Fantastic Short Film Friday - Monster Roll (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. Sushi chefs vs Giant Fish Monsters. Seriously what more needs to be said about this short? Sure its incredibly cheesy, but I would watch the hell out of this if it was ever turned into a feature film. Here is the 6-minute short, Monster Roll from filmmaker Dan Blank.

Here's the synopsis from Dan:

Proof-of-concept for a feature about sushi chefs fighting sea monsters. It's a crazy idea, but one we just really wanted to see made. So, we made it.

If you like camp, if you like monster movies, if you like to laugh - you'll get a kick out of this one. The ending sequences are worth the price of admission alone.

Check this out if you want to see something special. Check this out if you want to see how incredibly talented a lot of unknown filmmakers are out there. Enjoy this weeks dose of short film goodness with, Monster Roll.

Monster Roll from Dan Blank on Vimeo.

Fantastic Short Film Friday - Grounded (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. Everyone remembers that first "thing": that first book, that first movie, that first genre they fell in love with - the same genre that as an adult they can continue to return to, a genre they can call home. For me, that genre is science fiction. Sci-fi stories are the perfect breeding ground for introspective and thought provoking stories on the nature of life, the very understanding of existence and how small we really are in the overall scheme of reality. This short is the perfect representation of such themes. Here is the 7-minute sci-fi short, Grounded from filmmakers Kevin Margo and Barrett Meeker.

Here's the synopsis:

One astronaut's journey through space and life ends on a hostile exosolar planet. Grounded is a metaphorical account of the experience, inviting unique interpretation and reflection by the viewer. Themes of aging, inheritance, paternal approval, cyclic trajectories, and behaviors passed on through generations are explored against an ethereal backdrop..

This film is incredibly experimental in the fact that it requires a lot of thinking to understand it's themes, as the story is cyclical in nature. The filmmaker Kevin Margo summed up his ideas on the shorts website:

Themes of aging, inheritance, paternal approval, cyclic trajectories, and behaviors passed on through generations are explored against an ethereal backdrop.

What does it all mean in the end? I like how the filmmakers leave it up to the viewer to decide.

Check this out if you want to see something thought provoking and ethereal. Check this out if you want to see a beautiful and visually stunning piece of silent fiction. Enjoy this weeks dose of short film goodness with, Grounded.

 
Grounded from Kevin Margo on Vimeo.

Fantastic Short Film Friday - La Jetee (live-action)

One of the greatest and most endearing film critics and short film directors has sadly just left us. French auteur and innovator of the essay film, Chris Marker, has passed away at the age of 91 on Monday, 7/30. While creating many notable works including the brilliant 1983 short film Sans Soleil, Marker is best known for his 30-minute WW3 time travel short, 1962's, La Jetee (The Pier), a short which is made up entirely of stills, a photo-novel film. It's a great short about obsession with the past and the futility of memory. If any short was a poem, it would this one.

While Marker is a hugely influential presence in the film community, inspiring countless filmmakers throughout the decades, on a more personal level, Marker is the reason for my passion for short films. I first watched La Jetee on a grainy VHS in college and was totally blown away by what I saw. It was so different, so personal, so raw from anything else that I had ever seen that ever since then I've been chasing that feeling, chasing that unique vision.

So it's with sad feelings and profound gratitude that we remark on his passing. I wanted in my own small way to give my thanks to the man and his short films that forever shaped me as a film fan and as an adult. Au revoir a mon heros.

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.

Fantastic Short Film Friday - Brink (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 a beautifully shot piece, one that looks unbelievably sleek, a short that says more about longing and loss, of friendship and fulfillment through adversary than any rom-com. Here is a 9-minute sci-fi romantic drama called, Brink from filmmaker, Shawn Christensen. What I find so amazing about this short is that its ability to convey its entire narrative by directly immersing the viewer into its world purely through visuals and music.

The is the story of a man named Jeremy who is in love with his best friend Evelyn. As the world slowly collapses around them he decides to finally put his feelings for her into a letter, but there is a strong chance with the world coming to pieces that she may never get a chance to read it. It's a simple synopsis with very little dialogue, but the music and looks from the actors say more than any dialogue could. I'm really impressed by the special effects which are simple yet add a lot of weight (or is that weight-lessness) to the story and the music, well its just fantastic.

