No Country For Old Men | REVIEW

I'm sure that in your your mind you have No Country For Old Men associated with good praise, critical acclaim, and tons of awards from numerous guilds and associations. Well then you know all there is to know about No Country For Old Men because in my opinion, those are the only things that stand out in this movie. It's a highly intellectual film with lots of subliminal messages in accordance to the evolution of violence amongst the human populace and it has some terrific acting. But other than all those amazing technical aspects that judges at award ceremonies look into, the film didn't stick in my memory for more than half a day...and that's bad. In my opinion, if a movie lingers at the back of your head for a day, two days, or more, then it has proven to be a powerful movie. If you can just get up, walk away, and forget a movie in such a short time despite the award-winning performances then something has to be not right, right? Here's what No Country For Old Men is all about.

No Country for Old Men is a 2007 crime thriller film adapted for the screen and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, and Javier Bardem. Adapted from the Cormac McCarthy novel of the same name, No Country for Old Men tells the story of a botched drug deal and the ensuing cat-and-mouse drama, as three men crisscross each other's paths in the desert landscape of 1980 West Texas. The film examines the themes of fate and circumstance the Coen brothers have previously explored in Blood Simple and Fargo. Tommy Lee Jones plays Sheriff Ed Tom Bell, Josh Brolin plays Llewelyn Moss and Javier Bardem plays Anton Chigurh.

You've probably heard that Javier Bardem's performance in this is a surreal feat, and you heard correctly. He plays Anton Chigurgh, a psychotic murderer who is on a killing spree (thank you Captain Obvious). I emphasize the word 'psychotic'. The man is insane! I don't want to compare everything to The Dark Knight but I just have to this time, bear with me please. I compare Anton to The Joker in more ways than one and you'll see what I mean when you watch the film. I'm not going to spoil anything but let me just give you a brief explanation. They both portray unstoppable forces that act according to instinct alone and not reason. The only reasoning they have is their own and there is nothing one can do to negotiate or 'buy them off'. That's how powerful their characters are. Oh and Anton also flips a coin to decide one's fate. Sound familiar?

Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin play their parts pretty well, too. When it comes to acting, No Country For Old Men exhibits some very fine performances. There's practically zero music in the film. Some effects here and there which act like background tones but that's it.

Now...here's the downside, in my opinion.

There's no doubt that No Country For Old Men is a quality-coated flick. But what's the use of so much quality when the film does nothing to affect you in any way? Right, there is no use. Although I know some people liked the movie to a great extent, I doubt even they would watch it for the second time in the next year or so. To be honest, this film does not cater to everyone's tastes. It has been produced to cater for those who look beyond the screen and into the technical details of a movie. It's done for people who love deep, dark messages that hide within a film. It's a movie that works well for critics who look for intellectual value and nothing more. It is only powerful for those who want to see that sort of power come from a movie. And for me, No Country For Old Men didn't fare well. Oh, don't get me wrong, I love slow, heavy, brooding movies with little dialogue. I enjoyed Letters From Iwo Jima, Flags Of Our Fathers, Zodiac, and Babel all the same. I like limited-release films, too. In fact, Children Of Men and The Fountain are some of my most-liked movies ever. So my dislike for No Country has nothing to do with the grittiness of the film or the heaviness of it or even the little dialogue. It's just not something I find appealing or exciting. If I wanted all message and no magic, I would have picked up the novel instead. Film is supposed to, arguably, deliver something more than the pages of a book. That's why comic movies are major hits. You've seen Spider-Man in still images, but watching him in motion on the big screen is something special altogether, isn't it? That's what I'm saying. No Country is a good adaptation. It's a wonderful film in terms of quality. But enjoyable it is not. And that is what makes me dislike a movie.

I don't expect every film to be a pop-corn blockbuster with radical CGI, extreme violence, lots of cleavage, and giant f*ckin' robots, but a movie has to be enjoyable to a certain extent. It doesn't have to be funny or sexy or pure eye-candy, just enjoyable. Zodiac has none of the mentioned, but it's enjoyable despite its heavy tonal value and the movie's slow pace. Although Javier Bardem's character in No Country is frightening and gripping, nothing of it sticks in your head for more than 15 minutes after the film. Well, that was the case with me anyway.

All that being said, No Country For Old Men should be viewed for the stellar performances alone. The film is highly realistic in terms of facial expressions and overall acting. But remember, it's not a film for everyone. Some may like it for the integrated messages. Some will enjoy the way it was filmed. Some will salute the acting. But very few will actually enjoy the movie.
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Wrap : No Country For Old Men gets a 3.8 out of 5.0 for being a film that has a heavy storyline that doesn't depend on violence or sex to pull it along. Not that there's anything wrong with the two but it isn't easy to gain an audience without the said aspects or to tug a film along. No Country did that and it's something to admire, at least. It has quality and great acting. Need a film to review for a college assignment? This is the perfect choice. Need a light flick after a long day at the office? Stay away from No Country!

P.S : Javier Bardem would make a kickass Kratos. For those of you who don't know, Kratos is the lead character in the God Of War videogame franchise and is one of the top badasses character-wise. Hack and slash brutality with twin blades, baby! Javier seems to have the right jaw / facial characteristics to play the role. Let's hope the rumored Bret Ratner doesn't f*ck up this movie (God Of War) for me the way he did with X-Men : The Movie That I Want To Forget.

Effin' Violent Punisher : Warzone Trailer!

I've decided to use this blog to not only post reviews but also share some film-related uber-coolness that I find on the Net every now and then. I started off yesterday with some leaked footage from the highly-anticipated X-Men Origins : Wolverine due out next summer, and today I have the Red Band trailer for The Punisher : War Zone, due out this December. Step aside, kiddies, coz' this trailer has blood, guts, gore, and is pumped with disturbing violence! Honestly, I didn't care much for the new Punisher movie but after seeing this Red Band sh*t I am seriously hyped! I like Thomas Jane as an actor, he's a pretty cool guy and really takes care of his roles, and I kinda' liked his version of The Punisher...up until now. Sorry, Jane, but the new dude looks like he could eat your Punisher for breakfast. And take a look at the new villain, Jigsaw! He's called that 'cause his face looks like pieces of cloth stitched together as one. Holy ugliness, baby!

