Review: The Ward

It's HALLOWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNN!!!!!.....So I tried finding a new American horror film to watch.  I was only able to find this here.

The Ward follows Kristen as she is inexplicably sent to a mental ward after setting a barn on fire.  Upon her arrival, she becomes acclimated into the small world that exists inside.  She meets the other patients, pisses the staff off, and randomly encounters a woman covered in darkness trying to kill her.  This film turns out to be a ghost story...or is it? (Insert spooky laugh)

Likes - The Ward wasn't a stand out innovative film, so it's hard to point out anything major that I liked.  It wasn't terrible or even bad.  The acting was acceptable, except for Sarah's death.  That was a bit silly.  The story was generally solid.  Honestly, I was only half paying attention while watching this.  The questionable points I did pick up on were ratified with the ending, which i might add......WAS A TWIST! Bet you didn't see that coming.

Dislikes - Again, I have the same general comment.  Nothing comes to mind that I greatly disliked about this film.  Not saying it was flawless, though.

Overall - The Ward was a fun film to watch if you don't take it too seriously.  Viewing it once is enjoyable but that would be enough.  This won't change horror or make you scared to sleep at night. I was getting turned off by the ghost story concept because it wasn't being executed in a proper manner.  The ending made it acceptable though.  The ending didn't bring things full circle, so much as, it was able to explain away any flaws the plot might have had.  It was a good idea but the lack of strong acting made the overall film, though fun to watch, an overall forgettable affair.

P.S. One last note I want to add.  I will continue to review smaller, more obscure tittles.  Reviewing big movies that everyone has already seen before is rather frivolous.  I want to give people something unique to read, as opposed to another screaming voice in a roar of screaming voices.

Review: Dream Home

Hey everyone.  I know it's been some time.  In my real life, I was away on business and wasn't able to keep the movie watching going like normal.  Don't fret though, I've returned!! And I've brought along a stellar gift in this Chinese slasher masterpiece!  I choose to watch Dream Home beucase it was a newly added title to Netflix's instant stream.  I wasn't expecting anything great or evenly remotely good.  Thankfully, Dream Home managed to surprise me.

Dream Home is the story of Cheng Lai-Sheung's pursuit of finding the perfect home.  Early on, we don't understand what drives Cheng's obsession to get a flat in a particular spot.  Despite the advice from friends, family and experts, she refuses to be deterred from acquiring her dream home (OH NO I just made a title reference!).  Slowly, we come to find what's pushing Cheng and how far she will go to make her dreams come true (I can't stop).

Likes - Firstly, the cinematography was amazing.  There were many quiet moments where panning shots of Hong Kong were showed in both vibrant and dull colors.  You can tell a lot of effort was made to show the city in both it's beauty and it's darkest corners.  It was like watching photos breathing. During the moments where there was development, there was also a sense that the setting was carefully picked.  Each scene seemed to have it's own thematic color.  I could be wrong, but that's what I remember.  It really added to the uniqueness of the film.  It reminds me of Hero, where each battle had its own special setting.  Secondly, the story telling was well crafted, detailed, and moved at a good pace.  At first we have no idea why Cheng is doing what she is doing.  The film provides us insight by going back and forth from Chengs past and present.  We go as far back as her childhood.  It's the only way to truly understand what is driving her.  In time, we come to empathize with her.  The back and forth also provides a nice break from the violence.  Lastly, the gruesomeness and depth of violence is nothing I've ever seen in any horror film.  Where most cameras look way and force us to imagine the outcome, Dream Home leaves no room for speculation.  You see each death to it's bitter end.  For someone who has seen more then his fair share of horror, I was shocked to finally see the next level being taken.  Granted, due to its foreign nature, many lines could be crossed.  But even in Japanese and Korean films, I've never seen this level of gore and maiming. It was gruesome and bloody but I was so intrigued with the overall story, I felt no need to look away.  That's pretty amazing

Dislikes - The only thing I disliked about the film was its Netflix description.  Though it gives you a very basic idea of the film, it does not prepare you at all for what you're about to watch.  To the general audience, the violence and blood maybe too much for some people.  The story is so strong though, to see anything less takes away from the obsession driving Cheng.