Check this out if you're in the mood to see some lovingly shot scenes of the simple aspects of love at the end of the world. The cinematography is exquisite and its a true lo-fi sci-fi treat. Enjoy this weeks dose of short form goodness in, Brink.

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.

Book Review: The Windup Girl by Paolo Baciqalupi

Publication Date: 2009 in US

Synopsis:

Anderson Lake is a company man, AgriGen's Calorie Man in Thailand. Under cover as a factory manager, Anderson combs Bangkok's street markets in search of foodstuffs thought to be extinct, hoping to reap the bounty of history's lost calories. There, he encounters Emiko...

Emiko is the Windup Girl, a strange and beautiful creature. One of the New People, Emiko is not human; instead, she is an engineered being, creche-grown and programmed to satisfy the decadent whims of a Kyoto businessman, but now abandoned to the streets of Bangkok. Regarded as soulless beings by some, devils by others, New People are slaves, soldiers, and toys of the rich in a chilling near future in which calorie companies rule the world, the oil age has passed, and the side effects of bio-engineered plagues run rampant across the globe.

What Happens when calories become currency? What happens when bio-terrorism becomes a tool for corporate profits, when said bio-terrorism's genetic drift forces mankind to the cusp of post-human evolution? Award-winning author Paolo Bacigalupi delivers one of the most highly acclaimed science fiction novels of the twenty-first century.

Joshua's Take: 4.5/5☆

Why I picked up the book: because it's winning every speculative fiction award, and I have enjoyed some of the author's previous work. Seriously check out his short story collection, Pump Six. It'll blow your mind.

There are some books that after reading the first 25-30 pages, a reader can sit back and go, "yeah this a damn entertaining read." You just know it, you feel it in your bones as the words fly by, you sitting alone with a Cheshire grin on your face. However, there also some times, far more rarely, some books that after just reading the first 5 pages a reader can sit back and go, "wow, this is amazingly well written. I'm about to embark on a really special journey here." Paolo Baciqalupi's The Windup Girl is such a book.

Winner of numerous awards including most recently the prestigious Hugo award, when I first sat down to read The Windup Girl I thought I was prepared- prepared for a dark dystopian story of a poor robotic windup girl and the world she lives in. What a joke. I wasn't prepared for anything that came. The Windup Girl is an amazingly well crafted read. It's dark, brutal, poetic, imaginative, both terrifyingly tragic and yet somehow hopeful and unlike most anything you've ever read. It's words just get under your skin, it's characters stand just outside your sight-line. You can smell the streets of dystopian Thailand featured in this book, you can see the stagnant and grimy air as people walk around doing anything to survive, because in the world of The Windup Girl, survival is the best anyone can hope for. It's entirely science fiction, a world of Steampunk and what many are now calling Biopunk (environmental and biotechnology science fiction). It's easy to see why this book has been nominated and has won so many awards, deservedly so, and yet as I closed the book, as I took out my bookmark and looked at the cover for a final time, lovingly caressing it, the one thought that kept popping up in my head was, "this is easily one of the best books I've read all year and I doubt I can recommend this book to most people. Who can I recommend this too?" Why did such thoughts swim around in my head? Because this is one damn uncomfortable read.

The story here is split into four main narratives: one of the calorie man spy in Anderson Lake, a white foreigner or farang, looking for a new strain of fruit so his company can further use it to subjugate humanity. Another in a fallen man from Malaya called Hock Seng, a yellow card, one refugees of the lowest of the low in Thailand who once had it all, but had it all taken away when his family, his tribe were wiped out in a religious cleansing. Another, a Thai hero and "whitshirt" named Jaidee who just wants his country to reach the heights he believes it deserves. He is like a blind avatar living in a kaleidoscope world. And lastly, the heroine, our one and only true hero in Emiko, the windup girl, a Japanese robot companion abandoned on the tepid and humid streets of Bangkok, with no owner, a toy, a being no one considers human, who is forced into prostitution by her new owner, a freak show in a freakier world. Who finds hope in the solace that there is a place for her kind, a world with no owners. All four narratives intertwine, as each character's world constantly collides with one another, changing each others futures and fortunes forever.