For those of you who were like me and didn't give a rat's ass about this flick, it's time to take some notes. The Punisher : Warzone is a sort-of-remake of The Punisher series which doesn't directly connect to The Punisher from a number of years ago. It isn't an origin story, either. It stars Ray Stevenson as Frank Castle aka The Punisher and he's not the only one who's gunning for revenge in this movie. His nemesis, now known as Jigsaw, is hellbent on destroying Frank for making his face look hideous. The film is directed by Lexi Alexander of Green Street Hooligans fame and is distributed by Lionsgate Entertainment so expect plenty of broken bones, severed limbs, punctured body organs and bleeding eyes.

It's gonna' be awesome. I hope.

Leaked Wolverine Footage!!

Update : As predicted, the footage as been removed for the time being from the source sites and also from platforms like YouTube. For those of you who watched it, good for you. For those who didn't, don't worry...for what goes on the Internet, stays on the Internet. It'll pop up again soon enough. Who knows, a HD trailer might be out pretty soon, too!

In case you didn't already know, Hugh Jackman made a surprise appearance at the recent Comic Con and revealed some kickass footage from next year's summer blockbuster, X-Men Origins : Wolverine. It isn't in the best of quality since it is a bootleg version but at least it's watchable. Extra info for those who were not following the developments of this flick, Wolverine is a prequel that takes place almost 20 years before the first X-Men movie. We finally get to dwell deep into Logan's shrouded past and see what the mysterious Weapon X project that coated Logan's bones with Adamantium steel is all about.

You can watch the footage in two parts HERE and HERE. Watch them A.S.A.P coz' they're bound to be removed.

What has me hyped the most is the fact that we'll see glimpses of Logan's childhood, taken off the pages of the critically acclaimed 6-part Origins comic series. Also, a bunch of other muties make their on-screen debut in the flick. Ryan Reynolds plays Deadpool, The Blob is in there, and yes...we finally get to see Gambit. You read right, guys, Gambit! Oh, and there's a new Sabretooth in this played by Liev Schreiber. I have to say, I like the new version better than the one Tyler Mane put up.

Despite all its kickassness, I always tend to wonder what an [R] rated Wolverine movie would be like. F*ckin' badass is what it'd be like! I like the footage that I saw, no doubt, but wouldn't it be totally awesome if they made a brutal, hack and slash, don't-give-a-sh*t version of Wolverine on screen, the way he's supposed to be? *Sigh*. Anyway, other things I'm not digging despite their uber-coolness are Gambit being in the flick and Deadpool without a mask. A pre-cancer Deadpool, maybe? Deadpool without the scars is like Batman without his parents getting killed. And as for Gambit, as much as I've always wanted to see the character on the big screen, how's he even Gambit 20 years before the first X-Men movie? What does that make him in the present, 48 years old?! I know Logan and Victor Creed aka Sabretooth age slowly, but Gambit, too? Wha....?

Nonetheless, kickass footage and Hugh Jackman promises us a lotta' berserker rage, so let's keep our fingers crossed!

X-Men Origins : Wolverine is due to rip some flesh on May 1, 2009. It stars Hugh Jackman as the berserker-bound mutant and is directed by Gavin Hood of Tsotsi and Rendition fame.

National Treasure 2: Book Of Secrets | REVIEW

Conspiracy theories, ancient civilizations, government secrets, and ridiculously bad hairdo's. Yep, Nic Cage is back to reprise his role as Benjamin Gates, and this time there's an all-new, very personal treasure hunt in store for the history-lover and his troop. The second installment in the National Treasure series, Book of Secrets sees Ben Gates' family dignity threatened when a black market dealer Mitch Wilkinson shows one of the 18 missing pages of John Wilkes Booth's diary, with Thomas Gates' (Ben's great-great grandfather) name on it, convincing everyone that Thomas was a conspirator in the Lincoln assassination. Ben sets out to prove the innocence of his great-great-grandfather. Of course a one-man show wouldn't cut it so let's bring back Ben's trusted sidekick Riley Poole (Justin Bartha) and Ben's now-separated wife Abigail Chase (Diane Kruger) to even things up a bit. And also throw in Ben's parents played by Jon Voight and Helen Mirren to add some spice. Didn't read that correctly? Yes, I said throw Ben's parents in on a life-threatening journey to God-knows-where just to add some spice. No joke. Hey, Indiana took his old man on a quest for the Holy Grail, so there's no reason for Ben Gates to not do the same, and double it up even!

Anyway, National Treasure 2 didn't fare so well with the critics. They complained of the plot being repetitive and slow. I can relate to that in some aspects, but I still don't seem to understand why people make such a big fuss about movies like National Treasure. See, there are movies that were made to be highly-intellectual, and then there were movies that were produced to become a commercial blockbuster success. National Treasure falls under the latter category. You don't go looking for logic in Transformers now, do you? It's not even logical to begin with! The same goes for National Treasure. Despite the fact that it deals with real-world conspiracies and heavily guarded secrets that are believed to be linked to secret societies, it is without a doubt a popcorn commercial flick. There's nothing serious to it. So why bother looking into all the minor details, right? Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the movie while it lasts. Sure, some movies are incredibly bad, but National Treasure doesn't fall under that line. It's fun to say the least. It starts off slow but it eventually picks up after a while so no worries.

There's nothing special about the acting in National Treasure except for the fact that Helen Mirren and Jon Voight always bring a notch of better quality to most movies. I've never been a fan of Nicolas Cage. Yeah, he was great in Con Air and City Of Angels, but then he decided to put himself in stuff like Ghost Rider and Next, both of which completely reeked of rotten vegetables mixed with expired Thousand Island Sauce. And some stale milk. Back to Cage, yes, I don't like the man. But you know what makes things worse? His hairdo. I mean, seriously, why? What's with the lack of sideburns (it's not always a bad thing but in his case it definitely is) and the incredibly awkward haircut? Of all the hairstyles in the entire world, couldn't they have come up with anything other than Nic Cage's ridiculous hairdo? Not only is the man's acting somewhat annoying with his monotonous way of speaking, his hairdo just puts you off entirely. Sheesh!

