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Sunday, October 25, 2009

"It's time to nut up or shut up!" Tallahassee - Zombieland film review




Well not since Edgar Wright's Brit-zombie comedy film "Shaun of the Dead" have we seen such a great comical take on the zombie comedy film, Zombieland is a fun, hilarious, and surprisingly heart-felt film. Zombieland was directed by Ruben Fleischer, written by Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese, and stars: Woody Harrelson(Tallahassee), Jesse Eisenberg(Columbus and the films narrator) Emma Stone (Wichita), and Abigail Breslin(Little Rock). The film takes place in the world that has become overrun with zombies and those individuals that are lucky enough to not have been attacked by zombies living there days trying to survive.

We are then introduced to our main character Columbus , a college student from Texas who has survived the zombie attacks and is trying to make his way to Columbus,Ohio to meet up with his parents. The way he has survived is by following a set of rules which are presented ad nauseum throughout the film an immensely comical way. Some of these hysterical rules are:
Rule #1 - Cardio
Rule #2 - Double Tap
Rule #3 - Beware of bathrooms
Rule #4 - Seat belts
Rule #7 - Travel Light
Rule #17-(Don't) be a hero
Rule #18-Limber up
Rule #31-Check the back seat
Rule #32-Enjoy the little things
and these rules play a crucial plot point throughout the the film.

As Columbus makes his long personal trek back to Columbus, Ohio he encounters another survivor Tallahassee who like Columbus has survived innumerable zombie attacks, and also has been searching for a celebrated Hostes pastry treat that will remain anonymous, I'll just say it has white creme filling in it. The two survivors make there path along the country way searching for something, life and the ultimate pastry treat. The two men make there way to a supermarket with some side-splitting Zombie fight scenes and in this market we are introduced to our two other characters Wichita and Little Rock. These two young ladies are grifters who have jostled and scammed to survive and aren't afraid to deceive to get what they want.

After numerous double-crossings of Columbus and Tallahassee, the four individuals slowly begin to trust one another and make their way to California. They decide to sleep in style in a celebrity mansion and not just anybody's mansion in a great comedic cameo, one of the funniest comedic actors of our time makes an appearance in this film. The film serves its purpose of entertaining you and also showing you that that when push comes to shove even the most unlikely individual can be a hero.

In the end, I have to end my review the same way I started it, when life hands you and kind of serious challenges its time to "Nut up or Shut Up!"


Overall film grade C+

Randy Watson III

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Some fall new movie trailers enjoy

Some fall new movie trailers enjoy:


The Expendables Promo Trailer: courtesy of the wonderful site http://www.traileraddict.com


http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/the-expendables/trailer


Where The Wild Things Are Feature Trailer : courtesy of the wonderful site http://www.traileraddict.com


http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/where-the-wild-things-are/feature-trailer


The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus Trailer: courtesy of the wonderful site http://www.traileraddict.com


http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/imaginarium-of-parnassus/trailer


2012 Trailer: courtesy of the wonderful site http://www.traileraddict.com


http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/2012/trailer


The Road Trailer: courtesy of the wonderful site http://www.traileraddict.com

http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/the-road/trailer



The Book of Eli Trailer : courtesy of the wonderful site http://www.traileraddict.com


http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/the-book-of-eli/feature-trailer



Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Once Upon a Time in Film, Once Upon a time in the West Film Narrative Essay




