July 12, 2011
Every week the people of Super Website (Super Blog) will give you a recommendation of a Film, DVD, Bluray, Book, Soundtrack or any other item for you the readers to check out.
Super Marcey Recommend’s:
Never Sleep Again
I love documentaries and I love ones especially about film. One of the best ones I have seen recently is Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy. Having spent the day appreciating Freddy’s Revenge with a good friend, I thought this would be the perfect recommendation for this week. Here is the Freddy’s Revenge segment from my original review.
“Freddy’s Revenge segment:
It is no secret that this film is one of my all time guilty pleasures, and it is a film which contains a lot of homosexual undertones. We hear from it’s star the lovely Mark Patton (He is openly gay but at the time of filming he hadn’t come out yet), he openly talks about the homosexual elements and what he thinks about them. I love the fact that he calls himself possibly the first male Scream Queen. It is so funny to hear the director talk about how he didn’t realize some of the things they were actually doing. The screenwriter however knew exactly what he was doing! This is a must see segment, and check out the gorgeous woman who played Lisa, she looks fantastic now.“
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Logan J. Fowler Recommend’s:
Toy Story 3
You would never think that a movie about inanimate playthings that come to life when their owner is not around would make you sob like a newborn infant. But then, you would doubt the magic of Pixar (before Cars 2, mind you), and my friend, you’d be crazy.
When Andy, owner of many toys including Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen), amongst others, has to move away to college, his mom says he has to choose whether to donate the toys, trash them, or put them in the attic. Andy places all of his toys sans Woody (who Andy plans to take to college) in a trash bag, which Andy plans to place in the attic. The bag is mistaken for garbage by Andy’s mom when he leaves it in the hallway, so in turn she places the bag outside along with the rest of the trash, and Woody heads out to rescue them. Not believing Woody when he says they were headed to the attic, the toys make their way into a box set for Sunnyside, a day care center nearby. The toys are greeted by Lotso Huggin Bear (Ned Beatty), Ken (a scene stealing Michael Keaton) and more Sunnyside residents. Woody makes it out of the day care to be with Andy but his friends remain, only to discover that Sunnyside is not as sunny as they wanted it to be. When they plead to Lotso to move rooms where the kids are nicer to them, Lotso shows his true colors (but stills smells likes strawberries) and the toys are rejoined by Woody to escape the day care prison break style.
While the original Toy Story was classic, and Toy Story 2 was a pretty good follow up, I would consider Toy Story 3 the best of the trilogy. It is the funniest of the films, but also the darkest; I dare you not to cringe in fear or get severely emotional when Woody and company are facing death by incinerator. That’s how dark this film goes, but that scene is counterattacked by a supremely sweet ending that will make the heart of any grown up melt if they have were ever put in the position Andy was.
I laughed, I cried, I loved-Toy Story 3 is by far my favorite movie of 2010, one of Pixar’s finest, and a fantastic closing on a great three acts. Toy Story 4? No. Toy Story 3 had a FLAWLESS ending, and I’d hate to see them taint what I consider a beautiful curtain call on these beloved toys.
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Pat Torfe Recommend’s:
Jason Goes To Hell
I know that a lot of people will give me flack for this, but for myself, this film is a guilty pleasure. Jason Goes To Hell. Yes, I know what you’re thinking. This really shouldn’t be a Friday The 13th film. Jason specifically isn’t in the film aside from the beginning and the very end. It’s a rip-off of The Hidden, despite what director Adam Marcus claims. I know, I know, but there’s just something about this film that has me watching it on occasion. The storyline is rather ridiculous: Jason is still lurking around Crystal Lake. He gets caught in an FBI sting and gets the crap blown out of him. At the morgue, the coroner is transfixed by Jason’s still-beating heart and takes a bite out of it. Why? Why not?
Anyways, in doing so, the coroner is possessed by Jason’s spirit and goes on a body-hopping rampage in the pursuit of his last remaining bloodline relatives, through whom he can be truly resurrected or truly killed. Yeah, it’s a lame sort of story and the acting leans towards being over-the-top, but what makes this film is the gore. Now, keep in mind that the film was cut for an R rating, but the DVD contains both the R rated and unrated cuts. Guess which one you should watch? Aside from the heart munching, the stabbings by various instruments (including a knife sharpener, of all things) and some gooey meltings, probably the most memorable kill involves an impalement by signpost and subsequently being split in half. Coupled with a memorable performance by Steven Williams as Creighton Duke (a bounty hunter who’s after Jason for some reason), it’s moderately enjoyable for those who go into it with no expectations. Again, it’s not everyone’s choice for a Friday The 13th film, but the gore factor should alleviate some of the discomfort. As well, the commentary by director Adam Marcus and writer Dean Lorey is a lively one, and they acknowledge the film’s shortcomings as well as tell some fun stories, so there’s also that to look forward to if you grab the DVD.
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Bede Jermyn Recommend’s:
Wendy And Lucy
Michelle Williams has definitely come a long way since playing Jen Lindley in the popular late 90′s/early 00′s teen T.V. drama DAWSON’S CREEK, in the 8 years since that show ended she has grown into a fantastic and versatile actress who isn’t afraid to dive head first into any role that comes her way (she has already picked up two well deserved Oscar nods for her performances in the films BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN and BLUE VALENTINE). For my recommendation this week I’ve decided to pick one film that really gets to show us how great of an actress she can be, which the 2008 film WENDY AND LUCY. The film tells the story of a young woman named Wendy (Michelle Williams) who, along with her dog Lucy, is traveling to Alaska in hopes to start a new life. Along the way her trip becomes derailed when her car breaks down in a small country town. Knowing that she’ll unable to buy food for Lucy since she’ll have to use most of her money to fix her car, she decides to steal some dog food at the local supermarket. Before she goes inside, she ties Lucy out the front so that she won’t runaway. Unfortunately as Wendy is about to leave and get Lucy, she gets picked up for shoplifting by the police. A few hours later after she has been released from police custody, she goes back to the supermarket but finds that Lucy has disappeared.
This is simple but extremely well crafted and intimate drama/character study that is truly elevated by the fantastic performance of Michelle Williams. She is both believable and heartbreaking as Wendy, every moment that she goes through in this film we feel it as well. This is definitely up there as one of her best performances, if not the best of her career so far (and judging on all the great turns has she has delivered over the last few years, that is saying a lot if I say so myself). It truly is a beautiful subtle piece of acting from her. The supporting cast also do very well with their performances and naturalistic direction from co-writer/director Kelly Reichardt is terrific. Also the film has one of the most saddest and heartbreaking endings that I have seen a while, which also gave the film that extra bit more of power. While the film may not be for everyone (I guess you can say that this film is truly the definition of an ‘indie’ film), but it is effective little gem of a film that I recommended you all to check out. Although I do have a feeling that if you have (or had) a dog in your life, this film will resonate with you even more.
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Posted by supermarcey
July 5, 2011
Every week the people of Super Website (Super Blog) will give you a recommendation of a Film, DVD, Bluray, Book, Soundtrack or any other item for you the readers to check out.
Super Marcey Recommend’s:
Undisputed II
My new rainy day film? Undisputed II of course! This is the perfect afternoon relaxation film, and I can’t recommend it enough. Here is a little bit from my original review.
“Undisputed 2 is directed by Isaac Florentine who later went on to do Ninja, which I reviewed not long ago. I feel that Undisputed 2 is a better film, it has a good script and the two leads are both so charismatic and so talented it was just a real blast to see them on the screen together. The fight scenes are mind blowing, the choreography is just fantastic and I can’t get enough of them. The final showdown is fantastic, and both men look amazing. I really couldn’t pick a winner, as much of an ass as Boyka is I just loved his character. Sure it has those moments that are typical of these films, and maybe it can be a little far fetched, but if you can put that aside there is a lot to enjoy here. Michael Jai White is in top form, both with his acting and his martial arts skills. The man is fantastic, he really got into the character and he had the right chemistry with Scott Adkins. And now to Scott Adkins, he had a decent Russian accent and he looks so badass as Boyka, he will blow your mind with what he can do. He has great charisma as Boyka and you can tell he really just fit into this role and made a memorable character.“
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Logan J. Fowler Recommend’s:
UHF
In the wake of “Weird Al’s” latest release, Alpocalypse, his royal weirdness has proved through time that not only is he the king of parody penning, he also had a feature film that reached cult classic status. Taking parody to more a visual level than auditory, UHF makes fun of tv shows, movies, and even music videos.
When George Newman (Al Yankovic) gets his hands on the rights to UHF channel 62, he decides to use his vivid imagination to take the channel to new heights. With the help of his friends (Fran Drescher, Michael Richards, David Bowe), Channel 62 climbs to the top of the ratings, in direct contest with channel 8, led by tyrannical owner R.J. Fletcher (the late Kevin McCarthy). Once Fletcher begins to feel threatened by the rival channel, he pulls out all the stops, and only George can prevent the failure of his brand new successful employment conquest.
With zany characters, some side splitting mock tv show program titles, a fantastic performance by Richards (aka Kramer of Seinfield) and Weird Al deadpanning like a pro, UHF may not be the best movie ever, but it’s one I love to revisit again and again. Cult classic? Psssh. In my opinion they should take out the word “cult.” THIS MOVIE IS CLASSIC.