There really isn't much to say about National Treasure : Book Of Secrets except that it's entertaining and is a fun watch as long as it lasts. I still like the first installment better in terms of storyline and the depth of the characters. In terms of action and adventure, Book Of Secrets has plenty of action / chase scenes; none of which I found intriguing or captivating. It's just a very simple movie that tries to radiate a sense of complexity by integrating controversial secrets and historical conspiracies. It isn't complicating at all, by the way, just fun and worth a peek. Still, I'd say if you haven't watched it yet then it's better that you keep this in store for one of those incredibly boring days when all you need is something light and casual.

Oh, one thing I'd like to point out here is the soundtrack. I like the music composed for Book Of Secrets. In fact, it's too good for the movie. Listen to the music accompanying the credits whenever you get the chance. It sounds befitting of a movie that revolves around an epic journey to new lands in the early 12th century or so...something that would do well with huge ships and adventures at sea. You get the picture. Again, watch Book Of Secrets for the popcorn value of it and nothing more.
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Wrap : National Treasure : Book Of Secrets gets a 2.9 out of 5.0. I liked it, but it isn't anything special and I wouldn't watch it again anytime soon. It's only good the first time around, let's just keep it at that. Plus, did I mention that Nicolas Cage pisses me off? Not all the time, but have you seen Ghost Rider? Ugh.

COMCAST & The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight is doing great at the box-office, already at a groundbreaking 314million in the United States alone! Can you say, "Woah"?

Anyway, Comcast is tied-in deep with The Dark Knight and they currently have a boatload of TDK-related sites running, most of which are definitely worth a peek or two. The ones that stand out are the 6 Comcast Exclusive Videos that show behind-the-scenes footage, some short documentaries, and even the Making of The Clown Masks which tells you how those silly-yet-disturbing Joker-goon masks were designed and made. You can view the videos at http://www.comcast.net/thedarkknightmovie/#/videos/exclusives.

Comcast has also launched its TDK online game called Gotham City Street Chase, one that allows visitors to play as Batman on the Batpod. The goal is to catch The Joker who has just hijacked a police car. But before you get to the Clown Prince Of Crime, you have to destroy a number of his goon-cars that keep throwing grenades out at you in the middle of the street! Give the game a try. A word of warning though, it's addictive! Wanna' play? Head on over to http://www.comcast.net/thedarkknightmovie/game/.

For the 4 people out there who don't know, The Dark Knight is the follow-up to Christopher Nolan's critically acclaimed Batman Begins. It stars Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, and of course, the late Heath Ledger in his final role as The Joker. The film released in the US on June 18, 2008.

A huge thanks to Victoria of Rocket XL for contacting me and sending over the full details on Comcast's TDK tie-ins!

The Mist | REVIEW

Phew! Well The Dark Knight is finally over and God was it a good movie...all three times! Anyway, as much as I'd love to talk about it, I'm gonna' go ahead and actually review a movie this time instead of brag about how well The Dark Knight did at the box-office. I'm not even gonna' say that it reached a whopping $203million in just five days within the US alone, which is the fastest a film has actually reached that amount in the history of Hollywood cinema.

Oops....

Anyway, I watched The Mist the other day on DVD and found that it was a really good horror / suspense / sci-fi flick. Stephen King is a f*ckin' weirdo, I tell ya', but that didn't stop him from raking in a lotta' cash via his famous and infamous horror novels. That being said, I hated Dreamcatcher. That movie was good for the first half-hour or so, and then it started getting messy, and by the end I wasn't just disappointed but also irritated. Fortunately for me, however, The Mist didn't fail to keep me entertained and it's one of those movies that will stick in your memory for some time. Without spoiling anything, I'll just say that the resolution in this film will f*ck your brains into a pulp. Seriously. I can't say anything more because if you expect something extremely cool then it'll probably not be as cool when it actually happens, get it? Let's just say it's one of the best, and brain-numbing, conclusions I've seen in a while. It's cool.

So what's The Mist about? Well, to put it very simply, by deciphering the code within its title we understand that The Mist is, well, about a strange mist. *Show sudden burst of shock and surprise* Who would've thunk, huh? The Mist is about mist? As in fog? Wow, what is Hollywood coming to these days? These titles that throw you off! Sheesh.

Back to story, The Mist is based in the small town of Shreveport, Louisiana (although this is never officially mentioned), which is slowly engulfed by a strange mist following a violent thunderstorm the night before. 95% of the movie takes place inside a local grocery store in which a large number of townsfolk are trapped and unable to escape due to the near 0% vision outside. To make matters worse, strange sightings of horrid creatures occur which send the people into a panic frenzy. The townsfolk must not only endure the phenomena but also survive the mist and the evil that lurks within it.

Thomas Jane plays a commercial artist named David Drayton, who is also stuck / held up in the store with his 5-year old son due to the blinding mist outside.

I've said this numerous times and I'll say it again. The claustrophobia-effect works! Unlike horror movies in which a bunch of teens are running from coast to coast trying to escape a chainsaw-wielding masked madman who's also a zombie that endured a tragic death and came back to life for some reason, The Mist revolves around a group of townspeople inside a grocery store who are unable to get out due to the fear of dangerous creatures that lurk inside the mist. For all we know, the entire world could be blanketed, which makes the tale all the more creepier. The 'trapped inside a small space' effect really brings a stronger vibe to a horror film. It deems the victims helpless.

I'd say the acting in The Mist is surprisingly good. It just comes to show that the smaller flicks should also be given a chance. There's no outstanding performances here but overall the acting is believable and is not overdone. Marcia Gay Harden (like there weren't other names in the entire world) plays a religious fanatic named Mrs. Carmody in this one and she does a fine job. I'd say her role stands out the most.

As for CGI, The Mist doesn't deliver mind-blowing effects and whatnot, but keeps the stuff simple and passes some work over to animatronics. The graphics aren't top-notch, but they're not horrible either. They're believable and that's all that counts, right? Don't expect anything frightening from the creatures in this movie because it isn't the creatures that are meant to scare. Well, at least they didn't do it for me. The scariness comes from the fact of not knowing what else dwells in the whiteness outside the confinement of the store's glass walls. Now that's scary.

