Movie (and TV) Reviews
"Aliens" The sequel to but not taking nothing away from Ridley Scott's original Sci-Fi Thriller, "Alien". This time Ridley is in the company of some very dangerous Space Marines (for her protection) and still ends up just barely getting away with her life.
To tell much about the movie would be a spoiler, but get this: a mother protecting her child can be very, very deadly. The best scene is when Ripley fights the Alien Queen hand to hand (mano a mano) and wins! You have to see this movie just for that...
"Independence Day" Will Smith stars in a BIG movie. The alien troop ships, which are but a fraction of the size of the Alien mothership, are over 12 miles in diameter and can silently float in the atmosphere above their targets. The Aliens are not at all friendly. In fact, all they want is everything. To kill all humans and then strip Earth of anything useful and move on to their next world to plunder.
All of Earth is fighting for their survival. They survive due to the one thing the Aliens lack. Self-sacrificing courage. A really good show. Very BIG
"I Am Legend" In this Will Smith movie a "cure" for cancer, a virus, mutates and killed 90% of the world's population, 8% have survived but have become sub-human monsters, and about 1% are immune to the virus infection. The mutants then got hungry and ate nearly all of those who were immune. Will Smith is the only survivor in New York city and this is his story.
Will Smith plays Dr Robert Neville, an Army geneticist and virologist, who remains behind in New York city to find a cure for the virus. And looses everything. His wife, daughter, and even his dog die and he is all alone. Knows of no other survivors.
Then his looses his mind and tries to commit suicide by staying out at night, when the light-phobic mutants roam. He finds salvation in a great ending that makes this one great movie. No spoilers from me but this movie, IMHO (In My Humble Opinion), is a must-see for any Will Smith fan.
"The X Files: I Want To Believe" This 2008 movie stars David Ducuvney and Gillian Anderson in a new X Files movie that has a "Frankenstein" theme.
Since the end of the X Files TV show Mulder had been prosecuted by the FBI, was sentenced, and then had to become a fugitive to avoid prison. The the great minds of the FBI then ran up against a case that leaves them clueless and one of the head agents is familiar with Mulder's work with the X Files. So the FBI tells Scully that all is forgiven and could she get in touch with Mulder and talk him into helping out?
The reason the FBI needs help is the main source of clues in this case is a "psychic" ex-priest who is a convicted child molester. The FBI doesn't know if the ex-priest is an asset to the case or if he is a waste of time.
The "Frankenstein" theme comes out later in the movie when Mulder tracks down a Russian who tried to murder him. A two-headed dog? Something to see.
If you are an X Files fan this movie won't disappoint.
"Batman: The Dark Knight" This is not a repeat of a movie I've already done. First time I saw this one was on the big screen and it was awesome. I've heard it's one of the top money makers worldwide.
This time I saw it on DVD. Incredibly clear photography of the Imax cameras used extensively in the filming plus the Dolby 5.1 surround sound made this DVD close to but not exactly as good as the theatre experience. Guess I've got to rig up some sort of sub-audio room-shaker. My room-mates will just love me for that.
Looking over the previous review I did I realise I was rather sparse with any details. In the Dark Knight as well as the previous modern BatMan Movie, BatMan Begins, Alfred the Wayne butler was played by Michael Caine and Wayne Industries head designer is Morgan Freeman. Bruce Wayne, A.K.A Batman, is played by Christian Bale.
This Batman movie has all the original cast plus some new characters. This is a "Comic Book" Movie that is really a must-see for Heath Ledger's playing of the Joker.
Want to see a full-sized semi-tractor trailer rig flipped end over end? This movie has that and much more action and effects.
The Incredible Hulk Another "Comic Book" Movie. Lou Ferrigno plays the Hulk in this movie, just like he played The Hulk in the TV series in the '70s? '80s? Ferrigno also plays a security guard who gets bribed by a pizza by David Banner, the Hulk's Dr Jeckle alter-ego. Edward Norton is David Banner and Dr Betty Ross is the very fine Liv Tyler.
In the movie there is a few references to Stark Industries, Tony Stark's weapons company. Tony Stark, played by Robert Downey, Jr, actually does a cameo appearance at the end and tells General "Thunderbolt" Ross, Betty Ross's father and The Hulk's main antagonist that he is putting together a "team". Tony Stark, A.K.A Iron Man.