The one thing I can say about this book is that it isn't a nice read. If this were a film I think I would have turned and looked away numerous times. It's just has some truly unpleasant scenes, horrifyingly so, and yet it's prose is so captivating, it's tragedy so tragic that you can't look away and continue to read on. In the end you have to wonder if anyone really got what they deserved, because it's a world where all the characters are evil, although it's a more evil world that begets evil, and the only truly good, honest and hopeful character is the poor windup girl, and in the end, does she really get everything she deserves? There's just so much here, so many questions about humanity, about greed, about what it means to be a thoughtful and caring soul, about being human, so many things that will keep readers glued, keep them coming back to sentences, re-reading, just a damn amazing read, and one so brutal and honest that I'm sure many will be turned off, disliking it. That's fair. It's clearly not for everyone's tastes. But if you have an open-mind and a high tolerance for pain (I literally found myself sweating as I read sentences from time to time, the prose is just that invasive), then I think you will be greatly rewarded by one of the truly amazing works in recent speculative fiction. But all that brings me back to the original question I had after I had just finished with the book, "who can I recommend this too?"

Book Review: Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

Publication Date: 2010 in US
Format: Mass Market Paperback

Synopsis:

How can a sexy marketing manager join forces with an Alpha Centauri male in Armani to save the planet-using hairspray, a Mont Blanc pen, and rock n' roll? Easy...

She's Touched by an Alien

Marketing manager Katherine "Kitty" Katt steps into the middle of what appears to be a domestic dispute turned ugly. And it only gets uglier when the man turns into a winged monster, straight out of a grade-Z horror movie, and goes on a killing spree. Though Kitty should probably run away, she springs into action to take the monster down.

In the middle of the chaos a handsome hunk named Jeff Martini appears, sent by the "agency" to perform crowd control. He's Kitty's kind of guy, no matter what planet he's from. And from now on, for Kitty, things are going to be sexy, dangerous, wild, and out of this world.


Joshua's Take: 2.0/5☆

Why I picked up the book: because I love sci-fi and urban fantasy mash-ups and frankly the cover looks fantastic. I've wanted to read this book for a long time purely for the cover so to DAW, yeah, touche, good marketing.


They say a sucker is born every minute. Well I was born many minutes ago and it appears that I'm still an overall general sucker. I mean really, I should have known from the title, but then again, I'm a sucker.

Touched by an Alien is a mix of Twilight meets MIB. I'm a big fan of the MIB movies and well, I'm a guy so I don't really get the whole Twilight craze. However if anything this book has brought me closer to an understanding. This is the Twilight series for adults. Since this is for older readers, there are somewhat explicit sexual situations, lots of action and a heroine who is actually quite interesting instead of a shell like how Bella is written. There are also numerous references to how good-looking the alien guys are, I mean really good-looking and I mean a lot of references. I get it, this book isn't for me, it's not for anyone with a Y chromosome. I get it. But that's no excuse for repetitive and overall poorly structured pacing.

I have no problem when a novel wears its influences on it's sleeves, as in this case with classic B-movies and sci-fi cold war hysteria, but that's no excuse to literally repeat lines nearly every page. There must have been over 300 references to how good looking the guys are, 250 references to how the heroine Kitty is fighting the temptation to jump their bones, 200 references to swooning and 150 references to how Kitty is a modern independent and strong woman who is embarrassed by how cute she thinks everyone is. Again, I get it. This book is really not for me. It should have been shelved in the romance section of the bookstore and frankly that's also my fault since I shouldn't have just picked it up based on how nice I thought the cover looked.

What's frustrating about Touched by an Alien is that there's a really interesting plot here. Virtuous aliens battling parastic beings who can take over and be anyone, who's sole purpose is to eat people and to turn Earth into a literal hell- demonic aliens from who we get our "evil from the pits of hell" myths from. A fascinating heroine who is smart, courageous and brave enough to stand up for her fellow man instead of turning and running, who because of her courage gets initiated into this alien MIB-type organization. Teleportation, sonic guns, epic demonic battles- there's just so much to like here, such an intriguing plot. And its just all wasted on a really cheesy and sub-par romantic sub-plot that derails any type of momentum the story has or tries to have. Just a shame.

Again, this has all brought me a little closer to understanding the whole Twilight craze, how woman around the world can enjoy something that's not particularly well written but hits all the right romantic wish-fulfillment buttons for them. Hell, I like crap too. I mean I love me some sword and sorcery, swords and sandals, big guys fighting bigger monsters, saving the day and getting the girls, so who am I to judge right? Still, there was an interesting plot here, one that I truly believed would have been better suited and far more interesting if the romance sub-plot took a back seat, but then that would be a wholly different novel and one that perhaps wouldn't have been as financially successful. So yeah, it's getting great reviews from the women who read it so if you too are a woman and like your books with more romance than substance then by all means, Touched by an Alien is the perfect one for you. Man, what a terrible title for a book.