*WARNING : SPOILERS AHEAD,DON"T READ IF YOU DON't WANT THE FILM SPOILED FOR YOU*


This one film alone has influenced so many films some which include: "High Noon","3:10 to Yuma", "The Comancheros","Shane", "The Searchers", "The Magnificent Seven", "Duel in the Sun","My Darling Clementine", "Desperado","Once Upon a Time in Mexico","Inglorious Basterds" and many more. Once Upon a Time in the West was made in 1968 ,and directed by spaghetti western great Sergio Leone. The films screenplay and story were developed and written by Sergio Leone,Sergio Donati, Dario Argento and Bernardo Bertolucci. The score of the film was composed by longtime Leone friend and collaborator Ennio Morricone and the cinematography was completed by Tonino Delli Colli.
The opening credits are presented in a slow methodical fashion ,while the opening characters actions are going on at the same time. The pacing of the scene was powerfully executed in the films opening. This scene helps build tension in scenes where gun play was evident to occur in the film, which in turn adds to the dramatic elements of the film. The opening credits are in the signature Leone style white color font, so that particular element doesn't relate to the meaning of the film, but the slow pace that they are presented helps to complete this action. Leone used pacing to his advantage to create a world where villains get what's coming to them, heroes get there revenge, and outlaws can earn their redemption.
The films title does have a significant meaning in relation the film as a whole, the "Once Upon A Time..." part of the title of course is a line used frequently in storytelling as a basic common starting point to tell a story. So in essence the films title evokes basic meaning of this story whether it fictional or non-fictional occurred in the times of the old west. This is significant in that the title evokes the film is about the old ways of the west but as you watch the film , you are presented with world that is transitioning from the ways of the old west into the modernization of the west.
"Once Upon a Time in the West",opens at an isolated train station, three gunmen arrive at the station with a feeling of tenseness and foreboding. the men are waiting - waiting for some one. The train arrives and a man with a Harmonica(Charles Bronson) gets off and ask for the man he is supposed to be meeting with and his name is Frank(Henry Fonda) our films villain. But Frank is nowhere to be found, but his three gunmen are there and our first showdown occurs. This opening scene allows you to see how calculating and devious the films villain is in the film and it also sets the mood for the rest of the film.
There are numerous motifs in this film one of them is the railroad which as I studied in this film kind of represents anew beginning for this particular civilization that is the "old west". In a sense the films main voice of thematic element for the film was Charles Bronson's character Harmonica a true sense of law and order in more ways than one. As I studied this film another theme of the film that took me time to discover was (water) and how it effected the female lead character in the film Jill (Claudia Cardinale). The majority of Jill's most dramatic scenes revolve around the theme of water - when her whole family is killed while walking outside to their water-well, and in one scene she is in the bathtub, while Harmonica(Charles Bronson) burst in while trying to spot all the men that are sent by Frank's boss to come and kill Frank(Henry Fonda). Also included is the ending scene of the film when Jill brings water out to all the railroad workers that are working on the railroad in front of Jill's land, which symbolizes a fresh start for everyone in the "old west". There were also many other scenes , in particular a scene with Frank and his boss the railroad tycoon Morton, who says in that scene that he wants to see the Pacific Ocean one last time, and in a scene later on in the film after you realize Morton tries to double-cross Frank, Morton does get to see an ocean one last time in the form of a mud puddle. This scene proved that karma was alive and well back in the old west. A third theme or motif from the film was color, in particular the wardrobe the three central film characters wore. Jill at the beginning of the film had a nice white dress on, and after she lost her whole family, you see her in nothing but black for obvious mourning purposes. Cheyenne(Jason Robards) had on red and brown clothes which I believe are representation of anger,power, and a stone cold mentality and leader of his gang of outlaws and of course Harmonica has the colors of white and beige which were used to symbolize purity and cleanliness, which is extremely fitting being that he is considered the hero of the film.
The first important sequence is at the beginning of the film with the slaughter of the McBain family by Frank and his men. This scene shows you how calculating and smart Frank is as the films villain and establishes what he is capable as a person. In this whole opening sequence he murders a whole family for their land, attempts to kill Harmonica by making him think he is really going to meet with him in person, but instead send his men to kill him instead. He also in turn tries to frame Cheyenne and his men by having Frank's men dress up in the same signature brown overcoats that only Cheyenne's men wear.
The second most important sequence of the film when Harmonica discovers that Mr McBain knew that the new rail system was going to come through the direction of the land that McBain and his family owned. This scene is so important because this gives the viewer a clear cut reason why the events that happened in the beginning of the film happened.
The third most important sequence of the film is the final duel scene between Frank and Harmonica, in this scene we finally get the answer that Frank and we the viewers of the film have been wanting to know...."Who is Harmonica?" ,"What does he have against Frank?", "Why is he always playing that harmonica?". We get that answer in a flashback, when Harmonica was a young boy he was forced to hold up his older brother on his shoulders who's head had a noose around it and eventually his older brother kicks his younger brother to the ground on purpose- in turn excepting his fate of death, and the real nail in the coffin was that while harmonica held up his brother on his shoulders, Frank put something in his mouth and that thing was a harmonica.
The last important sequence of the film is a short scene that occurs after the final duel between Frank and Harmonica, in this scene Cheyenne and Jill have a conversation in which Cheyenne says he isn't the man for her and neither is Harmonica. It's obvious Jill wants either one of these men to stay with her and start a new life. But these two men aren't the settling down type and Cheyenne would have possibly settled down if not for the little health problem that you find out about after this ending scene.
There are striking uses of perspective in this film most notably that they all are presented in Leone's signature shooting style. Leone's style of shooting close-ups of the actors faces , even going in specifically on the eyes and mouths of his actors, allowed him to project the emotions that he wanted from the characters. The wide shots he did in some scenes also added to the drama in some of the gun duel scenes. It also showed that Leone wasn't afraid to use the whole frame while he was shooting the film. The sound in the film was used in many ways to vividly enhance the film. The composer responsible for the score and numerous sound cues was long-time friend and film collaborator Ennio Morricone. The composer Morricone was able to provide each of the main characters there own unique theme music, for example"Jill's Theme" and "Man with a Harmonica", and "Farewell to Cheyenne" all songs on the original film score. In studying this film I found out that Sergio Leone would actually play Morricone's film music in the background while shooting the film in order to help the actors understand there characters more thoroughly.
The film's climax ultimately displayed in the final duel scene between Frank and Harmonica. The one gesture of Harmonica putting his harmonica in Frank's mouth signified the film's climax, and with this gesture Harmonica completed his vengeance for his brother's death, Jill's vengeance for the brutal killing of her entire family, and redeeming of Cheyenne's outlaw but non cold-blooded killer reputation. In the end this film was the ultimate tale of good versus bad and the transitioning of the old west into the more modern times with the building of the railroad at the end of the film.


