June | 2009 | the m0vie blog

Director’s Cuts: Remastered by the Old Masters

Posted on June 16, 2009 by Darren

The advent of incredibly flexibly home media has had an amazing impact on the world of film, right down to how the damn things are made. With producers carefully putting together additional content (or “bonus features”) for the eventual release of the film on home video (if that phrase means anything these days), and the temptation to “retouch” old films to bring them to the standard of the current format of entertainment system, it’s little surprise that we’ve seen the upswing that we have in the market for “Director’s Cuts” and “Extended Editions”. I’m kinda wondering if we’re entering a phase where all movies should be viewed in the same light as George Lucas views his own: they’re works in progress, never finished.

Screenshot from the mythic "Deckard is Keyzer Soze" ending to Blade Runner

Continue reading →

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: blade runner, blade runner: the final cut, blu ray, directors cut, DVD, extended cut, george lucas, hollywood, Movies, star was, superman 2: the richard donner cut, watchmen, zach snyder | Leave a comment »

Spiderman 4 – We Know Who the Good Guys Are…

Posted on June 15, 2009 by Darren

… but who are the bad guys? With Kirsten Dunst confirmed as returning last week, the ‘big three’ (and four, if you count Bruce Campbell’s inevitable cameo) are back on board for the third sequel in what looks to be a very long-lived franchise. Sure, we (along with a lot of people) weren’t too impressed with the third film, but everybody makes mistakes. If only Sam Raimi were willing to admit that, it’d be the first step on the road to recovery. Picking kick-ass villains is widely regarded as the second step. So, we thought we’d give you guys a little cheat-sheet when it comes to the Spidey villains you are likely (and unlikely) to see in the webslinger’s next big screen adventure.

The Sinister Six. Does Exactly What it Says on the Tin.

Continue reading →

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: carnage, electro, kingpin, kraven the hunter, sam raimi, spiderman, spiderman 4, spiderman 4 villains, spiderman villains, the lizard | Leave a comment »

Non-Review Review: Desperado

Posted on June 15, 2009 by Darren

I’d never seen Desperado. I had seen once Upon a Time in Mexico, and found it to be an enjoyably over-the-top (if not particularly deep) action movie anchored in some strong performances. Mom and my sister happened to be attending a Take That concert, so Dad and I decided to stick in this now-classic actioner and put together our own opinion on the beastie.

El Mariachi's guitar solos went down the bomb in that bar...

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: antonio bandares, desperado, el mariachi, Movies, non-review review, review, robert rodriguez | Leave a comment »

Non-Review Review: Batman Begins

Posted on June 15, 2009 by Darren

Batman Begins has been somewhat overshadowed by the success of The Dark Knight, but Christopher Nolan’s original reimagining of the Batman mythos is a compelling and clever examination of one of pop culture’s most enduring icons. I think there’s a case to be made that Batman Begins represents the best superhero origin story ever told in film – and quite possibly the definitive introduction to Batman and his world. The key isn’t collecting bits of trivia to explain the finer details, although the script from the Nolan brothers and David Goyer certainly does that. Instead, Nolan dares to examine the psychology of Batman. Richard Donner’s Superman famously boasted that you’d believe a man could fly. Nolan makes you believe that a man would dress up as a giant bat to fight crime.

Swooping ahead of the competition…

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: batman, batman begins, Bruce, bruce wayne, christian bale, Christopher Nolan, gotham, Henri Ducard, Movies, nolan, non-review review, ra's al ghul, review, richard donner, scarecrow, The Dark Knight, tim burton, Wayne Enterprises | 1 Comment »

Backlash to Mickey Rourke’s Whiplash…

Posted on June 14, 2009 by Darren

I’m on a bit of a comic book binge this week (it helps that Hollywood is churning out so many of the damned movies), and I couldn’t help but not with a wry smile on my face the internet response to the first pictures of Mickey Rourke as the villain (or “a” villian, given the ambiguous roles played by Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson as a business rival and catsuit-wearing spy) in the new Iron Man film. There had been a lot of gossip about whether the loud-mouthed Oscar-nominated actor would be playing Whiplash or Crimson Dynamo. From what fans are saying about the image (appearing below), it appears he’s playing a weird amalgamation of both… and a few more to boot. Though most of fandom appears to have taken this pastiche in their stride, there are a few cynical souls remaining out there who are a little ticked off to see these characters revamped in such a strange way. However, mixing and matching and distorting is by no means anew thing when it comes to adapting iconic characters to the big screen.