Overall - All in all, I was unexpectedly impressed with this film.  I wasn't expecting anything this great.  In fact, the first time I watched this film I fell asleep since I was so tired.  I made another attempt to complete my viewing and it was well worth it.  I'm glad I tried a second time since it usually takes me a few tries to really enjoy a film.  With Dream Home, the story is solid and is told in both a beautiful and grotesque manner.  This juxtaposition really shows you the purity of intentions and the dark depths we can fall into to fulfill them.  I give this film 5 stars easy.  Do yourself horror fans and watch this film ASAP!

Review: The Adjustment Bureau

This film is based on a Philip K. Dick short story.  As of late I've been reading his work (GASP!) and I  was interested to see this film.  With the leading roles being filled in by Matt Damon and Emily Blunt,  I'm that much more excited to watch this film.

Matt Damon is David Norris, a would be senator, who randomly meets Elise.  It turns out that this romance was never meant to be, and a whole secret organization is doing everything they can to stop their relationship from blossoming.

Likes - I enjoyed this film.  I think it kept to the spirit of PKD pretty well, though not completely.  I haven't read the actual story this was based on but I did read a lot of PKD.  He is a master of making you feel absolutely paranoid.  That paranoia was in the film but wasn't nearly as heavy as it should have been.  I think the film makers were after making this a thrilling tale of love conquering all over a conspiracy theory film.  Matt Damon and Emily Blunt both did well I think but they won't be winning any awards I think.

Dislikes - There wasn't anything in particular that stood out that I didn't dislike about this film.

Overall - This was a good film but not a great film.  I enjoyed this film and I would recommend this to anyone looking for a slick sci-fi thriller.  There isn't much replay value though.  This film did stick with PKD's mastery of creating a world within a world but the feeling of paranoia that is PKD's bread and butter was a bit lacking.  Nonetheless, good film.  I just didn't get that overwhelming film of greatness afterward. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Review: Super

I decided to watch SUPER because of the premise and cast seemed unusually big to me, pure and simple.

SUPER is a film about Frank and his attempt to change the world at large.  His Wife, Sarah, leaves him for a drug dealer.  In his grief and as a vain attempt to get her back, Frank becomes the Crimson Bolt, crime fighter.  Soon he begins to see that simply having the desire to stand up for whats right isn't enough.

Likes - Right away I have to tell you, this movie is dark.  It starts off with a cute premise.  Very quickly, it begins to became a very dark, disturbing tale of trying to do the right thing.  No character is completely innocent or stable.  That's one thing I really appreciated in this film.  Maybe because I'm more astute today, but I noticed that everyone character, including Frank, was a disturbed individual, looking for a way to cope with reality.  It was entertaining to see how each character tried to just survive his or her mundane role in society - drugs, money, the past, a costume.  This movie takes the classic idea of a super hero and places it the real world.  SUPER shows us just how far and how bad things can get.  The cast was amazingly big for such a small title.  I think most everyone did good work, though nothing exceptional can be gleamed from this film.  Except Ellen Page.  Her portrayal of Libby is great.  She provides some of the best lines in the film and the best scenes in the whole film.  She reminds me of Damien Wayne in the Batman comic world, but without the extensive training or confidence.  

Dislikes - Nothing in particular that I disliked about this film.  The most negative aspect I have of this film is that it simply was not at all what I was expecting.  It was much more brutal and true to life then I was expecting. That isn't a bad thing but it took me longer then it should have to appreciate what SUPER was trying to convey.  

Overall - I'd recommend this film for any superhero buff, be you into comics, cartoons, or movies.  Also for anyone who loves dark comedy, this is a must watch.  For the luke warm viewer, I'd probably avoid this film.  It's not for everyone.  Since I'm in a decent mood, I'll give this film 4 out of 5 stars.

Review: Superman III

As I continue my pursuit of watching all the Superman films, this was the next entry on my list.

Superman 3 focuses on a new villain, Ross Webster (Robert Vaughn).  On the outside he is a generous philanthropist, doling out heaping handfuls of money to whatever group he deems fit.  He is a powerful man, born into wealth, and, secretly, looking to do anything in his power to get more.  Even if that means going beyond the limits of the law.  We are also introduced to Gus Gorman (Richard Pryor).  He is a lazy man in denial and unable to hold down a job of any kind.  After enrolling into a basic computer programming class, he finds he is a gifted genius computer whiz.  Gus pulls a techno bank heist to satiate his greedy lusts.  Rather quickly though, he is caught by his employer Webster.  Rather then fire him and turn him into the police, he creates a new partnership with the tech whiz.  What ensues is a new plot to defeat Superman and to get rich while they were doing it. SPOILER WARNING!

