Sherlock Holmes

Whenever attempting to solve a murder where black magic, satanism, or the dark arts are suspected, it's best to plot out the locations of earlier slayings on a map. Now if you connect the dots, the lines will most likely form a perfect pentagram...or a pentacle for the Robert Langdon students among you. This oversight was Sherlock Holmes biggest mistake in the latest Robert Downey Jr. vehicle; though he did eventually figure it out. But beyond that eye rolling cliche, this movie was a lot better than I anticipated. It appears Guy Ritchie has given up on his stylized indie films in favor of safe, crowd-pleasing fare that the average movie goer can enjoy without the aid of subtitles. Still, you can catch glimpses of Ritchie's style in the snappy dialogue and frantic fight sequences. I've never read a Sherlock Holmes novel, nor have I seen a memorable film featuring the characters of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's books, so I can't speak to the authenticity of the material. But it all comes together rather nicely, thanks in large part to Downey's eccentric performance. It's also nice to see Jude Law in a strong supporting role as Watson. Overall, this is a good old fashioned detective story. Sure, we do get the Scooby Doo ending where Holmes explains how he figured everything out, but this is a case where the full-disclosure technique is welcome, as there's far too many loose ends to keep track of. Speaking of loose ends, the movie has a rather ambitious ending as Holmes prepares for his next case...involving Professor Moriarty. Now that's a sequel I wouldn't mind seeing.

Avatar

I wasn't completely aware of this movie until Comic Con. Sure, I knew James Cameron was the director, but I had no idea what it was about. But that massive mech-like AMP suit on the convention floor sure got my attention. Then I had the chance to see James Cameron himself, talking about the film at a panel with Peter Jackson. From that point on I took note of the steady stream of marketing, building up the hype. I even got familiar with the world of Pandora while getting an early sneak peak at the video game. It was then that I realized the scope of this film. Unlike most current movies, Avatar is an original concept. It's not based on a comic book nor is it some remake of an old movie or TV show. This is a completely new world, complete with unique flora and fauna. The movie definitely captures the sense of wonder experienced by the characters as they see this world for the first time. This is made all the more impressive by the top-notch CG "performance capture" and immersive 3D photography. But I never got the sense that the film was showboating its visuals; they were just part of the story. While the world of Pandora is truly original, the story feels a bit recycled. It's basically a sci-fi retelling of the Pochahontas/John Smith tale. The RDA (the humans) are after a rare type of mineral called Unobtainium. It just so happens that the local Na'vi tribe reside on a large deposit of this MacGuffin-like resource. Conflict ensues. The similarities between the Na'vi and Native Americans are hard to overlook. Hey, Wes Studi even plays one of the Na'vi elders. But even if the story is a bit too familiar, that doesn't make the movie any less appealing. At nearly three hours long, I was afraid this film would drag. But that wasn't the case. Cameron's pacing is nearly perfect, peppering the screen with the right mix of action, drama, and sci-fi awesomeness to keep things interesting from beginning to end. Definitely worth checking out and paying a little extra for the 3D experience.

The Twilight Saga: New Moon

I wanted to like Twilight. While I had never read the books, anything with vampires has promise, right? But the movie didn't quite work for me. Still, I had hope that with the first movie's crazy success, we'd see a stronger story and more lavish production values in the sequel. Granted, New Moon looks a little better, but the story is almost non-existent. Really, this is a film where nothing happens. It feels like a filler episode of a long-running TV show, as we watch Bella mope around from one low-intensity scene to the next. Let's face it. Bella isn't exactly Helen of Troy material, so it's hard to believe she's caught in this vampire versus werewolf tug-of-war. What's so special about her? She's an increasingly unsympathetic character with a somewhat lame super power: vampire's can't read her thoughts. But if you can believe it, there's actually a more moody character than Bella. Edward is ready to kill himself over his self-imposed isolation from Bella. His plan is to expose his sparkly skin to the muggles, thus marking him for death by the creepy Volturi-essentially the cops in the vampire world. But who associates sparkly skin with vampirism? I'm sure anyone who saw Edward sparkling in the sunlight wouldn't give him a second glance. He just looks like some pale dude looking for his way home after a wild glam-rock concert. Anyway, not a fan of this movie. Still, it may have just enough unintentionally funny moments, making it worth checking out when it's on cable. Too bad MST3K isn't on anymore...they'd have a field day with this one.

