Fantastic Short Film Friday - Dirty Laundry (live-action)

And we are back with another installment in our Fantastic Short Film Friday series, as we continue to showcase films released in the "lesser" known form of cinema- the short film.

It's time for another amazing short film for all you short film lovers out there. Okay this one is not family friendly kid safe. This is an 80's grindhouse kind of action film in the bets possible way. Here Thomas Jane returns in a fan film with his buddies to show his love for the Punisher character now that the rights have finally reverted back to Marvel. I just love the fact that he created a fan film of a character he actually played! Brilliant. Here is the 10-minute bloody action short Dirty Laundry from filmmaker Phil Joanou.

Here's the synopsis right from actor Thomas Jane:

I wanted to make a fan film for a character I've always loved and believed in - a love letter to Frank Castle & his fans. It was an incredible experience with everyone on the project throwing in their time just for the fun of it. It's been a blast to be a part of from start to finish -- we hope the friends of Frank enjoy watching it as much as we did making it.

This is a great representation of what the character can do and who he is, uncompromising, ruthless and just brutal - a true vigilante. There's been 3 movies already, and sadly the second one that Thomas Jane starred in is probably the worse. No fault of his own, but it didn't take the character far enough and yet still took him way too seriously. The third one was a great mix of action and violence but the narrative was pretty mediocre making it at times, while fun, unwatchable. Let's hope the first Marvel Studios movie will bring Marvel's way of movie storytelling to the grounded street heroics of this sadly misused character.

Check this out if you want to a brutal and true look at the Punisher character. Check this out if you want to see what I hope is the path Marvel takes with the character now they have the rights once again. Enjoy this weeks dose of short film goodness with Dirty Laundry.

Fantastic Short Film Friday - Cost of Living (live-action)

And we are back with another installment in our Fantastic Short Film Friday series, as we continue to showcase films released in the "lesser" known form of cinema- the short film.

It's tough to do a good action story in a short film. Sci-fi shorts can get away with it because of the spectacle, but doing an action short that has meaning, that is both entertaining and refreshing is tough in a 20 minute chunk. Today though I have for you an action short that uses its running time and minimal budget really well to tell both an action packed story of survival in a lab full of monsters and a comedy about finding one's self. Here is the 10-minute short Cost of Living from filmmaker BenDavid Grabinski. It stars two actors that have really grown on me in the past years: Superman himself Brandon Routh who's channeling his Scott Pilgrim character and the now sadly cancelled Reaper's very own Bret Harrison. Mary Elizabeth Winstead also leads her vocal talents to the story.

The setup is this: two security guards that work for a mysterious corporation go about their day just trying to get through it as they put out fire after fire, each more dangerous than the last.

This one feels right at home in a John Carpenter movie, as the director and actors do a great job mixing horror, comedy and action into an entertaining 10 minute short where you can't wait to see what happens next. At the very end there's talks of a possible sequel coming and damn if I can't wait to see more. This is some smart, funny, and entertain stuff here people and its flatout funny.

"Why d'you always get the burrito?"
"Cos it's fucking delicious."

Brilliant.

Check this out if you like your splatter with a touch of comedy. Check this out if you liked Routh's performance in the movie Dylan Dog, but wished you could get it in smaller chunks. Enjoy this weeks dose of short form goodness in, Cost of Living.


COST OF LIVING from BenDavid Grabinski on Vimeo.

Fantastic Short Film Friday - Portal: No Escape (live-action)

And we are back with another installment in our Fantastic Short Film Friday series, as we continue to showcase films released in the "lesser" known form of cinema- the short film.

This week we have for you an amazing fan-film (fan film because it wasn't licensed by the creators and not because of quality) that brings a video game world more to life then any 10 video game adaptations combined. Here is a 7-minute sci-fi action short called, Portal: No Escape from filmmaker, Dan Trachtenberg. Those that follow podcast's will know Dan as the totally excellent host of The Totally Rad Show podcast. He has done what many film critics always dream of, created art in the medium they love. He is now a part of that medium we so love to study and talk about.

Based on the video game from Valve, this short works so well because you don't have to have ever played or even know anything about the video game to enjoy this short. This short is about a female prisoner locked in a cell who discovers a gun that can create portals in the walls that will allow her to escape confinement. It seems like a simple premise, but in the hands of Dan and his FX team, it's anything but simple. Fans have been clamoring for years for a Portal film, but sadly nothing has seen the light of day. This short has built up so much buzz in such a short time (over 3 million hits in 1 day!) that perhaps Valve will take another look into making a feature length film. If not well, there is no real loss because we have this amazing short that shows what imagination and perseverance can do in the face of budget and time constraints.

