Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Jeffrey Tambor, Luke Goss, Anna Walton, John Hurt, Seth McFarlane (voice)
Dir & Scr. Guillermo del Toro
Well, del Toro has done it again – created a slew of visually exciting and wonderfully realised creatures in a fantasy world just on the edge of our own. Perhaps it isn’t as much of a feat in a superhero, comic book movie as it was in Pan’s Labyrinth, where we have come to expect a visual treat. Nevertheless, del Toro’s vision makes Hellboy a cut above most movies of this genre. Some clichéd dialogue and about 20 minutes too many doesn’t detract too much from this stunning, witty film.
Hellboy II picks up where the first film in the franchise left off. Hellboy, Abe Sapien and Liz Sherman are the key players at the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defence, a secret organisation doing its best to keep the human world and the mythical world separated. When the prince of a magic elfin race starts a rebellion against humanity, and tries to unleash the Golden Army (thousands of indestructible soldiers) to gain power over Earth, Hellboy and company are called in. Along the way, Hellboy and Liz have some domestic troubles, Abe falls in love, we are introduced to a new member of the team (containment suit proportioned like a man holding pure ectoplasmic energy), and (predictably but reassuringly) the world is saved.
The film clips along at a satisfying pace, perhaps a little long (the end is especially drawn out). But I don’t begrudge getting to spend time with the likeable and visually interesting characters in Hellboy. The addition of Krauss (the man-shaped ectoplasm) brings some comic relief but his character is hugely clichéd and hard to connect with, understandably so. However the host of other characters we meet along the way are a treat. Del Toro has an imagination like no other writer/director working today. His creations are frightening and enchanting, other simultaneously. The Angel of Death is particularly breathtaking. You just never quite know what you’re going to see in a del Toro film.
It would be easy for the acting to take to back seat in this film, but there are some very solid performances in Hellboy. Doug Jones is again brilliant as Abe Sapien. For me, Selma Blair (playing Liz) is always a little wooden, and the same is true in Hellboy. Luke Goss (of Bros fame) gives an outstanding performance as Prince Nuada, and Walton’s performance (playing the Prince’s sister, Nuala) is equally compelling. But the star of the show is Hellboy himself, and Ron Perlman looks to be having the time of his life in this role.
Many will enjoy Hellboy, not just your usual set of graphic novel junkies. This film is truly a visual treat. It will help if you’ve seen the first Hellboy movie, but it’s not fatal if you haven’t. I happily recommend this film.
-------------------------------------------
Hellboy: You're in love. Have a beer.
Abe Sapien: Oh, my body's a temple.
Hellboy: Now it's an amusement park.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Monday, August 25, 2008
Wanted
James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann
Dir. Timur Bekmambetov
Scr. Michael Brandt, Derek Haas & Chris Morgan (based on the graphic novel series of the same name)
I was very excited by the Wanted trailer – it made me go “whoa” in Keanu Reeves fashion. Stellar cast (well, mostly; I would have put up with Jolie), great special effects, morally dubious premise – fantastic! And while I was thoroughly entertained by Wanted, to be so requires you to check all common sense, ethics and reality at the door. This is great when you’re in the mood for a Friday night action outing; not so good if you want something of substance. But substance can be highly overrated in my opinion – this movie is a ball to watch and I recommend it.
Wanted tells the story of Wesley Gibson (McAvoy), a man completely sleep-walking through his life. His girlfriend is cheating on him with his best friend. His boss is a bully. His job is a bore. He has no money and isn’t special. Or so he assumes, until the day The Fraternity show up in his life and convince him he is. The Fraternity is a 1000-year old organisation of assassins, who have tasked themselves with keeping world order by taking out bad guys. Who decides, you might be asking? Well, I won’t spoil the utter ridiculousness of how victims are chosen, so let’s just say fate decides. The Fraternity convince Wesley to join to avenge the death of his recently murdered father, a Fraternity member, and much action ensues. And, boy, it’s some top-notch action.
Although the script is full of holes and unintentional hilarity, it fires along at a satisfyingly brisk pace and has some cracker dialogue, mostly courtesy of Wesley. The film looks great too, surely due to the influence of Russian director Bekmambetov. Wanted is Bekmambetov’s first American film – he is best known for the highly successful Russian vampire franchise Night Watch. Wanted is dark and dirty and brooding, not afraid to visually surprise the viewer. The effects, reminiscent at times of The Matrix, are a pleasure to watch, despite how ridiculous they might be. NO ONE would survive that train wreck – sheesh! And everyone is undeniably cool, even Wesley by the end. And how could you not be with names like Sloan, Fox, Cross, The Repairman, The Butcher and The Exterminator.
McAvoy is fantastic in this film, again showing his versatility. He is arguably the most watchable actor working today. His timing is wonderful, and you equally buy him as a nerdy no-hoper and a world-class assassin. Jolie, as assassin Fox, is not as objectionable as I thought she might be. In fact, her character is likable and has a warped integrity that I admired. Nice job. Freeman happily hams it up as Sloan, head of The Fraternity. It’s refreshing to see Freeman play a morally reprehensible character.