Where the Wild Things Are

What I remember most about Maurice Sendak's book is the artwork. It was dark and maybe even a little scary. But I think that was the appeal. After all, there weren't many books about boys befriending menacing monsters with sharp teeth and horns. Spike Jonze's film nails the look of the book, but I can't say the same for the story. Frankly, I don't remember the story at all. Was it really this much of a downer? Maybe it was and that fact simply flew over my head during my formative years. But one thing is clear; Max is one disturbed kid. Just watch as he chases down the family dog in the opening sequence, all while wearing his wolf suit. There's all sorts of psychological issues on display here. But what I find interesting (and totally unconventional) is that his own fantasy world (and even his stories) are as imperfect as his reality. Themes of alienation and social awkwardness abound...and are never resolved. But maybe that's the point. The grass is most certainly not greener on the other side, regardless of where Max's imagination takes him. I'm still not sure if I like this movie. It certainly has stuck in my head the last few days, and that's usually a good sign. Maybe after another viewing or two I'll have it figured out. But I'm not sure children will get much out of it. While it's a movie about childhood, I don't think it's necessarily meant of children. Or maybe I'm selling the next generation short?

Zombieland

Woody Harrelson in a zom-com? How good could it be? At least, that was my initial response to this film when I heard of its production months ago. But buzz started to build, particularly after Comic-Con and the release of some inspired teasers and trailers. This was followed by extremely enthusiastic word of mouth and surprisingly positive reviews. So a little more than a week before it released, I decided this is a movie I had to see. Yeah, a true victim of the hype. But in this case I'm glad I succumbed to the marketing blitz, because this is very fun movie. Jesse Eisenberg (in Michael Cera mode) is our narrator during this journey into the familiar zombie-infested post-apocalypitc world. He's eventually joined by three other survivors (Harrelson, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin) as they travel to the alleged zombie-free amusement park (Pacifc Playland) in California. For the most part, this is a road trip movie with zombies. But the finale in the amusement park reverberates with an energy I haven't felt since a group of survivors took shelter in the Monroeville mall. As we all know, there's no such thing as a zombie-free location, and the amusement park is no exception. As a result, the four find themselves under assault among the bright lights and cheerful music. This is where the movie earns big points for originality, the highlight being when Harrelson rides a roller coaster (and several other attractions) while basting zombies. Considering the subject, this is a very upbeat movie with some genuinely tense moments. Oh, and there's one huge surprise in the middle, so go see it before someone ruins it for you.

GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra

I'm pleased to announce that the new GI Joe movie is much better than either of the Transformer movies. Granted, that's not saying much. Still, as a huge Joe fan from way back, I felt this movie got the job done. Instead of creating a pure origin story, the movie jumps right into the action, telling all substantive back stories in flashback sequences. I thought this was a great way to fill-in-the-blanks, getting the audience up-to-speed on the Snake Eyes/Storm Shadow rivalry as well as the history between Duke and the Baroness. But the core focus of this film is the origins of Cobra, and I thought this was handled very well. We get to see who Cobra Commander is and how he came to be. Destro is also a central figure in this story, with an equally compelling back story. There's also some interesting ancillary characters thrown in, such as Dr. Mindbender and Zartan. It looks like the Hasbro folks included a lot of little tidbits that only Joe fanatics would notice too, such as Breaker's obsession with bubblegum. Oh, and an uncredited actor makes a small cameo as Sgt. Stone. Overall, this isn't a great film, but it's definitely a fun popcorn movie worth checking out, even if you do wait until it hits DVD. But if you want to get deeper into the Joe story now, I highly recommend the IDW reprints of the Larry Hama comics from the '80s. Surprisingly, they still hold up and are much more fulfilling than any live-action film could ever be.