So, will the next "Comic Book" Movie have both Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk. In the last Predator movie, the one with Danny Glover, the Predator's trophy wall on their spaceship had an Alien Skeleton. Then an Alien vs Predator movie came out. Then another one.
This being a "Comic Book" Movie doesn't have much in the heavy life philosophy but there are incredible special effects and plenty of massive destruction. New York city gets major destruction when The Abomination fights the Hulk. If you wish ill upon New York city and wish to see it trashed, this is the movie.
The opening part of the movie is filmed on location in Brazil. A typical third-world city with all the poverty and crowding make the first sighting (by the movie goer) of the Hulk especially powerful.
I watched this movie on DVD.
"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" This "Forth movie of the Indiana Jones Trilogy" was filmed because of audience demand. Everywhere George Lucas, Steven Spielberg or Harrison Ford went fans would ask them "When are you doing another Indiana Jones movie". So the three finally broke down and in 2008 filmed this one, doing an excellent film.
Indiana Jones movies are action, action, action with Indy being older but still Indy, new and different creepy crawlies and Indy's ever-present fear of snakes. There are a couple of real surprises including a woman (Karen Allen) from a previous movie and Cate Blanchett in a very different role from her usual.
The action is fantastic, pure Indy stuff and the special effects are on very large scale. This isn't a movie with any sort of deep meaning, just action entertainment and lots of it.
The "Aliens" aren't really from outer space, they are Inter-dimensional Beings from the "places between places", whatever that means.
"Batman: The Dark Knight" A must see for Batman fans. This is the one where Heath Ledger plays the Joker. Ledger later died of an overdose but friends had said he was depressed ever since doing the Batman movie. Prior to doing the movie some friends had advised him not to take the part because he was a "method actor": He would become his character and the Joker Heath plays in "Batman: The Dark Knight" is beyond good. Whatever awards Heath gets are earned.
See this one. It's beyond awesome.
"Alien" This classic Sci-Fi Creature Feature was filmed in 1979, long before the modern special effects like Computer Generated Imaging was developed. Ridley Scott, the director of this low-tech Sci-Fi, created a very suspense-filled thriller. You never really get a good look at the Alien, just see the aftermath, the incredibly brutal deaths. The first Alien sets up the following "Alien" movies by giving you a very vague idea of what the Alien is like. Sigourney Weaver is Riply, a character who is the leading lady, or more accurately, the Nemesis of the Alien Species. Sigourney is in all the Alien movies.
"Starship Troopers" is a movie based on the book by Robert A Heinlein. A more modern movie (1997) with modern CGI effects. Directed by Paul Verhoeven, who also was the director of the 1990 movie "Total Recall" that marked the first, limited use of CGI. The special effects are spectacular but a warning here: there is plenty of graphic battle scenes with much gore, both human and various colored fluids from the Insectiod enemy. Yet the main story line is not the war with the "Arachnoids" but the friendship and love between a handful of fresh High School graduates, young men and women who vow to always be friends.
"Hancock" A movie starring Will Smith as "John Hancock", a very troubled man with super powers and Charlize Theron, who is someone from John's past who has the knowledge of who he really is. Filmed this year (2008) the special effects are incredible and it's a story about a superhero with very human weaknesses.
The movie opens with a high speed chase while "Hancock" is sleeping off a drinking binge on a bus stop bench. A kid wakes him up and calls him a name when he doesn't want to help with the high speed chase. The movie is a great movie for all Will Smith fans.
"Shine The Light" This Martin Scorsese film is about the British Rock band "Rolling Stones". It was filmed this year (2008) at a benefit concert in New York City. Martin Scorsese did a phenomenal job of capturing the concert and putting you in a seat far better than even former President Clinton had (Clinton's a hard-core Stones fan and was there). The film was done in Dolby 5.1 surround sound and it puts you on the stage with the two lead guitars on either side. 44 years ago The Rolling Stones was formed and from watching this DVD they are still going strong. Keith Richards is now 80 years old and the other 3 original band members aren't all that much younger. Rolling Stones fans must see this one.
Keith Richards has a very interesting way of dressing. Wild hair, a bandanna and ear rings. Looks like a pirate. In fact, Keith was in one of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and he looked pretty much like he dresses on stage for a concert.
Mick Jagger, although not as energetic as when younger, was in motion the whole time. Didn't jump any but was certainly much more energetic than you would expect a 70 year old man to be.
