Tropic Thunder

Advanced Movie Review.



Written by Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux and Etan Cohen
Directed by Ben Stiller
Starring Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Nick Nolte, Jay Burachel, Brandon T. Jackson and Tom Cruise

Tropic Thunder is the latest blockbuster comedy from Ben Stiller. Packed with stars, the movie follows a group of prima donna actors filming a war epic. There’s Ben Stiller’s character, Speedman, a washed up action star who tried to go serious by playing a mentally handicapped character in his last film. Unfortunately, it was considered the worst film & performance of all time, as Robert Downey Jr.’s character puts it, for going “full retard”. Never go full retard. Downey Jr. plays a renowned Australian eccentric actor (its nice to hear him put on his flawless accent he used in Natural Born Killers), Kirk Lazarus, with previous awards a plenty. Jack Black plays a successful comedian, "Fats", who gained fame from from a “Nutty Professor” like franchise. The rest of the cast is rounded out by a nerdy Jay Burachel as Kevin and rap mogul sensation Alpa Cino (played by Brandon T. Jackson), the face of popular beverage “Booty Sweat”. All the egos start to get in the way, and first time director Damien has to make a change. With increased pressure from an insane studio exec played by Tom Cruise, Damien turns to Nick Nolte's character, the writer of the book the film is based on. He suggests to shoot the movie guerilla style by rigging cameras in the jungle and putting the actors in the middle of an authentic war situation. The director agrees, and the fun begins.

The somewhat one-joke premise is silly and although funny at first, a bit stale. Ben Stiller’s directing is a mixed bag. He occasionally shoots it all wrong, treating it like it’s an actual war epic, thus draining the humour out of some short sequences. It simply does not always work. Luckily his script is funny and contain enough surprises throughout to keep it interesting. A big surprise is the unadvertised performance from Tom Cruise.

Cruise is pretty much pegged as a nut case these days and there’s a lot of hating going on (from me included) but his character is a big highlight of Tropic Thunder. I'm not going to claim that Cruise's career is revived just like that but Ben Stiller may have single-handedly gave him a good head start for doing so. Every scene he is in is magic, yelling with raging lunacy. This begs the question why is Tom Cruise only great when playing a crazy person? Think Magnolia, people. Cruise's memorable role culminates with, perhaps, the best end credits I have ever seen. Ben Stiller is good as the lead, but doesn't do anything interesting. Not like Robert Downey Jr., anyways. Downey Jr.'s character, Kirk, actually dyes his skin black to take on the role of an African-American. The ensuing performance is one of the best of the year. He has always been a great actor, but with his parts in Iron Man and Tropic Thunder he should be propelled to the highest pinnacle of fame, and deservedly so. Jack Black is great as always, especially once "Fats" starts going through withdrawal after losing his drugs. It's very nice to see Jay Burachel in the middle of this star-studded cast. I've personally followed his career since he was on "My Hometown" and "Popular Mechanics For Kids". He was great in the Judd Apatow creation, Undeclared, and more recently in Apatow's Knocked Up. He is very good here, and doesn't get too overshadowed by the bigger personalities. The entire supporting cast is superb, especially Bill Hader, who seems to be getting in bit parts in every second comedy released.

This movie is certainly hit and miss, the premise wears thin after a while but the performances continue to excel. There are a few good laughs throughout and Downey Jr. and Cruise are reason enough to see Tropic Thunder. There are a couple better choices out there, but if you've seen them already there's no good excuse to skip this one.

Top Ten List: The 10 Greatest Works of Joss Whedon

If you don't know who Joss Whedon is, you are really missing out. He is one of the greatest talents in film, television and comic books (Buffy, Angel, Firefly/Serenity, Astonishing X-Men). Joss is also a true visionary, in his own way, he is changing the world. Whether it be from his outspoken feminism/support of the charity Equality Now, or his attempt at changing how we view art, or, of course, his actual art, he is making a difference. With the release of his newest film, Dr. Horrible's Sing A-Long Blog this week and his next TV show, Dollhouse, coming next year, I thought it a good time to take a look at Joss's best work.