District 9

Before Comic-Con I knew very little about Discrict 9, other than Peter Jackson was the producer. But that fact alone was enough to pique my interest. As I learned at the panel with Jackson and director Neill Blomkamp, the film is based on a short called Alive in Joburg, created by Blomkamp in 2005. So when the Halo project fell apart, Jackson and Blomkamp focused on expanding the Joburg story into a full feature. Now that I've seen the film in it's entirety, it seems that some of the Halo pre-production work came in handy, especially where some of the weapons and visual effects are taken into account. That being said, this is a far more original film than Halo ever would have been. In fact, it's one of the best sci-fi flicks to come out in years. Unlike most movies clogging cineplexes this Summer, it has a soul and a message. But none of this is done in a heavy-handed fashion. At it's core, the film is a straight-forward action movie, with some amazing sequences, seamless visual effects, and a frantic pace. The social commentary is there for those who wish to ponder the deeper meaning, but the film doesn't get bogged down or beat you over the head with these rather heavy issues.

(500) Days of Summer

There's a scene early in this movie where Zooey Deschanel does a karaoke version of Nancy Sinatra's Sugar Town. Soon after, Joseph-Gordon Levitt does his own version of The Pixies' Here Comes Your Man. At that point, it was clear these were two characters I wanted to get to know better. While I'm not a huge rom-com fan, this is one I can get behind, mostly because it ditches all of the tired formulas and cliches associated with the genre. For one, it's told in a non-linear format, jumping around to different days in the lives of Tom and Summer, illustrating the evolution of their complex relationship. Sure, non-linear story telling is nothing new, but I don't believe I've seen it attempted in this genre; at least not this successfully. Some scenes are made more poignant because we know how things turn out in the future. Beyond the format, the writing here is brilliant and may be the best hipster rom-com since High Fidelity. The script is drenched in pop culture references which will likely fly over most people's heads; don't feel bad, I'm sure there's several I missed too. But this isn't a movie obsessed with how smart it is. The story and characters remain the focus at all times without detouring into self-indulgent narrative tangents. Considering this was written by the team that brought us The Pink Panther 2, it's quite remarkable how this film turned out. So if you're still mourning the loss of John Hughes, give this film a shot. It'll help restore your faith in movies.

Comic-Con 2009

Just got back from Comic-Con last night and had a blast. It was so great to be surrounded by so many talented and passionate people. Sure, it was crazy crowded, but never felt out of hand. I guess it helps when everyone is in such a good mood. For me the best part were the panels. So here's a quick rundown of what I saw:

Viz Media: Shonen Jump (Friday 10:30) One of my good friends at Viz (Lex) was on the panel so that was the highlight for me. But yeah, it was cool to see Hiroyuki Takei and Stan Lee and talk about their collaborative work on Ultimo. Stan Lee is a real character and it was so awesome to see him work the room.

Focus Features: 9 (Friday 3:30ish) After waiting in line for nearly two hours to get into Hall H, finally got in for the last 15-20 minutes of this panel on the new Tim Burton-produced movie. Burton was there along with director Shane Acker, and voice talents Elijah Wood and Jennifer Connelly. From the trailer they showed, it looks like a pretty awesome animated film. Just wished I could have been there for the whole panel...but I was too busy outside getting a sunburn.

Sony Pictures: Legion and District 9 (Friday 4:30ish) This was a two-part panel, starting off with a discussion of Legion, a film I had never heard of. The directer (Scott Stewart) described it as a post apocalyptic tale featuring "angels with machine guns." The footage they showed looked okay, but I wasn't completely sold on the story. Just another visual effects-heavy film without much of a soul.

During the second half of the panel, Peter Jackson arrived to talk about District 9. It was so cool to see him...and looking so svelte. Even better...he talked about The Hobbit! Here's what I learned:

• They plan to turn in a script within the next three weeks, after which they'll get their budget (hopefully) and can begin casting.
• The Hobbit is too big for one movie...so it will be two movies!
• Casting has not begun, so don't believe the rumors!