What I Think Of: Franklyn (2009)

This 2008 British film is written and directed by first time feature length film directer Gerald McMorrow, that while seemingly a dark sci-fi fantasy film, is really much more. Set between contemporary London and the dystopic Meanwhile City, Franklyn is split between 4 narratives. Ryan Phillippe plays Jonathan Preest, a masked vigilante searching for his nemesis on the streets of Meanwhile City, a monolithic fantasy metropolis ruthlessly governed by faith and religious fervor. Bernard Hill plays Peter Esser, a broken man of faith, searching for his wayward son amongst the rough streets of London's homeless. Sam Riley stars as Milo, a heartbroken thirty-something desperately trying to find a way back to the purity of first love. And lastly Eva Green stars as Emilia, a beautiful art student whose suicidal art projects are becoming increasingly more complex and deadly. As the narrative shifts between the real and imaginary worlds, McMorrow explores the complex relationships between fantasy, faith, and love.

I've been wanting to watch Franklyn for some time. I first saw stills of the beautiful Meanwhile City a year ago and thought the film was going to be a full-on masked vigilante fighting corruption in a religious run world, with visuals over-riding any plot, and cgi reigning supreme. Wow, how wrong I was. Still, while the film wasn't what I was expecting, it nevertheless was a very enjoyable watch. There are just so many themes explored during the film, so many visual cues, that it felt like it belonged to the french new wave sect of cinematic history. Here are some of my thoughts concerning Franklyn:

• writer/director Gerald McMorrow should give half his pay-check to comicbook writer Allan Moore because Franklyn is so heavily inspired by Moore's V For Vendetta and Watchmen comics- the look, the feel, the costumes, the way the characters talk in the fantasy world of Meanwhile City. Moore's worlds have always appealed to me so the look of this film perfectly suits my tastes, but yeah, wow, when the film ended I had to look at the back of the dvd cover to see if it was based on a Moore property I had never heard of. I wonder if the producers got the same art director from the V for Vendetta movie.
  
• Still, while the narrative in the world of Meanwhile City is the most visually stunning, the most arresting part of the movie- it is just 1 story out of 4, and the rest of the stories are entirely original and wholly ambitious. From the story of suicide as art, to the story of imaginary friendship and lost loves, I love how McMorrow balances all four narratives until they ultimately meet. Granted, while the story may be a bit to ambitious for it's own good, and the overall narrative does get a bit confusing, Franklyn is a wonderful mix of realism and fantasy, of truth and half-truths, and of delusion and obsession.
• Ryan Phillipe's Rorschach-like performance as Jonathan Preest was pretty good, but the one who stole the movie for me was the beautiful and painfully flawed Emilia, played by the lovely Eva Green. Green always chooses such odd and unique roles that I always find myself captured by her performances. There are just so many nuances to her character Emilia, so much hurt that is sparingly and subtly explained, that for me Emilia is the one that holds the whole film together. It's her arc that transcends this movie from being too arty and unbearable, to thought-provoking and interesting.
  
• This film is incredibly slow, I mean languidly so. I can see many turning the film off an hour in because it's narrative is so fragmented, it's storyline a bit too confusing, and there's little to no action as the plot appears to just be turning in circles. However, if you do stick it out until the end, I do believe the viewer will be rewarded with a film that will make them think.
• Though I also believe that this film would have been better served as a novella or even a short story, rather than a 95 minute film. I don't know if there is enough story here to warrant a feature length film and that adds to a lot of the pacing issues I had with the film. Like I said it's slow, and you do feel a lot of time passing as you watch this one. So yeah, while I do feel the payoff is worth it, I just wish it didn't take so long to get there.
• Lastly, while the concept is strange and the film does walk a thin line of perhaps being to arty sometimes, Frankly has a lot to say about art and religion, about fervor and understanding. And my god, the costumes are just beautiful in a haute couture kind of way that a lot of times I felt as if I was watching a decayed city hosting a fashion show. Just great.
  