Check this out if you're in the mood to see some amazing sci-fi video game action. This is big in the way that Panic Attack was big for Fede Alvarez. Watch out for Dan, he'll be directing feature length films within the next 5 years if this short is any indication of his talent. Enjoy this weeks dose of short form goodness in, Portal: No Escape.

What I Think Of: Predators (2010)

Here's an early review of a recent film release. Since we've been a bit tardy with the latest podcast (sorry guys but a new show will be released at the end of this week. No really it will!), I've decided to give my quick thoughts on this reboot/sequel to the original 1987 film, Predator (let's all try to forget the 1990 Predator 2 where a predator is defeated by out of shape Danny Glover ever happened). So here we have Predators, where elite human killers are dropped on an alien world to be hunted. Directed by Nimrod Antal (of Kontroll, Vacancy and Armored fame), the film stars Adrian Brody as an elite special opts soldier who must team up with a ragtag group of survivors to fight and fend off their captors. Upping the stakes is that while Arnold barely defeated one in the original film, washboard abs Brody must defeat 3, because the best things in life come in three's (and yes I'm including the 3-set of breasts in Total Recall).

Since we'll be reviewing the movie later this week for the podcast, I'm going to make this short and sweet, so here are some of my initial thoughts concerning this film.

• I've been waiting most my life for a true sequel to one of my favorite sci-fi horror franchises, and Predators does not disappoint. While I thought it might be decent if not cheesy, Predators is surprisingly well written, action packed and stays true to the original film.
• On that note, initially I thought that there was no way "serious" actor Adrian Brody could pull off an action lead, especially one that Arnie made famous, but he's damn good here. He's gruff, he's mean, he has a six-pack, I mean Brody just went up miles in the "man" factor in my eyes. Everyone I talk to about this movie keeps asking, "you say it's good, but I mean come on, Adrian Brody is in it. How good can he be?" He's f-n fantastic here people. The biggest surprise of the year.
• If there's one thing director Nimrod Antal knows it's how to shoot and pace action scenes. This movie is just filled with some great set pieces, great beats of humanity and characterization between action scenes- it's a film that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The film doesn't try to be anything more than it is, a B-movie action flick with an A-movie budget, and Antal just works wonders here.
• I just love actor Danny Trejo and he makes a cameo here. Why? I'm sure it's because the film is produced by Robert Rodriguez and Trejo is starring in Rodriguez's upcoming movie, Machete. But yeah Trejo is just awesome and playes my favorite character in the movie. And I think I'm in love with Alice Braga. Ever since I saw here in the disappointing Repo Men movie, yeah I can't get enough of her and she's fantastic here as well, being the only woman in the movie and yet not only being able to keep up with the guys, but also showing them how its done.
  
• Just like I always say, practical creature/monster effects are always better than cheap cgi effects. The predator costumes are just great, with a nice throwback to the original but still feeling fresh and updated.
• Lastly, if you liked the original film, you'll love this one. There's just so many homages, so many references that any fan of the original will have a blast during the film picking out everything. Thank you dvds and repeat viewings!!

So yeah, there you have it. Predators is a great reboot/sequel to the classic 1987 film, and is a true throwback to all the great genre films of the 80's and 90's that modern cinema is sorely lacking. Listen to our upcoming podcast to hear my full review, but this one is a definite must watch.

Movie Review: Killers (2010)

This 2010 action romantic comedy is directed by Robert Luketic (of Legally Blond, Monster-in-Law, 21, and The Ugly Truth fame)- so yeah all winners- and is the story of Jen Kornfeldt (Katherine Heigl) recently left by her boyfriend for being overly cautious. On a trip to Nice, France with her parents she meets an enigmatic and sexy (god I can't believe I'm writing this) young man named Spencer (Ashton Kutcher), a CIA agent with a license to kill. The pair begin a whirlwind romance which quickly leads to marriage. However when old enemies begin looking for Spencer, Jen has two choices, leave Spencer, or save his life.

I'm a sucker for these kinds of movies- action comedies with a sexy cast and hints of romance. The only problem is, these types of moves tend to be pretty awful. Okay I'm lying. They tend to be godawful. I may be one of only a handful of people who thought the trailers looked fantastic and wanted to see it. Judging by the movies poor box office performance, maybe there were less than a handful of us. To my brothers and sisters in arms I say this, "Guess what? Everyone else was right and we were way off." This film doesn't even deserve my traditional format for movie reviews.