As for District 9, it looks like a very cool character-driven sci-fi flick. And like all great sci-fi works, it tackles some pretty heavy issues. Plus, it's set in South Africa, so how cool is that? It's basically about an alien race that is stuck on Earth and are segregated by their human hosts. From what we saw, it looks very promising.

Lucasfilm: Star Wars Spectacular (Friday 5:30ish) I was really looking forward to this panel, hoping something big would be announced, like that long-rumored live action TV show. But there wasn't much news at all. It started with Anthony Daniels giving us the hard sell on the Star Wars Concert Tour. Meh. That was followed by a Lucas Arts presentation showing us some new Force Unleashed stuff. Then it went straight into Clone Wars, talking about the next season. They even did a script reading with some of the cast, which was actually more entertaining than I thought it would be. But alas. No really big announcements.

Entertainment Weekly: The Visionaries (Friday 7:00ish) This was the panel I really wanted to see. Peter Jackson was back, joined by James Cameron. EW's Jeff Giles mediated the discussion which touched mostly on the future of cinema. Both Jackson and Cameron shared their views on the current state of the film industry and where they think things are headed. Peter Jackson also revealed that he wouldn't mind stepping back into the horror genre. But that will have to wait until The Hobbit is well underway. Overall, this was the best panel I saw at Comic-Con.

Saturday morning and early afternoon were spent wandering the exhibit hall and attending Tim and Eric's Awesomecon 2009. Yes, we met Tim, Eric, James Quall, Palmer Scott, Pierre, and Richard Dunn. A good time was had by all and the weather was perfect out by the harbor. A nice break from the crowded convention center. After the events of Awesomecon, it was back to the convention for a couple of more panels.

Monster Mash (Saturday 3:00) I first heard of this panel from author S.G. Browne (he introduced himself as Scott) who was across from our booth promoting his new novel Breathers. He invited me to this panel where he was joined by several other horror authors. Since I've been on a zombie fiction kick lately it was the perfect opportunity to hear from authors of similar genres. There was a lot of discussion about keeping things fresh in a genre so steeped in mythology and cliche. It was fascinating and I only wished it could have gone on longer.

We Control The Vertical: Writing and Producing for Television (Saturday 4:00 There was no chance I was getting into the Iron Man 2 or Fringe panels so I hopped into this nearby room after Monster Mash. It featured tons of writers from various shows. Most of the discussion revolved around the collaborative process of writing for tv shows, something that sounds far too stifling for my tastes. Still, it was interesting to hear about an industry I know very little about. That's what's so cool about Comic-Con. You have access to so many professionals from a wide range of disciplines.

After that panel, I had about half an hour left before we needed to head for the airport. So I wandered around the exhibit hall one last time and took more pictures of props, fans, and anything else that looked cool. You really need to keep your camera in-hand at all times because you never know who or what you might see from one minute to the next. Anyway, it was a great show and I look forward to doing it again.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

For me, the latest Harry Potter movie was the only movie worth waiting for this Summer. Sure, I was surprised by Star Trek and The Hangover, but Half-Blood Prince was the only movie I knew would deliver. After all, this series has a wonderful track record, and the movies seem to get better as they go along. This latest installment wasn't a disappointment either. This is by far the best since Prisoner of Azkaban, my personal favorite. As the story progresses, it becomes even more apparent how remarkable this series is. This is the sixth out of a proposed eight films and it's just amazing to see the characters (and actors) grow from one installment to the next. For optimal effect, watch this movie then go back and watch Sorcerer's Stone. Not only have the key actors grown from children into young adults, but the actual film making has improved by leaps and bounds as well, taking on much heavier themes and exhibiting more impressive visual effects. Outside of the physical metamorphosis of Harry and his friends, it's equally fascinating to watch their characters evolve. Even Draco Malfoy is going through his own agonizing growing pains, something that almost makes him a sympathetic character in this latest episode. When this series eventually wraps-up it will certainly go down as one of the most successful and beloved film series of all time. It just has that timeless quality, much like The Wizard of Oz. Those who haven't seen these films or have been avoiding them are doing themselves a great disservice. This is entertainment at its best.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Yeah, I saw the new Transformers movie. I'm a bit surprised too considering my utter disdain for the original. Now don't get me wrong. I loved Transformers growing up. I still have most of my Autobots and Decepticons. But this isn't a toy franchise that translates well into a live action film; I fear the same for the new GI Joe movie. That being said, I do feel this film is a slight improvement over the original, with a stronger and more cohesive story. However, the movie clocks in at a whopping 150 minutes. And you can feel every minute drag on, especially in the last hour. After all, how many giant robot fights can you watch? After the first 90 minutes, each fight looks the same. Sure the CG work is top-notch, but I just didn't really care. It's hard to get worked up over what is essentially a long video game cut scene. But it appears I'm in the minority. The theater was absolutely packed yesterday, and the crowd ate it up, applauding at the end. Perhaps they were excited the film was finally over. Now that's something I can put my hands together for.