Likes - There is one thing about this film I really liked, Christopher Reeves performance as Superman.  Particularly, I really enjoyed Reeves portrayal of a Superman under the influence of tainted Kryptonite. He did a particular amazing job of playing a real person.  This is key because his portrayal of Clark as a bumbling nerd is all the more exemplified.  It give Reeves' Kent so much more credibility.

Dislikes - Oh Superman, how you continue to show us how not to do things!  Webster feels to me like a watered down Luthor.  In Superman 1 and 2, Hackman's Luthor has one ultimate, unspoken motivation - to prove his mental superiority over humanity.  Webster's motivation feels nothing more then making a quick buck.  It doesn't make much sense why he is going out of his way to make more money when he already owns his own business, along with it's own high rise skyscraper in Metropolis.  Gus Gorman is a bit more believable while also being much less likely.  It is very hard to believe how someone can be such a moron with everything in life, but somehow have an innate understanding of the inner workings of computers. So much so, he is able to create a virus that infects an entire corporation.  Also, Pryor seemed pushed into silly scenes, simply to give him a forum to display various impressions.  It felt forced and out of place.  In the end, I think Pryor was too big a name for this movie.  They tried to make this movie to be something else, instead of a showcase of Superman and how he handles the various problems that his special powers can't make go away.
Another aspect of this film is the general attitude of technology.  This is less a complaint and more an observation.  I love technology.  I have a degree in Computer Engineering because I love computers.  Technology is the future, pure and simple.  This film treats technology, computers in particular, as this strange magic, somehow able to do whatever you want it to do.  The film makers didn't understand that even computers have their limits.  They can't randomly shoot out lasers or suck in human flesh.  I found this treatment of computers very amusing and I feel like this attitude still prevails amongst people today.

Overall - I don't recommend watching this film, at least not if you want to see Superman.  I feel like Superman was included in this film almost as an afterthought or out of necessity.   Out of the 3 films I've seen of Superman, this is the most inconsistent.  Reeves delivers a great performance of Superman/Kent but it's not enough to justify watching this movie as a whole.  2 out of 5 stars.

Review: Superman I & II(R. Donner Cut)

  

I recently read an article on comicsallience.com.  It was about Superman 2 and how it has become a template for many modern superhero films, 30 years after it's debut.  

http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/06/25/superman-II-anniversary-legacy/

After reading this article and also learning about the recently released Richard Donner cut of Superman 2, I realized I never really watched this series as a whole.  So I have planned to view the full set of Superman films.  I will also try to review each one, as a personal challenge.

Superman follows the beginnings of Kal-El and his trip to Earth.  From there, he is adopted by the Kents and raised as close to a normal boy as anyone possibly could, given the powers of a demigod.  Soon, after leaving Smallville, we see Clark grow into a man and into a new role - protector.  

Superman 2 follows almost immediately after Superman.  At least it seems that way.  General Zod, a traitor to the Kryptionian government, manages to escape his 2-dimensional prison and seeks to rule planet Earth.  Superman finds himself having to choose between happiness or righteousness.

Likes - The main aspect of the movie I enjoyed was the acting.  I think that, overall, the actors stayed true to the original characters of the comic. There were some exceptions I'd say.  Other then that, nothing really stands out to me.

Dislikes - Before I begin this section, let me start by saying I am a avid comic book reader, fan, and enthusiast.   This means I already have a clear picture of what I feel Superman should be. Also, SPOLIER ALERT!

So I found a lot wrong with Superman.  Let's start out with Superman's powers.  Donner stuck with the basic set - flight, speed, strength, heat vision.  Near the end though, we see something new.  Without any explanation, Superman has the ability to time travel.  He does so by reversing the rotation of the Earth.  I find  so many things wrong about this.  Superman is fully capable of changing Earth's rotation.  The issue comes from the fact that Donner somehow thinks this will reverse time.  If this were even remotely true, I think Superman would have gone back even further in time and made sure Lex Luthor never even thought about his crazy plan in the first place.  This made me SO angry.  This move is commonplace when it comes to Superman.  Unlike other superheros, with clearly defined abilities, Superman's powers seem to shift to what the current write feels needed.  Originally, Superman could only jump really high.  Due to the laziness of some animators, Superman's powered were retconned.  Now he can fly.  For writers, Superman ultimately is whatever you need him to be.

