Movie Review - Terminator Salvation - 05-28-2009
Terminator Salvation got a bad rap. Reviewers around the globe have been blasting the hell out of it (only 33% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), saying director McG sucked, the action flicks suck, and the script sucked. Well, I'm here to tell you they are wrong.
For starters, sit down and watch the original Terminator movie. From a conceptual standpoint, the movie is creative and compelling, but has little in the way of sci-fi effects or a great dialogue. Move to T2, where the two boys in the movie are ridiculous and laughable. Yes, the effects of T2 are terrific, but again the dialogue is just plain awful. Let's not even discuss the terrible plot of T3.
Which moves me to T4, Terminator Salvation. The script, set in the year 2018, is terrific. There is one minor flaw to the overall plot, which I can't divulge without spoilers, but I'll just say that a certain death was unnecessary and the character would have been terrific in future movies in the franchise. The characters are good. Sam Worthington does a fabulous job as Marcus Wright, a new character to the franchise. In fact, 80% of the movie is about him, and his salvation. From the start of the movie, you're told to hate this character, but slowly they chip away at you to get you to believe in him and cheer him on. Anton Yelchin, who recently played Chekov in Star Trek, is great as John Connor's father-to-be Kyle Reese, and Moon Bloodgood (is that really her name?) is great as Blair Williams.
Christian Bale is good, but in all honesty, he does not carry the flick. In fact, he, Bryce Dallas Howard (his wife), and Common (his best bud) show up in a lot less scenes that most people would think. Bale overacts in a few scenes, making you believe that McG might even put the now famous Bale rant right in the movie (he doesn't). But again, this movie is more about Marcus' struggle than it is John Connor's rise to the leader of the resistance.
The effects were great. I don't care what anyone tells you, when the T-800 shows up on screen, you get goosebumps. It was a terrific way to tie in the original robots to this movie. There are high flying chase scenes, great human vs. terminator fight scenes, and a fun trip into Skynet headquarters in San Fransisco, where we get to see terminators on the assembly line. Great stuff.
Overall, this is a must see summer movie. It had everything you want in an action flick, and it was well worth the money. And although reviewers are blasting it, overall regular day people reviews have been good. Which is where it really matters.
I give Terminator Salvation seven out of ten robot parts.
V Returns - 05-22-2009
If you haven't heard, the classic TV show V returns to ABC this fall. With an updated look and youthful cast, the alien takeover show looks promising. If you don't believe me, take a look at this promo:
Monday Music Review - Green Day - 05-18-2009
Artist - Green Day
Album - 21st Century Breakdown
Green Day return from an almost five year hiatus with a massive rock opera, 21st Century Breakdown. Most bands have a tough time living up to the reputation of their last release, especially if the release was lauded as a masterpiece or instant classic. Green Day's 2004 American Idiot was just such a release, so the band took their time to deliver the goods again. Smart move.
21st Century Breakdown is a successful attempt by the band to profile the current landscape of the world. From the government, to religion, to the media, the 18-track album covers the "selfish manipulation going on around us". Divided into three acts, the album follows a young couple during the early stages of the 21st century. It's very punk, very rock and roll. Billie Joe Armstrong has acknowledged bands like The Who, The Clash, and Bruce Springsteen as influences for 21st Century Breakdown. And it shows. From the political overtones to the transitional song style, this album is truly another instant classic. From the very opening, Green Day provides a lyrical landscape of angst, anger, and anxiousness.
The title track sets the tone of the entire album, which is a massive, hour-plus extravaganza. Decrying 'my generation is zero', the protagonist defines his angst and anger about the 'American dream'. From the first chord, Armstrong channels his very best Bruce Springsteen, and the song is one of the best on the album. The bookend "See the Light" summarizes our anti-hero's journey and final confessions. The first single, "Know Your Enemy", is a battle cry that blends in well on the album, however it's not a great standalone single.
"Viva la Gloria!" is one of many songs that portray the style of a rock opera. Ever changing tempos and melodies, reminiscent of "Jesus of Suburbia", emanate through this track. Other transitional tunes include "Before the Lobotomy", and "Viva la Gloria?" (yes, there are two songs with the same name).
"Christian's Inferno" and "Murder City" will make great singles, with their pounding rock style and fabulous guitar riffs. The love song "Last Night On Earth" might become their next "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". It is a classic slow rock track reminiscent of the Beatles. "Restless Heart Syndrome" is another fine ballad that finds our anti-hero on too much medication ("it's like some kind of suicide").
The band breaks a lot of interesting new ground as well. In "Peacemaker", the band tromps through a Spanish-Latin landscape, and in the fight song "Horseshoes and Handgrenades" the band pounds out the chords akin to The Clash. No fear, standard, old-school punk Green Day is also here, with songs like "East Jesus Nowhere" (which is a long lost twin to "Holiday") and "The Static Age".
The album is a rock and roll roller coaster, taking the listener through the paces of desperation, humility, and salvation. Green Day has continued their maturity with this album, and prove that you can return after great success and build on it. Kudos.
Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown -
Songs to Download - Get them all
Review #2 - Angels & Demons - 05-17-2009
Dan Brown's novels are great. They inspire curiosity, mystery, and intrigue. And they are highly controversial. The Da Vinci Code was a huge success in theaters, and Ron Howard & co. look to cash in once again with Angels & Demons.
I've read most of Brown's work, and I think that Angels & Demons is his best work. Illuminati, the Vatican, and the scientific world of particle collision and anti-matter blended science and religion beautifully in the novel. The movie, as long as it is (2 hrs 20 min), doesn't really cash in on the mysticism surrounding these topics. Instead, Howard takes Robert Langdon on a 2+ hour chase scene, racing to various points around the Vatican to stop the bad guys from winning.
Don't get me wrong, the action is great, and Tom Hanks does a great job as Langdon once again. But he rarely offers insight to the meanings and symbolism that worked so well in the book. He did a lot more explaining during The Da Vinci Code (movie), which is why it translated well to the big screen. Angels & Demons missed out on this a bit, which is why it is not as good as it could have been. Also, there were key plot points in the novel that were not covered in the movie. I know it's hard to cram everything into a movie without it turning into a four-hour marathon, but some throwaway items could have been replaced with actual dialogue that bridged plot points.
There's twists and turns, and the ending is a hopeful insight to religion and science, but overall it didn't pack the punch that Langdon's other novel-to-film had. Better book - Angels & Demons. Better movie - The Da Vinci Code
I give Angels & Demons six out of ten ambigrams.
Double-Sized Movie Review - 05-16-2009
Summer movies are upon us, and this week we saw two of the bigger blockbusters this year. Star Trek and Angels & Demons are both sequel/prequel movies, both with recognized characters, both with a huge following. Which was better?
J.J. Abrams is the man when it comes to writing twists and turns (Fringe, Lost), and has done very well with the movies he's put on screen (Mission: Impossible III, Cloverfield). Star Trek is no exception. Abrams manages to grip you with personal drama and at the same time hit you with incredible special effects. Rarely do you see both at work in a movie (see Transformers). The character's origins are on display, which typically is a win-win scenario for movie writers (Batman Begins, Wolverine), but Abrams invents the origins his way, on his terms. The result is astounding.
Abrams must be infatuated with time travel, because he's been dangling it around a lot lately (see Lost). Star Trek once again gets the time travel treatment, but this time it alters the past in such a way that Trekkies are shocked. No spoilers here, but Abrams has paved a new road in the Trek continuum, and now has carte blanche to write the future of Star Trek the way he sees fit.
As for the characters, all are terrific. Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are terrific as Kirk and Spock, and Simon Pegg does a terrific job as Scotty. The writing for two characters, Zoe Saldana as Uhura and Eric Bana as the evildoer Nero, could have been better. Uhura is this bad ass chick at the beginning of the flick, and then she turns into this mushy, lovey-dovey Spock worshiper by the end. I didn't get it. As for Nero, his overall story wasn't compelling enough, and for a bad guy that wreaks that amount of havoc on the Star Trek universe, he could have been more complex.
Overall, the effects were tremendous, the story was terrific, and the characters were tantalizing. Abrams has rejuvenated a franchise, with many more Treks to come.
Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 phasers.
Tomorrow, Angels & Demons!
My Lost Theory - 05-15-2009
Lost. The finale. Amazing. All signs of the season finale of the greatest show on television revealed quite a lot about the overall plot, the characters, and the themes of the show. My predictions for what is going on are based on things we know and conversations had during the course of the show. Here goes:
1. The whole show is about people's free will vs. destiny. Good vs. Evil. God vs. the Devil. Yes, there's a lot of Greek and Egyptian mythology at work here as well. However, religion is religion, and whatever you believe in, there's a good side and a bad side.
2. Jacob is 'God', and his counterpart is the 'Devil'. I don't think the Lost writers will ever come out and say that these two are God and the devil, but they will continue to allude to light vs. dark or good vs. bad. Jacob gives Richard eternal life on the island, resurrects Locke in the real world, and saves Ben when he is little. He eases Sawyer's suffering when he is little, and helps Kate out of a jam when she tries to steal. He gives people the power of choice. He believes that there's good in humankind. When Richard was asked "What lies in the shadow of the statue?" his reply was ""He who will save us all".
3. The devil can't kill God, but he can manipulate those that God creates - people. Disguising himself as other people (Christian for Jack and Locke, Alex for Ben), he manipulates people to do what he wants them to do. He hates humankind, most likely because he is jealous of them. He wants to kill Jacob, and he finds his 'loophole' (Ben), and succeeds in his task of defeating God.
4. At least that is what we're led to believe. I wouldn't count God out yet. Just before he's thrown into the fire (symbolism), he says 'they are coming'. He doesn't mean the folks outside; he means Jack (Shepard), Kate, Hurley, Sayid, and Sawyer. They are humankind's last hope. The white light at the end of the finale was not the bomb, it was a time-flash (which has always been represented by a flashing white light in the past). Our heroes are returning to the present.