Nothing works in this film and I'm stunned that director Robert Luketic keeps getting work. His movies have been progressively getting worse and I never thought he could reach the lows of J-lo's Monster-in-Law, but this film makes that one look like Casablanca. He must have some dirt on some film execs because there is no good reason why he should ever be allowed to direct another movie.

To be fair some of the shots in this film were quite beautiful. But the action scenes, the scenes the whole movie is based around were bland and at times incomprehensible. However, I thought the cast was quite good. Heigl is just beautiful even if she can't act particularly well, and Kutcher is actually a pretty good actor. I can see him playing like a younger James Bond type, a kind who gets all the girls, travels the world killing, and yet also appears vulnerable. Film producers, get to making that script happen.

So yeah, sure the cast is hot, the locales beautiful, but there really isn't anything here besides a mind-numbingly ridiculous plot, some shaky directing, a worse script and some truly terrible dialogue. I give this film a definite, "sneak out/I want my money back rating." Like how in basketball, when players getting blow-out score, it's called "garbage time." Killers is the equivalent of that. This is just "garbage time", something to fill the time just because it needs to be done and sadly, someone has to do it?

Leftovers - Conan The Barbarian: The Musical

I'm not going to lie- I think the original 1982 Conan the Barbarian movie starring the governator himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger, is not only one of the greatest movies ever filmed, but also one of the greatest things ever created. Sure it's god-awfully cheesy and Arnold can't act his way out of his accent, but everything about it just clicks for me. I've watched it countless times and never imagined there could be anything better, anything more breathtaking. I was wrong. Like most things in life, the best and fastest way to make something better is make it into a musical. Jon and Al Kaplan have been turning films into musicals for sometime now, but I think they've reached their creative plateau with this one. The word epic should only be used to describe the greatest of concepts, the greatest of executions... and yes, this musical is truly epic. Check it out below and marvel at it's greatest because in the end all anyone ever wants is to crush your enemies, to see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women.

Fantastic Short Film Friday - The Gift

And we are back with another weekly installment in our Fantastic Short Film Friday series, as we look to showcase films released in the "lesser" known form of cinema- the short film.

This week we have the much buzzed about sci-fi action thriller, The Gift. Not to be confused with the equally brilliant 2000 film with a topless Katie Holmes, this is the short from Ridley Scott protege, Carl Erik Rinsch. As I mentioned last week, Mr. Rinsch's short has been causing quite a bidding war as Hollywood studios look to be the one's to turn The Gift into a feature length film. The story is simple: a futuristic Russia, a mechanical box, and a humanoid android trying to protect(?) it. There's really not much more to say about the plot of the 5-minute short except that it is a wonderful blend of cgi magic, minimal dialogue, and simple wonder.

The Gift iss part of project between Philips and five filmmakers from Ridley Scott Associates, called Parallel Lines. Here's some of the information about the collabaration:

Five short films. Five genres. Five of RSA's hottest directors. One unifying piece of dialogue.
Were pushing the boundaries of cinematic viewing, giving you the chance to experience the spectacular Ambilight, picture and sound capabilities of Philips TVs for yourself.

Each filmmaker was asked to create a short in the genre of their choice around the same unifying dialogue and theme. 45 shorts were entered, with Philips selecting the five (from directors Jake Scott, Greg Fay, Johnny Hardstaff, Carl Erik Rinsch, and Hi-Sim) they believed were the most groundbreaking. You can find out more about the project by going: here

Mr. Rinsch has been very busy as he is currently developing a remake of the Creature From The Black Lagoon and is in pre-production on the remake of the samurai film 47 Ronin which is to star Keanu Reeves. I'm a huge fan of the 47 Ronin story and the idea of Keanu Reeves as one of the Ronin has me both gagging and smiling at the possibilities.

So here is Carl Erik Rinsch's, The Gift. Sit back, enjoy and imagine the possibilities.