10. Fray
Joss Whedon's first foray into comics remains one of his most memorable. A brilliant graphic novel set in the "Buffyverse", but in the future, starring a slayer known as Fray.

9. Angel Season 3 Episode 13 "Waiting In The Wings"
One of the best episodes Angel has to offer. Angel and the gang decide to go out to see a ballet Angel once saw in the 1800s. When they get there, Angel realizes it is literally the same ballet he saw long ago. Featuring unforgettable, key character moments for all the main players, as well as a great guest role by Summer Glau, who would go on to play River in Firefly/Serenity.

8. Firefly Episode 14 "Objects In Space"
The very last episode of Firefly, which actually didn't air on television, is the best, along with "The Message", which was written but not directed by Joss (hence no inclusion on the list). It features a peculiar bounty hunter named Early as he attempts to kidnap Simon and River. Having much to do with existentialism and River's unique perspective, which seem to go hand in hand, Objects In Space is one of Joss's richer episodes.

7. Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 8 Issue #5 "The Chain"
The Chain is the best issue and/or story arc so far in Joss's Season 8. It is actually the best comic book issue I've ever read. Profoundly moving and important, The Chain is a masterpiece of the medium.

6. Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog
Joss Whedon's latest film was a 42 minute musical released on the internet for free, inspired by the recent writer's strike. Self funded with virtually no middle man, Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog is a milestone in film/TV distribution, and Joss will be remembered as a true pioneer for the industry. It helps that the actual piece is absolutely brilliant.

5. Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 4 Episode 22 "Restless"
Restless remains one of the better, if not best, films/episodes that portray dreams. The Scoobies do battle in their heads with a mysterious foe as they all sleep in Buffy's living room. Almost entirely shrouded in metaphor, Restless may be the most daring season finale in TV history.

4. Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 4 Episode 10 "Hush"
Hush stands as one of the most revered episodes of Buffy as well as TV in general. Nearly a completely silent episode, as the "Gentlemen" steal all the voices in Sunnydale. Far scarier than TV can usually accomplish and often hilarious.

3. Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 5 Episode 16 "The Body"Perhaps the best examination of losing a loved one in TV history. The episode contains no music at all and some of the most heartbreaking moments in BTVS's 7 year run.

2. SerenityThe big screen continuation of the unfairly canceled Firefly, Serenity proved Joss's talents translate to motion pictures just as well as TV. This may be the best example of Joss's incredible writing and certainly his best job of directing ever. Look for the incredible long take "oner" early on that begins at one end of the spaceship and ends at the other, all the while introducing each member of the crew.

1. Buffy The Vampire Slayer Season 6 Episode 7 "Once More With Feeling"
The best episode of the best TV show ever, Once More With Feeling is a masterpiece. Combining his great dialog, his bold ideas and a secret talent for writing great songs, Joss crafts one of the more memorable musicals in screen history. The soundtrack never gets old, and neither does the episode. Fans all over the world now gather at group sing-a-longs (myself included), celebrating something remarkably special.

The Dark Knight

New Movie Review.

Oh, come on, The Dark Knight gets 3 photos

Written by Christopher & Jonathan Nolan
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Micheal Caine & Morgan Freeman

OK. The wait is over, and I need to get this out of the way right now...The Dark Knight is not perfect. Oh, oops, sorry, actually it is. All those with seemingly unsatisfiable expectations, you needn't worry. I, like many, have been waiting for this sequel for over three years, but it wasn't until the movie started that I realized I didn't truly know what I was waiting for. The Heath Ledger (I'll get to him later) hype had occupied my mind more than anything else, and it kept me from completely understanding what I was expecting. I did know that I expected an improvement on Batman Begins, an excellent movie to begin with, but The Dark Knight surpasses it's predecessor in every aspect by prodigious margins.