It’s not the best action movie ever, but I liked Wanted. You will know straight away whether you are part of this film’s target audience or not, and I certainly was. It’s like watching a normal action movie that’s consumed three too many energy drinks – great stuff. Yes, there are certainly some niggling ethical questions that you might ponder over on the way home, but don’t let that stop you enjoying the Wanted ride.
-------------------------------------
Sloan: Welcome... to the Fraternity. This gun you're holding belonged to your father; he could conduct a symphony orchestra with it.
Dir. Timur Bekmambetov
Scr. Michael Brandt, Derek Haas & Chris Morgan (based on the graphic novel series of the same name)
I was very excited by the Wanted trailer – it made me go “whoa” in Keanu Reeves fashion. Stellar cast (well, mostly; I would have put up with Jolie), great special effects, morally dubious premise – fantastic! And while I was thoroughly entertained by Wanted, to be so requires you to check all common sense, ethics and reality at the door. This is great when you’re in the mood for a Friday night action outing; not so good if you want something of substance. But substance can be highly overrated in my opinion – this movie is a ball to watch and I recommend it.
Wanted tells the story of Wesley Gibson (McAvoy), a man completely sleep-walking through his life. His girlfriend is cheating on him with his best friend. His boss is a bully. His job is a bore. He has no money and isn’t special. Or so he assumes, until the day The Fraternity show up in his life and convince him he is. The Fraternity is a 1000-year old organisation of assassins, who have tasked themselves with keeping world order by taking out bad guys. Who decides, you might be asking? Well, I won’t spoil the utter ridiculousness of how victims are chosen, so let’s just say fate decides. The Fraternity convince Wesley to join to avenge the death of his recently murdered father, a Fraternity member, and much action ensues. And, boy, it’s some top-notch action.
Although the script is full of holes and unintentional hilarity, it fires along at a satisfyingly brisk pace and has some cracker dialogue, mostly courtesy of Wesley. The film looks great too, surely due to the influence of Russian director Bekmambetov. Wanted is Bekmambetov’s first American film – he is best known for the highly successful Russian vampire franchise Night Watch. Wanted is dark and dirty and brooding, not afraid to visually surprise the viewer. The effects, reminiscent at times of The Matrix, are a pleasure to watch, despite how ridiculous they might be. NO ONE would survive that train wreck – sheesh! And everyone is undeniably cool, even Wesley by the end. And how could you not be with names like Sloan, Fox, Cross, The Repairman, The Butcher and The Exterminator.
McAvoy is fantastic in this film, again showing his versatility. He is arguably the most watchable actor working today. His timing is wonderful, and you equally buy him as a nerdy no-hoper and a world-class assassin. Jolie, as assassin Fox, is not as objectionable as I thought she might be. In fact, her character is likable and has a warped integrity that I admired. Nice job. Freeman happily hams it up as Sloan, head of The Fraternity. It’s refreshing to see Freeman play a morally reprehensible character.
It’s not the best action movie ever, but I liked Wanted. You will know straight away whether you are part of this film’s target audience or not, and I certainly was. It’s like watching a normal action movie that’s consumed three too many energy drinks – great stuff. Yes, there are certainly some niggling ethical questions that you might ponder over on the way home, but don’t let that stop you enjoying the Wanted ride.
-------------------------------------
Sloan: Welcome... to the Fraternity. This gun you're holding belonged to your father; he could conduct a symphony orchestra with it.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Tropic Thunder
Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr, Jack Black, Nick Nolte, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Cruise, Steve Coogan, Jay Baruchel, Brandon T Jackson
Dir. Ben Stiller
Scr. Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux & Etan Cohen
This movie is funny, gross, uncomfortable, tasteless, politically incorrect, self indulgent, satirical in spades … the list just goes on and on. And while it doesn’t hit the mark 100% of the time, it does so enough to keep you amused and glued to the screen. The acting is top notch – nothing is more wonderful to see than a bunch of actors refusing to take themselves seriously. I’m not the world’s biggest Ben Stiller fan by a long shot, but he does a solid job with Tropic Thunder. Mostly, one suspects, because he has enough movie star friends who want to lark about as much as he does.
Tropic Thunder is about a trio of hugely successfully actors trying to make the best war movie ever – Tugg Speedman (Stiller), the action hero who has done one too many sequels and is searching for credibility; Jeff Portnoy (Black), the bad boy, bad taste comic who is the king of the fart joke; and Kirk Lazarus (Downey Jr), the multiple-Oscar award winning Aussie actor who takes method acting a little too far. Unable to handle his all-star cast and an out-of-control budget, director Damien Cockburn (Coogan) decides to drop this bunch of overpaid, spoilt actors in the deepest, darkest jungle and truly make a great movie. Convinced their every move is being filmed, the actors are oblivious to the real dangers lying in the jungle. And, well, hilarity ensues. Sometimes.