What I Think Of: The Bounty Hunter (2010)

What do you get when you team up two really good looking and fun actors, one who sends women all a-flutter with his washboard abs, the other formerly America's sweetheart who has aged really damn well? You get probably one of the Top 5 worst movies to be released in 2010. Again proving I'll watch every rom-com that's released, here we have The Bounty Hunter. This is a 2010 action romantic comedy directed by Andy Tennant (of recently Hitch and Fool's Gold infamy) as stars Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston as ex's in a cat and mouse game for their lives. Butler stars as Milo, a bounty hunter who finds that his next assignment is to bring his bail-jumping journalist ex-wife Nicole, to jail. However, things turn out generically, as the couple find themselves on the run for their lives when Nicole's current investigation appears more than it seems. They must fake being married again and hide out or be found and live down their vows "to death do us part" (and yes I went there). Here are my initial thoughts after watching the film:

• This film is actually stunningly bad. I mean I know it has an 8% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but I think that's still being generous. Granted, the trailers looked terrible, but I thought I would get at the very least a generic romantic comedy (which I can always watch), but this is like a hybrid of generic romantic comedy with even a more generic action movie and wow, it's like at the end someone slapped me in the face, looked in my wallet, scoffed at what they saw and then left, leaving me with my money but without my dignity.
• But the key to how bad I should have known this movie would be was that its directed by Andy Tennant who directed Matthew Mconaughey and Kate Hudson in Fool's Gold, which made my worst movie list of 2008. He was able to take two actors who starred in a film I really liked (How to lose a guy in 10 days) and then reunite them in a movie that made me wish I had lost my very eyesight. It's a shame too, since his directing career started out promisingly. Sure Fools Rush In is generic, but at least it wasn't insulting, and I love Ever After. I mean I've watched that like 20 times that movie is so good. But yeah, no more. You have once again taken two actors I really liked, put them together and made me never want to watch them in another movie again. At the very least I can say this one positive about director Andy Tennant, "I believe from now on I can always count on you to create a movie that will make my bottom list at the end of the year and give me something to talk about. For that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart."
• I'm a big fan of Gerard Butler, but I think this is easily his worst performance. It's like he ate a ham sandwich before shooting and decided to act the entire movie in a really overly dramatic and hammy way. It actually made me really sad to watch him sink so low. But hey, it's a pay check and he got to hang out with Jennifer Aniston, so that's a plus.
• On that note, damn Jennifer Aniston still looks really good. I think she's gotten hotter in her old age. Sure, she still acts like Rachel in everything she does, but I don't care. She's just damn hot and well, I actually like her Rachel shtick, so I'll watch her in anything, and I thought she was really good in Love Happens.
• However, while I don't think Andy Tennant's direction helped, I can't say he should shoulder all the blame. Sarah Thorp's script is really frustrating. The whole movie doesn't know what it want's to be. A comedy? Well it isn't funny and there's no standout comedic moments. An action film? Well, the action scenes are really poorly shot and the plot that sets up the action actually makes very little sense. A romance? Well, we also don't really have that, and the reason why the couple originally divorced is just as poorly thought out and constructed as the rest of the movie. In the end, the movie tries to be three things, but leaves the viewer with nothing.
  
• Seriously, Gerard Butler is terrible in this film, and his character isn't really all that likable. And for that matter, neither is Aniston's, so you're left watching the movie, with two pretty terrible people not caring if they get back together, or perhaps hoping they do because they deserve to make each other miserable.
• In the end, I wish I could say something positive beyond, "wow Jennifer Aniston still looks really good", but I'll frankly be stunned if there is a worst romantic comedy then this one released this year. It seems like director Andy Tennant has forgotten how to present believable and interesting characters, and like how Uwe Boll's name is synonymous with the worst of video game adaptations, Tennant's name is now synonymous with the worst of rom-coms.
  

A definite "sneak out/I want my money back" rating. It's a damn shame this movie has already made around $121 million worldwide which will keep producers green-lighting films like this as long as big names are attached to the finished product. Anyway, do yourself a favor and stay away from this one no matter how much you may like the actors in it.

What I Think Of - Gamer (2009)

It's time!!! Turn on your video-game systems and dream... Game On. This 2009 sci-fi action film is written and directed by the guys behind the Crank films, Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor. In the near future, mind-control technology is the most popular form of entertainment, making its creator Ken Castle (Michael C. Hall) the most powerful man in the world. His newest foray into mind-controlling entertainment is also his most popular, a game called Slayers, where average gamers can take control of death-row inmates and use them to fight one another for their freedom, first person shooter style (such as in Halo of Call of Duty). Gerard Butler plays Kable, the most popular Slayer who is only one game away from surviving and getting his freedom. However, turns out that the powers that be are conspiring against him and will do anything rather than set him free. Kable must take control of himself, escape, find his missing family, and piece together the life he once had that was so unfairly taken away from him.