Downside? Stephen King and the people who adapt his work, in this case director Frank Darabont of Shawshank Redemption fame, normally push the boundaries between reality and sci-fi too far. I'm not gonna' spoil anything for any of you guys but I think you can relate to me when I say that Stephen King never keeps a theme going straight. It's always the case of half the film being a perfect mixture of horror, reality, and strange phenomena and then suddenly a stroke of extreme sci-fi. Kinda' like Indiana Jones & The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull. One more example would be The Forgotten. Have any of you seen The Forgotten? It sucks, people! The Mist doesn't suck, though. It only gives you the feeling of slight discomfort as though the movie is suddenly drifting too far away from its original thematic value that you were getting well-accustomed to for over an hour or so. I always tend to flow more with a movie when it tells you right from the start what its core is all about. I'm not saying I like my movies spoilt by knowing the ending, no, I love suspense...I'm just saying that if it's a sci-fi movie it better be from the very beginning. If it's more of a historical-mythological deal then don't suddenly bombard us with stories of aliens, that's all I'm saying. Unless, of course, said movie is Aqua Teen Hunger Force-related. That show is the randomest piece of brain-mush I've seen to date! Anyway, you'll just have to watch The Mist to find out what I mean in full, and no, I didn't hint at anything Mist-related above.

There's nothing much to say about the technical aspects of The Mist. In fact I don't prefer looking into all that while reviewing a movie, even though I am a film student so to speak. The essential aspect of a film is to what extent it can entertain and that's mostly all I care about when I watch something. Indeed, effort put into the movie deserves its own credit, but that's where my 'Wrap' comes in. When it comes to The Mist there's nothing special about the camera angles or acting or filming techniques. It's just an entertaining, frightening, bizarre movie from the minds of Stephen King and Frank Darabont. I'd definitely recommend this film to anyone who loves a movie that keeps you glued to your seat for about 2-hours.
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Wrap The Mist gets a 3.7 out of 5.0. It's fun the first time around but there's nothing in it for a second round, much like all other horror films. It's just something fun to do on a weekend night with the lights off. Unless you have a girlfriend. Pretty chilling stuff. The movie, I mean, not the girlfriend.

The Dark Knight Rages Through The Summer!

I always try to keep this blog / site strictly for the reviews, but I can't help myself...being a fanboy and all. The Dark Knight, to date, has already broken 5 records! And it has only been showing for a mere 3 days! Honestly, I anticipated big bucks and a lot of good reviews across the Net...but never in my wildest imagination had I expected it to tear through the summer like a effin' thunderbolt. I didn't underestimate it, but I was afraid that the Spider-Man 3-effect might repeat itself again this year. Lots of hype = disappointment. Hooray for me because my expectations paled in comparison to what the new Batman film had to offer! The Dark Knight has taken in ...

[1] Most Domestic Screenings (USA) - 4,366 cinemas nationwide, surpassing even Pirates Of The Caribbean : Dead Man's Chest which released in 4,362 cinemas.

[2] Midnight Record - The highest-grossing movie for a midnight (12.01A.M) opening, taking in an unprecedented $18,489,000 at the box office. The 12:01 a.m. grosses soared past the previous record of $16.9 million, which had been held by Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith since May of 2005.

[3] Opening Day Record - $66.4 million in a record 4,366 theaters (including 94 IMAX theaters) nationwide. That's $7million more than Spider-Man 3.

[4] Opening Weekend Record - $158.4 million to top Spider-Man 3 for best opening weekend at the box office. That's the biggest opening weekend of all time! The weekend estimates show Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins follow-up more than $7 million ahead of the $151.1 million first weekend for Spider-Man 3 in May of 2007. Worldwide, The Dark Knight has made $198.3 million +.

[5] Best Debut In IMAX Theaters - The Dark Knight has also broken Spider-Man 3's record ($4.7 million) for best debut in IMAX theaters with $6.2 million in 94 locations.

The Dark Knight has also been placed at #1 on IMDB's Top 250 Movies Of All Time List, sending even The Godfather to #2! Heck, this new Batman flick has even been called the Godfather 2 of the comic movie world, and I wouldn't be surprised if soon people started to call it the all new Godfather of our era!

The Dark Knight is not just a comic movie, folks, and I say this not as a Batman fan. It is a gripping tale of crime and terror and corruption, and most of all, it acts like a very haunting reflection of today's society. The Dark Knight will linger in one's memory for days and probably weeks, and needless to day, so will Ledger's frightening performance as the creepy, deadly Joker. I was shocked beyond belief when I saw this, and I didn't know what to think for the next 24hours except for the fact that I loved it but couldn't digest the fact that it is, after all, a Batman movie. It's bittersweet. This may be Heath Ledger's final big-time performance, but it'll linger in a moviegoer's mind for as long as movies remain. I hate to say it but I doubt even Christopher Nolan will be able to top his own movie with a third installment. If this is a way to end the series, it's probably the best damn way possible!

The Dark Knight | REVIEW

This is probably my favorite review to date. After years (yes, ever since Batman Begins) of waiting, I finally watched The Dark Knight a couple of hours ago, and you know what, it was nowhere near as to what had initially expected! But did that stop me from loving it? Not one bit! The Dark Knight raises the bar for all future comic adaptations and puts a heavy challenge on the table for future competitors. It is Christopher Nolan's uncompromising take on Batman and the intense chronicles that he has to face as Gotham's silent savior. It spans for a solid 152minutes and even if you go in an average moviegoer, you're sure to come out a fan of the Batman. Here's the NON-SPOILERISH LOWDOWN:

The Dark Knight opens with Batman, Lieutenant James Gordon, and new district attorney Harvey Dent beginning to succeed in rounding up the criminals that plague Gotham City. They are unexpectedly challenged when a mysterious criminal mastermind known as the Joker appears in Gotham. Batman's struggle against the Joker becomes deeply personal, forcing him to "confront everything he believes" and to improve his technology to stop the madman's campaign of destruction.

What Christopher Nolan does is he takes these 'hard-to-believe' elements from comic books / graphic novels and gives them an excellent grounding, making every single lil' detail believable and uber-realistic. There's nothing that Nolan does not explain in this flick, be it Batman's high-tech inventory of weapons and gadgetry or the fact that a masked crusader protects the people of Gotham. Nolan also boasts his aggressive nature of shooting a movie and making it believable by using a minimal amount of CGI; so little that you'll hardly ever notice it's there. The cinematography is top-notch and certain instances such as the opening bank-heist scene just 'scream' out the names of some of Hollywood's all-time greats a la Michael Mann. The seamless cuts and wide angles of the cityscape blows The Dark Knight out of the 'comic-movie' league and puts it someplace much higher. There's a touch of quality to it that is hardly seen in ordinary adaptations, and trust me, I love comic adaptations...but never have I seen such standards and such effort put into any of them. And this is not because I'm a Batman-fan or because I am fanatical about this movie, no, it's because the film really is a stroke of genius.

