film and tv blog

Valkyrie [No Spoilers]

2009-01-05T11:32:00.003-05:00

Grade: A

Before Christmas one evening, I was flipping through my Guide on Directv and noticed there was a documentary on the History Channel about Operation Valkyrie. Knowing that this film was coming out about it, I thought I'd watch this first to get an idea of what really happened, before seeing a Hollywood embellishment of the story. As I watched the documentary, I grew more interested by the minute. Everyone knows that Hitler created the Nazi regime which resulted in the deaths of 6 million people. It was what I didn't know that kept me interested.

I had no idea there were 15 failed attempts to kill Hitler from within his own inner circle. As more time went on, it became increasingly evident to his people that he was a little whacky and possibly even insane. I was just really taken aback by the fact that there were people in the Germany military, including high ranking officials who were brave enough to attempt to assassinate one of the most powerful people in the world at the time. This is something they never taught us in history class - that's for sure. Okay, okay, onto the film...

If you can get past the fact that Tom Cruise is the lead actor in the film, I think you'll really love it. I don't think he over-acted the role of Stauffenberg, but I don't think he under-acted it either. The whole cast ensemble is pretty freakin' amazing really. It was very obvious to me that Director Bryan Singer went for authenticity, rather than the usual Hollywood film embellishment route. Which proves once again, you CAN make good movies that are based on true stories if stay true to what really happened! And wowsers, the actor that played Hitler beared a striking resemblance to the man.

After knowing about the history of this particular era in Germany, I can honestly say that this film helped to make that knowledge more known in an accurate way. What's interesting too, and almost misleading, is that Valkyrie is actually the name given to the course of action needed for maintaining control over Germany's government and military, in the event of something happening to Hitler and his Nazi regime. It's what Stauffenberg and company tried to institute after believing they had successfully killed Hitler. While the attempt failed, it helped usher in the movement in Germany that eventually lead to the removal of Hitler from power and the Nazi regime. As a result, Stauffenberg and company are looked upon as heroes for their courage to stand up for what was right, and they are rightfully honored annually for it.

The Incredible Hulk [No spoilers]

2008-11-03T07:36:00.003-05:00

Grade: A

[Note to readers: You must see Iron Man before you see this film!]

I have to admit, after seeing that this film was going to mirror Ang Lee's Hulk in that, they had to use CGI again to capture him proportionately, I was a bit skeptical on how this was going to turn out. But, they delivered a nice reboot of the character in the end. I've never been a big fan of the Hulk, and I don't own any of his comics, but I did have a lot of fun watching this movie.

As mentioned earlier, you'll want to make sure you see Iron Man before you watch this. Don't think about it, or wonder why....just trust me and do it. You'll understand why later.

Edward Norton did a good job as Bruce Banner. Personally, I didn't have a problem with Eric Bana, but whatever. Norton is an awesome actor and I've liked him since I saw The Score. Haven't seen that? Rent it, Netflix it, download it...whatever works. Trust me on that one.

Tim Roth did a good job as the Abomination too. I've been scared of him since his performance in Planet of the Apes.

Which, brings me to Liv Tyler, who plays Dr. Betsy Ross. They did an excellent job of forming the torment in between her and Banner. The cave scene to me, felt a little King Kong-ish, but it was still cool nonetheless. But somehow, watching the Hulk interact with her, I could almost receive a sense of emotion from him. And I think that was something that Ang Lee's Hulk was desperately lacking. It gave the Hulk depth and more character. He wasn't some mindless green monster bound to destruction. Just as Bruce Banner has feelings and emotions, those were also apparent when he became the Hulk.

I'm going to pretend like I didn't see The Happening over the weekend. Ugh. Awful. Typically, I really like M. Night Shyamalan films like The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs. Hell, I was one of the few people who dug Lady in the Water. But The Happening was just dreadful.

So, instead watch The Incredible Hulk. No wait...watch Iron Man, then The Incredible Hulk. Savy?

Planet Earth [Television Series]

2008-10-06T07:54:00.004-04:00

Grade: A+

So much of what we hear these days about what's going on in the world is more often than not, very negative. And not often enough do we stop and observe the good things that surround us every day. I'm not talking about friends and family, or beautiful homes and gardens either. I'm talking about planet Earth. Don't get me wrong...I'm not running a 'Save the Earth' campaign under Al Gore, or working as a promoter for Live Earth. And I haven't really done anything in regards to 'going green.' To me, those are just passing fads like the dreaded Macarena. But, what I have discovered, is that Planet Earth is a great show that really makes you sit in awe and wonder about the great things that make Earth, Earth.

