Monday, March 30, 2009

Made in America

We're From America (Single)
Artist: Marilyn Manson
Genre: Shock Rock/Hard Rock/Metal
Tracks: 1 (free download)

Lyric quote: "We don't like to kill our unborn,
we need them to grow up and fight our wars"

Thoughts: "We're from America," Manson belts on his latest single of the same title. After a pause to pursue his film making career, Manson has released a gem of a song that puts into question just what this country is made of. Being no stranger to the "political" song, Manson lends his opinion to us about this country's spiritual warfare. With lyrics like "We're from America/it's where Jesus was born" and "We don't like to kill our unborn,/we need them to grow up and fight our wars," Manson evaluates the Christian dogma's hypocritical stance on the importance of life and it's sheer delusion that this country is a god country.

The long awaited album, The High End of Low, will hit shelves on May 26th. However, you can download the single from his website for free.


Saturday, March 28, 2009

What the Watchmen movie was Missing

Watchmen: Tales of the Black Freighter & Under the Hood
Directors: Mike Smith & Daniel DelPurgatorio
Starring: Gerard Butler
Genre: Animation, Short Horror
Rated: R
Tag line: The animated epic that completes the Watchmen experience.
Amazon's rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars
My rating: 3 stars

Plot: After surviving an attack by the Black Freighter, a mariner attempts to make it back home in order to protect his family and seek revenge against the demons on board.

Review: There was a great disappointment when I saw Watchmen earlier this month because the Black Freighter wasn't included. I suppose had it been, the movie would've been longer than it was and a lot of you party poopers would've complained even more. However, the movie company did know just how important the Black Freighter is to the story so they did release an animated version of the fictional comic book.

While I still feel the movie should've contained the story, the animated short (it runs about 25 min) does deliver and fanboys shouldn't be disappointed. The grisly animation, horrific gore and tone that Gerard Butler gives us is just how we imagined (or at least I did) the Black Freighter to play out. It's a must watch if you've seen the Watchmen movie or if you're going to see it for the first time.


Rachel Getting Married

Rachel Getting Married
Director: Jonathan Demme
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Bill Irwin, Tunde Adebimpe, Mather Zickel, Anna Deavere Smith & Debra Winger
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
Tag line: N/A
Amazon's rating: 3 out of 5 stars
My rating: 4 stars

Plot: After spending 10 years in rehab, Kym returns home to see her sister's wedding.

Review: Just when we thought that every movie being released would be a remake or a typical Hollywood cliche, Rachel Getting Married reminds us just why we love movies.

While the plot seems a little too familiar, the characters - both the portrayal and their stories - are well rounded. Anne Hathaway's portrayal of ex-drug addict, Kym, strays away from the typical characters she is cast to play (just like she was in Havoc). And while I've never seen Rosemarie DeWitt's acting prior to this movie, her portrayal as responsible sister, Rachel, is beyond any stellar acting I've ever seen.

The story Jenny Lumet wrote is one that will last the test of time. I'm not sure it could have been delivered as well as it had with out the aid of director Jonathan Demme and the excellent cast they chose.

Caveat: While the movie is a must see, several people have complained that the story isn't that great. I disagree, of course, however there were times that the movie seemed to drag - such as the one where everyone is making toasts. The main reason the several nay-sayers - or at least what I believe - is because the story is too realistic for their liking.


Friday, March 27, 2009

Produces Mixed Signals

The Signal
Directors: David Bruckner & Dan Bush
Starring: Anessa Ramsey, AJ Bowen, Justin Welborn & Scott Poythress
Genre: Horror/Suspense Thriller
Rated: R
Tag line: This is not a test
Amazon rating: 3 1/2 out of 5 stars
My rating: 3 stars

Plot: The broadcast of a strange signal through several sources of media turns every day people into psychotic murderers.

Review: The movie is split into three stories, or "transmissions" as they are called. Each story revolves around a particular character in the movie, however all the characters are interlocked so there is some constancy in the movie, though it jumps time lines - think Go rather than Pulp Fiction.

While at first worried this was going to be a zombie-esque movie - so many other people when first seeing the trailer actually thought the movie was based off the novel Cell by Stephen King - I am glad that it wasn't. Rather than seeing several thousand zombie-like humans tearing at each other, eating flesh mercilessly, we are given instead a small group of people - as the movie is about survival, not the "monsters" - hacking away body parts, shooting people purposelessly and bludgeoning with a baseball bat. The exciting part is the fact that you never really know who's been affected by the transmission as they find themselves in the know.

It's also funny at times, which usually doesn't work in these sort of movies - with the exception of those that are meant to be funny (see: Shaun of the Dead). The characters aren't really molded out well with the exception of Lewis (the jealous husband) and Mya (the adulterous wife), but even they seem to be lacking dimension. It also leaves open the plot hole of why some people are inclined to commit murder while others who see the transmission are left with a severe form of psychosis.

Nevertheless, the movie brings you the thrills, chills and excitement that we demand, even though it fails to live up to its full potential. Overall, it's a movie worth watching.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Twilight saga might be unfilmable

Twilight
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Starring: Kristen Stewart & Robert Pattinson
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Rated: PG-13
Tag Line: When you can live forever what do you live for?
Amazon rating: 4 out of 5 stars
My rating: 3 stars

Plot: Girl moves to new town and falls in love with a mysterious classmate who later turns out to be a vampire. Later on, another group of vampires come into the picture and one of them wants to eat girl. It's that simple.