"Get Smart" - is very funny. Back in the late 60s, early 70s the televvision show with Don Adams playing Maxwell Smart was one of my favorite TV shows. Max (the new Max) has a Swiss Army Knife that along with all the normal stuff had a blowgun with poison darts, a flamethrower and even a crossbow. The modern Max, just like the original Max, is very accident-prone. He is a crack shot with a handgun but repeatedly misses what he's aiming at with the crossbow and shoots himself, repeatedly. This, being a modern movie, has great special effects and many things get blown up or broken. A movie well worth watching.
"Superhero Movie" - "From the guys who brought you "Scary Movie" and "The Naked Gun"".
"Superhero Movie" is a spoof on SuperHero Movies. This one hits Spiderman, BatMan, and The X Men with the magic of spoof.
On the front cover were Pamela Anderson and Leslie Nielson, along with many other superhero freaks like Wolverine and Storm. This movie is right up there with Space Balls, Blazing Saddles, Naked Gun, and Airplane in entertainment creds.
I watched it twice, a time or two having to pause it because I was laughing so hard I was crying. The thing that made me decide to check out the movie was Leslie Nielson's Sweater with the printing on the front "WITH GREAT POWER COMES HOT BITCHES" and Pamela Anderson is wearing a necklace hanging down between her breast cleavage that reads "Dynamic Duo".
"A Christmas Carol" - was excellent. Patrick Stewart is a compelling dramatic actor who made this version one of the best I've ever seen. Stewart played Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. This version is well worth seeing.
Iron Man Not a deep, heavily philosophical or even a real people sort of movie. Iron Man is a comic book character, like Spiderman and Batman, so it was good action and some pretty spectacular effects. Lots of destruction and explosions. Much like the Batman and Spiderman movies. Gwyneth Paltrow, who played Spiderman's girlfriend Mary Jane played Tony Stark's assistant Pepper Potts. The special effects were good, with even a bit of humor in Tony Stark's problems with getting the Iron Man second generation suit to work right.
On the "Iron Man" DVD there wasn't much in the way of "Special Features", some promo videos and deleted/extended scenes. One of the extended/deleted scenes was one where the Air Force Drill team was doing a rifle drill.
These rifle drills are very hard to master. I had a small taste of rifle drills when I was in the Marine Corps, enough to know how very intricate and difficult a drill is. The Air Force Drill Team is really good.
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - is a TV series. Summer Glau, a baby doll cute youung woman, plays Cameron, the good terminator sent back in time to protect Sarah and John Connor. Summer Glau does a fine job of being a very scary cyborg. She freaks out many of the humans who depend on her for their survival. Did I mention baby doll cute? Big eyes, innocent looks, pouty lips and a very young high school like fashion of dress with cute exposed midriff and all.
A TV series that has good acting, a good story line (so far) and good special effects. The T-888 model terminator is better than the film version T-800 in many ways. In the sixth episode, "Dungeons and Dragons", a terminated T-888 terminator endo skeleton is first stripped of flesh by Cameron (Summer Glau) using a fish gutting knife and then she melts it down with thermite. All in a calm, cool baby doll way. Which is why Summer Glau is a very scary terminator.
That and that she's a terminator. A very bad-ass two legged (very pretty legged) tank. Her hardest task of playing a terminator is not to blink when firing a gun or when there is an explosion.
The idea about technology increasing exponentially is a central theme in Terminator. The singularity concept, where normality is suspended in an extreme environment, like the event horizon of a black hole is also there. In Terminator the singularity is when machine intelligence is so great that a machine can design something even better than itself.
Moore's Law, the one where transistor density on integrated circuits doubles every few years (or so) is quoted in Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I've been seeing that for the last 25 years. Kinda scary.
The first season of Terminator The Sarah Connor Chronicles ends with John Connor starting to fall in love with Cameron, the (in her own words) "cybernetic organism over a hyper-alloyed combat chassis", or in English: A Terminator. No spoilers but there are two incidents involving Cameron where very human emotions are created in others. - Cameron has no emotions.
The "Terminator: The Sarah Conner Chronicles" is on Fox, Channel 11 in the Orange County, California area. Just heard a promo for one of the episodes that I'll have to be patient for it to come out on DVD.