The Hangover

This is easily the funniest movie I've seen in years. It's consistently funny too, not just a few chuckles sprinkled throughout. Beyond the humor, what surprised me most was the inventive premise. I was expecting to see some Vegas bachelor party movie...which wouldn't have been very original. But instead, all we see is the aftermath of the crazy night, giving us the same sense of amnesia as the lead characters; we don't know what happened the night before and they can't remember. More importantly, where's their friend who's supposed to get married? And why is there a tiger in the bathroom and a baby in a closet? It all unfolds like a wacky detective story as these three guys try to put the pieces together. While the script is tight and original, it's the cast that really makes it all work. In particular, Zach Galifianakis. He steals every scene. But Bradley Cooper (Alias) and Ed Helms (The Office) hold their own too. Plus, there's some great cameos and homages to other Vegas films. The movie has been such a hit that there's already talk of a sequel, which is a little depressing. As much as I'd like to hang out with these characters again, it would be tough to top this one.

Up

Unlike most modern animated films, Pixar's movies have a timeless quality, and Up is no exception. There are no tongue-in-cheek pop culture references aimed at the adults in the audience. That's something I'm getting tired of. It was okay in the first Shrek movie, but I feel it somewhat cheapens the experience. Almost like the filmmakers know their story isn't good enough to keep adults interested. But with Pixar, the story comes first, and there are no cheap jokes thrown in. As a result, Pixar's movies are more likely to hold-up over time, much like other Disney classics. In many ways their movies are a throwback to old Hollywood, when audiences were less fractured by demographics and focus groups. Like all of Pixar's movies, Up will appeal to any avid film goer. And it's playing in 3D too, so check out your local listings. I saw it in digital 3D and it's easily worth the slightly higher price. Plus, the digital projection looks so clean. In fact, it might be the best looking film I've ever seen in a theater. For me it wasn't quite as good as WALL-E or The Incredibles, but it's still worth checking out.

Terminator Salvation

Wow. This movie didn't suck hardly as much as I expected it to. Who knew? After the epically underwhelming Rise of the Machines, I couldn't help but go into this one with extremely low expectations. After all, it was directed by McG, the dude best known for his work on the Charlie's Angels flicks. Plus, I've never found the post-Judgement Day era as the most compelling part of this story. In fact, I always thought those future sequences were pretty lame. But to my surprise, the script keeps things interesting, presenting several chicken-egg quandaries as John Connor seeks to save his teenage father, Kyle Reese, played by Anton Yelchin; also seen as Chekov in the new Star Trek movie. It appears the movie branches off of the last film, seemingly ignoring the events of The Sarah Connor Chronicles TV show, which picks up the story after T2. Maybe there is a connection between the two, but I couldn't figure it out. Anyway, the movie does showcase some major events in Terminator lore including the origins of the legendary T-800. Unlike the last film, this one gives us plenty to think about while delivering solid top-notch action sequences. Some of the larger machines looked like leftovers from the Transformers movie, evoking an involuntary gag reflex. But such moments were fleeting. Overall, this is a good Summer popcorn flick, especially if you've brushed-up on the mythology of the series.

