Resident Evil: Extinction

When Resident Evil was released in 2002, many fans were disappointed of the direction of the movie but some were satisfied. It didn’t truly follow the plot of the excellent video game franchise but it was a solid horror film with some unique aspects. In fact, I liked it and was excited when the sequel, Resident Evil: Apocalypse was released. But as most were, I was incredibly let down, not only did the movie not improve on the original’s flaws, but it failed in every area a movie can…..miserably. It stands today as one of the worst movies I have ever seen. And oh my god, wait for it…….Extinction is worse. Jaw droppingly bad writing, terrible terrible acting (Oded Fehr as Carlos may be the worst performance this year) and quarter-ass plot. I don’t really need to elaborate, this is a truly awful film. And, unfortunately, it gets worse, due to the cliffhanger at the end, it becomes evident that the title, Extinction, is not referring to the Resident Evil movie franchise.

NO STARS

Eastern Promises

Canadian director David Cronenberg’s latest film Eastern Promises, is another fabulous movie. It features Viggo Mortensen as a right hand man for the Russian mafia and Naomi Watts as a normal woman who becomes tangled in their dark world. After a young girl dies during pregnancy, Watts’ character wants to find the deceased’s relatives to give the child a home. She discovers the girl’s diary (in Russian) and traces the clues to the mob. The film is eerily intense at the most anti-climatic times, such as during the many conversations Watts has with the mob boss. The plot is terrific, and has Cronenberg all over it. However, the highlight is Viggo Mortensen’s fascinating character. This one of the few times where a character is actually more interesting then the actual story taking place. Thanks to Mortensen’s acting and brilliant writing, Eastern Promises offers one of the best mafia films and thrillers in recent years.

Sorry...

Parker and I hardly post anymore and I apologize. I swear it is not a result of apathy but of uncontrollable lack of creativity and laziness. For now on, I want The Bronze to be a consistent vessel for my reviews and photography supplemented by Parker and I's randomness. Also, in an effort to make up for our shortcomings, I'm starting off October with a bang.

Enjoy.

Shoot 'Em Up

I actually attended the world premiere of Shoot 'Em Up in San Diego over a month ago, however I have not reviewed until now because I have had trouble making up my mind of whether it was brilliant or kinda dumb. I admit that during the film, I had the time of my life. Dozens of laughs thanks to the over the top action provided by writer/director Michael Davis (of whom I had the pleasure of meeting). I wouldn't go as far as to call the film a spoof, but it does seem to set out to parody the slippery slope of action movies. However, rather than being a "action movies are stupid and ridiculous" statement, the end result seems to be a comment more like "relax and enjoy, it's just for fun". Something, I myself, may have forgotten of late. The film follows our hero "Mr. Smith" played by Clive Owen, who effortlessly plays it cool for 90 minutes, on the run from our very creepy villain "Mr. Hertz", played by Paul Giamatti who actually puts on quite the performance. Throughout the movie are wonderful thrills and hilarious finishing moves (trust me, you'll never look at a carrot the same way again). And you'll laugh your head off and you're in for a few wonderful surprises as well. So if you want to see a brainy thriller, look away, but if you want to have a good time, rush to to the theatre as soon as possible.

3:10 To Yuma

3:10 To Yuma is the story of a rancher, played flawlessly by Christian Bale, who must escort an outlaw, played flawlessly by Russel Crowe, to a train which will take him to prison, and perhaps his death. It is a simple plot, which isn't hard to believe as it is based on a short story, but it is not a simple film. The two aforementioned main characters are complex and fascinating. The relationship between them is a thrill to watch and is immensely rewarding towards the end. Eventually the two men end up in a room alone, equipped with brilliant dialogue, and it creates a legendary scene that leads to the surprising climax. The action is secondary to the character development and the superb acting. It may not be surprising that Crowe and Bale are terrific but the supporting cast is impressive as well, led by Ben Foster, Peter Fonda and Alan Tudyk. Although some of the gun battles are entertaining, the film is most intense when "Ben Wade" and "Dan Evans" are engaged in conversation. Someone looking for a good old-fashioned shoot 'em up western will be disappointed. Someone looking for a brilliant character study will be more than satisfied.