I once thought that Batman Begins was dark and gritty. That was before I laid my eyes on its sequel. The Dark Knight is darker, grittier, and I dare say it's even disturbing. There's very real emotion throughout the course of the film and that emotion radiates far enough for the audience to relate to. The movie sinks deep into a level of reality unlike any other comic adaptation before it, and brings to us a vision of Gotham as though it is a real metropolis on this planet. The characters talk about crimelords and politics and corruption and the fact that a masked-man jumps off rooftops to protect their city from evil. It's sometimes too real to digest, which makes the movie disturbing in many ways. It's not a bad thing though, because it proves that the film has power to tweak with one's emotions and perspectives. We've always known comic adaptations to be fun and action-packed, deep down and at the back of our heads we always know that things are going to be fine in the end. Films like those deliver more of the 'fanboy goosebumps' and 'geekasms' because no matter how heavy they get, they never manage to alter your emotions to the extent that you're actually disturbed about it. The Dark Knight is different. It holds that energy and although some people may hate it for said reason alone, I'd like to think that a movie with the power to meddle with my feelings must be somewhat special to say the least.

When it comes to acting, The Dark Knight boasts performances that are surreal. It's obvious that Heath Ledger's final performance as the Clown Prince Of Crime is the main attraction of this show, but I won't say that he steals the spotlight. Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Gary Oldman reprise their roles as Bruce Wayne / Batman, Alfred, Lucious Fox, and Liutendant Jim Gordon respectively, and they all hit their roles spot-on yet again. Aaron Eckhart is the f*ckin' Harvey Dent in more ways than one! When he's doing good for the betterment of Gotham you can't help but vouch for him, but when his 'other side' is revealed you want to hate him yet somehow relate to his sympathetic side! Despite the fact that I pay a lot of attention to continuity, Maggie Gylenhall (although not a babelicious, bootylicious, sexy lil' vixen), does justice to the role of Rachel Dawes. In fact, it would have been great if she had been picked to play Rachel in Batman Begins to begin with. And now, on to Mr.Ledger. His performance alone tells you a number of things about the man. He was fearless, intense, and dedicated to his craft. Unlike the versions brought to life by Nicholson or Romero, this new take on The Joker shows you a psychopath without a path. A madman who isn't really mad or crazy. And this, folks, is by far the most disturbing part of the movie. The Joker is so hyper-realistic that you tend to wonder about the possibilities of his existence in our real world. And frankly, you wouldn't want that to happen after going through The Dark Knight.

I've always said that a soundtrack makes or breaks a film. James Newton Howard and Hans Zimmer take on the daunting task (again) of composing tracks worthy of Chris Nolan's and Batman movie standards. Let's not take Batman & Robin into account, shall we. The soundtrack does a great job at sending goosebumps down your spine. It helps a whole lot in setting the mood for a scene. Kudos to the men behind the music because the music for this film rocks! Not literally as in Metallica, I mean, just rocks!

I'd say the only downside to The Dark Knight was Batman's suit. I like the way his suit was in Tim Burton's films. I even liked the one in Batman Begins. The new suit isn't a disaster, but I've always been a fan of the cloak that covers his shoulders more than the cowl that hangs over them...y'know what I mean? Plus, the head-wear is so tight that it affects the way Batman speaks. Sometimes it's as though he has a lisp, which annoyed the heck outta' me! The thickness of his voice is fine, but screwing with the pronunciation is not a good thing. They should have done something about that. It's not enough to spoil the flick, but it's noticeable.

On a whole, The Dark Knight is bound to go down as a trend-setter. Comic adaptations hereafter will strive to be as bold and as daring as the 'Knight. Again, I love comic adaptations. I enjoyed Spider-Man 1, 2, and I can't wait for part 3. Huh? What? Did you just say part 3 was out more than a year ago? Venom? Sandman? You mean that load of horsecrap was actually Sam Raimi's work?! What the f*ck was he smokin', eh? Anyway, back to Gotham...The Dark Knight is a must-watch for not only Batman fans, but also for fans of comic books and movies in general. It's not comical, it's not sci-fi. It's very real and very intellectual. It surpasses all limitations of being a comic film except for one. The gore factor. Since this doesn't have a [R] on it, they had to do a bit less with the blood. Still, it doesn't affect the movie much. There's more than one story arc in this film since it has so many characters to deal with. But no matter how complicated it gets, the basis of The Dark Knight is the struggle that Batman has to go through in order to remain as Gotham's guardian, and certain decisions he has to make which will, at times, cause an initial negative reaction instead of a positive one. The Dark Knight truly is something special, and it makes me happy to know that although it's different from what I had expected, it still kicks all sorts of ass and is a new entry into my list of favorite movies.
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Wrap : Yes, The Dark Knight gets a full-fledged 5.0 out of 5.0! Don't call me biased, there's no prejudice in this rating! When it comes to The Dark Knight, you can literally see the effort and good use of finance oozing off the screen. It takes a lot of craft and serious thought to pull off something of this stature, and Nolan has managed to do that. The downside of Batman's voice isn't even enough to bring this baby down because it has so much more good in it. From acting to camera work to effects to the pace and the flow of the story, The Dark Knight nails all of em'. It gets my perfect rating, I'm gonna' watch it again soon, the 2-Disc Special DVD is going into my collection, and it makes me happy to know what somewhere out there Tim Burton is nodding in appreciation at the trend and theme of Batman that he created nearly 20 years ago. It also makes me effin' glad to know what somewhere out there Joel Schumacher is being called an @$$hole for almost killing the Batman franchise if it had not been for Christopher Nolan. Now...when is part 3 due?

P.S. : It's a shame that Heath Ledger isn't around to see this. I don't care if he wins a effin' Oscar or not, his performance was phenomenal. Hats-off to the man, and if there are award ceremonies up in Heaven I'm sure Heath just got nominated.

R.I.P, Heath Ledger.