Randy Watson III, 10-14-2009

Sunday, October 4, 2009

X-Men: Origins Wolverine film review







"Do you even know how to kill me?" Victor aka Sabre tooth

"I'm going to cut your freaking head off !" Logan aka Wolverine

He is considered one of Marvel Comics greatest characters and definitely one there most prominent, when I first heard they were shooting a Wolverine prequel film I was shocked like many others. Would they be able to pull it off? Where could they go with the story? Well after watching the film in theaters and again on DVD I have to say that the film delivers on the action front, even with atrocious CGI in the film, but overall the film served its aspiration- it was an origin film about the character Wolverine. But after watching it you feel like or at least I felt like I watched a film that was good but still futile.


The film which is directed by Gavin Hood and stars Hugh Jackman(James/Logan/Wolverine), Liev Shreiber(Victor /Sabretooth), Danny Huston(Colonel William Stryker), Will.i.am(John Wraith), Kevin Durand(Fred J. Dukes/Blob), Ryan Reynolds(Wade Wilson/Deadpool), Daniel Henney (Agent Zero), and Dominic Monaghan(Chris Bradley). The film starts out with a young boy named James and his brother Victor who we soon discover they aren't like other boys...MJ...lol,but they have special gifts and that gift is that they are mutants. As the story begins we are taken on journey with these two men who fight in numerous wars from the American Civil War, both World Wars and the Vietnam War and eventually they are both court-marshaled and sentenced to death by firing squad,but no worries they survive it -there mutants. This is one of the main reasons why when you watch the film your left ultimately with sense that wow great film, but still unavailing. But anyways back to the story the two men are recruited by Colonel Stryker to form a "special team" one without rules, a team of mutants but you definitely get a sense the arterial motives of Colonel Stryker.