Shot entirely in high-definition, Planet Earth captures some of the most inspiring scenes I have ever seen on television. Whether it's a camera angle in space, or hovering over a 5000 foot waterfall, the views are simply lush food for the eyes at every take. Did you know that Autumn's color changes in trees and vegetation can be seen from space? How cool is that?

There are times when it feels a bit like watching Animal Planet, where a crocodile is lurking near the shore, watching a bison take a drink. The croc waits for the precise moment to strike and when he does, my wife and Mom cover their eyes in horror as the animal is drowned by its fierce adversary. While sometimes it's a little morbid to watch, these scenes are just nature running its course. But for those sensitive viewers who haven't seen the show, don't worry, those kinds of scenes don't happen very often. Mostly, Planet Earth focuses on the natural beauty and wonder of our planet.

At the end of each episode they take a few minutes and show how the cameramen and producers were able to get the shots they captured, and it really helps to illustrate the patience and effort these people have put into making this a show.

For now, I've just set my DVR to capture both reruns and new episodes because I haven't seen them all. So, if you're even slightly interested, join me on Sunday nights watching Planet Earth. Trust me, you won't be disappointed.

Reviewed: X-Files - I Want to Believe

2008-08-06T07:39:00.003-04:00

Grade: B-

Before I met my wife, all I knew about X-files was that it was a show that featured two FBI agents who investigated paranormal activity. After a few months, it became very apparent to me that she was, for lack of better word, a gi-normous fan of the show. She later convinced me that we needed to sit down and watch the so-called myth-arc episodes so I could better understand the underlying story within the show. I obliged and became a fan myself. I had no idea that Mulder and Scully were fighting to prove the existence of extraterrestrials, and that our own government knew about it. The key to the show was finding the evidence. Hence, the theme 'The Truth Is Out There.' In between the 'myth-arc' episodes were what some people called 'Monster of the Week' episodes. I wasn't a fan of those, but there were a few that were interesting. The show ended in 2001 or thereabouts and it left a lot of threads untied. Which, of course leaves room for feature films to carry on the story.

Unlike the myth-arc episodes, this film was very much a stand-alone story that just happened to involve Mulder and Scully. We knew this going into it, but at the same time, it was a disappointing to not see more resolve to the myth-arc story. Scully had moved on from the FBI and had became a doctor in a local hospital, while Mulder it seems, just sort of became a hermit in their house, pouring over conspiracy theories all day.

The film was good, and I liked it. It just didn't feel epic. It felt more like a 2 hour, un-myth-arc episode. It was much more interesting when the show was at its peak. The stories were good. The acting was good. But towards the end, it was obvious they were running out of ideas, much like a lot of shows do. After all that's happened, I can't even begin to recall what things were left un-resolved, but I'm sure someone knows. 'Till then, I'll wait for the film that explores those ideas.

Review: The Dark Knight

2008-07-21T07:46:00.008-04:00

Grade: A+ (No Spoilers.)

In 2005, Director Christopher Nolan proved that someone could in fact, make a great Batman film with Batman Begins. 3 years later, he's done it again with The Dark Knight. Nolan must have some sort of powers of foresight in actors or something. This film, was once again a trial for an actor, much like Batman Begins was for Christian Bale. This time, we're okay with Bale playing Brucie and Batman. We know he can do it, and do it well. But how would Heath Ledger fare as the Joker? After seeing the film, I can try and answer that.

If you could take everything you're afraid of, and disguise those fears as a person, it would look like the Joker Heath Ledger portrayed. Every appearance of him in the film left you wanting more. How often has that happened in cinema? Where, the bad guy takes all the glory, and in some ways, despite your moral beliefs, you're hoping he wins the day in the end. It takes one hell of actor to pull that off. After his opening scene in the film, I caught myself thinking, wait! Stop. Go back! I want to see him again! And I kept thinking that the whole time I watched. If you've heard the hype surrounding this performance, forget it. There's simply no expectation that can be set for what you see in this film.