Review: I came in with a clean slate, per se. I've never read the Twilight books, nor had I any intention of watching this film. However, the hype made me curious so I came around to decide and give it a try. While I didn't hate the movie, I felt there wasn't anything to like either: the characters weren't really molded properly; the actors lacked emotion - any real sense of letting us empathized with their characters; the storyline flopped; the plot felt too familiar and used up (a vampire that can read minds but finds a girl whose mind he can't penetrate really feels like a role reversal of Sookie Stackhouse Series); the climax jumped rather quickly without really any proper set up; or perhaps it's because I'm not the target audience, but my girlfriend's 11-year-old sister was also not impressed by the movie - and she's never read the novels either.

Maybe Stephenie Meyer wrote something better than this and perhaps this isn't what she envisioned her work to be; however, this is what screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg thought it should play out and what the director felt would work. Perhaps it's the fault of the latter two and not Meyer at all, but I feel that is somewhat doubtful.

The bad acting - actually, the lack of acting - has to fall onto the shoulders of the Hardwicke who it seemed couldn't direct the film's actors. I don't want it to sound like I believe Hardwicke can't direct - she did do an excellent job on one of my favorite films, Thirteen - so maybe the fault lies in the hands of the screenwriter.

Because I never read the Twilight series, I can't fully place the blame on Rosenberg's talents - or lack of one, if this is the case. It could be the fact the novels are just "unfilmable,"like so many novels and graphic novels are sometimes labeled.

It may be too late for the sequel for the "saga" as Rosenberg is the screenwriter, but perhaps Chris Weitz may bring something to the film that Hardwicke failed to do so in its predecessor. Only time will tell.



Thursday, March 19, 2009

Heads will Explode!

Punisher: War Zone
Director: Lexi Alexander
Starring: Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Doug Hutchison & Wayne Knight
Genre: Action, Crime Drama
Rated: R
Tag Line: Vengeance has a name.
Amazon rating: 4 out of 5 stars
My rating: 1 star

Plot: After he accidentally kills an undercover FBI agent, Frank Castle begins to contemplate his role as The Punisher. In the midst of this, a great rival steps up to seek revenge on him.

Review: I didn't much care much for the first reboot of the Punisher franchise, but I admit coupling it up with this new reboot, John Travolta isn't looking so bad anymore (no pun intended).

After spending years punishing mob families, Frank Castle hits a point in his life when he accidentally kills an undercover agent. Seeing retribution, he attempts to make peace with the agent's widow and daughter. When rejected, he confides in Micro that he will be leaving the whole Punisher bit behind him. No game, because Jigsaw decides to make an appearance to avenge his mangled face with the aid of his brother, Loony Bin Jim.

I've never been a big fan of Punisher comic books, but I know enough to "get" him and his reasoning. I also know how violent he can be, and if cartoon violence is what you want, then this movie is most definitely for you! Heads explode with just one gun shot, bodies explode as Frank propels a small missile like ammo at his foes - hell, he even has the ability (and one time shot) to bust up a guy's face badly.

That sorta violence mixed in with cliches and malformed characters - also the killing of a Punisher fave character - leaves the true fan a little disappointed, more so than with the first reboot.

Let's expect to find Punisher: War Zone in the discount bin at Wal-Mart in a matter of months, with the other two incarnations.


Saturday, March 7, 2009

Who Watches The Watchmen? I did.

Watchmen
Director: Zack Synder
Starring: Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jackie Earle Haley, Jeffery Dean Morgan & Patrick Wilson
Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-fi
Rated: R
Tag line: It's the End of the Superhero As We Know It.
My rating: 4 stars

Plot: After the murder of Edward Blake, a.k.a. The Comedian, masked vigilante Rorschach begins to investigate the death of his old friend. Paranoid that a "mask" killer is out targeting his former partners, he digs deeper into the conspiracy. As the dots begin to connect, mapping what he feared, something more devious is revealed: The plot to kill millions of innocent people.

Review: I'm not going to lie to you: Like every nerd out there in the world who read Watchmen, I was afraid that an adaptation of the movie would fail and ruin the concept of the highly acclaimed graphic novel. Zack Snyder isn't known for his masterpieces - at least in my opinion - as he pretty much destroyed the concept of Dawn of the Dead when he remade it. However, direction of the movie (and the screenplay as well as actors) was more than I anticipated. The movie, in sum, was awesome.

What was known as the unfilmable comic book does not displease those who loved the original concept. Approximately three hours long, the movie isn't for those who have the misguided information that this is in fact a superhero movie. It isn't. Much like the graphic novel, the movie digs deep into the psychologies and philosophies of each independent superhero the film revolves around. From the powerlessness of Dan Dreiberg who never let go of his alter ego, Nite Owl, to the god that closed his eyes concept of Dr. Manhattan. Each actor gives his and her own interpretation to each of the characters, never straying from their true meaning.

I should now take a small side step to let those of you who are planning to take your children to see the movie: Dr. Manhattan is completely naked throughout most of the movie and you get to see him ENTIRELY.

The movie leaves you with the question: What if Superheroes were real? Would they resemble the ones we fictionalized in our comics, or would they be more inclined to be like the ones presented in Watchmen?

Soundtrack
Watchmen OST
Artist: Various
Amazon rating: 4 out of 5 stars
My rating: 4 stars

Even with the shitty My Chemical Romance remake of a classic Bob Dylan song aside, the soundtrack to Watchmen is nothing less than stellar. Featuring artists that have left their mark in the music hall of fame - MCR, aside of course - the music takes you back to a yesteryear when music was good and had significance.

The Watchmen Score is also worth listening to.