While I'm not sure how I feel McMorrow is as a writer/director yet, I can say that he made a visually handsome film with a limited budget. He does have a nice eye for drama, but some of his editing choices and storyline pacing left me scratching my head. Still, I really did enjoy the film and would recommend it to anyone who has a bit of patience, who doesn't mind feeling confused for 60 odd minutes, and loves watching beautiful characters in run down worlds. Watching the trailer, Franklyn really isn't what you'd expect it to be, and the film is all the better for it.

Fantastic Short Film Friday - Connected

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 very interesting sci-fi dystopian short called, Connected. This is a Danish short written and directed by Jens Raunkjær Christensen & Jonas Drotner Mouritsen. I'm actually amazed by how beautiful the overall short looks, and it really builds an overall dread throughout until it climaxes in a fight for survival. Here is the synopsis:

Set in the distant future, Connected is a story about survival and greed with a post apocalyptic wasteland as its backdrop. Survivors of an unknown disaster shuffle through a desolate landscape, as it quickly becomes clear that not everybody has the strength to survive.

I really liked the idea of how in a future world where pollution reigns supreme, people must use others oxygen to survive either by being connected to one another, creating a symbiotic breathing system, or by stealing it from a traveler. I just loved the ambiguity of the whole short and how in a world where survival is literally finding breathable air, morals no longer have a place.

I will say though that a minor drawback to the short is the soundtrack. There's some unfortunate music cues that feel truly out of place in this type of film. I mean, really? Western cowboy banjo's in a sci-fi film?

Still it's a wonderful 7-minutes spent. To find out more information about the short go: here.

So get out your breathing masks and try not to waste any precious gulps of air. Welcome tot he world of Connected.

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.

Book Review: All You Need Is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka

Publication Date: 2004 in Japan, 2009 in US

Synopsis:

When the alien Mimics invade, Keiji Kiriya is just one of many recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor called a Jacket and sent out to kill. Keiji dies on the battlefield, only to be reborn each morning to fight and die again and again. On his 158th iteration, he gets a message from a mysterious ally--the female soldier known as the Full Metal Bitch. Is she the key to Keiji's escape or his final death?

Joshua's take: 3.5/5☆

Why I picked up the book: because I love Japanese science fiction and the book was recently optioned by Warner Brothers for a big budget movie.

Do you like anime? Are you a fan of dystopian science fiction where humanity fights endless waves of killer aliens? Does the idea of a book from Japan that reads like a cross between Groundhog Day and Aliens excite you? If you're like me then you've checked all those marks standing at the bookstore with a stupid grin on your face as you think about the possibilities. Can such an insane book live up to such odd expectations? It's fun to be a geek.

I loved ever minute of this book. Written by Hiroshi Sakurazaka and nominated for the Seiun Awards (the Japanese Nebula awards), All You Need is Kill is a short read (about 200 pages long) and Sakurazaka's writing chews up every sentence as the dialogue bursts rapid fire off the page. There's no wasted writing, no drawn out explanations and exposition. This is just a quick, down and dirty read that will leave you feeling amped, as you move page by page, reliving the same day over and over as Keiji Kiriya does. Not all is perfect of course. I wish there was more background on the alien Mimics, and also how the other parts of the world have fared against the attacks, but some left out information is a small price to pay for a fun and quick read.

What soldier wouldn't give the world to relieve the same day over and over? Sure you would be privy to countless deaths as you witness your friends die over and over. However, while your body may not change, your mind would. You would get more proficient as a soldier, a veteran of countless battles even if no one knows. You go from rookie to veteran in one day. And you can use your knowledge to break the endless loop and hopefully change a losing battle into a winning one. And imagine you meet another person, a stranger, who knows what your going though, but you have to win them over each day since unlike you they don't repeat the same day. You would fall in love with the person, as you first meet them over and over, and they would have no idea. It's like a sci-fi version of 50 First Dates, but with more death and armored powered suits. It's just a fascinating concept, and you can imagine why an American movie studio such as Warner Brothers would be interested in optioning a Japanese book.

All You Need is Kill is released by Viz Media's Haikasoru imprint, and it's honestly one of my favorite book imprints. Haikasoru's mission statement is thus:

With a small, elite list of award-winners, classics, and new work by the hottest young writers, Haikasoru is the first imprint dedicated to bringing Japanese science fiction to America and beyond. Featuring the action of anime and the thoughtfulness of the best speculative fiction, Haikasoru aims to truly be the “high castle” of science fiction and fantasy.