Batman (Christian Bale) has been on The Joker's (Heath Ledger) tail for a while and with the help of good friend Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) as well as the newly appointed D.A. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), they hope to take the insane criminal mastermind down. Dent may be the only man, not wearing a bat costume, that's brave enough to take down crime at any cost, to protect Gotham city. Things are not so simple however as The Joker threatens to kill more and more unless The Batman reveals his true identity. How Batman/Bruce Wayne, as well as those close to him, will react to this disastrous situation is fascinating. To make matters worse, every time a step in the right direction is taken towards putting a stop to the Joker's madness, it is revealed that those steps are apart of the Joker's grand plan. I do not want to spoil anything, so I will not go into specific details, but the events unravel in tragic, devastating ways.

Christopher Nolan has crafted the perfect Batman story. This is the best single tale in the extensive Batman mythos. I have trouble imagining a better movie or comic book ever coming to be (never say never). Needlessly to say this is the best shot movie of the year and then some. Nolan appropriately highlights the explosions and various action. More importantly he magnifies the small character moments, getting us so emotionally involved we forget we are watching a movie. Surprisingly, he creates his most suspenseful film and in the most dire of scenes, we actually lose our nerves (in a good way). He does what great directors aspire to do, but it's a rare happenstance, Nolan grabs his audience early on and never lets go. He commands us, we bend to his will. This is the epitome of masterful film making. The screenplay is full of surprises and daring decisions. The story unfolds in an epic fashion, a crime-drama of the highest quality. Important events are scattered through the beginning, middle and end, always at just the right time. The script has it's humour, but less so than Begins. Knight is relentlessly dark and bleak, it contains the strongest of moral complexities. Yes, Batman is forced to make tough decisions, but so do many key characters as well as all the citizens of Gotham. How would you react? At one point The Joker puts a televised hit out on a character. He threatens to blow up a hospital if that character is not dead in 60 minutes. There are no easy answers to the dilemmas contained herein and the consequential soul-searching is not always pleasant. Overall, the dialog is a lot tighter, another factor in making The Dark Knight so believable we find ourselves lost within it.

Of course the acting is tremendous. The supporting cast is flawless, providing one of the deeper casts of characters in recent memory. Leading the way is Aaron Eckhart, who plays his character perfectly, with just the right amount of emotion and complexity. Harvey Dent is one of my favourite characters from the comic books, and it is very pleasing to see him get a proper treatment. Also of note, Maggie Gyllenhaal replaces Katie Holmes (one of very few downsides to Batman Begins) as Rachel Dawes, and is much better and therefore much less distracting than Holme's
sub-par, boring, unlikeable performance. Two wonderful actors, Micheal Caine and Morgan Freeman, get much less screen time this go-around. This is most appropriate because it is hard not to smile when they are in frame, and The Dark Knight ain't meant to be too smiley. Gary Oldman continues his brilliant job as the endearing, admirable Lt. Jim Gordon. Oldman brings a kindness as well as a respectable matureness to the role and it is a terrific effort.

Christian Bale brings the true Batman of the comic books to life. He embodies The Dark Knight like none before him, and it's hard to imagine anyone else ever taking the part. Bale is fierce, confident, conflicted, and powerful as Batman. His "bat rasp" is put to even better use, he strikes fear in his enemies as well as the audience. As Bruce Wayne, Bale is arrogant and incontrovertibly intelligent. He gives his character such an intricate level of substance that it's difficult not to think Oscar. I truly think Christian Bale is one of the better actors working today. He could play anything. He could take the most serious award-contending roles, which he sometimes does do, but here he takes a character that has been degraded in the past and manages to turn it into a most serious award-contending role. This is surprising to some, but for an avid reader of the source material, it is nothing short of necessary to make the movies as great as they should be.