Angels & Demons

Of the two Dan Brown novels I've read, I liked Angels & Demons the best. So I was quite eager to check out this movie, especially considering the (limited) access Ron Howard was given to the Vatican. Plus, I thought he did a commendable job of bringing The Da Vinci Code to the big screen, despite Tom Hank's horrific hair. But unfortunately, Angels & Demons is a mess. Granted, this might be one of those unfilmable books. For most of the film Robert Langdon's mental process is expressed through dialogue, helping fill the audience in at a rapid pace as he describes the significance of statues, symbols, and minutiae of church history. Much of the insights offered in the book are totally lost in these heavily abridged dissertations. Beyond that, the entire premise is completely ridiculous, something I was willing to overlook in the book. It's one of those movies where the bad guy goes out of his way to drop clues so the protagonist has a fighting chance at thwarting the dastardly scheme. Sure, it makes for good drama as Langdon and crew ping pong all over Rome looking for the next clue. But when you apply logic to the narrative, it just doesn't work. However, I do give the movie credit for one improvement over the novel. We were spared the scene of Langdon plunging out of the helicopter and creating some sort of MacGyver-style parachute mid-air before splashing down in the Tiber without a scratch. That's the point in the novel where I totally gave up. I gave up on this movie long before that omitted scene.

Star Trek

I've never been a huge fan of the Star Trek movies. Sure, Wrath of Kahn is decent, but all the others were pretty mediocre, even when compared to the significantly older and lower budget original series. The TNG movies weren't much better. So when this J.J. Abrams reboot was announced, I couldn't muster an ounce of enthusiasm. But as the release date got closer and closer, I fell victim to the buzz and began to show some interest. After all, it was the first big event movie of the Summer. So I went and saw it on the opening weekend before I could be swayed by what I felt would be mostly negative reviews. To my surprise and delight, this is the best Star Trek movie yet. The pace, tone, and casting are near perfect. Chris Pine really blew me away as the new Kirk. But everyone else is great too, in particular Simon Pegg as the new Scotty. There were moments when I thought the movie tried too hard to appeal to the original's fans. As a result, there were moments where the sense of homage edged dangerously close to parody. Really, how many "Damn it Jim, I'm a doctor..." lines do we need out of Bones? But overall, it's a great piece of entertainment whether you're a hardcore fan or not. And I hear everyone has signed on for at least two more films so I can't wait to see where this new crew goes next.

Watchmen

Most comic book movies are loose adaptations at best. Filmmakers usually pull the main character(s) out of a comic book and devise a new adventure to be lived-out on the big screen. Watchmen on the other hand is arguably the most faithful graphic novel-to-movie adaptation ever attempted. Almost everything is present, down to the most intricate details. Entire swaths of dialogue are pulled directly from the novel. Camera angles are meticulously framed to match Dave Gibbons' artwork. There are minor differences, but for the most part, the story is left intact. Overall, I'm amazed at how much Zack Snyder's team was able to cram into a 163-minute running time. I was expecting many more cuts. But does the movie work on it's own? I'm not so sure. I can imagine the movie would feel like a confusing mess to those unfamiliar with the graphic novel given the non-linear narrative structure, not including Dr. Manhattan's perception of time and subsequent flashbacks and flash forwards. Largely, I feel this is a movie for hardcore fans, and for that I commend Snyder (and the film's financiers) for taking such a huge risk. I won't be surprised if this film has a big weekend then quickly fades. At the showing of Friday the 13th a few weeks back, the trailer for Watchmen barely registered a response from the packed house. Meanwhile, the trailer for Transformers 2 was greeted with thunderous applause. Go figure. But I get it, and I liked it. Can't wait for the Blu-ray.