Damn if that doesn't sound fantastic. I would recommend starting with All You Need is Kill and working your way through the rest of their catalogue. The only other book I've read from the imprint was The Lord of the Sands of Time by Issui Ogawa and it was equally awesome. You can find out more information about the book imprint by going: here.

So yeah, check out the book before the Hollywood movie makes it big in 2011. If your a fan of science fiction books touched with a tinge of cool, then you will enjoy All You Need is Kill just as much as I did.

Fantastic Short Film Friday - The Raven

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. Sometimes you can come across a short that's so well made it forces you to stand up and take notice as you scratch the back of your head going, "Damn!!" This is one of those shorts. Beautifully shot and skillfully edited, The Raven is written and directed by Ricardo de Montreuil with music composed by Angelo Milli. Sure there's nothing new here, but its a wonderful feat of technology nonetheless.

Here's the synopsis: Chris Black possesses a power that could lead to the destruction of the current regime, and they will stop at nothing to destroy him. The chase is on as Chris runs for his life in this sci-fi thriller set in an alternate and futuristic Los Angeles.

It seems like the shorts at the cutting edge these days are all science fiction films. As technology becomes more adaptable and accessible, filmmakers with a lot of drive and ingenuity are able to create such vast and beautiful worlds that leave the viewer going, "how did they do that. How much did that cost?" Answer: shot with a Red Camera and completed for $5,000. Wow. Neil Blomkamp's District 9 was born of a short film called Alive in Joburg and Carl Erik Rinsch's short The Gift is causing all kinds of waves and bidding wars in Hollywood (I'll be featuring that short next week). So yeah, its a good time to be a geek and a lover of short films.

So sit back with that coffee as you tap tap tap over your keyboard and let the world of The Raven take you over. Enjoy.

Movie Talkback - The Complete Metropolis!!!

In a world of a mythical and terrible apocalypse, if only one movie survived, if only one movie could be watched over and over, I would hope it would be Fritz Lang's 1927 silent German experimentalist sci-fi classic, Metropolis. I could write a whole dissertation on the film (and sadly I have) so I won't belabor the fact. But if you like Blade Runner, the Matrix films, Star Wars, Lost, the films of Tim Burton, Tron, Robocop, my personal favorite The Fifth Element or nearly every single sci-fi fantasy film/tv show, you owe a huge debt of gratitude to this film as they are all heavily influenced by this monumental and orgasmic creation.

If you've never seen the film or have only seen the truncated "missing" version of the film like everyone else, it's time to rejoice and thank the heavens. Back in 2008 a nearly complete copy of Metropolis was found at the Buenes Aires Museo del Cine (the film museum of Buenes Aires). The found copy contained an additional 25 minutes of lost footage which comprises a fifth of the films original running time. It took nearly a lifetime to find this 147-minute version, so I feel confident in saying that this may be the most complete version of the film that will ever be found.

All this comes to a head at the end of 2010, as Kino releases the dvd and blu-ray version of the newly-restored Metropolis. Not just that, but in celebration of the re-release, Metropolis is hitting theaters in all major markets in the US and Canada. If you live in NY like I do, the film is hitting my favorite spot in NY, The Film Forum starting May 7th. If you live in other cities or want to find out more information about the film and it's re-release check out Kino's site: here.

So as film lovers around the world let out a collective gasp in awe at their good fortune here's a newly released trailer that showcases what we can all expect starting May 7th. If you don't have a smile at the end of the 2-minute trailer, well, there's no saving you. Enjoy.

Fantastic Short Film Friday - Invasions (animated)

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 fantastic animated short, Invasions, directed, animated and composed by Clement Morin. This is a wonderful story about a little alien who visits our planet and the extraordinary lengths he goes through for romance. It's all kinds of cute and at the end I couldn't help but smile and let out an audible, "awwww."

I couldn't find out much information about the animator Clement Morin, beyond that he's a Frenchman. If you wish to see more of his shorts you can visit his website here.

So there you have it. We hope you enjoy Invasions and we'll be back again next week as we try to spotlight more films of the cinematic short order.

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 - New Dune Adaptation Finds Director

Looks like the upcoming Dune film has found itself a director in the guise of Pierre Morel, the fantastic director of the off the wall minimalistic action films, Taken and Banlieue 13 (District 13).