5. The island is Paradise. Why Paradise? J.J. Abrams alluded to it in Season 1 when the Losties find the bodies of 'Adam and Eve'. When Locke is inhabited by the devil in the finale, he eats an apple and says it's the best he's ever had. God has cast humankind from Paradise, but every now and again lets humans find their way back (Black Rock ship, Dharma, etc.).
6. The black smoke monster is also the devil - this is a stretch, but old smokey killed Mr. Eko, who became a very religious person. Smokey didn't kill Locke during season 1, and later 'became' Locke in season 5 to overthrow God.
7. The people that Jacob touched (Jack, Locke, Hurley, Kate, Sawyer, Sun, Jin) will be the only ones left standing at the series finale. Yes, Locke is (currently) deceased, but he's been so before. Also, when Ben was stabbing Jacob, Jacob reached out and deliberately touched Ben. Coincidence?
Your thoughts?
How to Write Comic Book Movies - 05-06-2009
Comic book movies scare me. They are either done well, like Spiderman, or Iron Man, or done terribly, like the first Hulk or X-Men: The Last Stand. Going into Wolverine, I knew the reviews were pleasant, but was worried that it would get caught up in the hype of a spin-off movie.
TO ALL WRITERS & DIRECTORS: Please take note of this paragraph. Simply put, if you want to create a successful comic book movie, base it off of a comic book story. That's it. There's no special recipe. I mean, these movie writers think they can reinvent the wheel with stories (i.e. the last Superman flick) that they create, only to provide us with meaningless dung. Comic book writers are good at what they do. Added to that, each comic book hero has years and years of artistically crafted story lines. So follow along with me in a simple, three-step process that will create comic movie gold:
Step 1 - Find a comic book hero to base your movie on
Step 2 - Find a compelling plot line from said hero's comic book past
Step 3 - Invest enough money in the movie to have proper talent and visual effects
That's it! Now, onto a quick review of the movie.
Wolverine was a terrific movie because it included all three elements. First, the hero is compelling, complex, and real. Marvel Comic's answer to Batman, the hero Wolverine has a tragic past, shady history, and questionable future. He also has a great rogues gallery, as Sabretooth, Stryker, and the others deliver the goods. And he has adamantium claws! What's not to love.
Second, the plot takes its continuity directly from the comics. Sure, the plot swayed slightly from the Wolverine origin comic plot, but it didn't venture so far into uncharted territory that it drowned. Wolverine's origin, only known to comic fans a short time ago, is compelling, and keeps you guessing.
The one critique I have of the writing is that too many times Wolverine looks up to the sky, flexes his muscles and claws, and screams at the top of his lungs. By the third go-round, you chuckle. Is this his 'animal rage', or is he doing his best Captain Kirk? KAHN!!!
Third, the movie boasts terrific talent, as Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, and Ryan Reynolds are a fantastic cast. Finally, the effects are great. From mutant powers to explosions to making Logan's claws lifelike, the special effects team did a tremendous job.
Overall, I give it eight out of ten claws.
Monday Music Review - Silversun Pickups - 05-04-2009
Artist - Silversun Pickups
Album - Swoon
Silversun Pickups return with an artistic sophomore album that is even more promising than their debut, Carnavas. After becoming a household name with "Lazy Eye" in 2006, it's good to see this band was not a one hit wonder.
Lead Singer Brian Aubert's voice is so signature that there is no doubt that the Pickups are back. The album's first single, "Panic Switch", is noisy, loud, and rambunctious. It has a classic Smashing Pumpkins flair to it (as do many of their tunes), and the over-effected, repeating guitar riff really works well. The chorus to this song makes it an airplay special and an album highlight.
"There's No Secrets This Year" is a catchy rock track with buzzing guitars and drums that kick the song up when it needs it. Aubert's vocals wind you through a tapestry of highs and lows, and his passion drives many of the tunes on this album. "The Royal We" and "Surrounded (or Spiraling)" are other great rock tracks on this album that have a perfect complement of androgynous vocals with edgy guitar distortions and sonic sounds.
The band also explores some new ground. The quiet "Draining" shows a softer side to the band, and its fragile nature adds a level of complexity to the album. "Catch and Release" adds another track whose wispy, melancholy feel complements the album well.
Some songs, however, drag on longer than expected. In fact, half of the songs are more than five minutes in length. That's typically not a bad thing (like in "Panic Switch"), but there are other times when you think that a song outstayed its welcome. "Growing Old is Getting Old" is like a piece of gum that lost its flavor, yet you continue to chew it. Tipping the scales at 5:53, this is really a four minute song with an extended garage band session attached to it.
Granted, there's no "Lazy Eye" on this album, but I'm not sure if that makes a difference. Musically, the band doesn't move far from their debut album, and many will critique that this album sounds too much like the Pumpkins, but in reality, don't we need a rock band with that level of music integrity and artistry? Lord knows the Pumpkins haven't been that for years.
Silversun Pickups - Swoon -
Download - "Panic Switch", "There's No Secrets This Year", "Draining"
