I thought when this movie was still in preview phase and I saw the poster with the dumbfounded look on the guys face was, “Wow, that’s the same poster they had for the 40 Year Old Virgin (which Seth Rogen played a big part in and was written/directed by the same guy, Judd Apatow), but it’s green now.”  The nice thing, was how different the movie was.  And don’t get me wrong, both are amazing as far as I’m concerned.  But when the 40 Year Old Virgin would go for the comedy jugular, Knocked Up would gently back down for taste-sake.  I think this movie appeals to a a slightly broader, although still more accepting of vulgar language, audience.

Had this movie came out when I was still extremely sensitive and preachy in High School, I wouldn’t have made it past the opening credits, where the group of five friends with no money trying to develop a celebrity nudity site like Mr. Skin (called Flesh of the Stars) toke up on weed, beat each other senselessly in an American Gladiators inspired match over their disgustingly uncared-for pool.  Now of course, it’s funny…but still inappropriate for everyone who can’t already watch R-rated movies.

Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd play just as beautifully off of each other in this movie as they did in Virgin, with their back-and-forth comedy one-ups.  Watch the gag reel or the line-o-rama in the DVD special features if you don’t believe me.
And SPEAKING OF special features, this movie has a few doozies.  Para exemplar:

Directing the Director: Director Bennett Miller (Capote) is brought on set by some producers at Universal who feel that Judd Apatow isn’t doing a good enough job, and he subsequently undermines everything Apatow wants to do with his movie.  It’s a farce, but you may not realize it until the very end when their fight looks totally pathetic.  Honestly though, it’s a good piece of awkward comedy.

Rollercoaster Documentary: Jay Baruchel has a deathly fear of roller-coasters and is completely forced onto one after being guaranteed he wouldn’t have to ride.  It’s funny watching him cringe.  Sidebar though: If you don’t like puke don’t watch.  It’s not him…but after everyone else rides for a few hours…they lose their BLT’s.

Anyway, if you haven’t seen Knocked Up yet, it’s a great flick.  Just avert your eyes when the baby starts crowning.  They show a bit much there.  Even if it’s fake….for a guy who’s about to have a baby…yikes.

No Reservations

Starring Katherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart and the always lovable Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine, Signs), this movie surprised me.

While being quite formulaic in some part of it’s structure, the actors pull of their poorly developed characters well.  The writer and director feel like they had little to do with this, and just kind of stepped back and let the performances sell this movie.

If you’ve never seen Aaron Eckhart, watch him.  He’s going to be big.  Having just starred in Thank You For Smoking (about a tobacco lobbyist) and having a starring role in the upcoming Dark Knight movie as District Attorney Harvey Dent (HIGHLIGHT TEXT FOR SPOILER: Who eventually gets acid spilled on half of his face by the Joker and becomes the villain Two-Face) he really brought a charm to this movie that was purposefully lacking with both Breslin and Zeta-Jones.

The movie starts right away with Katherine Zeta-Jones as a NYC Chef at the top of her game waiting on her niece and sister to come visit her for a week or so, but right-away in the flick there is a car accident and Breslin is orphaned.  Due to good (good?) planning, the sister willed her daughter to Zeta-Jones for family care, but she is a career-woman who never had time for anyone else, let alone children.  While she loves her niece, she doesn’t know what to do with her.  And due to the girls recent tragedy, she can’t sleep at night, which is the time that a chef works, so her babysitters don’t know what to do with her.  The two end up finding a common bond in Eckhart’s character who was hired to replace Zeta-Jones while she dealt temporarily with her sisters loss and her new life as a foster mom.  When she comes back however, his free personality compared to her stiff one collides in a very tense environment.

Again, this movie, while not amazing, was definitely enjoyable, and the performances were all well done to their specific character.  My recommendation is that if you see it on TV, stay and watch.

One side note: the neighbor in her building seems to be creepy and ill-motivated.  The entire movie I was waiting for this guy to turn out to be a child molester.  It’s not the case, he’s just a nice guy and a single dad, so knowing that, try and enjoy his character.  It was difficult when I didn’t know what was happening there.

Anyway…check it out if you don’t have to pay for it.