Eventually Logan takes issue with what the team is doing and decides to leave the group abruptly. He tries to start a new life of his own,bu that is cut short and he's forced back into his former life and has to fight to the death to defeat those who have impugned him. The action in the film is great and there are interesting fight scenes in the film even though they have a monstrous feel to them, they are still entertaining and fun.

The story started out interesting but when it ended your are left wondering was that worth it, and I have to say yes and no actually. As a fan of this particular comic book character, yes- I loved the idea of a Wolverine origin story being brought to the big screen,but on the other hand no- I don't like the idea because as I stated earlier your left with a feeling like..."what's the point of this?". But the film ultimately served its purpose of giving us some background on the fictional character called Wolverine. My overall grade for this film C-

Randy Watson III, 10-05-2009




Wednesday, September 23, 2009

"This isn't your little brother's animated movie!" 9 movie ads - 9 Film review


"9" film review
'This isn't your little brothers animated movie.....", this line from one of the promos for this movie is true to form when describing this wonderfully animated film from the writer/director Shane Acker. This brilliantly animated film also has some great voice work from some well known actors which include: Elijah Wood, John C. Reilly, Jennifer Connelly, Christopher Plummer, and Martin Landau. The film was produced by Tim Burton, Timur Bekamembetov, Jim Lemley and Dana ginsburg with the basic premise of the film centering around the films main character 9 (Elijah Wood)-a stiched up doll that that I will refer to as a stitch doll and as he awakens and goes out into the world he discovers the world has become a wasteland do to destruction of the fictional animated world we are presented with. It is also evident to the viewer that some major war or battle has occurred that has left the world in its present state.

As our main character 9 walks around he discovers a talisman which unbeknownst to 9 will be a crucial item throughout the entirety of the film. Our man character 9 discovers 2 (Martin Landau) another stitch doll and 2 tells him that there are others like themselves and they're names are 1 (Christopher Plummer), 5 (John C. Reilly), 6(Crispin Glover), 8 (Fred Tatasciore) who have all been hiding, and what they have been hiding from are machine like creatures. The creature are searching for something, this is where the talisman comes into play. It holds the key to something special with a special use to it as well . This talisman will be used for something positive and soulful by the stitchdolls, and for the films villians (the machine creatures) for something negative and controlling.

Throughout the film you are also introduced to some other stitchdolls, 3,4, and 7(Jennifer Connelly) and how they play key roles in the development of the films plot. The films climax allows us to discover who's responsible for the making the stichdolls, the machine creatures, and the cause of the major war that has left the world in its current delapitated state. You also get a resolution to the major conflicts- the inner and outer conflicts.

This animated film had tremendously great action in it and there is even an homage to a scene from one of John Woo's great action films. The film deals with the old issues of man vs machine and the struggle of trying to preserve humanity while also not letting technology take control of it. I thoroughly recommend this film and have to agree that this definitely "Isn't your little brothers animated film" in more ways than one.
Overall grade of the film A-

Randy Watson III,et3
P.S. here is a link to Shane Acker's original short film that inspired the film "9"





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Sunday, September 6, 2009

Game On ! - GAMER Review


"It's me Simon, I'm playing you"......