Christian Bale did a great job, once again. Maggie Gyllenhaall was okay...I actually thought Katie Holmes did a better job with the character. Recasting a character is such a tricky thing to pull off. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

At the end of the day, I'm thrilled having seen this film and ultimately grateful that Hollywood has restored honor to this icon. But I'm also sad, because we lost an actor who was terribly under-recognized by all. Myself included. However, if it was me, this is the kind of performance I would've wanted to be remembered by. Heath Ledger went out with his boots on.

Review: Wall-E (Pixar)

2008-07-17T14:32:00.002-04:00

Grade: A

I would've liked to have been in the conference room when the meeting about creating this film took place.

Writer: "Let's make a film entirely about a robot who's been left behind by humanity to clean up our trash..."

Pixar/Disney Exec: "Hmm, okay, sounds interesting. What's the plot?"

Writer: "He'll be an extremely curious robot who ends up falling in love with another robot that we send back to Earth on a survey mission 700 years later."

Pixar/Disney Exec: "What about dialogue interaction?"

Writer: "Just emotional sound effects really."

Pixar/Disney Exec: "Hmm..."

Writer: "But he'll be a cute robot that will draw sympathy from the audience with his personality, and we'll make him look like Johnny 5 from Short Circuit."

Pixar/Disney Exec: "Done."

Honestly, I wasn't sure how this film was going to work, but once again, I've been proven wrong by the geniuses at Pixar. I had a good time watching this movie. While there really isn't that much dialogue within the first hour of the film, you're completely taken in by what's going on, and rooting for the Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class robot. Acronymized to Wall-E.

Wall-E finds himself very curious about our old way of life and the material things that went along with it. He's presumably the last working robot left on Earth when a strange ship arrives, dispatching another robot named 'Eve.' Curious about this new visitor, Wall-E attempts contact and the two become friends. You go through a few roller-coasters and whatnot, but like the usual Pixar film, it comes full circle by the end. And, becomes yet another great Pixar film to add to your library.

Revew: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

2008-05-27T07:49:00.004-04:00

Grade: B-

Not enough good things can be said about this franchise as a whole. All four of the Indy films weigh heavy with contentment among the memories we all have involving them. The only thing that's changed over the years is that we've all gotten older. With that said, it gets harder and harder to wow us with pivotal moments within newer films. The Crystal Skull is no different. While I did like this film, I wasn't in love with it. It DID feel like I was watching an Indy movie. It DID have an interesting story. But I think it lacked a certain emotion that came standard with the other films. For lack of better term, I'll call it emotionally invested. Yes, that's it. I mean, we all feel 'invested' in Harrison playing Indy. We know him and we love him. But I felt like we didn't connect with, or should I say reconnect, with Marion or even Mutt. We, as the audience knows who they are, but I didn't feel particularly 'invested' in them. Think back during The Last Crusade, when Henry Jones played by Sean Connery, gets shot near the end. You felt their pain when this happened. You were concerned about it. It changed the dynamic of the film. The hunt for the grail turned into a hunt to save his father's life. That wouldn't have been possible without being emotionally invested in them to begin with. In the Crystal Skull, Marion or Mutt could've been wounded and it wouldn't have phased me a bit.

I won't mention Shia's Tarzan scene...nope, not going there. If you've seen it, you know exactly what I'm talking about. And I won't mention Indy's Nuclear survival in a fridge either. Nuh-uh.

I liked Cate Blanchett in her portrayal of Natasha, er, I mean a Russian leader named Irina. I seriously kept waiting for Boris to pop out from somewhere. But alas, no dice. All in all, the Crystal Skull was fun, don't get me wrong. It's your typical, over the top Indy movie. Just don't take it too seriously or you'll walk away disappointed.

Review: Iron Man [No Spoilers]

2008-05-06T07:46:00.004-04:00

Grade: A

The only thing this film was missing was a cameo by Vince Vaughn and him saying, 'dude, you're so money.' Those of you who have seen Swingers will get that. If you haven't, go to your Netflix account and add it to your queue, or, no, wait...first smack yourself in the head for having not seen it, then by all means do what it takes to see this movie. But we're not talking about Swingers. We're talking about Iron Man. But, DO see Swingers at some point.

When I first heard they were making this film, my first reaction was oh shit, here it comes, another comic-great turned into a stupid hollywood movie. But then, I heard that Jon Favreau was directing it. And with that, my original 'oh shit' reaction evolved into a piqued interest, one eyebrow raise. After that, it was announced that Robert Downey Jr. would play Tony Stark (Iron Man), and then I actually started to get excited. Who, better than Downey Jr. could pull this off? No one.