Now for what I assume everyone is curious about, Heath Ledger's invention of The Joker. The late Ledger was already an accomplished actor with such brilliant turns in, among others, Monster's Ball, Brokeback Mountain and I'm Not There. But here is his master work. His performance is nothing short of awe-inspiring, to put it in perspective, it is of Daniel Day-Lewis quality. Ledger's Joker is menacing, horrifying, thunderous and darkest of dark. Some scenes, and you can certainly credit the writing and directing for this, are unexpectedly terrifying. I really want to get the point across that this is the most frightening, haunting and harrowing picture of the year, and that Heath Ledger deserves infinite praise for making it so. He absolutely disappears into the character, like few in the trade can, there is no trace of him in the film. The unforgettable, hostilely enigmatic performance is, in my mind, a no-brainer to win the Supporting Actor Oscar. I would be very disappointed otherwise. Though it is hard to escape the movie without being disappointed. We have lost an immensely talented actor, who would have had a long, magnificent career.

The Dark Knight is not comic-booky at all. It is ironic that the actual comic books the movie is based on are not "comic-booky" either. It is unfortunate that such a limitless medium is seen in such a specific way by those who have not discovered it's possibilities. The movie is assuredly not as simple as good versus evil, but rather an examination of what good and evil really are and if they even exist. An elaborate meditation on right and wrong. A piece of extraordinary depth. This is why we go to the movies: To be moved, challenged, surprised and entertained. The Dark Knight is a crime-drama on par with the greatest works in the genre (Scorsese, Mann, Coppola). It is also, quite easily in fact, the greatest superhero film of all-time. Most importantly, it is one of the better motion pictures to ever grace the sacred silver screen.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army

New Movie Review.

Instead of an image of the hero, marvel at one of the film's many awe-inspiring creatures

Directed by Guillermo Del Toro
Written by Guillermo Del Toro
Starring Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones

Four years after the original, Hellboy is back, and although there wasn't a lot of demand for a sequel, it proves to be a welcome addition to the list of summer 2008 blockbusters. This time around, "Red" has to stop an ancient mythical prince from summoning The Golden Army, an indestructible force of 70 times 70 mechanical warriors to take back the world that was once his. Whatever, the plot isn't really important. It just works as a vessel for visionary director Guillermo Del Toro to work his remarkable imagination. And he does.

The first Hellboy seemed impressive in 2004, but it visually pales in comparison to The Golden Army. From start to finish there are dozens of breathtaking creatures that raise the bar of fantasy. The sequel is a lot more rooted in fantasy/fairy tale territory than typical superhero stuff. Which is a good thing because Del Toro knows a few things about fantasy and fairy tales, he directed the masterpiece Pan's Labyrinth. For example, in a brilliant early scene, Hellboy and his team encounter hundreds of little "tooth fairies", vicious little killers who have a habit of stealing their victim's teeth. Or when the team infiltrate the "Troll Market", a place for the things that go bump in the night to shop, which may actually top the Tatooine bar scene in the first Star Wars film. A couple delightful surprises wait there, and I wont spoil them. Or when the prince throws a harmless looking green jumping bean at Hellboy, that once it finds water, becomes something rather spectacular, maybe even beautiful. Like Pan's Labyrinth, the film has a way of balancing makeup/costume effects with CGI. The result is authentic looking creatures that completely engross you into the movie's reality. Why other directors don't instate such style is quite the mystery to me.

The characters are all back, aside from Myers, which admittedly disappointed me...Until the Seth McFarlane (Family Guy) voiced Johan Krauss was introduced. A brilliant addition to the team, he seems to be a gas-like entity contained in some strange suit. His ability? He can possess inanimate objects, a power that will ultimately be underused because it's way too useful. Hellboy is up to his old smoking cigars/petting kittens/pissing off authority antics, as well as some new ones as well (a duet of Barry Manilow between Red and Abe Sapien may occur). Ron Perlman enthusiastically continues his great performance with just the right mix of brawn and sensitivity, making Hellboy very endearing. Del Toro regular Doug Jones (played multiple creature parts in Pan's Labyrinth) does triple duty as the more interesting this time around Abe Sapien as well as the film's two best creatures, The Chamberlain and The Angel of Death. Selma Blair again fails to impress as Liz, but the writing for her character isn't necessarily very strong. Jeffrey Tambor of Arrested Development gets more screen time but not more to do. He's still grouchy and only there for minor conflict and a couple weak laughs.