Friday the 13th

On most Friday the 13ths I usually search the cable channels for a Jason marathon. No matter how many times I've seen these corny flicks, I just can't seem to get enough. But last Friday night, I had the chance see the latest reboot in a crowded theater. And the weather was perfect for the occasion; dark and rainy. Going in, I was expecting to see a modern take on the Camp Crystal Lake legend. And this film definitely delivers that. Overall, the movie plays like a fast-forward composite of the first four movies. There's the prologue sequence with Pamela Voorhees meeting her fate. Then there's the hooded Jason period, before he finds the iconic hockey mask. Finally, there's Jason stalking his prey in an upscale vacation house...much like The Final Chapter, but without the bald Corey Feldman. I really liked the whole origin angle with nods to the original films. But one carryover from the originals that I could have done without were the one-dimensional portrayals of the victims. Within the first few minutes you can figure out who's going to live and who's going to die simply by the inane dialogue. Beyond that, it's just a matter of guessing when and how. I think this is a series that could be made much more terrifying if the victims were a bit more sympathetic. Plus, Jason's portrayed more as a reclusive serial killer than an invincible supernatural being. I guess that sort of works with the whole origin aspect. Despite these shortcomings, this is still a very entertaining movie and the most technically proficient Friday the 13th ever made. Given it's performance over the weekend, I suspect we'll be seeing more of Jason in the years ahead. Hopefully they can find ways to keep it fresh and less predictable.

G.I. Joe Trailer

For me, the best part of the Super Bowl was seeing so many new movie trailers. In fact, I don't recall seeing so many movie ad buys in a Super Bowl. But the one that stuck out for me was the trailer (more of a teaser) for the G.I. Joe flick set to release in August. Now I absolutely hated the Transformers movie, but it looks like this is one that could work. Anyway, if you missed it, it's now up on the official website. While I'm not too crazy about the skintight X-Men-like costumes, this could be a good real-world adaptation. Plus, it looks like we're going to get a Snake Eyes vs. Storm Shadow showdown. I'm there, even if the rest of the movie stinks. But Marlon Wayans as Rip Cord? And the kid from 3rd Rock as Cobra Commander? Yeah, I have my doubts but we'll see what happens.

Death Race

Paul W.S. Anderson's Death Race was the B movie of last night's double feature. As a fan of the original (Death Race 2000) I was very skeptical about this remake, homage, or whatever they want to call it. The original was part satire, part action film, and despite the extremely low budget, remains one of the most entertaining movies ever made. The update loses all the humor (and nudity) and goes straight for the action. Like most remakes, there are nods to the original that some will catch. My favorite was a voice-over cameo by David Carradine playing the original Frankenstein. In this movie it's Jason Statham who takes on the role of Frankenstein, following the original's lethal wreck. Apparently Jason Statham is the go-to-guy when it comes to making car flicks these days. While the script is anything but original, the action sequences are surprisingly top-notch. The racing scenes are just downright awesome with plenty of explosions, gunfire, and gore. What makes them even better is that little CGI was used in these sequences. This is all real old-school stunt work! So refreshing! So if you can stomach the story line, give Death Race a chance. And don't feel bad about fast-forwarding to the race scenes.

The Happening

I've never quite understood the irrational hatred some have for M. Night Shyamalan's films. Granted, his latest offerings haven't been all that great. I admit, Lady in the Water was a complete mess. But it seems like his films are judged on a completely different scale. Almost as if everyone expects him to outdo The Sixth Sense, clubbing them with another out-of-left-field twist. Well that's probably not going to happen, and I've come to terms with it. The Happening is one of the worst reviewed films of 2008. With that in mind, I sat down to watch it last night as the lead in my Saturday night double feature. Throughout the film I was awaiting something extremely lame to happen. But that never occurred. Rather, it was a fairly engaging and tense thriller. Sure, Mark Wahlberg as a high school science teacher wasn't completely believable and I could certainly take issue with the Al Gore-inspired premise. But overall, I thought it was a well made movie. Some reviewers complained that this movie felt like a long episode of The Twilight Zone. I agree, but don't see the problem with that. It certainly held my attention and at a only 91 minutes, it never dragged. Shyamalan is a very restrained and subtle filmmaker. As a result, he seemed to struggle to deliver the hard-R rating that Fox wanted, making some sequences uncharacteristically (and perhaps unnecessarily) jarring. Despite these issues, I liked the film. Not the best Shyamalan movie, but far from the worst.