Iron Man isn't riddled with stupid dialogue or a cheesy plot. It's a very 'flowing' kind of film that keeps you interested during the action spikes and even during the slower moments, of which, there aren't many. It's a very believable concept, providing one person had enough wealth and intelligence to accomplish what Stark did. And who would've thought that shy Starman boy Jeff Bridges could play such a creepy, bald, bad guy? Guy was freakin' me out man.

Paltrow was okay here too...just okay. I wasn't blown away with her, but I didn't dislike her. She wasn't quite the damsel in distress, but more like the Paltrow we saw in Sky Captain. Or, perhaps a toned down version of Lois Lane. Her and Downey seemed to have fun chemistry, so it worked.

They're already talking Iron Man 2 slated for a 2010 release. Bring it. Oh, and did I mention there was a brand new Dark Knight trailer attached to this? Yeah. Go see it, now.

Director Jon Favreau did a great job with this film. He was right on the money...er, no...he was money. Yeah, he was so money baby.

Review: Alien vs Predator - Requiem

2008-04-29T14:33:00.003-04:00

Grade: F (for epic fail.)

I still remember 1987 and 1979. '79 for Ridley Scott's Alien, and '87 for John McTiernan's Predator. Predator will remain one of my favorite movies ever, not because of Ahnold and not because of the violence, but because it introduced a warrior-like alien species that had honor. What? Seriously? Yes. I think it was Stan Winston who helped in the creation of this creature, whose weapons and throaty, gurgling dialect had never really imagined before. Unlike Ridley's mindless killing aliens, this creature had a code: it wouldn't harm an unarmed human. For some reason, I was fascinated by this concept. The weaker, yet still somewhat cool Predator 2 followed this same idea, but neglected to really further the story. We waited a long time, and then in 2004, we were introduced to Alien vs. Predator. While this seemed like a new idea for most, it really wasn't, being that the comics had been producing these stories since the early 90's. I loved this film. I did not, however, like Alien vs. Predator - Requiem. But I'll get to the "why" in a minute.

Alien vs. Predator had an interesting plot that bridged the relationship between the two species of aliens. We had good character development with decent actors, and most of all, we had the characters recognize the complexity of the Predator's mannerisms. This had never been approached before. Not to mention the fact that it also gave we, as humans a longer history of experience with them. The Aliens, or the coined term used in the above film: serpents, were still mindless killing creatures. Yes, we get that. But, this time the Predator works together with the human toward a common goal: destruction of the other species. (At least on our planet anyway.) Sweet. Loved it.

Now, 4 years later, we're handed Alien vs. Predator Requiem. Gawd, what a freakin' mess. It had no character development, wasted screen time on non-plot-furthering scenes, and senseless gore. I couldn't wait for it to be over and was sorry I wasted the time watching it to begin with. There was also the whole hybrid-predator-alien creature running around, which I'm guessing was supposed to be the 'new plot device.' Yeah...epic fail. Didn't work. Stupid idea to begin with. It was obvious though, that the film tried to pay homage to its earlier predecessors with a few scenes. The only real noteworthy of the few was the gradually loudening bongo-like percussion sounds reminiscent of the first Predator film. I thought that was nice touch.

If you're up for a dumb horror movie that just happens to have the Predator in it, then by all means, watch it. If not, watch the first Alien vs. Predator and call it good.

Revew: Sweeney Todd

2008-04-21T10:01:00.002-04:00

Grade: D

Originally, I hadn't intended on writing a review of this film. However, after having a day to reflect on its gory repulsiveness, I figured I'd try and spread some awareness about it.

For those that don't know, Sweeney Todd is a musical. Somehow...some way...I missed this fact going into it. The misty, eerie introductory credits finish and we're introduced to Johnny Depp and his weary sidekick aboard ship bound for London. Soon afterward, the singing begins, and I'm like WTF?! I hate musicals. Well, I shouldn't say that with such disdain that it judges a whole genre of film, but typically, I don't like musicals. Having said that, this fact already made my likeness for it drop a few points right off the bat. The only musical I've liked so far in my life, was Wicked.