Frankly with the world going the way it is, with our current obsessive abuses of technology, a world where everything is a game and everything is "real" doesn't strike me as being far fetched. Ever play the computer game Sims? Ever play the social networking juggernaut that is/was Second Life. Ever wished it was more realistic, more encompassing? Well in the world of Gamer you have that option in the form of Second Skin, a world where actors are implanted with chips in their head that basically make them avatars, mindless mannequins where people at home can live out their fantasies through them. Are you a guy that always wished he was a hot babe? Welcome tot he world of Second Skin. It's concepts and story executions like those that raise Gamer from being just another generic action flick to something more. This is a what if world, if Big Brother liked video-games.

If you've seen the two Crank films then you know what you're going to get with Gamer- kinetic high paced action, extreme close-ups, feelings of drug-induced hazes, shaky-cams and extreme amounts of violence and sex. Gamer lives in the excesses of the directors, Neveldine and Taylor's, minds and frankly I wished I was there too. Seriously though, this film is not art, it's not even pop-art, it's stupid mindless brilliance, and I can barely recommend it.

When I first sat down to watch this film, I was expecting a mediocre action flick, with some slick editing (thanks to the directors), some Gerard Butler goodness and some killer Michael C. Hall Dexter creepiness. What I got was a really interesting and fun action flick that was an allegory for our modern way of life. Yes that's right, I said Gamer is an allegory for our modern way of life, the over-emphasis technology has on our lives and the importance we put on our cyber lives rather than our real lives. While I've never gotten into the whole Facebook, Myspace, Twitter revolution that seems to be going on for everyone that I know, I still am guilty of spending hours upon hours online, mindlessly surfing, clicking, typing, and then bam it's night already and where did my day go. Gamer just takes all that, mixes it up in a blender with 2 whole bottles of Vodka, then lights it on fire as you drink it.

You can catch the film on dvd now and I'd at least recommend renting it. Is it any good? No. Is it nicely made and mindless fun? Hell yes. You can enjoy a marathon of excess with the 2 Crank films, this film and end it all with the Italian film Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (which is frankly the sickest film I've ever seen). Gamer just messes with your mind the whole time, and if you're like me and love playing first person shooters like Halo and watching hyper chaotic bloody action films, then yeah, check this one out.

What I Think Of: Universial Soldier Regeneration (2010)

I know this may sound insane, but this is the 5th movie in the Universal Soldier series of films, which started back in 1992 with Universal Solider. You heard me right - the 5th movie!! The first 2 Universal Soldier sequels were direct-to-dvd crapfests followed by the theatrical release of Universal Soldier: The Return in 1999. Now roughly 10 years later, I can't believe any one's been clamoring for another sequel, but here we are with Universal Soldier: Regeneration.

This film, while getting a theatrical release in Asia (because frankly they aren't too discerning) gets the straight-to-dvd release here in the States. Proving that I'll watch anything, I rushed out to see this. However the key for me was that this film stars one of my favorite MMA superstars Andrei "The Pitball" Arlovski, and re-unites Jean-Cluade Van Damme (who I'll see in anything) and Dolph Lundgren (who I'll almost see in anything) together again from the first Universal film.

So is this film worthy, if worthy is the right word for a film series that's been mostly terrible, to continue the Universal Soldier legacy? Frankly, this film is pretty damn good. From the heart pumping opening 8-minutes that feel right out of John Frankenheimer film, to the action packed martial arts/MMA beat-down ending, to all the bodies and dismemberment in the middle, Universal Soldier: Regeneration is a whole lot of dumb fun. I mean the story makes no sense, sure some of the effects and set locations look decidedly low-budget, and yes, there're so many plot threads that are forgotten or thrown away that you'll be scratching your head going "what the hell's going on" more often than not, but you're not watching a straight-to-dvd movie starring Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren for the plot right?

I will say this, if you're watching this film only to see 90 minutes of Van Damme and Lundgren fighting like in the first movie, you'll be sadly disappointed like I initially was. Van Damme is undoubtably the star of this film, but he's more in a supporting role being in the film for only like 37 minutes. And Lundgren's appearance is more like a cameo being in it for only about 10 minutes. However, once you get past the initial disappointment, you'll find an entertaining action flick with a high body count. Besides, when Van Damme and Lundgren finally do share screen time together, you'll be smiling from ear to ear like I was. It's just classic Van Damme action.

I'm sure the only reason this film ever got made was due to the resurgence of Van Damme's career after 2008's JCVD, but yeah, while not a great film, (I can't even say it's one I've been waiting for - who even remembers the Universal Soldier series?), it's a lot of Van Damme fun. The best recommendation I can give this straight-to-dvd movie is that if I saw this in the theater I would have still been happy. The joining of two 80's action juggernauts with Van Damme and Lundgren. What more could any one man ask for?