The characters are fun, and certainly are a big part of the experience, but it's the visuals that make this really worth seeing. Del Toro goes no holds-barred this time around, and it's sure to get any Lord of the Rings geek excited for his upcoming adaptation of The Hobbit. The plot is a bit trivial and the storytelling isn't up to the par of Del Toro's best work. The Hellboy films feel more like a mix of Pan's Labyrinth and Men In Black than a typical superhero movie. I wouldn't rank them amongst Iron Man, the Spiderman films (well, maybe #3) or the new Batman movies but it really isn't cut from the same cloth anyhow. So, striking visually, a bit weak story-wise, but a fun summer movie I highly recommend.

Modern Guilt

I have just finished listening to Beck's latest album, Modern Guilt. It's really fantastic, and although I have only heard it once through it could be his best release yet. Right up there with Odelay, Sea Change and The Information for sure.

tricky business

he says he wont come around here no more
strange
i thought i saw his face but it was just the mirror
time to stop timing everything i suppose
tricky business, that
just when you've finished do you realize what you started
no use using useless excuses
back to the drawing board
all out of ink and i'm afraid of lead poisoning
i'll just sit and wait
oh, i've finished

Michael Bay's Rejected Dark Knight Script

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whoever made this is a genius

Christopher Nolan Retrospective

Christopher Nolan is easily one of the best directors working today. He has a perfect track record thus far, and with the release of The Dark Knight on July 18th, his streak is sure to continue. At the age of 37, he has 5 great films under his belt. It begs the question why Nolan's name isn't always mentioned among the great film makers to emerge out of the 90s, such as Kevin Smith and Quentin Tarantino (who is nearly 10 years Nolan's senior). I figure it's a good time to look back on Nolan's first decade in film.

Following (1998)

His first feature film was very low budget, but very high quality. Nolan personally shot the black & white movie in 1996 for only $6000. The strength of the storytelling quickly puts the thought out of your mind that it was made so cheap. The scenes are shown out of chronological order, forcing the viewer to put together the pieces before the superb twist ending. A great film, a must-see.

Memento (2000)

Perhaps Nolan's best film so far, Memento is a wholly original suspense thriller masterpiece. The film is shown completely backwards to disorient the viewer to match how the short term memory disorder suffering protagonist feels. Like Leonard, played brilliantly by Guy Pearce, we see each scene without knowing what came before it. He is a widower, trying to find the man responsible for his wife's death. Some of the best storytelling I have ever witnessed culminates in a devastating fashion.

Insomnia (2002)

Nolan's only remake, Insomnia, is based on a Norwegian film of the same name. I have yet to see the original, even though I own it (lazyyyy), but I've heard Nolan's retelling is superior. The plot follows two detectives sent to Alaska to solve a homicide. It just so happens it's the "sunny season", when the sun stays up 24/7, causing main character Will Dormer (a great performance from Al Pacino) to suffer from insomnia. Being unable to sleep affects his work and his personal life and the consequences are dire. This may be the movie that stands out the least in Nolan's career, but it is undeniably suspenseful and another great story from a master storyteller.

Batman Begins (2005)

The prospect of Batman Begins was likely more exciting for me than anyone else. One of my favourite directors is chosen to co-write and direct a movie about my favourite comic book character, and they hire my favourite actor in the lead. I knew the movie was going to be great, but maybe not this great. It is the first Batman film that actually feels like the comic book, perfectly portraying The Dark Knight as a a frightening figure and Bruce Wayne as lonely man who must do good but hide his intentions from the public and all that are close to him. Considering Batman has no super powers, the film is actually somewhat plausible in the real word. One of the better superhero movies ever made.