Well not since Paul Glaser's 1987 Schwarzeneggar starring film, " The Running Man" have we had a film like this one. I first have to say the protagonist and antagonist you were equally matched in this film which will definitely help in enjoying the film. In the future, a new mind-control technology has become popular in society and an online mutliplayer game called "Slayers" is the new rage. Ken Castle( Micheal C. Hall)- antagonist, the man behind the two mind-controlling games"Slayers" and "Society" is seen as a savior by the government and less than a savior by those who don't believe in the mind-control technology. In "Slayers" Death Row inmates are allowed to choose to serve there time in a cell or agree to fight in 30 sessions of the game Slayers and this is under the understanding that if they survive the sessions they will be set free.
In enters our films protagonist Kable/John Tillman(Gerard Butler) who has made it through 27 sessions and lived through them all. This film is a basic battle between good & bad and is also a fight between two men who are fighting for control. Ken Castle(Micheal C. Hall) is fighting for control of the human race and Kable/John Tillman(Gerard Butler) is fighting for his life , as well as his wife and child's freedom.


The action in this film is beyond stupendous and utterly enjoyable. They're great performances from Micheal C. Hall and Gerard Butler and its refreshing to see a film were the protagonist and antagonist were wonderfully matched. We also get to see a funny music number from Michael C. Hall's character performing a well known song done by Frank Sinatra that isn't stupid, but actually works in the film surprisingly. An speaking overall this was an enjoyable action flick with an interesting plot.

Rand Watson III,et3
Overall grade for this film Low B/High C




Saturday, September 5, 2009

"You Silly Basterds...lol" - Inglorious Bsterds Review





"This Just might be my masterpiece!" Lt. Aldo Raine aka "Aldo the Apache"


Well this line from the film opitimizes the whole vibe of the film in more ways than one. The newest installment from director/screenwriter Quentin Tarantino takes you on a tremendously fun ride through a business of sorts..."the killin Nazi business" and after watching the film, business was booming...lol. This film was vintage Tarantino, had everything from the signature QT dialogue, soundtrack and some outstanding performances - one in particular done by Austrian actor(Christoph Walz) who portrays the devious,calculating Colonel Hans Landa. After watching Inglorious Basterds I personally thoroughly enjoyed the film but I do believe its one of those films you have to decide for yourself on whether or not you liked the film. But I personally feel you should always adopt that particular attitude when watching a new film.

The film starts out with the great introduction of Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Walz) in the film and his interrogation of a french family accused of hiding jews from the nazis. This scene was one of Tarantino's best written scenes I have to say it was a wonderful way to open the film and that's all I will say. At the end of the scene we are introduced to a young lady who will play a major part by the films climax , and her name is Shoshanna Dreyfuss(Melanie Laurent).[Pause for a moment I also just had to stop and take a moment to predict like a lot of other viewers who saw the film and that is that Christoph Walz should receive an oscar nomination for his performance, just a little prediction....lol, unpause]

The next chapter we are intoduced to the BASTERDS, a group of Jewish American soldiers who are brought together by Lt. Aldo Raine(Brad Pitt) to form a platoon that does one thing and one thing only and that's killing Nazis. We get to see two of the most interesting Basterds, Staff Sergeant Donny Donowitz aka "The Bear Jew"(Eli Roth) and Hugo Stiglitz (Til Schweiger) who give fun and interesting performances in the film and are definitely memorable.

In the next two chapters we get to see how Shoshanna's life is after the incident that occured in the first chapter of the film and are also introduced to a young Nazi marksman named Frederick Zoller(Sylvester groth)tries to suit young Shoshanna and even coaxes the Nazi propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels (Sylvester Groth) into holding the premiere for a new Nazi Propaganda film at the cinema that Shoshanna owns and operates. The Nazis want to show the love for the Third Reich and the whole SS, but young Shoshanna has something else in mind, something more powerful and meaningful. But, Shoshanna isn't the only one with a plan, the Basterds and the British Secret Service have a plan in mind for the Nazis as well-(cue sly smirk...lol). The final chapter, standoff, showdown is beyond memorable and fictionally speaking-history changing.

As I said at the beginning of this review I will leave it up to you the viewer to judge this film for yourself, just don't let the Ennio Morricone style music, Tarantino dialogue, or over-the-top violence sway you in any way....lol.

Overall grade for this film - B+
Randy Watson III,et3