Batman : Gotham Knight | REVIEW

If you've been reading most of my reviews (especially the ones to do with comic books and superhero movies) then you should know by now that I am fanatical about the upcoming Batman installment, a nifty lil' film entitled The Dark Knight, due out in a couple of days. I watched Batman Begins the other day for God-knows-the-how-many-eth-time and also recently managed to get my hands on Warner's latest direct-to-DVD animation entitled Batman : Gotham Knight. Why is this animated feature so important, you ask? Because according to the filmmakers behind it, Gotham Knight acts like a bridge between Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Yes folks, The Dark Knight doesn't happen immediately after Batman Begins. In fact, if you've been following the viral marketing, you'll see that a lot happens in between the two films.

Batman : Gotham Knight can be compared to The Animatrix in a lot of ways. It basically shows six interlocking stories from the minds of some of Hollywood's big-shots and also some big names from the world of cartoons and comic books, one of them being Bruce Timm. Ring a bell? If you were a fan of Batman : The Animated Series then you've surely noticed this guy's name during the credits as the one responsible for storyline and artwork. He has also worked on a bunch of other high-profile comics and animated TV shows.

All the six episodes in Gotham Knight incorporate different art styles and portray Batman from different angles, sinking deep into the character unlike any other animated film before this. Most of the time, the artwork builds a very gritty, harsh image of Gotham...the city Batman would give his life to in order to protect and save from the criminals that run it. The only other medium that portrays the Dark Knight in a similar fashion would have to be comic books and graphic novels. Although there are no major references to Batman Begins, Gotham Knight tells the 'in-between' story of how Batman's work affects certain individuals either positively or negatively and also how the people of Gotham react to their new urban legend. All six episodes are written and directed by different teams of people, so Batman's suit, his looks, and his gadgetry might vary as the episodes change. It's a very dark story that tells people the reality of being a 'hero' in a place like Gotham City. The truth is, not everyone (including the good guys) are happy about the Batman's presence in town.

The only other Batman animated feature that I personally think is extremely dark and in some cases even adult-oriented would have to be Batman Beyond : Return Of The Joker (uncut), in which the story even goes to extreme lengths to explain Robin's 'murder'. Second in line would have to be Mask Of The Phantasm. The distinction between Gotham Knight and other animated features is that Gotham Knight seems very real; too real sometimes. All episodes use anime-style artwork in various styles so you can expect some extent of hyper-realism. In many ways, Gotham Knight gives us a raw, uncensored look at the Batman and how he takes responsibility for his role as the 'Dark Knight of Gotham'. It's probably how Batman should have always been portrayed. The entire film deals with Batman's internal conflicts as well as his motives that are constantly being questioned by the citizens of Gotham. You'll also see villains from Batman's extensive rogues-gallery, such as Killer Croc, Scarecrow, Deadshot, and The Man In Black.

Although Batman: Gotham Knight isn't a must-see in order for you to understand The Dark Knight, it is a must-have for any avid Bat-fan. It's a completely different trip into the darkness in which Batman dwells. Also, Kevin Conroy reprises his role as the Bat, so you know it's gonna' sound good. Who's Kevin Conroy? He's the guy who voiced Batman in all the animated series since 1992 including Justice League and Justice League Unlimited. He also voices Bruce Wayne in Batman Beyond. Quite frankly, Kevin Conroy is the voice of Batman and one that nobody has been able to top till this date...not even, I dare say, Christian Bale. The only downside to this flick would have to be its short runtime (around 75minutes) and its tendency to step away from the live-action movies. The various art-styles and constant changing of the way Batman and his surroundings are portrayed in each episode give you the feel that Gotham Knight doesn't connect well with Batman Begins or even the upcoming The Dark Knight. Overall, it's a worthwhile watch and something that every comic / superhero / Batman fan should watch whenever they get a chance.
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Wrap : Batman : Gotham Knight gets a 3.9 out of 5.0. It integrates some eye-candy-ish anime artwork and some very nice storylines. It's more adult-oriented with realistic violence. Plus, it portrays Batman the way the 'Knight should rightfully be portrayed. Like I said, it isn't something essential to Christopher Nolan's Batman series, but it's surely a must-see.

P.S : You probably know what I'm gonna' say now, don't you? I just reviewed Gotham Knight which means I've just watched it...which means that I am all set for The Dark Knight. Tickets are in hand, all that has to happen now is time. It's gonna' be awesome!

Hellboy 2 : The Golden Army | REVIEW

Before I go on, I wanna' say that I didn't really fall into the category of people who enjoyed the first Hellboy movie. Don't stop reading, Hellboy fans, just hear me out. To be brutally honest, I never really cared much for the characters or the movie itself. I've watched it twice and it never appealed to me as a worthwhile film. I'm not saying that it's a bad movie, only that there was nothing in it that interested me via the trailers, and I was still not pleased after watching the movie in full.

But today was completely different. Because today, despite my complete disregard for the Hellboy series, I sat through the entire near-two-hours of Hellboy 2: The Golden Army. And it wasn't half bad. Actually, it was good. I really enjoyed it and because of that, I have a new appreciation for the first film, too. I kinda' realize now that although I don't like comedy and humor in between intense action scenes, in Hellboy's case it cannot be helped because that's exactly what Hellboy does and it's who he is. I've had a friend explain this to me before, but I guess I needed to see Hellboy 2 to have my perspectives altered.

Hellboy 2 is based upon the characters from the Hellboy comic series by DarkHorse Comics. It tells the story of mythological harbingers of death known only as The Golden Army. When a truce between humanity and an invisible realm of fantasy is broken, destruction threatens the Earth. A leader from the realm, Prince Nuada, defies his bloodline and summons the feared army to lay waste. Hellboy (Ron Perlman) must confront Nuada and his army, being backed by his team members from the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense: Liz Sherman (Selma Blair), Abe Sapien (Doug Jones) and Johann Kraus. The team travels between Earth and the fantasy realm, battling fantastical creatures. The relationship between Hellboy and Liz is also questioned, and so is the destiny of Hellboy himself.