I like Johnny Depp. I do. And I usually like Tim Burton. But this film just really didn't connect with me. I felt like I was watching a B-horror movie with singing. Although Depp and his wicked witch of the meat pie, Helena Bonham Carter performed well, it didn't make me forget how much this movie was really sucking.

So, we take a dude who becomes separated from his wife and daughter for 15 years, for which reasons we have no idea, and then have him return to London in search of them. Makes sense. Now, we'll make him into a barber who sets up shop above a pie bakery, and have him kill everyone who needs a brilliant, close shave. Uh..what? Then, we'll have him and his chick-pie maker burn the bodies in a Freddy Krueger-style boiler room in the basement. Sound good? Seriously? I do have a question though....if Sweeney killed most everyone that sat in his chair, how the fuck did anyone find out about his reputation as a barber?

Did I mention this film won the Golden Globe for Best Picture in a musical or comedy?

Review: I am Legend

2008-03-31T07:32:00.002-04:00

Grade: B+

[Contains spoilers for those who haven't seen it.]

I'm a little late with this review, but since I just bought this film on DVD, I thought I'd post my thoughts on it. I like Will Smith. There. I said it. If you don't think this guy can act, watch The Pursuit of Happiness or this film. I am Legend is an edgy ride about a virus that was created by us to wipe out cancer, and as a result wipes us out instead. However, the few that survive its effects are de-evolved, and become mutant-like beings who can't live in sunlight. Therefore, they only come out at night in search of food. Will Smith plays an immune scientist, who I believe had a hand in creating the virus, and who ultimately struggles to find a cure for the cure we invented. He's accompanied by his dog, Sam, a German Shepard.

Certain plot details of this film are a bit ambiguous, but I like that. It sort of leaves the audience trying to figure out things on their own, and keeps the film in discussion around dinner tables.

One thing my wife simply hates about this film is how the screenplay was written regarding the end. During one scene, Smith captures one of the female beings to experiment on for the cure, thus enraging the other beings. The film never really discloses this, but its believed that this female was the partner of the leader of the mutant beings. Later, the leader sets a trap for Smith in the same manner that led to his partner's demise. However, Smith doesn't openly recognize this vengeful act, and chalks it up to the beings further de-evolution. I agree that it would've made the film a little more dynamic and fitting, had Smith openly recognized the fact that the beings hadn't become mindless hunting creatures, but rather still retain a sense of humanity in regards to the preservation of their own kind.

I've never read the book that this is based upon, so I have no comparison arguments there, but overall I did like this film. And dammit, Will Smith can act. You don't think so? Watch the scene where he has to kill his dog Sam because she became infected. I'm a fierce dog-lover so that scene really got me.

Few movies can freak me out, or make me jump these days. But this film will make you do that. It's definitely not the best movie I've seen, but its an ownable for those DVD collectors out there.

10,000 B.C. Review

2008-03-12T08:26:00.003-04:00

Grade: C+

I like Director Roland Emmerich. After all, he brought us Independence Day, The Patriot, and The Day After Tomorrow. But I can honestly say, I wasn't all that impressed with this film. The special effects were astounding, however. And I don't really care how scientifically accurate or historically accurate this film was. Did big woolly Mammoths help build the pyramids? Was the Sabretooth Tiger 7 feet tall at the shoulder? I don't care. It's a movie. I'm watching it to be entertained. I look for a good story, true action, and as little CGI as possible. I did actually like the idea that the Tiger remembered his savior and put aside his animal instincts to protect the one who saved him. Is it realistic? Uh, no. I didn't care, I liked it anyway. That's what draws me in. I want to believe that a 7 foot cat with 10 inch long fangs could have a sense of self, and value of life.

I guess I found the plot a little far-fetched and sort of cliche'-ish. It's the same 'ol template story: Small band of people overcome a gigantic superpower against overwhelming odds. We've seen this a thousand times. A Jedi did it. A few Hobbits did it, and hell, even our cowboy John McClane did it. It doesn't mean it wasn't cool...but it's been done before. I'm waiting for a change.

If anything, 10,000 B.C. is a good popcorn movie to watch with your lady on date night. Although, she might disagree with your choice in that, this hardly qualifies as a good date movie. But, if you're interested in seeing big-ass Mammoths kicking ass with somewhat of a love story embedded in their long fur, go see it. I, on the other hand, was glad it was a matinee.