Movie Talkback - The Expendables Pushed Back

The Expendables, a movie with a cast that can only be described as "action perfection", has sadly been pushed back from it's April release to August 10, 2010. According to a Lionsgate Twitter post, or "Twat" as Josh likes to say, the release of The Expendables would coincide with their release of their comic adaptation Kick-Ass. Personally, I'm not sure how to take this. I mean, I am definitely looking forward to Kick-Ass as well, but I thought The Expendables would've been a great movie to open up the fabled Summer Blockbuster season of movies. On the other hand, it might be a great way to close the season out too, because as I said, this "action perfection" cast might just be too good to open up the Summer Blockbuster season with, as nothing would be able to top it. Are my expectations high for this movie? You better believe it!

-Greg

What I Think Of: Deep Blue Sea (1999)

Continuing with my aquatic reviewing adventure, lets turn back the clock a decade to this gem of a movie, Deep Blue Sea. Now, before I describe what the movie is about, which should be obvious from the poster, I want you to take a look at the list of films the director, Renny Harlin, has directed. Just some of those gems should give you an idea of what kind of films this man directs, and still continues to direct, like with 12 Rounds. What amazes me is that I've seen most of his 90's flicks and almost none of his gems for the new millennium. Shame on me, as except for Cliffhanger...maybe, I'm probably a shameful, closet fan of his action movies. Cutthroat Island might be up there on the Cliffhanger list, but I haven't seen it in so long to be sure. I'll probably rectify that soon enough. However, Deep Blue Sea I was definitely a fan of, for it's sheer, sheer absurdity.

Mind you, I am a fan of this movie, but it's not very good. It doesn't matter though, as it's your basic summer blockbuster, Jaws wannabe, and it has one of the best scenes with Samuel L. Jackson in it. The scene was so great, Dave Chappelle even mentioned it during his Samuel Jackson beer commercial. This movie also stars Thomas "I wish Travolta wasn't my Punisher villain" Jane as your typical movie "insert here" expert. Regardless, Saffron Burrows character, Dr. Susan McCallister, is making bigger, smarter, faster, meaner sharks in order to cure Alzheimer's Disease. Naturally something goes wrong, the sharks are loose, and the team must escape before they are killed in hilarious, summer blockbuster ways.

Okay, perhaps I was a little hasty in saying this movie is a Jaws wannabe, because Jaws was more of a horror/thriller, whereas Deep Blue Sea is more of an action flick, just with sharks. These are some impressive sharks too, as they learn how to plot, plan, and even swim backwards to charge up their attack. Deep Blues Sea is ripe with cliché and even makes fun of it with LL Cool J's character. What makes me like this movie is that it really doesn't pretend to be anything other than what it is or what you expect. I went into the theater with little expectations, expecting sharks killing humans in hilarious ways, and that's precisely what I got. To me, that is an enjoyable movie experience. Now, I have to go back and watch Cliffhanger, Cutthroat Island, and his newer films to see if I enjoy them like I did Deep Blue Sea. Although, from what Josh has described of 12 Rounds, perhaps I'll skip that one.

-Greg

What I Think Of: The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension (1984)

Now, from the title, you might be thinking, "Is Greg reviewing another MST3K movie?" However, despite it's title, this movie is not an MST3K gem. Surprisingly, this movie is actually quite awesome, and one of my all time favorite movies from the 80's. To say that this movie is out there is an understatement. This movie is a tour de force of adventure, sci-fi, and comedy all rolled into 103 minutes of pure awesome. Essentially, evil Red Lectroids from Planet 10 need Team Banzai's now perfected Oscillation Overthruster to pass through solid matter and into the 8th Dimension, in order to free their captive comrades and wage war against the Black Lectroids from the planet of the same name. It's up to Scientist, Brain Surgeon, Rock Star, and all around grand adventurer Buckaroo Banzai and the Hong Kong Cavaliers to stop the evil Lord John Whorfin from succeeding before the Black Lectroids trigger the Cold War in order to make sure he doesn't escape the planet.

No really, this isn't an MST3K movie. It's just pure fun, it really is. What makes me love this movie so much is that it doesn't take itself seriously at all. I mean, there are sequences in the movie that make little sense to anyone but the Hong Kong Cavaliers themselves, but it works so well. Another thing that makes this movie so great is the casting. Peter Weller puts in a great performance as Buckaroo himself and Jeff Goldblum is great as New Jersey. However, the two who really steal the show are John Lithgow as Dr. Emilio Lazardo/ Lord John Whorfin and Christopher Lloyd as John Bigboote. They truly bring the humor to the movie, especially towards the end of it when they interact more.