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Pat Torfe Recommend’s:
Zombi 2
Since I’ve been talking about zombie films for the past 2 weeks, why not go with a third? Now you know, I know and everyone knows that DAWN OF THE DEAD is a classic and deserves to be seen by everyone. That said, instead of going the obvious route and recommending Romero’s finest, why not go with the film that was marketed in Europe as the unofficial sequel? I’m talking about Zombie aka Zombi 2 by Lucio Fulci. Those of you not familiar with the film will know which one I’m talking about when I mention two scenes: the famous “Shark vs. Zombie” sequence (with a real tiger shark) and the infamous “wooden splinter in the eye” sequence that landed the film on the British list of “Video Nasties” back in the 80s. Yep, that would be the one. The story for the film goes like this: While investigating a seemingly abandoned boat belonging to do a famous scientist off the New York coast, the coastguard is attacked by a zombie stowaway. Ann Bowles, the daughter of the missing scientist, decides to journey to the last known whereabouts of her father to find out just what happened. She meets Peter West, a journalist who tags along. Later, the duo meet with with Brian Hull, an ethnologist, and Susan Barrett. The four of them then journey to Matool Island, the last known whereabouts of Ann’s father. There they meet Dr. Menard, who is trying to find a cure to a disease that is turning the dead islanders into the walking dead. I’m sure that it doesn’t take much of a stretch to figure out what happens.
The film exists purely to showcase the makeup used for the zombies, the terror and the gore. Fulci was known to have a sort of thing when it came to a person’s eyes in horror films. It’s no wonder that the scene involving the splinter was so long and drawn out, since it obviously made the audience squirm and cringe until the moment arrived. The zombie makeup was appropriately disgusting. It’s no wonder that they were referred to as walking flowerpots. The slow shambling movements are damn creepy, too. This is of course more apparent in film’s finale, where it seems nothing keeps these suckers down. It’s not a perfect film, mind you. The acting is weak, the characters are forgettable and (frankly) at times, stupid. The dubbing during certain scenes is laughable, but that all takes a backseat when you have a horde of zombies rising up from just outside where our protagonists are staying and nothing, nothing seems to stop them. See it especially if you’re a fan of zombie films, and pick up the awesome Shriek Show DVD that’s been around for a couple of years. Better yet, wait for the Blu-Ray that’s apparently coming in October 2011. Barf bags are not included.
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Posted by supermarcey
June 29, 2011
Every week the people of Super Website (Super Blog) will give you a recommendation of a Film, DVD, Bluray, Book, Soundtrack or any other item for you the readers to check out.
Super Marcey Recommend’s:
Crazy Heart
Last recommendation I gave you Iron Man and this week I shall give you more Jeff Bridges with Crazy Heart. Here is an excert from my original review, which you can read in it’s entirety here.
“A country musician whose star has since faded finds himself playing at the local bowling alley, hasn’t written any new material for years and is an alcoholic. Things change for him when he meets a reporter, who is also a single mother, the two form a relationship. In the meantime a musician who he has mentored comes back into the picture. That is the short little synopsis for this film without giving too much away. Jeff Bridges plays Bad Blake who is the country music star, he is a shadow of his former self; Maggie Gyllenhaal plays Jean the reporter who he meets and Colin Farrell Tommy plays the man he mentored.
Crazy Heart is a good film, it does follow the formula of films of these types but it is the performances that elevates this up to being great. It is cliched, and I expected that it would be and the ending both worked and didn’t for me but the rest, the ride we take with Blake made for good watching. This film really is all about Jeff Bridges and his fantastic performance, he is Bad Blake, he becomes this character fully. He really just lifted up this role and made for a character that you just can’t help but watch and you hope this man can get back on track with his life. You feel for him, in all sorts of ways, there are times you want to slap him and there are times you just want to hug him. Jeff Bridges plays all the right notes with Bad, he is one of the acting greats and it is fantastic he has been nominated for an Oscar for his role.“
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Logan J. Fowler Recommend’s:
The Incredibles
People ask me, “Logan, what is your favorite movie of all time?” My answer: “The Incredibles.” They ask “Why?” I say, “It’s gotta a little bit of everything-action, comedy, romance, family values, morals, it’s about superheroes and it’s from Pixar.”
The Incredibles starts off by introducing us to Mr. Incredible (voiced by Craig T. Nelson), everyday upholder of justice and loved by many. However, after a series of unfortunate events, he faces the problem of the law when he is taken to court by a man he rescued from a failed suicide attempt (yes, suicide in a PG rated Disney/ Pixar film). With so many lawsuits going against the superhero and fellow “supers” as they are called, the government issues the superhero relocation program, taking superheroes out of the equation and making them quiet citizens.
15 years later, Mr. Incredible lives under the alter ego name Bob Parr, working at an insurance company and feeling rather bored. He has a family now who he semi ignores due to his law abiding duty of being a reserved superhero. On Wednesday nights he and friend named Lucius (formerly known as the super Frozone, voiced by Samuel L Jackson) listen to a police scanner for nearby crimes or danger. This catches the eye of Mirage, who has ties to someone from Mr. Incredible’s past. Mirage invites Mr. Incredible to a tropical island to take out a machine, only to be put in great danger, relying on the help of his family he passed off in honor of his glory days.
The Incredibles is not a Pixar sob fest like Up or Toy Story 3 were, or for that matter, are (I still cry at those movies regardless of watching them several times), but even so, it has heart, a clever combination of brains and brawn, and is a super fun ride. The voices are perfect, the action is fast and epic, and the movie has one of the best soundtracks to accompany an animated film in a long time (that didn’t have the characters singing). Also, touching upon the suicide attempt featured in the beginning of the movie, The Incredibles hits some very dark notes for a film of its rating, and has some adult humor intact as well.
Adding all those quality elements together, The Incredibles is one of Pixar’s best, but to me, it IS their best, and still stands strong as my favorite flick. Period.
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Pat Torfe Recommend’s:
Day of the Dead
Continuing with the zombie theme, this week I’m sticking with Day Of The Dead. Now I know that there are a number of fans of Romero’s films (and zombie films in general) who are going to be asking what I’m smoking, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Day Of The Dead isn’t the greatness that was Dawn Of The Dead, but it’s still a rather solid movie. The story goes that after the events of Dawn Of The Dead, the world has been overrun my the walking dead. A small contingent of soldiers and scientists have taken refuge in an underground research facility. Tensions are high as the scientists led by Dr. Logan try to find a cure/domesticate the zombies, while the soldiers led by the batshit insane Captain Rhodes are intent on blowing the zombies (and anyone else) away. Factor in the lack of progress and sleep, and you have folks on the edge.
First off, this isn’t the action fest that Dawn Of The Dead was. This is more of a low-key film that relies on the intimate surroundings to explore characters and their interactions. That’s a good thing, since we get some great performances from the likes of Richard Liberty as Dr. Logan (who is also batshit insane, but at least not wanting to kill folks) and Joe Pilato as Capt. Rhodes. Really, Pilato is such an asshole in this film that you can’t help but love him for it. Then there’s Bub, an intelligent zombie that has been somewhat domesticated by Dr. Logan. Bub is played to perfection by Howard Sherman. There’s a child-like innocence with Bub, mixed in with the need for human flesh. You can’t help but fall in love with the character while Logan is teaching him to interact with various objects. It also helps that Bub isn’t as ugly/rotted as his zombie compatriots. Also, this film focuses on a more mean-spirited approach instead of employing the humour that Dawn used, which is again one of the reasons why folks are still split with this film today. That in effect just makes the gore (done once again by Tom Savini with help from Greg Nicotero of future KNB EFX fame) that much more graphic. Plus, I still get uneasy when that one guy gets his head ripped off while screaming (you’ll see and hear it). So yeah, the film wasn’t what fans expected. I’ve said it before, but Day Of The Dead was Alien 3 before Alien 3. But aside from that, there’s still a great film to be found here if you don’t go into it expecting Dawn Of The Dead Part 2. Fans of Romero’s films should still check this one out, as it still holds up today.
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Bede Jermyn Recommend’s:
Swimming Pool
A while ago my friend (and regular Super Podcast guest) Sam Inglis said one of his favourite working director’s today is Francois Ozon and he suggested that I should check out his films. So far I’ve seen three films of his (two of which were the solid TIME TO LEAVE and the terrific 5×2) but for this week’s recommendation I’ve decided to pick one that is the most recent film that I’ve seen from him, which is his 2003 film SWIMMING POOL. The film tells the story of British crime novelist Sarah Morton (Charlotte Rampling) who is suffering from writer’s block when it comes to her next book. On the advice of her publisher John Bosload (Charles Dance), she decides to stay for a few weeks by herself at his country house in France. Hoping that some relaxation and a change of scenery will help get her overcome her writer’s block. After Sarah gets settled in and starts writing her novel, her holiday is disrupted one night by the arrival of a young French woman named Julie (Ludivine Sagnier), who just happens to be John’s daughter. I won’t say anymore about film’s story because for me it’s best not to know too much before going into this film.
But I will say that this is a great Hitchcockianesque psychological drama/thriller that is superbly well crafted by co-writer/director Francois Ozon. He does a really a great job with this film, in the wrong hands it could have been just another forgettable run-of-the-mill thriller but the way that Ozon handles the material he makes it into something that is much more compelling and interesting. Of course, he also had a lot of help from the film’s two leads Charlotte Rampling and Ludivine Sagnier, who both deliver absolutely terrific performances. Also the supporting cast were all really solid, the script was extremely well written and it has an ending that will have you thinking long after the film has finished. Overall I highly recommend that everyone check out SWIMMING POOL, it truly is a very strong and well crafted thriller that I hope you will also enjoy as well. It has definitely got me interested in checking out more of Ozon’s films (although I should say to all of you that Ozon makes a wide variety of films, not just thrillers) and who knows maybe after you have seen this one, you may also want to see his other films as well.