Although Hellboy is the protagonist in Hellboy 2 : The Golden Army, my favorite character in this flick would have to be Prince Nuada, the bad dude with the weirdly white face and the eerie eyes. The same thing happened in the first movie, in which my favorite character was Kroenen, the kickass yet horribly ugly dude with the wickedly slick hands that wield those uber-cool blades and daggers. In Hellboy 2, Prince Nuada is a baddie with an edge. Wanna' see fast and incredible fight-scenes? Watch Prince Nuada take on his enemies. Solid, kickass sh*t, I tell ya'. Some movies offer plain, blunt fight-scenes, but Hellboy 2 delivers fight-sequences that are choreographed so well that it happens in a beautiful (not sure if you can call violence that) flow.

What's also cool is Abe Sapien. He's the aquatic 'brains of the bunch' and we see a lot more of Abe in the second installment of the Hellboy franchise. We also see more emotion from him, more talk, more input, more everything. And it's cool because I like Abe's character. He reminds me of
C-3PO in certain instances, but Abe's isn't as talkative. Doug Jones plays the 'fishstick' and a bunch of other creatures, and as always, he does it with ease and perfection. In fact, all the characters and strange creatures in Hellboy 2 fit in so well! Nothing seems overdone or pushed beyond its capacity.

The visual effects in Hellboy 2 have improved drastically since the first film. There's a fine blend between CGI, animatronics, and the real deal which gives Hellboy 2 a perfect touch of professionalism. Unlike lame CGI which damages the entire film, Hellboy 2 integrates CGI only where it has to, leaving the rest of for animatronic workers and make-up artistes. This gives all the characters in the flick a concrete feel, not making anything look funny or out of place or fake-ish.

But unfortunately, there is a downsides to Hellboy 2. I wasn't satisfied with the climax of the film. It runs smoothly all the way but for some reason, in my opinion, it doesn't deliver a powerful climax. It's as though the peak of the story was cut-short. I was expecting something big, something more, but was kinda' disappointed when the movie seemed to end too quickly. I'm not sure if more will be shown in the unrated version of the DVD, but as far as the climax is concerned, there's a lingering feeling that Hellboy 2 could and should have delivered way more than it did. I'm not sure if it's just me, or if more people feel the same way.

Hellboy 2 is the uncompromising, raw, unfiltered vision of Guillermo del Toro. After his massive success with Pan's Labyrinth (which I hate with a passion despite all the raving reviews and critical acclaim), del Toro was given the freedom to take the Hellboy series in his own direction. He did. And it worked so well that Hellboy 2 kicks some serious ass. I admit, I have a new perspective towards the directing abilities of Guillermo and hopefully with Peter Jackson by his side, he'll be able to weave The Hobbit into a masterpiece that is befitting of Lord Of The Rings standards. I notice now that del Toro's films have a certain touch to them, much like the films of Steven Spielberg have a certain thematic value to them as well. This second installment has sparked some serious interest in me towards the Hellboy series, and you can be rest assured that I'll be hyped for Hellboy 3 when it's due. Watch this baby on the big screen because it's all worth it!
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Wrap : Hellboy 2: The Golden Army gets a 4.3 out of 5.0. It's entertaining, it has an interesting storyline, good CGI, and nice acting. Hey, it made a person (like me) who didn't give a sh*t about the series actually pay attention to it and like it in the end...that has to account for something right? Pretty damn nice, folks!

P.S : Come this very day next week, I would have already watched the greatness that is The Dark Knight. Twice. The viral marketing ( which I now pronounce the grandest, greatest marketing machine in the history of Hollywood) is over, the clock is ticking, and we're only less than a week away from what could be the greatest blockbuster of the summer! Just look at what The Joker has done to http://www.thedarkknight.com/ and all the sites on http://www.whysoserious.com/. Argh, the anticipation is effin' torture!

The Haunting | REVIEW

I remember watching The Haunting way back in 1999 and decided to give it another look a couple of weeks ago. It's perfectly clear now that horror and spookiness fade with time. Have you watched the 70's version of The Omen in recent times? Not scary, I tell you. To be honest, The Haunting still gives me the chills, especially when watched at night in the dark. It's probably the best way to watch a horror movie. It's nowhere near anything Stephen King-related, but it serves well as a spooky horror film. It's also a remake of the 1963 horror film of the same name, based on the novel by Shirley Jackson entitled The Haunting Of Hill House. Here's the synopsis for The Haunting, NO spoilers, as always.

When her invalid mother dies, Eleanor "Nell" Vance (Lili Taylor) joins an insomnia study run by Dr. David Marrow (Liam Neeson) at Hill House - a secluded manor in Massachusetts. Upon arrival, Eleanor meets two other participants, Theo (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Luke (Owen Wilson). Unknown to the participants, Dr. Marrow's true purpose is to study the psychological response to fear. Each night, the caretakers chain the gate outside Hill House, preventing anyone from getting in or out until morning, when the caretakers open the lock. There are no working telephones inside Hill House and cell phone service is unavailable there. The house was chosen because of its isolation from the outside world. Needless to say, there's more to Hill House than one might perceive. It has a somewhat unholy history, which the 'guests' will soon find out first hand.

I'd put The Haunting in the same category as Wind Chill (which I have also reviewed), meaning that it isn't a scary movie but instead a spooky movie. Here's a quick lesson on the difference between spooky and scary. Spooky is something chilling, dependant on the atmosphere and settings of the film, whereas scary relates to the more frightening aspects like blood and gore and peeling flesh and whatnot. The Haunting is a bona fied spooky movie, which for me is a good thing. See, it's way harder to make a spooky movie than it is to make a scary or frightening one. Throw in some hideous faces, hollow eye sockets, fangs, blood, lots of bloody corpses, and you've got yourself a certified horror-fest that will shock the living cahoots outta' anyone... which, in my opinion, is easier to do than making an ordinary atmosphere seem eerie, chilling, or at some instances, frightening as well. It takes effort, good acting, the right settings, proper cinematography, and a solid soundtrack to pull off a well-done spooky movie. And The Haunting has done that. It has a great cast and like I've said in a couple of reviews before, the isolation factor really works well. It's always scarier when you're stuck in a hole, unable to escape, while being hunted and haunted by things that go 'bump' in the night. Now that's scary. Or spooky. Or both.

Catherine Zeta Jones is always a pleasure to watch...and I mean that in a good way. No, really. Really. Liam Neeson plays the 'doctor with a secret' well, and Owen Wilson is just a nice addition to the entire project. When it comes down to the cast, The Haunting doesn't seem to have a problem.