First Season "Dexter" - TV series Dexter is employed as a Forensics Expert (Blood Splatter Analyst) for the Miami Metro Police Department. What Dexter really is: A serial killer who only kills the "bad guys". From the mob assassin to the priest who rapes boys to the habitually drunk driver who has "accidentally" killed many people. My friend warned me that Dexter's use of Hefty Trash bags might be a bit strong.
Dexter encounters another serial killer that takes a very personal interest in him. The "Ice Truck Killer" has a very unique way of "presenting" his victims to the public, whereas Dexter tries very hard to make sure his victims are never found.
Second Season of "Dexter" - TV series - Season 2 is good. As good as the first season. Not as muuch music but the story line is just as intense and the acting is great. Michael C Hall, "Dexter", does a really convincing job of portraying a "not too abnormal" police Lab geek during the daytime and a convincing serial killer who has a "code" given to him by his adoptive police father. He only kills bad guys, those who evade the law or the law doesn't even know about.
A new complication comes into Dexter's life. Beyond the FBI probe of his victims, which were found by divers. No spoilers here but the new complication comes in the form of Lila, a Raven-haired intensely perceptive woman who sees right through Dexter. Note to serial killers: Stay out of twelve-step groups.
"The Bourne Ultimatum" - was shot on locations like Moscow (actually East Berlin)), London, Turin Italy, Paris France, Morocco, and New York City. In Morocco is a way over the top - roof top chase, an extremely vicious hand to hand fight, and a scooter chase. In London an assassination takes place in the Waterloo train station with real British citizens as part of the scenes and in New York city is one ultra extreme car chase. Lots of fast action and no CGI (Computer Generated Images). Matt Damon, who plays Jason Bourne, does all his own martial arts fighting and a lot of his own stunt driving. If you like action movies this one is more than great.
"Aliens vs Predator 3" The very last scene from the Previous Alien vs Predator movie where the predalien (Alien/Predator mutant alien) bursts out of the dead Predator's chest is the first scene of AvP3. The predalien then kills the crew of the predator's space ship and it ends up dropping out of orbit and crashing back to earth. A hunter and his son are the first victims, and then all except for a handful of the residents of a nearby town get killed or "impregnated" by alien "face huggers". Won't tell the details. That would be a spoiler but there is massive amounts of gore, both alien and predator or human (green or red) and much carnage and destruction. Best seen in a premium theater with Dolby surround sound and those new curved screens.
"Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" It was the "dark" middle film in the George Lucas Star Wars tradition but it certainly was an E-Ticket ride. Not much in the Intellectual stimulation department but thought is hardly what the film is intended to stimulate. A typical Indiana Jones flick with non-stop adventure action, creepy crawlies (different from the first and third films) and of course: Indy gets the girl.
"Apocalypto" by Mel Gibson A very well done movie about the last days of the Mayans. The story of a jungle native who was captured by the city Mayans and escapes. His journey to get back to his wife and child is a true Odyssey.
The movie was actually done in the Mayan language with English subtitles and it was done with no CGI (Computer Animation), using 700 "extras" in the city temple worship scene, and elaborate costumes and sets. A movie in the old "Ten Commandments" or the "Ben Hur" scale.
"The Mist" by Stephen King "The Mist" is perhaps one of the best horror movies I've seen. It's billed as one of the most shocking movie endings EVER, and I tend to agree. Lets just say the hero looses big-time at the very end.
The beginning of the movie is very interesting for Stephen King fans. The hero of the movie is a movie poster artist and the poster he is painting involves a gunslinger, a rose, and a dark tower...
The rest is pure Stephen King horror. Very realistic special effects and much gore. If gore bothers you this is not a movie to see. The gore does add a lot to the horror. If you have surround sound audio (Dolby 5.1) there is a very tense scene where survivors are walking through a parking lot with creature noises coming from every direction.
"Beowulf" A very different type of movie. The movie was an animation that was driven by very precise infra-red "markers" glued to the actors that allowed the real movements of real actors to control the animation very realistically. Including the facial animation.
This technique had been used before for a few characters in movies, like Gollum in The Lord of the Rings. But never so completely and for every character in a movie. There was nothing non-animated in Beowulf.
Peter Jackson, the director of the Lord of the Rings, had been consulted on the animation on "Beowulf".
Everything was animated in a very photo-realistic manner except for certain effects that added a unsettling feeling to certain scenes. The unsettling effects were very intentional.