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Nick Bosworth Recommend’s:
300
You know I’ve always felt that “Troy”, “Gladiator” and “King Arthur” were wonderful and epic stories with powerful characters but after seeing “300″ again tonight, those films are dim by comparison. Zack Snyder has brought Frank Miller’s vision to the screen in such a original and astounding manner that I was completely immersed in it from start to finish. At this moment now, Snyder has officially made my top 10 favourite directors and that is a bold statement. Even though the story of “300″ is very simple story, there is a lot to learn from this film in terms of how we mature in life and learn to respect everything around us as a free people. It’s absolutely breathtaking and I can’t wait to see it again. For the acting part of the film, Gerard Butler gave an absolutely terrific performance as King Leonidas of Sparta. During his speeches in the film to his men, he was so sincere and powerful that I felt myself becoming inspired by his words. He brought a fierceness to the character that I thought was tremendous but also a sense of duty, honour and love for his home, wife, son and people. A brilliant performance that should be recognized.
Lena Headey was also fantastic in the film as Queen Gorgo of Sparta and she gave a powerful performance as well in a time when women’s opinions were quickly discarded, she fought to be heard (by the end of a sword). When she stabbed that backstabbing prick in the film, everyone in the audience applauded and cheered. 
Not only was she terrific acting wise but she is a true beauty. I was mesmerized everytime she came on the screen, a very hot woman for sure. I am very turned on by tough women as many know. The rest of the cast was superb as well including David Wenham who gave a great performance as Dilios and as the narrator of the story. A very good job from him. One terrific casting choice however that stood out from all the rest was Rodrigo Santoro as Xerxes – King of the Persians. From the moment we first meet him, he speaks, acts, looks and just portrays himself so well as a King or God. He is gargantuan in the the film and a terrific choice to put up against Gerard. Terrific cast overall.
The fight scenes of this film are what make the movie so amazing though. They’re so epic that I don’t think any other film even compares at all. The sheer carnage and scale of the battles was amazing. I’ve honestly never seen so much blood and severed limbs in one film and it was sweet. From several decapitated heads, arms, legs, piles of bodies, stabbings, spearings, etc, the battle scenes were tremendous and really get your heart pumping for sure. Mind-blowing! With that also comes the fucking brilliant CGI work of the film and slow-motion effects. This film is a leap forward in the world of visual effects and I honestly believe this movie will be a strong contendor for the “Best Visual Effects” Oscar next year. One of the best CGI scenes was watching the Persian ships being devoured by the sea. The trailer does not do this scene justice. Even though the film has a graphic look to it, the CGI was so well done that everything looked so real. I have a hard time believing that there was so much blue-screen shooting. Wow!
The music of the film was also breathtaking and so well put together. The epic choir song when Leonidas returns from his test to become King was absolutely tremendous and I felt adrenaline pumping through me like crazy. Truly awesome! Then comes the director of the film, Zack Snyder. Zack has knocked this out of the park and has given us a film that will stand the test of time and become a true classic in the years to come. He brought so much depth to the comic from Frank Miller and turned it into something so unique. A fabulous effort Zack, you have a very genuine vision when used correctly. And finally, I come to the end of my review. Overall, I still have adrenaline pumping through me after watching that film but I also feel inspired by the story and it’s characters. “300″ is without a doubt, the best graphic novel-to-film adaption of all-time and it’s gonna be difficult to change that in my mind. Absolutely genius!
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Posted by supermarcey
June 21, 2011
Every week the people of Super Website (Super Blog) will give you a recommendation of a Film, DVD, Bluray, Book, Soundtrack or any other item for you the readers to check out.
Super Marcey Recommend’s:
Iron Man
Last week I recommended X-Men on bluray, and keeping with the comic book/Superhero theme for this week I recommend Iron Man. I am sure most of you out there have seen this film, but if you are hankering for something fun to indulge in then look no further.
My Iron Man experience before the film was rather limited, I had read comics featuring him and he was present in some games that I played frequently. Over all I thought he seemed like a really awesome character and when the film was announced I was excited. I honestly never could have imagined that it was going to be this fantastic, and solidifying Robert Downey Jr’s Hollywood come back. From the moment the film starts we are introduced to rich playboy Tony Stark, and instantly he wins us all over. He’s an industrialist, a genius at engineering, and on a trip to Afghanistan he winds up being captured and severely injured. The men who have captured him, want him to make them a weapon. Instead Stark goes about creating and building something that will hopefully allow him to escape as well as keep him alive. The end result is a full armour suit capable of many great things, including said escape. Once back home he makes some vital changes to the company and goes about making another suit, transforming him into Iron Man.
The story is great, it tells of his origins as Iron Man, how the suit came to be and what lead him down that path. While the film is light in places with the added touch of some humor it is also dark and quite serious. It is a testament to his directorial talents that Jon Favreau could mix those up so well and not make any element seem out of place or unnecessary. It is a fun and enjoyable film, with Robert Downey Jr absolutely stealing every scene he is in and being the perfect piece of casting. Jeff Bridges is fantastic as Obadiah Stane, the nemesis who has his own ideas for the company and technology. Gwyneth Paltrow is really enjoyable as Pepper Potts, and the back and forth between her and Downey is just awesome. Terrance Howard was reliable as Stark’s close friend James Rhodes and of course we see the introduction of Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson who was great. Iron Man remains one of my all time favourite superhero films and definitely one of the best out there.
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Logan J. Fowler Recommend’s:
Dookie – Green Day
One of the first albums I ever listened to was this one. I was 11 years old and my brother had bought it to try out in his new cd player. My virgin ears were exposed to vulgarity, songs about masturbation, and suicidal tendencies. However, for a pre teen, most of the content found within the music would go over my head.
However, 17 years later (you do the math), I am still a devoted Green Day fan. People may harp on Green Day for their minimal chord progression, but even in today’s age most people who hate Green Day currently still say Dookie was pretty good.
This was the album that launched singer/guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool into the mainstream after making the rounds in an underground punk scene in California. Shunned from their previous fans that they had earned pre record label, Green Day just wanted to share their music with the world. Sell out or not, Dookie stands the test of time as Green Day’s most popular album. While I prefer their follow up, Insomniac, ranking it as my favorite Green Day record, I cannot deny the impact of Dookie. With catchy riffs, simple melodies, and some of the top tunes in the Green Day library, the band’s foray into the mainstream music media is still as great as it was 11 years ago when I first heard it in my brother’s bedroom.
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Pat Torfe Recommend’s:
Videodrome
I seem to be stuck recommending a lot of 80s films. But then again, the 80s were awesome for horror. Case in point: Videodrome by David Cronenberg. Starring James Woods, the film centres around Max Renn, a shady CEO of a television station in Toronto, Canada that specializes in sex and violence in its programming. Max is looking for the next big thing. The next big thing comes in the form of a show supposedly being broadcast out of Malaysia called Videodrome. Max loves it, and wants to acquire the show. Problem is, after being exposed to the show, Max begins to have weird hallucinations. He turns to Professor Brian O’Blivion for help, a pop-culture analyst and philosopher who is just as mysterious as the origins of Videodrome.
Bizarre as it was, Videodrome ranks up at the top for one of the best horror films to come out of Canada, and one of the best cult horror films ever. The film put Cronenberg’s name on the map (as if Scanners hadn’t already done it the year before), and helped him score the director’s seat in Total Recall (initially) and The Fly. The exploration of how television plays a role in our lives and the vicarious nature of sex and violence in the programming that we watch is fascinating as it is disturbing, which Cronenberg exploits all too well. James Woods turns in a great performance as Max Renn, sleazy as the character is. He’s not altogether heroic, but you stick with him because you frankly don’t know what the hell is going on with Videodrome, either. Deborah Harry (of 70s rock band Blondie fame) is here as well, playing Nicki Brand, a sadomasochistic psychiatrist. She doesn’t do much with the role, but the sexy allure she brings to the role negates any sort of shortcomings with the acting. The big star here is the gore, which is gooey as it is bizarre. Part of Max’s hallucinations involve TV sets that pulsate and breathe, and his stomach where a vagina-like wound appears where more bizarre things happen. Oh, and the infamous gun that grafts to Max’s hand that shoots special cancer bullets. Trust me, you have to see it for yourself. The version of the film to get is the Criterion Collection, which has the original uncut version of the film, plus loads of bonus features and commentary by Cronenberg that explains just what the hell is going on. If you’re a fan of Cronenberg, then you’ve already seen this film. If not, you owe it to yourself to see this masterpiece of a film that you can’t help but be drawn into its bizarre strangeness.
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Bede Jermyn Recommend’s:
The Good Girl
I have to admit I actually don’t mind Jennifer Aniston as an actress. While she has appeared in a lot of mediocre to crappy romantic comedies these days, but if given the right film she can actually be a really good actress. One film in particular that I’ll be talking about as my recommendation for this week is the 2002 film THE GOOD GIRL, which finally gets to showcase Aniston’s talents. The film tells the story of Justine Last (Aniston), a 30 year old married woman who lives a lonely and unhappy existence in a small Texas town with her pot-smoking, house painter husband Phil (John C. Reilly) and working at a the local discount store called Retail Rodeo. One day her life changes when she takes an automatic interest in a new stock boy that her boss hires named ‘Holden’ (Jake Gyllenhaal), a troubled young writer who thinks that his life mirrors the character of Holden Caulfield from the book CATCHER IN THE RYE. In the beginning they spend a lot of time hanging out together and eventually their friendship turns into a secret love affair. Unfortunately, everything becomes complicated when her husband’s best friend/co-worker Bubba (Tim Blake Nelson) discovers what she is up to.