I've been a lifelong fan of the original 1965 novel by Frank Herbert (worshipping at the alter that is the Muad'Dib) and have always thought that the novel was unfilmable as a movie. You need look no further than the 1984 David Lynch adaptation that is over 3 hours in length and nearly unwatchable. Honestly, I enjoy the movie quite a bit, but it's slow, prodding, confusing, pretentious and has Sting as one of the major bad guys... like I said nearly unwatchable unless you're a huge fan of the series.





Still, I do have some hope for the upcoming film adaptation by Morel even if many fans may not. Sure an action director may seem an odd choice to direct a film which is basically an allegory on our over dependence as a culture on religion and commodities, but I welcome a more updated and non-literal translation of a work I so dearly hold close to my heart. Like I said before, I think that the Dune series is unfulfillable as a movie, and one that tries to be to faithful will end up like Lynch's Dune. Anyway, look for Morel's Dune hopefully in 2011.

Also, if you want to see a good adaptation of Dune, check out sci-fi channels original Dune and Children of Dune miniseries. These two mini-series are very faithful and entertaining adaptations of the original source materiel.

Movie Review - The Box (2009)

This 2009 sci-fi horror film is written and directed by Richard Kelly (of Donnie Darko and Southland Tales fame) and is based on the 1970 short story Button, Button by Richard Matheson (he of I Am Legend fame). The Box stars Cameron Diaz and James Marsden as a married couple who are presented with a box and with a button by a stranger who offers them 1 million dollars if they press said button. The only drawback is that if they press the button someone they do not know will die. Is the price of a complete strangers life worth a million dollars, and once the button is pressed, is there a way back from the knowledge that you were the cause of someone’s death?

The question in all of the incarnations of Button, Button is, “what is it to know somebody?”, a universal question akin to what’s the meaning of life and why is South Park so funny. And this movie plays with that concept further, by tying it’s structure around the writing of French existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre, the thought that since there is no god, no creator, in Satre’s words, “we are left alone without excuse.” Basically since one cannot explain their own actions and behavior by referencing any specific human nature, they are necessarily fully responsible for those actions. Which is basically why I’ve always enjoyed all of Richard Kelly’s films, even his heavily flawed sophomoric effort Southland Tales- all his movies deal with some form of existentialistic thought.

Anyway, the original 1970 short story was first published in Playboy (see, people can really read Playboy for the stories) and was originally adapted for the 1985 reboot of the Twilight Zone television series. The Box even has a Twilight Zone type soundtrack, the sweeping horns, the striking violins, all to leave the viewer with a sense of paranoia and dread. I was wondering how they could drag out what has always been a short story and a 30 minute television show to a near 2 hour film. I needn’t have worried, because I absolutely loved this film, and it’s easily one of my favorite films of the year.

For a director with only 3 films under his belt, Kelly has an amazing eye. The tracking shots, the camera angles, watching this film, you can really tell that the man directing the film really lives and knows a lot about films. Every shot just seems to fall into place. The Box is a slow burn though, a very slow burn, with nearly 2 hours of set-up until the payoff, but anyone familiar with Kelly’s work already knows to expect that. But it’s because of it’s slow burn that makes The Box so compelling, so mesmerizing.

For me the weak point of the movie was Cameron Diaz. She really can’t act, and the choice to give her a soft spoken southern accent, akin to Anna Paquin’s X-Men, Rogue and Sookie Stackhouse from True Blood, is a really odd choice since it adds nothing to the story and makes her character seem at odds with the world around her. And hey, Cameron using an accent ain’t helping her acting. James Marsden is a passable Cyclops and Frank Langella (who many may know as Skeletor from the He-Man move) is absolutely fantastic as always as the man behind the box and movie, Arlington Steward.

For anyone that has seen the Twilight Zone adaptation, this film acts as almost an extension of that television episode. The first 30 minutes of the film are the Twilight Zone episode, and the film continues after the episode for those wondering about the consequences, the what happened after the episode ended to the characters. The remake ending was always inferior to the original story ending, but it was the only ending that Richard Kelly could follow that would have a necessary sequel. So basically the movie tries to add to the tv ending with more of a surreal Donnie Darko sci-fi bent that comes out of nowhere, and being a fan of the Button, Button and Donne Darko, I really really liked what Richard Kelly was going for here. Sadly this film has been out for over a month now and has only grossed 14 million domestically on its 30 million dollar budget.

So yeah, all in all, a definite, “bring your lunch from home because you do not want to miss this one” rating. A sadly overlooked gem of 2009, one that I hope will find a larger audience once it hits dvd.