Wanted

When I first saw the trailer for this movie I wasn't impressed at all. It just looked like another corny action flick designed to fill seats during the Summer. But when the movie was released, I was a bit surprised by all the positive reviews. So I decided to check it out when it came out on video. An impending project suddenly prompted me to move it to the top of the queue. Now that I've seen it I can see why it got good reviews; largely because it's far better than anybody would have expected. This is a case where low expectations work. Sure, there are a lot of gimmicky bullet time-like sequences and some truly over-the-top stunts. But unlike half-hearted action-flicks like Max Payne or the latest Die Hard, this movie is rated-R and wears that distinction proudly; somewhat a rarity for a Summer action movie. There's lots of slow motion shots of bullets going through heads and other gory stuff you'd expect from an edgy action film. It also benefits from a very solid cast, led by James McAvoy. No, Angelina Jolie is not the lead, regardless of the impression you may have derived from the advertising. But she is good in her supporting role, as is Morgan Freeman and Terence Stamp. Overall, this is a movie built to entertain. Set your suspension of disbelief to maximum levels and enjoy.

Get Smart

I don't remember much about the TV series. Though I do remember watching it. The opening credits certainly made an impression...all those doors. So when the teaser trailer came out, nearly a year before the movie did, I was immediately intrigued. Though not intrigued enough to pay $10 to see it in the theater. Like most comedies, I caught it on video and it wasn't too bad. It has a good mix of slapstick and action. Plus the cast is really good. As good as Steve Carell is, Alan Arkin probably has the best line in the whole movie; you'll know it when you hear it. My one problem with this movie (and most comedies) is that it ran a little too long. In my opinion, comedies should rarely clock-in at more than 90 minutes. This one is 110 minutes and I could really feel that extra 20 minutes drag on longer than necessary. That being said, it's still a decent movie and well worth a rent if you're looking for a few light chuckles.

The Wrestler

Out of all the award-seeking movies this season the only one I was really interested in was The Wrestler. Well it finally opened here and I saw it this weekend. It really is a great movie and is a nice recovery from Aronofsky's laughable The Fountain. But this is largely Mickey Rourke's movie. He completely inhabits the role, which might have not been too much of a stretch. My only gripe is that I knew the whole story from watching the trailer. As a result, there weren't too many surprises. It's basically a dramatization of the stuff shown in Beyond the Mat, including the small venue wrestling shows and poorly attended autograph sessions. Randy 'The Ram' Robinson is a composite of just about every major face wrestler from the 80s. There's even an Iron Sheik-like heel (The Ayatollah) played by Ernest Miller, who serves as Randy's ring nemesis. I think that's one of the awesome things about this movie. Not only does it feature an amazing performance, but it got everything right, down to the minor details. There's a Randy 'The Ram' action figure and even a Nintendo game. While it doesn't paint a glamorous image of the profession, few can deny the authenticity.

The House Bunny

I'm not quite sure why I thought this movie would be good. Perhaps it was the premise or the fact that Anna Faris was finally headlining a film. Whatever the reason, I rented it. It all started out okay but quickly devolved into a mess of college movie cliches. Basically what you have here is a facsimile of Revenge of the Nerds. In fact, entire sequences were lifted directly from ROTN. How similar? Sorority that's going to lose their charter unless they become popular? Check! A cast of social misfits, each with their own idiosyncratic behavior? Check! Run-down sorority house that gets a makeover? Check! Barnyard animal let loose in said house? Check! Awesome party/event that shows-up the popular sorority? Check! Inspirational speech that saves the sorority from certain doom? Check! Anna Faris did the best she could with what she was given. In fact, she's the only reason this movie slightly works. Seriously, I can't recall a pure comedic actress of this caliber. I'm really hoping she teams up with Rob Zombie for the horror/comedy Burn Off. As for The House Bunny, wait until it's on TNT. It's likely to run back to back in the near future, kinda like Bring It On.