Aniston gives us a truly wonderful performance in this very well made and witty dark comedy/drama; it was really good to see her step out of her comfort zone to deliver a performance that is very different from anything else that she has done before. It’s a bit of a shame that she really hasn’t had a role as good since then (although she did give really good turns in the films FRIENDS WITH MONEY and MANAGEMENT). However this film does show that with the right material she can turn in a great performance. It’s a good thing that the film itself is just as great as her. Both Gyllenhaal and Reilly are terrific as ‘Holden’ and Phil respectively, and the supporting cast are also really strong (which includes the likes of Tim Blake Nelson, Zooely Deschanel, John Carroll Lynch, Deborah Rush and Mike White, who also wrote the script). The direction from Miguel Arteta is really good and Mike White’s script is wonderfully well written. If you haven’t seen THE GOOD GIRL, it’s definitely worth checking out for sure. Hopefully after you’ve watched it, you will also agree with me that this film does indeed prove that Jennifer Aniston can be more than just Rachel from FRIENDS.
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Posted by supermarcey
June 14, 2011
Every week the people of Super Website (Super Blog) will give you a recommendation of a Film, DVD, Bluray, Book, Soundtrack or any other item for you the readers to check out.
Super Marcey Recommend’s:
X-Men (Bluray)
With the recently release of X-Men: First Class, I felt the need to go back once again and watch the first X-Men film. However I wasn’t satisfied with just viewing the film, I actually went out and I purchased the film on Bluray. Is it worth the upgrade? YES!
A film like X-Men is meant for HD, while it looks good on DVD, it just looks so much more crisp and clear on bluray. The audio also feels quite amped up, and it just made for a far better experience. I am not entirely sold on bluray, as I do believe there are some films better experienced without it. But for films like X-Men, bluray fits like a glove, and it really feels like it enhances the experience.
Here is an exert from an X-Men film write up I did for TinnedGoods.com
“This was without a doubt one of the strongest and most exciting films to come out that year. It had action, adventure, superheroes and villains. The characters and story were based upon the comics of X-Men as well as taking inspiration from the cartoon series. It was adapted to work on this medium and they did a pretty damn good job. A lot of the characters remained the same and in the spirit of what had already been established and others were changed to try and make them work (most notably Marie/Rogue). It was designed to appeal to the whole family (hence some of the awful dialogue) yet try and stay true to what the comics were all about. It had some great effects for the time, both CG and practical and they hold up pretty well today.“
Logan J. Fowler Recommend’s:
Ratatouille
Next to Edgar Wright, Brad Bird is my favorite director. After his one two punch of The Iron Giant and The Incredibles (my favorite movie EVER), Bird gave us Ratatouille, which is less action, more story, but still great regardless.
Ratatouille tells of Remy (voiced by Patton Oswalt), a rat who is much classier than he seems. Remy really has a knack for whipping up great food ideas, especially when it comes to combining things for greater effect. But his dream of becoming a chef seems rather impossible, because well, he is a rat.
However, through a series of events, Remy does end up in the hub of Paris, right above the restaurant formerly owned by his late hero, Auguste Gusteau. As the rat overlooks the chaos in the kitchen, he sees a mop boy by the name of Linguini (voiced by Lou Romano) spill a pot of soup. He messes up the contents inside by adding things in, trying to fix it. Remy falls into the kitchen following this by accident and makes the soup right again. Linguini catches Remy in the act, and Remy is to be disposed of, but after the soup makes it out to a customer and Linguini is applauded for his concoction, only then does Linguini realize that the rat was the animal behind the soup being a special creation. The two form a bond, and Remy sets out to cook using Linguini as his literal puppet.
While Ratatouille is definitely unique in story (a rat trying to cook just makes for a fun time), I have noticed people really harp on it for not being Pixar’s best, because at that point it was expected. While most of the movies in the Pixar libraries are masterpieces (sans cars), Ratatouille I assumed, never set out to be that kind of film in the first place. What it is, though, is fun, quirky, and it also provides Paris in beautiful animation. Also, the underlying motto of “You can be whatever you want regardless of who or what you are” can find a place in the hearts of both kids and adults. It’s definitely an entertaining film, and I quite enjoy it.
In conclusion, I hereby award this movie the Brad Bird Animated Film hat trick. So when are you going to make your next feature length computer generated (or hey, even traditionally animated) movie, double B? I’m waiting.
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Pat Torfe Recommend’s:
Night Of The Living Dead (1968)
After these past few weeks of nostalgia, I figured that it’s high time to go really old school. Going back to 1968 and George Romero’s cult classic, Night Of The Living Dead. This grand-daddy of the genre still holds up today, providing not only relevant social commentary, but also being the shocker it was meant to be. The basic story begins with siblings Barbara and Johnny visiting their father’s grave. Barbara is attacked by “one of them”, and Johnny whacks his head on a tombstone. Barbara flees in their car and eventually makes it to a farmhouse. There, she meets up with Ben, another survivor who barricades inside the farmhouse from the growing swarm of zombies outside. Tensions in the house rise between Ben and two other couples inside the house, who have different ideas about what to do. The film was groundbreaking for its time for a number of reasons. Casting Duane Jones, an African-American, as the main protagonist was not something you did during the 60s. Ben’s fate later in the film also echoed certain racist critiques. Also, with the Vietnam War currently underway, the disillusionment with government was high, much like the disillusionment with the government in the film over what was really going on and what was considered “safe”.
A landmark film in more ways than one, this puppy defined the zombie subgenre and made George Romero a household name in horror circles. It also led to several sequels, including the wildly-popular Dawn Of The Dead. Needless to say, if you haven’t seen this film, you’re missing out on one of the greatest horror films of all time. Seeing as the film is in public domain, you can check it out on YouTube, but if you want more bang for your buck, pick up the recent 40th Anniversary Edition DVD instead.
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Bede Jermyn Recommend’s:
The Hangover
I love good comedy. I don’t care if the humour of the film is either high brow or low brow; as long as it makes me laugh then it has done its job. For my recommendation this week I’ve chosen one of my favourite comedies, which is the 2009 film THE HANGOVER (which is a good one to talk about since the film’s sequel was released a few weeks ago). The film tells the story of a group of four friends who decide to go to Las Vegas for a bachelor party just two days before one of them is about get married. However the following morning, three of the friends Phil, Stu and Alan (Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifanakis) wake up with no memory of the events that happened the night before. But things get even worse when they discover that their friend and groom-to-be Doug (Justin Bartha) is missing. In an effort to find Doug and get him back home in time for his wedding, the trio decide to retrace their steps and piece together what happened to them the previous night. Along the way they find out just how much of a crazy night they all actually had. This is an absolutely hilarious comedy that had me laughing from beginning to end. Also what really surprised me most about the film is that despite being a comedy, it also surprisingly works as a mystery. There are a couple of twists and turns in the story that we don’t actually see coming, which is actually quite refreshing in a comedy like this. The three leads all do a terrific job with their performances (although Galifanakis is definitely the stand-out with his fantastic performance as “Alan”, who delivers many of the film’s great moments) and even the supporting cast were also great as well.
Director Todd Phillips (who also made ROAD TRIP and OLD SCHOOL) does a wonderful job with his direction and the script is fantastically well written, it is chock full of many funny scenes and quotable dialogue. So if you are looking for a comedy that you hope will give you some pretty good laughs, I highly recommend that you all check out THE HANGOVER for sure. But if you have already seen it, it’s definitely worth a rewatch. Sure it may be very crude and raunchy, but that doesn’t stop it from being hilarious.
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Posted by supermarcey
June 8, 2011
Every week the people of Super Website (Super Blog) will give you a recommendation of a Film, DVD, Bluray, Book, Soundtrack or any other item for you the readers to check out.
Super Marcey Recommend’s:
X-Men: First Class
I am a huge X-Men fan, and while I had my doubts about another film since Wolverine was quite disappointing, I went into this new film excited. However I never expected that this would be such a fantastic film, and one that I place highly on the scale of comic book adaptations. I have now seen First Class 3 times in 6 days, and I can say without a doubt I’d place it right up there with the likes of Chris Nolan’s Batman films, Richard Donner’s Superman films, Raimi’s first two Spider-man films and Bryan Singer’s X-Men films.
Here is an exert from my review, you can find the entire piece over at KillerFilm.com
“There is a lot going on in this film, but most importantly is the introduction and development of our main characters. Charles and Erik both grew up vastly different, coming back different backgrounds. However one is on a much darker path, and when the other saves him things change for them both. A friendship and lifelong bond is formed, and through their actions they find others like them. Their up bringing certainly impacts them deeply with their actions and how they feel about being mutants and how others feel towards them. This film manages to make this all feel very real and the development their characters face seems very natural and emotional. While those are at the heart and soul of the film, the other characters are also well developed including Raven/Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) and Hank McCoy (Nicholas Hoult). They both have similar issues with their abilities and those issues very much turn them into two very different people. On the other side of the fence, the villain of the story is an interesting one and while we don’t know too much about him he is a very real threat.“
Logan J. Fowler Recommend’s:
Waiting For Superman
As a person who hasn’t gotten into documentaries as much as he should have, Waiting for Superman was always one that was on the top of my list to see. It may be due to bias (I am a teacher), but at the same time, it made me view the education system of America in a whole new light and I definitely think you should give the film the time of day, despite your choice of career.
For those who are unaware, in public education the schools have something called “tenure.” It is when teachers are granted job security after several years working in the field. Tenure is abused highly, as most teachers who are granted it just sit back and coast post receiving.