The actors themselves were the models for the animation but with "enhancements". Angelina Jolie plays Grendel's mother. The animation is of her face is realistic but the shape of her nude body is very enhanced. Beowulf's body is seen nude and is also very enhanced. In Beowulf's case the animated body was much younger looking and much more built than the actor is (Ray Winston).
Angelina Jolie's animated nude body looks very over the top sexy.
Not to do any spoilers but the film is very well done. There is a dragon that Beowulf fights at the end of the movie and that fight scene is better than anything I've ever seen before in animation.
"The Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" Great acting, incredible special effects, and Keith Richards from The Rolling Stones band even played a pirate (Guess which one!).
Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Kiera Knightly all were back in their familiar roles and the movie went even further over the top with special effects than any of the previous "Pirates" movies. The "Maelstrom" scene involved two full-sized ships (The Black Pearl and the Flying Dutchman) on hydraulic lifts, hurricane force winds with rain, and real destruction of parts of the boats in the battle.
"The Simpson's Movie" - starring Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, Maggie, and all the oold cast was very good. Some new characters, like "Spider Pig" (a.k.a. "Happy Plopper"), and even a few new faces. Tom Hanks played himself. Won't do any spoilers but if you loved "The Simpson's" TV show you will love the movie.
"Rush Hour 3" - starring Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan. Lots of "Kung Fu Fighting", fast paced action, and of course some really serious comedy. Two gorgeous femmes fatales (French for "Knock 'em dead beautiful women"), the French Police and the "Triad Gang" are also in the mix. Great if you love Jackie Chan movies.
"Sopranos" - HBO TV Series During one episode Tony Soprano's son is disillusioned with the whole family and church scene and starts quoting Frederick Nietzsche (an atheistic existential philosopher) and doesn't want to get confirmed in the church. His confirmation sponsor, a friend and "business associate" of his father, tells the boy he should read Kierkegaard (a Christian existential philosopher) for a different perspective rather than argue with the boy or put him down.
Full of surprises, too. Janice, Tony's weird hippy sister, gets engaged to Richie Aprile who is a just released from prison felon who wants to "clip", or clip Tony because he doesn't "respect" his leadership. Tony finds out about Richie's plans and orders a hit on him. But. Big "but" here... before Tony's men can clip Richie he has a fight with Janice, punches Janice in the face, and Janice puts two 9 millimeter bullets into his chest. Janice calls Tony for help and Tony "takes care of it". Later at Tony's home his wife wants to know where Ritchie went and Tony tells her "I don't want you to be an accessory after the fact". Tony's wife then remarks, "Well that was a marriage made in hell"
Sad thing was Tony found out his friend from childhood, "Big Pussy" Bonpensiro, has flipped (was working for the Feds) and is wearing a wire. Tony' and his crew take "Big Pussy" out on a boat for a special "Farewell" party. Won't say more about that as it would be a spoiler. Was very sad, though.
Tony Soprano was set up to be hit (terminated, greased, rubbed out) by his mother, who resents being put in a old folks home, even though she is impossible to live with. Tony's Uncle Junior, who is the new Boss (Capo de Capo) listened to Tony's mother Livia and sets up a hit on Tony which doesn't work. Tony's friend "Pussy" is first suspected of the one wearing the Fed's wire and then disappears. Tony "hits" the mobster who "turned", and is wearing a wire for the Feds. Later Tony's mother Livia lies to Tony's friend Arthur saying Tony was the one who "torched" his restaurant and then Arthur confronts Tony in a parking with a hunting rifle.
Tony Soprano gets depressed and takes to his bed, hallucinates a beautiful Italian dental student who looks like a super-model staying next door, goes to town to see his shrink and two black gangbangers try to kill him. Tony kills one, disarms and drags the other down the street a ways with his SUV, and gets his ear shot off.
The whole time this is going on there is the conflict between Tony's home family and his mafioso family, which is summed up on the wall of one of the colleges his daughter applies by a Quote of Nathaniel Hawthorn "No man can wear one face to himself and another to the multitude without finally getting bewildered as to which may be true".
As for the DVDs, they are R-Rated for two reasons: Nudity and cursing. Everyone curses. The mafiosos cuss. Tony's wife and children cuss. The catholic priest even "sort of" cusses.
"Batman Begins" the movie about Batman's creation by the murder of his parents and his (Bruce Wayne's) guilt and rage over his perceived guilt. The movie was action-packed, dark, but very well done. Micheal Caine played the part of Albert (the butler) and the movie's effects were spectacluar.