Tropic Thunder does suffer from some truly unfunny, broad humour. But, in this cinema-goers opinion, there are two things that truly save this film from becoming unbearable. The first is the spot-on piss-take of the film industry. The comic star who plays every character in a film. An actor taking “the method” to extremes by becoming black. The aging, failing action star who dumbs himself down in an attempt to win an Oscar. The omnipotent producer. The “he’s-so-hot-right-now” rapper trying his hand at acting. The war movie to top all war movies. These caricatures are so funny because they are so very true. And who better to play them than the likes of Stiller, Black, Downey Jr, McConaughey, Cruise and so on.
Which brings me nicely to reason number two that Tropic Thunder didn’t suck: that miraculous cast list. Stiller sure has friends in high places and friends that don’t mind being the butt of the joke. The stand-outs, by far, are Downey Jr and Cruise. Downey Jr has the most difficult acting job of the movie – playing a dude “playing a dude pretending to be another dude.” And it’s damn funny, especially the scenes between Lazarus and Alpa Chino (the black rapper played wonderfully by Brandon T Jackson), and the memorable sage words of an extreme method actor (“I don't read the script. The script reads me.”) And Cruise, well, what a wonderfully disgusting, disturbing performance he gives as the aptly named producer Les Grossman. He looks to be truly having a ball.
Tropic Thunder will definitely not be everyone’s idea of a good night out. I truly disliked parts of it. But there was certainly enough to keep me giggling and I applaud Stiller’s satirical skills and the whole cast’s willingness to truly ridicule themselves and their industry.
---------------------------------------
Tyra Banks: You're not married, you're on the wrong side of 40, and child-less. Somebody close to you said: One more flop, and it's over.
Tugg Speedman: [pause] Somebody said they were close to me?
Dir. Ben Stiller
Scr. Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux & Etan Cohen
This movie is funny, gross, uncomfortable, tasteless, politically incorrect, self indulgent, satirical in spades … the list just goes on and on. And while it doesn’t hit the mark 100% of the time, it does so enough to keep you amused and glued to the screen. The acting is top notch – nothing is more wonderful to see than a bunch of actors refusing to take themselves seriously. I’m not the world’s biggest Ben Stiller fan by a long shot, but he does a solid job with Tropic Thunder. Mostly, one suspects, because he has enough movie star friends who want to lark about as much as he does.
Tropic Thunder is about a trio of hugely successfully actors trying to make the best war movie ever – Tugg Speedman (Stiller), the action hero who has done one too many sequels and is searching for credibility; Jeff Portnoy (Black), the bad boy, bad taste comic who is the king of the fart joke; and Kirk Lazarus (Downey Jr), the multiple-Oscar award winning Aussie actor who takes method acting a little too far. Unable to handle his all-star cast and an out-of-control budget, director Damien Cockburn (Coogan) decides to drop this bunch of overpaid, spoilt actors in the deepest, darkest jungle and truly make a great movie. Convinced their every move is being filmed, the actors are oblivious to the real dangers lying in the jungle. And, well, hilarity ensues. Sometimes.
Tropic Thunder does suffer from some truly unfunny, broad humour. But, in this cinema-goers opinion, there are two things that truly save this film from becoming unbearable. The first is the spot-on piss-take of the film industry. The comic star who plays every character in a film. An actor taking “the method” to extremes by becoming black. The aging, failing action star who dumbs himself down in an attempt to win an Oscar. The omnipotent producer. The “he’s-so-hot-right-now” rapper trying his hand at acting. The war movie to top all war movies. These caricatures are so funny because they are so very true. And who better to play them than the likes of Stiller, Black, Downey Jr, McConaughey, Cruise and so on.
Which brings me nicely to reason number two that Tropic Thunder didn’t suck: that miraculous cast list. Stiller sure has friends in high places and friends that don’t mind being the butt of the joke. The stand-outs, by far, are Downey Jr and Cruise. Downey Jr has the most difficult acting job of the movie – playing a dude “playing a dude pretending to be another dude.” And it’s damn funny, especially the scenes between Lazarus and Alpa Chino (the black rapper played wonderfully by Brandon T Jackson), and the memorable sage words of an extreme method actor (“I don't read the script. The script reads me.”) And Cruise, well, what a wonderfully disgusting, disturbing performance he gives as the aptly named producer Les Grossman. He looks to be truly having a ball.
Tropic Thunder will definitely not be everyone’s idea of a good night out. I truly disliked parts of it. But there was certainly enough to keep me giggling and I applaud Stiller’s satirical skills and the whole cast’s willingness to truly ridicule themselves and their industry.
---------------------------------------
Tyra Banks: You're not married, you're on the wrong side of 40, and child-less. Somebody close to you said: One more flop, and it's over.
Tugg Speedman: [pause] Somebody said they were close to me?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)