Waiting for Superman looks at multiple children, those whose parents or guardians are becoming sick of the public school system and looking to get them into charter schools, which are institutions that have public school funding but are privately owned. They teachers are better because they aren’t granted an easy way out.
The film is intercut with statistics and educational jargin that is discussed enough so you won’t have trouble understanding it. However, the core of this story is the children that were previously mentioned. They are all good kids who deserve a fighting chance, but their chances are limited because charter schools run on a lottery system, so a child is assigned a number and hope for the very best.
I don’t wish to spoil it, but by the end of Waiting for Superman, I was reaching for tissues. It is a very sad state that the educational system is in, and this movie shows how many steps backwards that schooling has taken. The results are disturbing and eye opening, and I have never recommended a movie more highly than this one. As I discussed on a podcast found here on this very website, Waiting For Superman was a movie that changed me. While I don’t know if it will have the same effect on you, I can guarantee you will find the film nothing short of profound.
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Pat Torfe Recommend’s:
Transformers: The Movie
Keeping with the nostalgia from last week, my pick this time around is a classic 80s pop culture film that helped to define my childhood: Transformers: The Movie. No, it’s not the live-action explosion-fest that Michael Bay put together, I’m talking about the 1986 film directed by Nelson Shin that not only had the balls to have characters audibly swear, but also kill off certain characters that were there from the beginning of the series! It was heartwrenching at the age of seven to have your favorite characters gunned down, but that’s only part of what makes this film memorable. The story is an extension of the cartoon: the year is 2005, and the Autobots are planning to retake their home planet Cybertron after the Decepticons invaded. Problem is, a little espionage by Laserbeak ends up being the Autobots’ undoing. Meanwhile, a giant artificial planet called Unicron has appeared, devouring other planets in its path on its way to do the same to Cybertron and eventually Earth. It’s up to the Autobots to defy the odds and save the galaxy.
Yeah, the story is kind of predictable, but you have to ask yourself who the audience was for the film. The animation was vastly improved from the television series (no recolours or missing body parts here!), smooth and full of colour. The film also boasts star power with the likes of Orson Welles (his last film), Judd Nelson, Robert Stack, Leonard Nimoy and Eric Idle. Of course, all of the voice cast from the cartoon is here, including the memorable Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime and Frank Welker as Megatron. Another big plus about the film was the soundtrack. Oh man, I love this one. Heavy metal songs by the likes of Spectre General aka Kick Axe, a wonderful score by Vince DiCola, and memorable tunes by Stan Bush (“You’ve got the touch!”) and even Weird Al! Really, this all makes for a great trip down memory lane, and the DVD released by Sony prior to losing the rights to the franchise was superb (if only it had come out on Blu-Ray…). Bottom line, you can’t say that you grew up in the 80s if you haven’t seen this film. Transform and roll out!
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Nick Bosworth Recommend’s:
Casino Royale
Let’s first start off with the man who calls himself James Bond and that is Daniel Craig. Throughout his career, Craig has played a number of roles that portray a toughness in himself such as his role in “Munich” as an assassin or even his character in “Layer Cake”. However, he was never able to show his true talent until this film. Craig is the answer to the 007 franchise as he was able to bring a side of Bond to the big screen that none of us have ever seen before. His moral toughness and reckless actions throughout the film are what make the character of Bond so unique and Craig pulled it off perfectly. He shined on so many levels between his serious acting and even being very sarcastic at times as well to help the audience warm up to him and not think he is just a heartless bastard. Craig handled the action perfectly and every situation that was thrown at him unlike past Bond stars who had their strengths and weaknesses.
Now let’s get to the brilliant supporting cast of “Casino Royale” so I’ll start off with the absolutely stunning and magnificent Eva Green. It was such a pleasure to see a Bond girl who actually had some form of intelligence as the last few Bond girls have been a total waste of oxygen in my opinion. Eva was brilliant in her role as Vesper Lynd and her chemistry with Craig was undeniable. She remained a mystery throughout the film and that made her character so much more interesting. She was very beautiful throughout and every scene she had Craig was mind-blowing. Next, I must talk about maybe one of the greatest Bond villains ever and that is Mads Mikkelsen as Le Chiffre. Mads took a very simple character and turned him into someone so mystifying and terrifying that you never knew what he would do next. He was the best choice for the part and there is no doubt of that. The scenes with him and Craig together were some of the best in the film. Especially the “torture” scene as most of you saw. As well, Dame Judi Dench put on a fabulous performance as M once again. She had much more flare this time and it really brought her character out significantly. She’s always a welcome face in the world of Bond. Giancarlo Giannini did a great job as Mathis and was really quite funny as well in those times when the pressure was on. Jeffrey Wright was also fantastic as Felix Leiter but I was a little dissapointed that he didn’t get more screen time. Let’s hope we’ll see more of him in the future. And of course there is also Eva Green who isn’t hard on the eyes as well and serves as a very important part of the story in Bond’s character development. She had terrific chemistry with Craig in this regard.
Right now, I’d like to thank one of the greatest Bond directors of all-time….Martin Campbell. Martin did a magnificent job on this film and has turned it into a masterpiece that he will always be able to treasure. Not all of his films are loved by the world but when he dons the “Bond” directors cap, he becomes a legend. Bravo Martin bravo! As well, the action in the film was absolutely mind-blowing and the stunts were some of the best I have ever seen. Especially the chase scene at the beginning. The cars were super hot and so were the women. As for the length of the film and the pacing, I thought both were spot on and perfect. The move just zoomed by and I was never bored for a second. The poker game was perfectly thought out and well-paced in my opinion. Simply amazing! To sum all of this up, “Casino Royale” is the greatest Bond film of the last 30 years and I consider Daniel Craig to be the best Bond ever and I’ll never take that back.
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Posted by supermarcey
May 31, 2011
Every week the people of Super Website (Super Blog) will give you a recommendation of a Film, DVD, Bluray, Book, Soundtrack or any other item for you the readers to check out.
Super Marcey Recommend’s:
Toy Story
I recently sat down to re-visit Toy Story, it was a subject that was discussed on a recent podcast (check it out here) and that really made me want to see it again. I am glad that I did, Toy Story is just an overall fantastic film. It has a lot of heart, it’s fun, it’s some what dark in places and it rolls by at a steady pace. It is not hard to see why this film is adored by children and adults alike. It came out when I was about 11 years old, and by that stage in my life I wasn’t really seeing the appeal but I saw it and I had a lot of fun.
It wasn’t something I had gone back to, if this had come out when I was a bit younger it might have had more of an affect on me. But looking back on it now, I think it touches me on a whole new level. I have always loved and treasured my toys, I take good care of them, to the point that I can actually hand them down to my niece. Toy Story really hits me hard like that, I see how Andy treats his possessions and I am the same. I remember the fun I had them, and how they shaped my crazy imagination. Watching this again, almost made me feel like a kid and it brought up all those feelings. This really is a fantastic film, Pixar really set the standards high with this. While the animation has improved so much since this came out, it still holds up and looks stunning. If you’re struggling for something to watch this week, re-visit Toy Story, you wont regret it.
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Logan J. Fowler Recommend’s:
Scott Pilgrim vs The World
I could use the cliché phrase and say “I’m in lesbians with this movie.” But I’m not going to say that.
Well, I guess I kind of did. But in any case, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World has a very simple plot: Boy (that’s Scott, played by typecast Michael Cera, who don’t get me wrong I liked in this movie) meets girl (Ramona Flowers, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead) and wants to be with her, except there’s a problem. In order to be truly happy with her, Scott must battle Ramona’s seven evil exes. Will Mr. Pilgrim be able to do it?
Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Spaced) brings a 6 volume comic series that is author Bryan Lee O’Malley’s Scott Pilgrim to colorful, vibrant life, making pretty much the best comic book comic book movie I’ve ever seen. Now I said “comic book” twice because literally, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a cinematic comic book. There are panels, sound effects, sight gags, text boxes, and other elements you’d see in a media of this nature. Wright also adds a strong video game flair to the proceedings, with a touch of an anime style. If these things appeal to you, Scott Pilgrim should be right up your alley.
The casting for the film goes is obvious in some areas (Michael Cera was a no brainer for the titular character, as he’s always played a supposed chick magnet who internally is hiding something) to surprising in others (Kieran Culkin, who plays Scott’s gay roommate Wallace Wells, absolutely steals every scene he’s in). The evil exes also shine, as we get some extended cameos by Chris Evans, Brandon Routh, and Jason Schwartzman, who all look like their having a blast. And of course, I cannot forget the adorableness that is Ellen Wong, who plays Knives Chau, Scott’s girlfriend pre Ramona (he dumps her to be with Flowers). She is the cutest thing ever and I want to marry her. Moving on…
I will say that if Edgar Wright directed more video game or comic book movies, the world would be better off. Wright had a knack for putting the material into movie mode, and while Scott Pilgrim flopped at the box office, it is successfully finding its way into the hearts of geeky boys and girls across the land. But if you haven’t seen it, I suggest you prepare to level up and give Scott Pilgrim vs the World a viewing. What are you waiting for?