The Prestige (2006)

Nolan again teams up with Christian Bale to make The Prestige, an intelligent period film about two rival magicians whose obsession with beating each other swallows their lives. The acting was electric, and the movie itself unraveled like a magic trick. Regrettably, I figured out the twist early on, but ultimately this is a film about two men tragically wasting themselves, and it's remarkably effective.



I have to admit, my expectations for The Dark Knight are dangerously high, even with early praise affirming what I have hoped. None higher, however, are my expectations for the remainder of Christopher Nolan's already accomplished career. I have no doubt he has more masterpieces in store.

As a bonus, here is a great little short film Nolan made while in College, titled Doodle Bug.

Hancock

New Movie Review.



Directed by Peter Berg
Written by Vy Vincent Ngo & Vince Gilligan
Starring Will Smith, Jason Bateman & Charlize Theron

Hancock is the latest Will Smith blockbuster. It follows a disgruntled drunkard, John Hancock (Will Smith), with super powers who tends to cause just as much trouble as he stops. For example, when he saves a man from getting hit by a train, Hancock causes a train wreck. It doesn't help that every time he makes an entrance by landing in a street and ruining the road. The people of L.A. have taken notice, and would rather Hancock disappeared and left the city alone. Luckily, it just so happens the man, Ray (Jason Bateman), who was saved from the train is in Public Relations and wants to help shed a new light on Hancock. The two work together on Hancock's image and become friends. Ray has a wife, Mary (Charlize Theron), who is apprehensive of her husband's new friend. Her motives are mysterious and come up later in the film.

The movie's story is somewhat interesting but is average at best. The initial plot is shallow, and when it attempts to deepen in the questionable third act, it fails in a big way. The writing is amateurish and perhaps even laughable. Despite this, I'm giving Hancock an ever so slightly positive review.

Peter Berg's direction is an odd decision for such a silly action comedy, but it ends up being one of the saving graces. I'm a big fan of Berg's unique and very recognizable style that helped make Friday Night Lights my favourite sports film of all time. With last year's The Kingdom, an unfairly bashed flick, his style once again put emphasis on the smallest emotional moments. He is able to highlight the emotional moments in this movie as well, which is ridiculous because the movie does not earn it's audience over in that way. Still, when Berg does his thing it's hard not to feel anything. The other saving grace is the acting.

Will Smith is very good as usual, and it's fun to see him play a character with a bit more edge instead of copping out Tom Hanks style by only playing audience pleasing roles. Smith cusses and disses with an admirable ease while still subtly having that nice guy just below the surface. Jason Bateman is also a big highlight of the movie, adding his comic style he used in Arrested Development and Juno. He makes his character funny, sympathetic and very likable. Charlize Theron also does a good job here but she a brings a serious element that seems out of place.

The performances are very good and in the case of Smith and Bateman, very fun. The story may be forgettable, but Peter Berg's directing, even if it is out of place, helps make this a fun blockbuster. Certainly not a movie that needs to be seen, but it's an enjoyable way to spend a couple hours on a summer night.

Awesome.

I just copied and pasted this from film.guardian.co.uk....
seriously incredible news for film lovers.

Missing scenes from Fritz Lang's Metropolis turn up after 80 years

Kate Connolly in Berlin
Thursday July 3, 2008
guardian.co.uk


Whole again ... Fritz Lang's Metropolis


The cinematic world was today celebrating the rediscovery of missing scenes from German director Fritz Lang's legendary silent film Metropolis - thought lost for 80 years, until they were found in the archive of a museum in Argentina.

Key scenes cut from the science fiction picture - either because they were considered to be too brutal or too long - will now be available for the first time since May 1927, when the original version was last shown in Berlin, where it flopped badly.