Now, this was W.D. Richter's directorial debut, and only one of two movies he's ever directed, with his other being Late For Dinner. I'd like to think that he knew he couldn't top this awesome of a movie, so he just wanted to do one more as a director, then call it quits. Really, I don't see how he can top this. What also made this movie so good, in my eyes, was that it's non-stop. The movie just flies by, and doesn't let up in it's silly premise at all. There is no dull point at all, from beginning to end. Speaking of the end, this movie has one of my favorite ending credits ever, if not my favorite of all time. I won't spoil it, but I think it's so hard not to whistle or hum the Buckaroo Banzai theme after you're done watching it. I highly recommend this movie to anyone looking for a fun time. It's one of the best and one of my favorites.

-Greg

What I Think Of: Aliens Vs. Predator (2004)

I decided to finish off the week, as well as what little credibility I have, with a film that has the word Alien in it's title. Okay, it's technically Aliens, as was the first review this week, but we'll let that slide. As for my credibility being finished, well that's because I actually like this movie. Now, I'm not saying this is a great movie or that it can hold a candle to the first two Alien movies or the first Predator movie (sorry Danny Glover), but I got exactly what I wanted to see out of this movie, which was Aliens vs. Predator. That's all I was expecting. The plot didn't have to make too much sense, nor did the acting have to be all that great either. And it wasn't, on both counts. However, the scenes with the Aliens & Predators were very well done, and didn't rely heavily on CGI either.

Honestly, there are times where I think that CGI has taken some of the luster, the magic, and the glory out of films of any genre, especially the action, horror, and sci-fi genre. I mean, look at Aliens and then look at Alien: Resurrection. The Aliens in Aliens looked and felt more real than the CGI ones in Alien: Resurrection. Of course, that's also thanks to the genius of Special Effects wizard Stan Winston, who won an oscar for his work on Aliens. May he rest in peace. It's a shame that director Paul Anderson did not go to Stan to work on Aliens vs. Predator, since Stan created the Alien Queen & the Predator.

Back to the movie. As I said, it's not a very good movie, but it is a fun movie, if you want to see Aliens and Predators go at it, with foolish humans along for the ride. What I love is reading some reviewers who said that this film destroys the Aliens & Predator franchise, which is hilarious, being that the Aliens franchise was already butchered with Alien 3 & especially Alien: Resurrection, and the Predator franchise hasn't had a movie since Predator 2, which wasn't really good in the first place. The plot is acceptable and makes sense, which is really the best you can expect from this kind of movie. If only Transformers 2 plot made more sense, or any sense at all, I would've enjoyed it more. Needless to say, I enjoyed this film, as well as it's sequel.

-Greg

What I Think Of: Aliens (1986)

I probably should've watched the original Alien first before doing this review, but I was more in the mood for an action film than a horror film, after watching Orphan. Whereas Alien was much more of a horror film, one of the first of it's time, depicting Outer Space as a place we truly know nothing about, Aliens continues the story, but this time adds hardcore Colonial Marines to take on the vile Aliens. That's not saying that the horror isn't there in Aliens, but it's definitely more of an action film, and a damn good one at that. Now, a lot of times, when a sequel changes directors, it's usually not for the better. Especially when that director is Ridley Scott. However, James Cameron of Terminator fame did a fantastic job with the sequel of Scott's masterpiece, actually adding more to the atmosphere of the Aliens franchise, with the cocooning and the Queen, as well as the station. One thing I've always loved about this movie is the atmosphere, and what really helps this movie's atmosphere is the soundtrack, composed by one of my favorite movie composers, James Horner. He won an Oscar for Titanic's soundtrack, but he deserved it more for Aliens, but especially more for Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan. Oh yeah, I went there!

-Greg

What I Think Of: X2: X-Men United (2003)

With Watchmen on it's way, and after having so much fun relieving past comic book movie glory with the first X-Men movie, I decided to continue with the super heroic nostalgia and watch X2: X-Men United. Released in 2003, X2 picks up exactly where the first X-Men movie leaves off, except now it adds in my favorite mutant from the comic book, Nightcrawler. In this movie, General William Stryker, played by newcomer Bryan Cox, kidnaps Captain Picard so he can use him to kill all the mutants. It's up to the X-Men & Gandalf to stop him. I'd like to believe that since Bryan Singer, back to direct once again, had already shown us that story telling & character development are more important than special effects, he decided to go all out with everything, because X2 is one of those sequels which improves upon the first movie, in pretty much every way possible. Watching this again, I had almost forgotten how incredible the opening sequence with Nightcrawler is. In this one sequence, X2 shows how much they've improved on the special effects in the movie. Even the soundtrack to the movie is improved as well. The story telling & character development are still there even with the younger, not quite X-Men yet in Rogue, Iceman, and Pyro. Overall, this movie is better than the first, and easily one of Marvel's best comic book movies to come out. Enjoy it too, because the next two X-Men movies are not even close to being this good.