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Pat Torfe Recommend’s:
Ghostbusters
If there’s somthin’ strange in your neighbourhood. Who ya gonna call? Never have a set of words meant so much to me as a kid growing up in the 80s. Ghostbusters to me was and still is a great source of entertainment, and one of the best horror comedies ever. For those who don’t know the story (all four of you), here’s the deal: After losing their academic positions at Columbia University, a trio of parapsychologists — Peter Venkman, Raymond Stantz, and Egon Spengler – establish a paranormal exterminator service known as “Ghostbusters” at a retired firehouse. Business is nonexistent until a call from the Sedgewick Hotel changes things. After wrangling their first ghost (affectionately named ‘Slimer’ from that point on by fans), business picks up and the trio soon employ Winston Zeddemore to offset the workload. Eventually, the group (though it’s really Peter, played to perfection by Bill Murray) is hired by a woman named Dana Barrett (played to perfection by Sigourney Weaver as well) to investigate strange occurrences in her apartment. Turns out her building is a focal point for summoning Gozer the Gozerian, a Sumerian shape-shifter who seeks to bring about the end of the world. Possessions, demon dogs and Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man ensues.
Everything about this film was a joygasm for me growing up and still remains as such. The acting by everyone involved is top-notch and played straight-faced, despite the obvious goofiness of the whole thing. Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis crafted such a compelling story and memorable characters that it’s no wonder that the franchise spawned merchandise, cartoons, video games and more. And who can forget Ray Parker Jr.’s immortal song, Ghostbusters? I know that I can’t. The effects were also well-done for the time, with the ghosts as memorable as the ghostbusters themselves. The film and franchise are hallmarks of 80s and early 90s pop culture, and it’s no wonder that folks are still clamoring for a third film, whenever and if ever it gets out of development hell. Seek out the Blu-Ray for this one, as it carries over the entire set of extras from the superb DVD. The transfer isn’t the best, but dammit, the hilarious and informative commentary (along with the film itself) more than make up for it.
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Bede Jermyn Recommend’s:
Machete Maidens Unleashed
A couple of years ago Australian documentarian Mark Hartley made an absolutely fantastic documentary called NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD: THE WILD, UNTOLD STORY OF OZPLOITATION, which explored the little known and largely forgotten Australian exploitation films of the 60′s, 70′s and 80′s. That film was so good that it actually my top 10 films of 2008 list. Now he is back with his follow-up film that also explores another country that was famous (and in some cases infamous) for its exploitation films: the Philippines. During the late 60′s through to the 80′s, the Philippines became a haven for many exploitation and genre filmmakers due to the fact that they could make their films in a country that offered both exotic beautiful locations and very, and I mean very, cheap labour. But most importantly…There were no rules! Just like Hartley’s previous film NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD, this is another fascinating, shocking and very highly entertaining documentary that charts the Philippines own exploitations beginnings in the late 60′s (which were lead by Filipino directors Gerry de Leon & Eddie Romero) to legendary producer Roger Corman’s many B-movie productions throughout the 70′s (most notably the ‘Women In Prison’, ‘Blaxploitation’, ‘Kung Fu’, “Action’ and ‘Monster’ genres) to the making of the biggest film ever to be made in the country APOCALYPSE NOW and finally to the genre’s downfall due to the country’s political turmoil at the time.
The film features many great interviews with both the actors and filmmakers who were involved in the making of those films (which includes the likes of Roger Corman, Pam Grier, Joe Dante, Sid Haig, R. Lee Ermey, John Landis and many more), each one offers both a lot of insight and humour to what happened during that period. Overall while MACHETE MAIDENS UNLEASHED! Isn’t quite up there with NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD, it is still a terrific documentary nonetheless. If you love documentaries that explore film or even a fan of exploitation films than this film is definitely worth checking out.
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Posted by supermarcey
May 24, 2011
Every week the people of Super Website (Super Blog) will give you a recommendation of a Film, DVD, Bluray, Book, Soundtrack or any other item for you the readers to check out.
Super Marcey Recommend’s:
The Punisher
This year is a pretty big year for comic book characters and stories coming alive in film, it seems every few weeks another adaptation is getting released. This was happening a few years ago, but not with such frequency. Back in 2004 a little film came out based upon a Marvel character called The Punisher. Not the first time this character had received film treatment, back in the late 80′s it was adapted in a film starring Dolph Lundgren, that was not well received. It took them awhile but the character made his return, in one of my favourite comic book films from the 00′s starring Thomas Jane in the title role.
I instantly fell in love with this film from the first time I saw it, I ended up watching it several times later and just loving it even more. I remember sharing my obsession for this film with my close friend Jen who also felt the same way, and I think we both declared it a favourite. I still feel that way, and upon a re-watch all those feelings came back. I like the character of Frank Castle, and his turn into the anti-hero, Thomas Jane for me was absolutely perfect. His performance was bad-ass, when things got crazy he got crazy right back, yet he gave the character some depth as well. John Travolta plays the villain perfectly, I loved his performance (it was very much similar to how he handled Face/Off) and I don’t think I would have wanted anyone else. The rest of the cast did well, I especially loved Kevin Nash in his small but memorable role. If you didn’t like this film, I’d say give it another shot. If you haven’t seen it, well what are you waiting for?
Logan J. Fowler Recommend’s:
Jurassic Park
Among all the talk of the world ending, people began posting the internet memes that riffed on Judgment Day, stating “The Raptor is Coming.” Due to this, I got a hankering for Jurassic Park, which oddly enough, I saw playing on the television at my local gym. Best believe I unplugged my iPod and shoved my headphone cord into the volume box instantly.
Jurassic Park tells a tale of a couple paleontologists, Dr. Alan Grant and Dr. Ellie Stattler (Sam Neill and Laura Dern) who are whisked away to this mystical island where dinosaurs are roaming yet again. The idea for the park was spearheaded by a man named John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) who seems to gain much financially from the park, and wants to show the doctors what he has accomplished. Add in Dr. Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum), the “chaotician,” Hammond’s grandchildren, and of course, Hammond’s lawyer, and you have the core group of people set to see the park for the first time. In the midst of their tour, a computer hacker known as Nedry (Wayne Knight) seeks to reproduce the formula for creating dinosaurs for financial gain and in order to do so he has to shut down security to escape the island. Well, unfortunately for the people population on Jurassic Park but fortunately for the audience, this is where the film kicks it into high gear.
The movie was released in 1993, and even watching it recently I still cannot believe how great the special effects look. Using a combination of animatronics and CGI, Jurassic Park’s dinos look (not to mention sound) amazing. As a big advocator of practical effects (this is coming from the guy who prefers the cheesy models of the old Star Wars movies as compared to the ones with new coats of paint), I still applaud the fantastic special effects team that brought the dinosaurs to life.
When I was younger, context speaking I didn’t really get the dialogue, but watching it now the lines are extremely brilliant and well written. Having not read the book it was based on (by Michael Crichton), I am wondering how many lines were lifted from the text, but having said that, the movie both works in spectacle and substance, and really, a lot of movies rely more on the former these days rather than the latter, which is why Jurassic Park (2 years short of being 20 years old) is such a gem. It ranks right up there with Spielberg’s other classics, and if you haven’t watched this film yet, you are not a clever girl. Or boy.
Pat Torfe Recommend’s:
Tremors
After a week of burnout from work, the nice thing about a long weekend here in Canada is the chance to unwind at camp. My choice of unwinding? Watching a classic B-movie called Tremors. I absolutely loved this film when I first saw it so many years ago, and I still love it to this day. The film centres around a small town in the middle of nowhere in Nevada called Perfection (irony incoming). Two down-on-their-luck handymen named Valentine “Val” McKee (Kevin Bacon being awesome as usual) and Earl Bassett (Fred Ward, also being awesome) decide that hauling garbage and pumping septic tanks is for suckers, and decide to seek out the larger town of Bixby for more opportunities. However, a series of gruesome and bizarre attacks on various peoples on the outskirts of Perfection prevent the duo from leaving. Turns out that there are worm-like subterranean creatures (nicknamed Graboids by the local convenience store owner before he’s eaten by the creatures) are roaming around, attacking and eating anything on the surface via vibrations. Soon, a geology grad student named Rhonda becomes involved in combating the worms, along with a pair of heavily armed survivalists named Bert and Heather (Michael Gross and country music star Reba McEntire). Obviously, a film like this screams cheese, and luckily for us, everyone involved knows it and plays it up for our amusement. Bacon is a delight as Val, going off on things at a moment’s notice, while Ward continually threatens a local punk kid for his pranks on Val and himself, pardoning his French the entire time. Michael Gross is another standout as the gun nut. Who knew the guy who played Michael J. Fox’s dad for so many years could turn out to be such a psychotic badass? The entire film can be thought of as a homage to the classic monster movies of the 1950s, and I for one love it. The tense moments where the group are trapped on rockfaces or in a convenience store overrun by the Graboids are just some of the great moments that this film offers. Director Ron Underwood keeps things entertaining and very tongue-in-cheek, which is really the only thing you can do with a film like this. Do yourself a favour and grab a copy of it today. Along with Slither and 8 Legged Freaks, this is how a long weekend should be spent.
Nick Bosworth Recommend’s:
3:10 To Yuma
For some reason this weekend, I had a strong hankering to watch an awesome Western flick but instead of going to the classics like TOMBSTONE or PALE RIDER, I turned to a fantastic film that I haven’t watched from start to finish since it came out in 2007 which is the re-make of Elmore Leonard’s classic short story 3:10 TO YUMA. After watching the movie once again, I was reminded that sometimes when a director, a script and the cast are so well put together, a remake can work and be very original if the effort is put in. YUMA is definitely in that category as it was commanded by its two incredible lead actors Russell Crowe and Christian Bale along with a supporting cast that leaves you just as breathless. The story itself is very simple and revolves around a wanted bank robber and murderer named Ben Wade (Crowe) who just pulled off a job with his crew but after letting his guard down is captured and is to be escorted to a nearby town to get on a train to Yuma prison. Going along for the ride is down-on-his-luck rancher Dan Evans (Bale) who needs the money desperately for his family and his land to make it through the season so he helps in the escort for a large sum of money.