Keep in mind that this is a flick from 1999 so CGI isn't really the stuff you see in today's summer-fever-films. That being said, the visual effects in The Haunting are not all that obvious. Sure, some downsides here and there, but for a movie that released almost a decade ago, whatya' expect? Good graphics for its time, though. Nothing bad at all.

For those of you who have yet to watch The Haunting, I say go for it. It has quality that is sometimes missing in the entire shipload of recent horror films. So many horror movies over the course of the last 5 years have been so bad that they hardly scare you anymore. The cheap thrills and 'boo'-effects, sure, but most movies only last as long as it's on screen...it fades from memory the moment you're out the cinema door. There are exceptions of course. Anyway, The Haunting may not be the scariest piece of work in recent memory, but it's surely NOT a waste of time. It has the potential to leave an impression for a while, at least. The perfect way to watch it would be at night, lights off, girlfriend or boyfriend or both (whichever makes you happy), and some popcorn...or any other snack, whichever is easier to get.
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Wrap : The Haunting gets my 3.9 out of 5.0. I enjoyed it a decade ago, and I guess I still do today.

P.S : Nine days away from The Dark Knight. Now that puts a smile on my face.....

The Scorpion King | REVIEW

As you may not may not know, I'm a pro-wrestling fan. I enjoyed watching guys like The Undertaker and Stone Cold Steve Austin beat the living craploads outta' each other back in the late 90's and early 00's. Wrestling's been a lil' down lately, but one guy's career seems to have picked up tremendously. His name is Dwayne Johnson, better known to the millions of wrestling fans as The Rock. Having said that, I hereby declare The Scorpion King a complete waste of time. Seriously.

The Scorpion King is a spin-off the famous Mummy series, and if you recall well, we get a glimpse of 'The Scorpion King' himself during the prologue of The Mummy Returns. We see him again in the end, but technically it's not him at all...just some oversized 3D thing that has metal legs or something like that. It looked awfully fake-ish too. Anyway, unlike The Mummy Returns, The Scorpion King is actually the good dude in this flick. Obviously. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson plays Mathayus, the last true Akkadian mercenary, who is assigned to kill Memnon's sorcerer whose prophetic powers allow Memnon to rule his empire with an iron fist. Mathayus sneaks into Memnon's camp and finds his way to the sorcerer's tent. However, his plans change when he discovers that Memnon's sorcerer is actually a beautiful sorceress called Cassandra. Having second thoughts about a kill for the first time, Mathayus and his brother are discovered by Memnon's people and their plans foiled. Mathayus loses his brother in the battle, yet manages to escape. He must now find a way back into Memnon's territory to avenge his brother's death and stop Memnon's reign once and for all.

Sounds like a pretty decent story, huh? Full of intense action, one hot Kelly Hu, and The Rock making an impact on the big screen. Right? Oh, how wrong you are. Despite all the hype and excitement, for me, The Scorpion King fails as a good movie. It's mediocre to the bone, it has lame comedy, and very poor acting skills. Being a wrestling fan, I enjoyed cheering for The Rock back in the day, and I had expected him to at least bring some quality to the big screen. He didn't and neither did any of the other cast. Kelly Hu is in there, Michael Clarke Duncan is in there, Bernard Hill is in there...and they all look like they don't even want to be in this gig. I was disappointed beyond mention after watching this movie in the theater. I even wondered if a refund was possible. Dwayne Johnson can try to remove 'The Rock' from his name all he wants, but till this day, he's portrayed the same characteristics in every movie he's acted in and to be honest, he's always playing 'The Rock'.

The Scorpion King was directed by Chuck Russel. I figured maybe this guy would do the movie some justice and pull it off well since this is the same guy who helmed The Mask and big-time actioners like Eraser. I wasn't expecting highly intellectual and superb quality stuff; all I wanted was a fun movie ala The Mummy Returns, something that I could enjoy or at least watch again on TV. Needless to say, I never bothered to watch The Scorpion King again. Ever.

What confuses me is why would The Rock make a complete jump from wrestling and enter a platform where nobody gives a s**t about him? I'm not saying this because I enjoy watching WWE, but because it's seriously baffling. Here's a guy who has reached an iconic status in the world of sports-entertainment. Anybody who's anybody, wrestling fan or not, knows who The Rock is. And they know his catchphrases, his taunts, and his popular gestures. In wrestling, he reached a realm beyond that of superstardom. So why quit so soon? I understand that people have dreams to achieve and want to move away from an industry once they've done all there is to do, but I still feel what The Rock did was absurd. If he had at least done some indies, or played characters that were hard to play and that needed surreal acting abilities, then it would be understandable. Being called 'the next Arnold' is not something I'd call an achievement. It's subjective, but I don't think the poeple who called The Rock that were praising him when they said it. The Rock *cough* I mean Dwayne Johnson has even been nominated for a f*ckin' Razzie Award for Worst Actor. He left a legion of fans and an industry where he was an icon + future legend for this? Seriously confusing stuff, people.

The reason I brought up the whole back story about The Rock is because there's nothing much to say about The Scorpion King, other than the fact that it's really not worth the time or money. It's silly, it's not all that humorous, and it's ultimately incredibly predictable. The best time to catch this would be when all other channels are showing reruns and / or there's nothing else to do. Your car has been washed, you've given your pet a bath, no homework, no housework, girlfriend / boyfriend / husband / wife has left you or doesn't want sex, you're done walking around in circles, you're tired of stealing the neighbor's car, porn isn't amusing anymore, you've looked at the sky long enough, and boredom seems to be killing you slowly....only then will The Scorpion King act as a worthy last resort.

Okay, in all seriousness, it isn't a disaster. It isn't Epic Movie. Now that was a effin' disaster. The Scorpion King is basically fun if there's nothing else to do and you're halfway bored to death. Okay, so maybe it is that bad. Watch it for the mere sake of watching something.
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Wrap : I give The Scorpion King a 1.2 out of 5.0. I hated it.

P.S : Bad movies aside, we're only less than two weeks away from this year's summer phenomenon, The Dark Knight...which is going to kick all kinds of ass! Young, old, male, female, animal, mutant, alien...all kinds of ass from all sorts of places. Oh, the anticipation!