-Greg

What I Think Of: Ichi (2008)

This is a 2008 re-imaging/partial continuation of the classic Japanese series, Zatoichi which has spawned 26 films and 112 television episodes- crazy I know, and I've seen them all which is both crazy and sad - closer to sad I think. Anyway, so there's a lot of history, a lot of baggage to go with any new movie in the series, but what's nice is that while being a continuation of the series, only a hardcore fan would see it that way. Ichi works by being a singular film rather than just a new entry in the series, meaning you don't have to have seen the other films to enjoy this film. One can see Ichi as just another exploitation film, especially since the gender roles have been reversed with the Zato (japanese for blind massuer) character now a beautiful woman who makes a living as a muscician as she seeks the blind masseur who taught her how to fight (she uses a unique style of fighting with a sword hidden in her cane). Everything is here - fantastic action, blood, music, sadness, beautiful cinematography- and while Ichi is not as fun or carefree as the previous Zatoichi movies, it is nice to see the series get an update, especially after Beat Kitano spit in every fans face with his 2003 remake (I saw the remake at the Tribeca Film Festival back in 2004 and I had tears of anger in my eyes as the credits rolled). Anyway, hopefully Ichi will lead more people to revisit the classic Shintaro Katsu Zatoichi series which is/was playful, beautiful, and a wonderful treat to watch. This Ichi film may not be on par with the classics, but is a welcome addition to a chambara genre (swordplay) that has gone way too over the top in recent years. Check out Ichi when it finally gets a North American dvd release hopefully sometime soon. This movie is not to be confused with the hardcore violent Ichi The Killer.

What I Think Of: X-Men (2000)

With the upcoming Watchmen: Directors Cut DVD/Blu-Ray coming out shortly, I decided to take a look back at the comic book movie that essentially started it all. Some will say that the first Blade movie started the comic book movie fad, but I believe that if it weren't for the popularity of this movie, we might not have some of the great...and terrible comic book movies of today. Released in 2000, under the directorial helm of Bryan Singer, I wanted to see if the first X-Men still held up after 9 years. Thankfully, it does indeed. X-Men focuses on the story & character development, more than the special effects, and has such terrific casting as Patrick "I was born to play Professor X" Stewart as Professor X, Ian McKellan as Magneto, and Hugh Jackman who gives a great performance in his breakout role as Wolverine. The only thing I didn't like about the movie was the soundtrack, as it really doesn't go anywhere at all. I guess it would've been too much to ask for them to use the 90's X-Men Cartoon theme for the movie. Needless to say, 9 years later, X-Men is still up there with Marvel's best comic book movies and is still recommended for movie fans & comic book fans alike. Especially if you want to know what happens to a Toad that gets struck by lightning.

-Greg

What I Think Of: Galaxy Quest (1999)

Never Give Up. Never Surrender. I love this homage to the Star Trek franchise, and it's the only starring vehicle that I actually don't mind Tim Allen in. Seriously, the guy isn't funny. Grunting all the time- how is that comedy? What makes this film work so well is that you don't have to be a Star Trek fan or a sc-fi fan to enjoy it- hell Penny loves this film which still shocks me. Galaxy Quest plays up the familiar tropes of Greek drama's, and while an homage, it still stands on its own as a great film. It's fun and will genuinly have you cheering at the end screaming, "Never Give Up. Never Surrender."

What I Think Of: Knights Tale (2001)

This may surprise many people, but this is not only my favorite Heath Ledger performance, but also one of my favorite movies. I've been a fan of Ledgers ever since 10 Things I Hate About You, and when I saw this at the theater, well, that solidified my membership into the Heath Ledger fan club. This movie has everything, Chaucer, literary references, jousting, romance, Shannyn Sossamon (my god is she hot here), villainy, intrigue, Rufus Sewell, (did I mention jousting?), and of course highly quotable dialogue, at least for me and Penny's tired of hearing it. Seriously though, this movie is just plain fun and one that not many people have seen but should be viewed for anyone who likes their action tinged with modern Medieval manleness.