Things don’t go as planned however when the group escorting him realize that Wade’s gang who are following them now is even more dangerous than he is and they’re now led by a merciless second-in-command named Charlie Prince (Ben Foster). After seeing this film, there’s no question that Ben Foster is the absolute stand-out performance and it was deeply upsetting back in early 2008 when Ben wasn’t nominated for a Golden Globe nor an Oscar as he so clearly deserved it. He carried such a mysterious yet ferocious character that might not have worked in the hands of any other young actor and I dare say he was more bad-ass than Crowe. If you’ve seen the movie, you know that there’s an absolutely epic shot featuring Foster’s face close up with a roaring fire burning in the background. It was as if Hell had been unleashed on Earth and Ben Foster was the embodiment of it. There were also some other great performances even if brief by the great Peter Fonda (who was born to play “old-west” characters), Alan Tudyk, Gretchen Mol and many more.
And then of course comes the amazing direction by James Mangold who has also given us Oscar-winning classics like WALK THE LINE and GIRL, INTERRUPTED which undoubtedly gave him the ability to make the characters so three-dimensional in this film. Everyone had a story behind them and an inspiration for why they do what they do which can be very difficult sometimes in a western movie without being too cliched. But then again…this is an Elmore Leonard story…not Akiva Goldsman. The movie also features some amazing shoot-out scenes, beautiful cinematography, locations and just good ole’ plain authenticity. If you love westerns, great acting, big gun battles and a very solid script or just one of those, 3:10 TO YUMA is highly recommended even if you haven’t seen the original.
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Posted by supermarcey
May 17, 2011
Every week the people of Super Website (Super Blog) will give you a recommendation of a Film, DVD, Bluray, Book, Soundtrack or any other item for you the readers to check out.
Super Marcey Recommend’s:
Kindergarten Cop
Arnold Schwarzenegger in comedy! I am sure by now most of you have at least heard of this film, probably one of the better Arnie comedy classics. Pitting him against a class of 6 year olds, gold right? Yep of course it is. At this point in his career, it seemed like a natural progression for him to venture into comedy and this film for the most part works wonders. Ye ol fish-outta-water routine, as Arnie plays a Detective, John Kimble whose partner needs to go under cover as a Kindergarten teacher in order to find a vital witness against criminal Cullen Crisp. Unfortunately for John Kimble his partner comes down with food poisoning and he is forced to take her place. Naturally the kids are a crazy bunch and they drive him insane, but he is forced to find a new side to himself in order to control the class room and find the witness. Laughs are had, there is a bit of action thrown into the mix, this is the type of film that is bound to cheer you up on a down day. It is one of my go to films for a bad mood, or after a bad day, it’s an instant pick me up. The film has some amazing quotable dialogue, and of course you’ll have even more fun quoting it with the classic Arnie accent.
Aside from that, this is actually a pretty well acted film, with Arnie having some amazing comedic skills. It goes to show with the right script and character it just works, and it feels like a natural fit here. Pamela Reed and Penelope Ann Miller are both really good as well, and they have this great chemistry with Arnie as well. Richard Tyson plays the slimball character perfectly, like he always gives me the creeps in this film. Of course the kids are all great, I have no idea how Ivan Reitman managed to get these kids to actually behave and say these lines so well. Major props. If you have never seen this or it’s been awhile since you have, check this one out asap.
Bede Jermyn Recommend’s:
Water For Elephants
Okay, okay I know what you are thinking, “Bede, why are you recommending us a Robert Pattinson film?! That’s just terrible!” Well, first of all, unlike the TWILIGHT series, this is actually a good film. Like Kristen Stewart, if you take Pattinson out of all things TWILIGHT he can actually be a pretty decent actor. He is very good here and as is the film itself I might add. So enough about that, let’s get to what the film is about. Based on the best selling novel by Sara Gruen and set during the Great Depression, the film tells the story of a young man named Jacob Jankowski (Robert Pattinson) who, on the day of his final exam to becoming a veterinarian, receives terrible news that his parents were killed in a car crash. Unable to cope with the loss of his parent’s death and losing his family home to the bank because of his Father’s unpaid debts, he decides to drop out of college and hit the road. One night he sneaks onto a moving train that just happens belongs to the Benzini Brothers circus, which is run by the ringmaster August Rosenbluth (Christoph Waltz). After he hears that Jacob studied as a veterinarian at college, August hires him to be the circus’ new vet and asks Jacob to help him train his latest attraction, a 53 year elephant named Rosie, for his wife (and the circus’s no. 1 star) Marlena (Reese Witherspoon). As Jacob and Marlena bond over taking care of Rosie, they begin to fall in love each other. However once August finds out about their romance, all hell breaks loose.
When you read the synopsis you can definitely tell that the story isn’t anything new and it’s something that’s been it many times before, I would be lying if I said that it wasn’t true (I must admit within the first 10 minutes of the film, I automatically knew where the story is going to go from beginning to end). But to be honest I don’t think that is entirely a bad thing, sure it isn’t as innovating, groundbreaking or as complex as some of the films that we have been getting over the past year but I don’t think that WATER FOR ELEPHANTS was ever intending to be anything like those. The filmmakers take the film’s simple but very familiar story and where still able to make an engaging and beautifully made film. What I really liked about the film was how utterly traditional and old fashioned it was. It really harkens back to the type of films that they use to make during the 40′s and 50′s. I think this was due to the film’s director Francis Lawrence, who is someone you probably would never have suspected to direct a film like this since his previous films were the horror/sci-fi efforts CONSTANTINE and I AM LEGEND. Thankfully it paid off, he did a great job with his direction and it was pretty cool to see him to come out of his comfort zone of well made big budget blockbusters to make a smaller film that relies on more story and characters.
Acting wise the performances from the three where all very good: Pattinson gives quite a strong and very sympathetic turn as Jacob, Witherspoon gives a very illuminating performance as Marlena (this is definitely without a doubt her best role since her Oscar nominated turn in WALK THE LINE) and Waltz delivers, of course, another stand-out turn as the charming but sadistic August. Some may say that his role was a bit one note or that he was channeling his role of Hans Landa from INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS again, which I can definitely see why but I think he adds some little touches here and there so it’s not exactly the same character (then again he knows how to play a villain extremely well so I’m definitely not complaining). Plus the supporting cast also did very good job as well (Hal Holbrook as wonderful as the older Jacob in the present scenes and it was awesome seeing Ken Foree from the original DAWN OF THE DEAD in the cast as one of August’s henchmen). Also, I know this is going to sound silly, I want to give a special mention to the elephant that plays Rosie: Tai. She is the real star of this film and she steals every scene that she is in. The art direction and costume were both terrific, the score from James Newton Howard was elegant and the cinematography from Rodrigo Prieto was absolutely beautiful (this is without a doubt the best looking film I have seen so far this year). In terms of negatives, like I said earlier the story isn’t anything new or original but that didn’t really bother me all that much. Although, I wish the ending had a bit more of a bang to it. Overall I really enjoyed WATER FOR ELEPHANTS and definitely recommend everyone to check it out. Don’t let the fact that it stars Robert Pattinson turn you off, believe me this is a film of his that is worth a look.
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Logan J. Fowler Recommend’s:
How I Met Your Mother S1
There are many shows I have to watch, and How I Met Your Mother was always on that list. This past weekend I finally had a chance to give it the time of day, and I personally cannot wait to continue on with the show.
How I Met Your Mother starts off with a narrator (Bob Saget) telling his two children of how their mother came to earn that title. The year is 2030 as we see that scenario, and it shifts back to the year 2005 where we meet Ted (Josh Radnor), who happens to be the narrator. We are seeing Ted’s path from 2005 to 2030, and along the way, we are introduced the supporting characters; his best friend, Marshall (Jason Segel), his fiancé, Lily (Alyson Hannigan), the male chauvinist, Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) and on again/off again flame Robin (Cobie Smulders). They all live in New York City and while the obvious questions do arise that take you out of the show (“How in the hell does Marshall afford a New York City apartment while attending law school?”), some suspension of disbelief is required, at least in the characters’ financial situations.
My real infatuation with How I Met your Mother is how I run parallel line with the character of Ted, who is a hopeless romantic, and a contradicting optimist and a pessimist. His outlook on life is through rose colored glasses sometimes, but his defeat by the overwhelming drive to impress the opposite sex is something I could relate to severely.
Moving past the singular character, How I Met Your Mother is funny, has heart, and the episodes fly by like you wouldn’t believe. It has my patented “Logan Love” seal of approval. I suggest you “suit up” for this very enjoyable first season of this sitcom.
Nick Bosworth Recommend’s:
Contact
So if it is just us….seems like an awful waste of space.”
When it comes to true science fiction drama, I can’t think of a single film that flew so far under the radar when it first came out then CONTACT. Directed by brilliantly gifted visionary Robert Zemeckis (before all the life-like CGI animation bullshit began), CONTACT brings up a lot of questions that have been relevant for hundreds of years and still apply today. Are we alone in the universe? If there is intelligent life out there, how do we communicate them? Should we fear them? There’s so many questions and it’s all addressed in this film from a very humanistic level. There’s also a profound sense of belief vs. science that is played out throughout the film which stars the beautiful and talented Jodie Foster as a leading scientist in her field which is to search the galaxy for any sign of intelligent life using our most advanced dish technology. After losing both her parents at a very young age, Foster’s character struggles to find a sense of meaning in her life and the one place she is determined to find it is amongst the stars no matter what obstacles she may face. During the film, Foster luckily discovers a strong distant signal coming from a solar system many light years away and after it is processed and decoded, it leads to the discovery of a special message that shows us how to build a special machine to send a single human being to their world from Earth.
