Alrighty then

Nearly immediately after my last post, got laid off from my job. After the ensuing depressive episode, I started watching movies again, but not blogging about them.

I have watched Watchmen, Death at a Funeral, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and Ladder 49 on DVD; I'm probably forgetting some. I also saw Wolverine & Star Trek in the theater. I was too ambitious and checked out too many books from the library; I haven't finished any of them. I'm looking forward to Glee coming to tv this fall.

Anyway, I'm resurrecting my blogging self now. So look for many blog posts to come.

A Tale of Two Hulks

I'm going to review both the 2003 Ang Lee movie Hulk, starring Eric Bana and Jennifer Connolly, and the 2008 Louis Leterrier movie The Incredible Hulk, starring Edward Norton and Liv Tyler. I'll try to keep it crystal clear as to which movie I'm talking about at any given time. But if you find yourself lost, just remember everything positive I have to say is about the 2008 version.

Hulk (2003) in 3 words: So. Very. Awful.
Incredible Hulk (2008) in 3 words: So much better.

What can I say? The 2003 version took every opportunity to make a bad decision. The story was absolutely terrible. What's with the crazy-ass backstory about Bruce Banner's crazy-ass father, played by crazy-ass Nick Nolte? It was all over the place and it just wouldn't end. The dialogue was so shallow I could barely stand it. Bana & Connolly tried their best, but they had absolutely nothing to work with and they just ended up looking stupid. Even the special effects were cheesy and lackluster.

I hadn't seen the 2003 version when they announced the 2008 version, but I immediately knew the 2003 version couldn't have been very good if they were starting over just 5 years later. Having seen (& LOVED) Iron Man, I had high expectations for The Incredible Hulk - and it delivered.

Ed Norton is a perfect choice for Bruce Banner: attractive, but not movie star pretty, with the ability to play good guy or bad guy with equal believability. An important thing to remember is that the Hulk is not a superhero; he's a force of nature. When you're in trouble, you don't call out for the Hulk; the Hulk just happens to you. Ed Norton is able to convey the vulnerability and desperation of Bruce Banner while showing the smallest glimpse of what lies underneath.

Liv Tyler is not my favorite actress, but she works here. Betty Ross is a pretty straightforward character, who must embody vulnerability, loyalty, heartbreak & determination. It sounds like a lot, but it's not really. This is the character that changes the least over the course of the movie. Liv Tyler had one note to hit, and she hit it well.

Tim Roth also does a great job as a power junkie soldier who becomes the main foe for the climax of the movie.

Even the visual effects were better, which I'll allow the 5-year time difference probably played a part in. But this Hulk, the 2008 Hulk, looked and behaved like a living being. He interacted with his surroundings in a way the 2003 Hulk never did. One great example is during one large action sequence where you actually see his skin ripple in reaction to a weapon.

Another thing that rocked in the 2nd movie was the inclusion of a couple of Hulk iconic moments: the Hulk thunder clap, and everybody's favorite, "Hulk smash!" These moments make a little part of you stand up & cheer; he's really the Hulk now. We just had to wait 5 years for it.

Buried Under DVDs

Since my last post, I've watched Gladiator, Zack & Miri Make a Porno, Tropic Thunder, Jeffrey, The Great Debaters, The Incredible Hulk (2008 - awesome), hulk (2003 - terrible), Rashomon The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Best in Show, True Romance, American Gangster, Training Day, Elizabeth, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Transamerica, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Knocked Up, 27 Dresses, Dark Knight, and An Inconvenient Truth

Obviously, I'm not doing a great job getting my reviews up. So I'm going to focus on teasers, yay or nay, and ______ in three words. I hope to catch up in the near future.

Review: Snatch DVD

In a word? Pikey. The first time I popped this DVD into my player and pulled up the menu screen, I scanned through the options and almost immediately asked out loud, “What the heck is Pikey?” I’m not sure who I expected to answer, perhaps the ghost of Guy Ritchie. Upon learning that the Pikey subtitle option is used to display subtitles only for a specific character, I then asked the ghost, “Why does he need subtitles?” Cut to the first time Mickey speaks and I start fumbling for the remote control to bring up those Pikey subtitles.

You’d expect that type of experience to frustrate the viewer and take away from the enjoyment of the movie. It actually landed Snatch on my list of must buy DVDs. Brad Pitt’s character, One Punch Mickey, is unintelligible for 95% of the movie, but it doesn’t matter. He never speaks without clear context or being translated. Having the subtitles is just a little extra fun from Ritchie to you, the viewer, acknowledging that the diehards and nerds among us would demand to know the actual lines and attempt to decipher Mickey’s dialogue.

Besides the Pikey subtitles, there are limited special features on the disc, but it does include both widescreen and full frame versions of the film. There are also the requisite deleted scenes.

The story – which is practically irrelevant – involves a diamond heist, gambling debts, boxing matches and several characters trying to one-up several other characters to varying degrees of success.

In a series of situations in which it is often difficult to identify a hero, and the term “bad guy” is completely relative, Snatch delivers enough light-heartedness and humor to keep you rooting for somebody throughout all the madness.

The movie is nearly frantic in pace, a twisty roller-coaster guaranteed to keep you as off-balance as the overmatched boxers that face Mickey. The editing is first-rate and the casting is perfect. There’s also fantastic music. It’s certainly not tear-jerking or thought-provoking. It’s not an epic or a romantic escapade. It’s simple and it’s fun. It’s a good time that doesn’t pretend to be anything more. This is not the love of your life; it’s a fondly remembered fling and proud of it.