Another problem I have are with the characterizations of Superman and Lex Luthor.  Superman is something that Clark Kent does.  While he will always be the farm boy from Kansas, Superman is the ultimate extension of his morals and values.  He is a rare man, fully capable of making sure the upright path is being followed, overcoming the many temptations and limitations we mortals face everyday.  The movie took the opposite approach, Clark Kent is the facade while Superman is the real man.  This may have been the view during the time this film was produced.  I feel this approach makes Superman feel so much further from humanity.  Thus, it makes more sense that Superman protects people out of pity rather then out of his morals.  For Lex Luthor, I feel a similar disappointment.  In comic book land, Lex Luthor does not see himself as being evil.  In fact, he sees himself as humanity's protector, being the only one able to make the hard decisions, the hard sacrifices.  Additionally, he is the only one to see the threat the Superman is.  In the film, as great as Gene Hackman is, we get a one dimensional character.  No person ever thinks they are committing evil.  Even Hitler thought he was taking the morally upright path.  So when we see a self proclaimed genius talk about being evil, it feels so unreasonable.  

Regarding Superman 2, I have the same feelings.  Zod is a would-be dictator with the power and support to control the whole world.  The film fails to delve into why he would even want to conquer Earth.  Personally, if I found a whole planet I could subjugate single handedly, I would get bored of it quickly.  We see that to a small extent in the film, I admit.  Ultimately, the audience is given absolutely no background to Zod's motivation other then ... no one likes to invite him to birthday parties.  Maybe? I don't know.

Also, the end was exactly the same as Superman! WTF? FUCK this random time travel bullshit!

Overall - Despite everything I find wrong with these two films, I still recommend you watch it.  Less for the quality and more for the history attach to this franchise.  These films are also a great example of what happens when you let outsiders take over a legacy they have no idea about.  Eventually, they take a revered brand and try to milk it for all they can.  They leave behind nothing but a shell of the greatness once there.  This film is fun for the non-comic nerd.  For those who really know and care about Superman, these film really pillage a great icon.  These films are not a great example of who Superman really is.  These films are a great example of what the Superman mythos goes through to reach the masses. 

Review: Sucker Punch

I was bored today.  I had gotten most of my errands done today and I wanted to relax and not exert myself much.  Against my previous vows, I walked into the local video place.  Yes, I know - they still exist!  I walked around and grabbed what looked interesting, which doesn't necessarily equate to good.  Of the batch I got, this was one of films I watched today.

Sucker Punch follows Baby Doll as she transcends different levels of conscious.  After thwarting her new stepfather from taking advantage her and her younger sister, she is sent away to an all girls mental ward...I think.  From there, Baby Doll enters into a world of brothels, sex trade, martial arts, guns, and sex appeal.

Likes - Visually speaking, this movie amazing!  This movie is a fanboy's ultimate wet dream and fantasy.  Young girls scantily clad wielding guns and knives fitting nazi monsters and robo-samurai.  I know it all sounds so over the top that it can't be true - but it is!!!  Zack Snyder did a great job capturing a look that you can't help fall in love with.  The music is spot on too.  Leaning towards the modern, it still packs the fast paced feel that this movie demands.  Also it enhances the action.  It feels less like a commercial for the soundtrack and more good use of a often overlooked peeve of film making.

Dislikes - This film is over-the-top in every way possible, which I find to both it's strong and weak point.  If I had seen this in the theatre, I think I would have been more impressed.  I am watching the Blu Ray and it looks gorgeous.  But my tastes in film and women are about the same - despite how good looking you are, in the end I need some intelligence included in the package.  Sucker Punch fails to deliver that.  The plot feels loosely connected.  In the end, the films feels like an excuse to play out a bunch of random fights with some hotties.

Overall - I wasn't very pleased with this film.  I was impressed by the visuals but the plot was lacking enough that I wasn't too thrilled.  If you're looking for some impressive eye candy, this will pay off in aces. But if you're looking for something with any depth at all, I would move on to another title.  I give this 2.5 out of 5 stars.