As a very dramatic film, CONTACT is driven almost entirely by its performances and this film has some very exceptional actors. Jodie herself gives a stellar performance and there are times where I truly believed what her character was doing and understood and pain and confusion she was going through in the story. There was also some terrific supporting actors such as Matthew McConaughey (who never takes his shirt off in the film) who is the love interest of Foster’s character and provides the “faith” side of the argument to the story whereas Foster provides the purely scientific and evidence-based ideals. There’s also a huge number of big-name actors lending supporting roles such as John Hurt, Tom Skerritt, William Fichtner, Rob Lowe and the great David Morse who is vastly underrated as an actor. There’s also some incredible visual FX moments in the film such as Foster’s “travel” sequence which is absolutely breathtaking and very much ahead of its time technically. The film also features a beautiful score, amazing cinematography and so much more. So if you’re looking for a brilliantly written science-fiction drama that will make you think and blow you away with amazing performances, I highly recommend CONTACT and spread the word cause this movie is far too underrated. Thanks for reading!
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Posted by supermarcey
May 10, 2011
Every week the people of Super Website (Super Blog) will give you a recommendation of a Film, DVD, Bluray, Book, Soundtrack or any other item for you the readers to check out.
Super Marcey Recommend’s:
Community S1
One of the best new shows to come around over the past couple of years is Community. Now I should hope that a lot of you readers are watching this show, and if not let this be a good reminder to get in on that. The show takes place at a Community College called Greendale, where the teachers and students are about as quirky as they come. It centers on a former lawyer Jeff Winger (Joel McHale) who needs to attend the college in order to get his law degree back. Jeff is a suave type, who ends up forming a study group in order to sleep with classmate Britta (Gillian Jacobs). This leads to an unlikely friendship between all the study members Abed (show stealer Danny Pudi), Troy (Donald Glover), Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown), Annie (the ever so cute Alison Brie) and Pierce (Chevy Chase in one of his best roles). The show is a comedy that takes this self aware approach and isn’t afraid to tackle any kind of issue. There are plenty of references and some incredible episodes that will stay with you. The show is about its characters, I think each person who watches this show will form their own favourites, and have likes and dislikes for them almost immediately. The characters do grow throughout the season, and it just keeps on getting better. This in my honest opinion is a show that everyone needs to check out, I haven’t come across anyone who didn’t absolutely love it. You’ll be hitting your head over the fact that you did not discover this sooner.
Bede Jermyn Recommend’s:
Twin Falls Idaho
Call me a big softie but I like a good romance. Especially ones that try to do something that’s a little different and unique. For my recommendation this week I’ve chosen a film that is differently up there as one of the unusual love stories that I’ve seen in quite a while. That film in question is the 1999 film TWIN FALLS IDAHO. How is it unusual? Once you hear the premise you will know why. The film tells the story of conjoined twin brothers Francis & Blake Falls (real life twin brothers Mark Polish & Michael Polish, who both also wrote the screenplay while the latter directed) who both live a shy, insecure and lonely existence inside a cheap rundown hotel, isolating themselves from the outside world. Their lives change one day when they meet a young prostitute named Penny (Michele Hicks), who helps them both to come out their shells so that they can experience everything about life that they never known before, even love. After reading the plot, you can definitely see how unusual this film sounds (there is a lot more to the plot then what I described but saying anymore would venture into spoiler territory). Luckily the Polish brothers were able to take this very odd story and make it into a very well crafted and original drama which I found to be both engaging and even moving. As Francis & Blake, both the Polish brothers do a truly terrific job with their performances. They really get us involved in the lives of these two characters, we as an audience experience every emotion that is happening to them during the course of the film. Michele Hicks also does an equally great job in her illuminating performance as Penny. Michael Polish’s direction is simple but very effectively executed and script by both the Polish brothers’ script is so beautifully well written. While I don’t really have much in terms of negatives in regard to this film, the only one I could think is that the plot is a little predictable at times and you can definitely see which directions the story is going to go. But to honest that didn’t really bother me too much as the film still made me emotionally invested with its story despite the slightly predictable narrative. Overall TWIN FALLS IDAHO is a truly terrific little gem of a film that I highly recommend you all to check out. It might not be for everyone (it wouldn’t surprise me if some you didn’t like it) but if you give it a shot, I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
Logan J. Fowler Recommend’s:
Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure
While one 80′s time travel movie is 10 times better than this one, that’s still doesn’t mean it’s not a fun ride. Bill (Alex Winter) and Ted (Keanu Reeves…in his best role) are two high school slackers who must ace a history project to graduated San Dimas High School. If not, Ted will be sent to military school. Knowing this, Ted’s impending future would split up he and Bill’s band, Wyld Stallyns. So what’s the problem?
Because the future of the world rests upon the band playing music, bringing about world peace. While Bill and Ted suck as musicians, apparently they suck in their current state, but won’t in the future. Rufus (George Carlin) sends them on their way, leaving them with a time traveling telephone booth which sends the duo into important historical events and bringing back the dudes they read about in the history books. Will they ace their final? Will they band save the world? Does San Dimas High School football rule?
I would say to find out for yourself. While Bill and Ted are two air headed cliche phrase spitting dudes, the movie does give you accurate portrayals of some important chronological periods, so there is a lot to enjoy while watching the film, history buff or not. I know it’s not Schindler’s List when it comes to historical issues, yes, it’s a comedy, but it’s light, fun, and plus, the music is pretty much 80′s greatness. And it is also circa that Reeve’s “Whoa” became caught on.
In conclusion, Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure is pure 80′s cheese, and it makes me shred my air guitar with excitement! WIRIRIRIRIRIRIRIR!
Nick Bosworth Recommend’s:
Thor
I know that a lot of people have reviewed this movie at this point but I seriously need to get my thoughts out there regarding Marvel’s latest comic book adaption because it absolutely blew my mind. Never since 2008 when the first IRON MAN movie came out have I been so thrilled and inspired by a new comic book film that I think has once again set the bar for how a new character should be introduced on the big-screen. I was worried at first that director Kenneth Branagh (known mainly for Shakespearean type direction and acting) did not have the experience necessary to direct such an epic-scale film like THOR since he’s never done anything remotely like it but goddamn did he pull it off with ease. Chris Hemsworth who plays the God of Thunder himself was absolutely terrific in the role both in charming the audience and just being an incredible presence when he was kicking ass along with his trusted hammer Mjöllnir. Even with a very light resume of acting under his belt, he brought a likeness to Thor much like Downey Jr. brought to Tony Stark which is someone that the audience can connect with, appreciate and laugh with.
As for the supporting cast, Natalie Portman did a great job at being both beautiful and playing the Earth-realm love interest of Thor and they managed to make it very believable in the film (even though Chris is 3 times the size of tiny Natalie and looks like he’d break her in half). Kat Dennings didn’t provide much of a role but was still good as was the great Stellan Skarsgard. Tom Hiddleston was undoubtedly the breakout star of the movie though as the evil brother Loki and goddamn did he give a great performance. I really hope to see much more of him in the upcoming AVENGERS movie as well as a THOR sequel because he’s such a great actor that they can really flesh out Loki’s character much more later on. Anthony Hopkins also looked like he was having a blast playing the great and powerful Odin which was a great surprise and the rest of the cast overall was just terrific. The visuals of the film were stunning, the score was terrific, the acting was top notch, it has one of the best cameo scenes ever and is just the perfect start to what could be a very memorable summer of movies. I can’t wait to see it again and I highly recommend it for sure.
Pat Torfe Recommend’s:
Blade
With Thor being released to theaters this past weekend (at least in North America), and Green Lantern set to shine this summer, it seems only appropriate to revisit the film that reignited the comic-to-film genre. No, it’s not X-Men (though that’s not a bad choice, either). I’m talking about 1998′s Blade, starring Wesley “I’m in jail for tax evasion” Snipes and Stephen Dorff. The story for the film goes that Blade is a half-human, half-vampire hybrid (a “Daywalker”) after his mother was bitten by a vampire while she was pregnant with Blade. Years later, Blade is taken in by Abraham Whistler (played by Kris Kristofferson), a man whose family was killed by a vampire and wants to hit back. As Blade puts it in the film, Whistler makes the weapons, and Blade uses them. Caught in the middle of all of this is Dr. Karen Jenson, a woman who was bitten by a vampire and is trying to find a cure for herself while trying to remain protected from the group of vampires who have infested the city behind the scenes. The film is slick, featuring some great action and fight scenes (the rave battle at the start helped set the tone), as well as Snipes being badass. The villain of the film is Deacon Frost, played to perfection by Stephen Dorff. The guy acts like he’s hot sh*t and talks like it, but gets stuff done. Udo Kier is also here as one of the head vampires and despises Frost for his attempts at undermining the secrecy of the vampires, as well as trying to resurrect an ancient blood god who will grant untold power to the one who does it. This of course leads to some choice confrontations between the two. It’s just so much damn fun. Sure, the CGI looks bad after 10+ years, and the middle of the film slows down quite a bit when compared to the rest of the film, but it’s still one of my favorite Marvel comic adaptations. Hell, it was a breath of fresh air after the disaster that was Batman & Robin. Check Blade out when you get a chance to see the real reason for the resurrection of the comic book film.
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Posted by supermarcey