Review: Firefly- The Complete Series DVD

Joss Whedon’s Firefly is a smart, funny space-western. It’s also a show that was canceled far too early. The four-disc DVD box set is now available and, in my opinion, a must buy.

My first and prevailing thought watching these DVDs was, “I really wish this show was still on the air.” It was excellently produced, obviously benefiting from the experience and credibility of Joss Whedon’s first two shows, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. The writing was quick-witted, sharp and ridiculously funny. The performances were subtle and layered, servicing the words perfectly. The set, costuming and lighting all did their parts to deliver a gritty, realistic, docu-drama feel about a post-apocalyptic future that combined all things past and all things present.

The episodes in this box set appear in their original order, not the order in which they were aired. Besides including three unaired episodes, the most notable difference puts the original pilot up front rather than 10 episodes in.

The two-hour pilot plays like a movie and is heavy on exposition. The first half-hour, while visually appealing, is relatively short on plot action and humor. The episode that aired first sounds, if not looks, much more like a Joss Whedon show right away. While I agree with Fox’s reasons not to air the pilot first, it does make a better introduction to the characters and setting. Not to mention that when they did air the pilot at the end of the show's run, it didn't make sense. There are things meant to be surprises, plot twists or misleads that don't work because of everything you've seen the characters go through already. Also, the pilot sets up some plot threads that get paid off in later episodes, but after the fact they're just strange.

The box set also includes a handful of excellent special features. In addition to a gag reel and collection of cast and crew interviews, Joss Whedon tours the set and also performs the show’s theme song which he wrote himself. There is also audio commentary on half the show’s 14 episodes provided by actors, writers, directors, designers, and of course, Joss Whedon.

Two things strike me as remarkable about both the show and the box set. The first is how much more prominent and confident Joss Whedon appears in comparison to his earlier works.

I was also struck that everything about this box set is affected by the fact that the show was cancelled after only half a season. I wish there were more special features. But how many special features can exist for a show that only had 14 episodes? I wish all the plots had been concluded and there wasn’t such an unresolved feeling at the end of the last episode. But that’s what happens when a show is suddenly dropped from a network’s lineup.

Whedon and company are creating a Firefly movie, due out in September 2005. While I eagerly await its release and have no doubt that it will be a good (possibly great) film, I wonder at its ability to fulfill all the promise of the series. Will one film be enough to resolve all the hanging plot threads? Is a film series possible? Is it wanted? Will we ever get all the narrative and character development Joss wanted for the show’s fans? Probably not. And unfortunately, that will most likely be Firefly’s legacy.

Review: Buffy the Vampire Slayer- The Complete First Season DVD

Okay first things first, I'm a *huge* Buffy fan, so of course I'm biased. Second, I feel in order to give an accurate review, I have to separate the elements of the DVD package from the elements of the show itself.

The show:
I'm one of those people who immediately scoffed at the idea of this show – until I watched it. It works on so many levels and is about so much more than vampires and demons. It's completely and thoroughly real. Whatever your beliefs on the supernatural are, if you survived high school you can relate to this show. Joss Whedon has created characters that are so amazingly true, that you can't help but see yourself on the screen. The evils that Buffy fights on a weekly basis are metaphors for everyone's inner demons. I won't go too far, because this package only contains season 1, but if the show had ended there it would still be more than worthwhile.

I was reluctant at first to purchase this set because my first thought was that season 1 is my least favorite season- it doesn't contain all my favorite story arcs, has a lot lighter tone than later seasons, and is missing some favorite characters. But then I sat down and watched them again.

The show is a must watch from beginning to end, get the DVD package & get season 2 & when they come out, get them all.

The DVD package:
There's some really great stuff. Joss Whedon's commentary on Welcome to the Hellmouth alone is worth the price of admission. The interviews with Joss are pretty insightful, although it's obviously the same interview spliced throughout the set. ...

However, I must agree that they missed the boat on the things they *could* have included. I for one could listen to Joss Whedon commentary on every single episode. And how about interviews with other cast members, including, oh I don't know, SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR!!!!

So altogether, the DVD package is still a must have. Yes, there are things I wish were different, but it's still awful good & it's not like there are other Buffy first season packages out there to choose from.

 

Regarding Fringe.

Dear FOX Network,

I've been meaning to write this letter for a couple of weeks now. Now, I know you have reason to be suspicious of me, what with my ranting & calling you brain-dead bastards. But, really what did you expect me to do after you canceled Firefly? But that's not what this is about. Water under the bridge.

No, today, I'm writing about a little problem with Fringe. I admire your determination in marketing your new show. It's clearly pretty expensive to make & I'm sure you wanted as many people to tune in right from the beginning. I checked it out. The show itself is kind of hit or miss; there have been a couple of really intriguing episodes, along with some just plain meh. It does look like a good career move for Joshua Jackson though.

But my problem isn't with the show itself - it's with your marketing campaign. If you tell me one more time that there's never been anything like it on television, I'm going to sue you. Because it's a flat-out lie. There was something *exactly* like Fringe on tv before; it was called the X-Files. And it was better. And it was on FOX, you idiots. Do you watch your own network for crying out loud?

So, if you want to keep this not-10%-the-show-Firefly-was show on the air, fine. I don't really care. But stop pretending X-Files didn't exist just to make Fringe look better.

That is all.

JH