It looks like someone has finally tamed Mickey Rourke's wild streak by making him wear an over-sized shock collar

Continue reading →

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: adapting characters, backlash, batman & robin, Christopher Nolan, comic book movies, crimson dynamo, iron man 2, jon favreau, Mickey Rourke, Movies, mr. freeze, the penguin, whiplash | 2 Comments »

Green Lantern… The Other, Other Hot DC Comics Property

Posted on June 13, 2009 by Darren

Everyone knows Batman and Superman. Those dudes – and their supporting casts – are the nearly the only ambassadors for DC Comics to the world of mainstream cinema. With the exception of the odd stand-alone project, such as Watchmen or Road to Perdition, DC seems to be having a hardtime transitioning its properties to film. Marvel has managed to secure franchises for many of their lights, both greater and lesser – ask the X-Men, Spiderman, Fantastic Four, Blade, Iron Man, The Hulk and even The Punisher – leading me to wonder why DC has taken so long to get out there. Sure, perhaps Superman and Batman (and Wonder Woman) are the most iconic of their stable, but I’d also suggest that the Flash and Green Lantern also carry name recognition (though not to the same degree). I’m greatly anticipating Green Lantern as the second-biggest superhero event of next year (because Iron Man II has one of the best casts… ever), but I’m left to wonder: what the hell took you so long?

Doesn't he know that domino masks are sooooooo Silver Age?

Continue reading →

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: batman, comic book movies, Comics, dc comics, emerald dawn, geoff johns, green lantern, green lantern movie, Green Lantern: First Flight, iron man ii, james bond, martin campbell, marvel, marvel comics, spiderman, superman, The Dark Knight, wolverine | 1 Comment »

Non-Review Review: Frost/Nixon

Posted on June 12, 2009 by Darren

When I saw Frost/Nixon in the cinema, I came out thinking it was the second best film of last year. How does my opinion hold up?

For a guy who isn't a crook, he sure has his "caught in the act" pose well-rehearsed

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: david frost, film, frank langella, frost/nixon, history, michael sheen, Movie, non-review review, Oscars, review, richard m. nixon, richard nixon, ron howard, the curious case of benjamin button | 11 Comments »

Non-Review Review: The Wrestler

Posted on June 12, 2009 by Darren

The Wrestler was one of my award-season purchases that arrived on schedule (I waited two weeks for Frost/Nixon and Milk has still to arrive), so the family sat down to watch the one movie that we’d heard could have been a contender, to mix our sporting film metaphors. Was it a world champion, or just a bunch of sweaty has-beens trying to recapture their glory days?

I know steroids explain the muscles, but what's up with that hair?

Continue reading →

Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: Darren Aronofsky, Marisa Tomei, Mickey Rourke, Movie, Oscars, review, The Wrestler | 2 Comments »

Avatar – Hollywood Continues to Break New Ground with Blockbusters

Posted on June 12, 2009 by Darren

We’re still months away from a release date for Avatar – though there are rumours of a trailer coming soon in front of Transformers 2 (the most interesting talk I’ve heard about that particular film) – but things are still very quiet. All we know about the plot is that it is a Pocahontas-style narrative, with one of a bunch of exploitive explorers “going native”. We know that t will be in 3D – apparently mindblowing 3D. We know that one of the reasons that the movie has waited 14 years to get made it because Cameron was waiting for the technology to do it justice. And we know that – according to early word of mouth from insiders – he has succeeded. I have to say, I am quite eagerly anticipating this film. However, I find Hollywood’s new-found love of innovations within major blockbusters fascinating, given the traditional cautious conservatism of the studios.

Wow, Cameron really has a thing for giant walking hulks of metal, doesn't he?

Continue reading →

Filed under: Movies | Tagged: 3d, avatar, blockbusters, box office, Christopher Nolan, hollywood, imax, james cameron, star trek, The Dark Knight | Leave a comment »

3D or not 3D?

Posted on June 11, 2009 by Darren

As 3D enters its second golden age (yes, I’m using a little hyperbole, but let’s run with it), it’s generating a lot of discussion. Just how gimmicky is it? Is doomed to forever by a “nine day fad”, as blithely summed up by Alfred Hitchcock himself? Worse, does 3D fade colours and detract from the actual viewing experience, as Roger Ebert protests? I figured I’d give my two cents on the third dimension.