review | the m0vie blog

Astonishing X-Men Omnibus by Joss Whedon & John Cassaday

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Darren

Why did I have to follow Grant Morrison?

– Joss Whedon’s email correspondence with Marvel

What with all that talk of Whedon directing The Avengers on the big screen, I decided it was worth checking out his run on one of the most enduring superhero teams of all time.

Is this a breakout hit?

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Filed under: Comics | Tagged: arts, astonishing x-men, astonishing x-men omnibus, avengers, breakworld, Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Cassandra Nova, comic books, Comics, cyclops, emma frost, Genosha, grant morrison, graphic novel, john cassaday, john cassidy, joss whedon, kitty pride, marvel, marvel comics, Mutants, new x-men, nick fury, review, scott summers, x-men | 2 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Planet 51

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Darren

Planet 51 is an enjoyable little animated film. It mostly skirts by on it’s rather interesting premise (what if an astronaut landed on an alien world exactly like fifties America?) and razor-sharp pop culture references (I wonder how many kids are going to get the references to E.T. let alone Alien or 2001: A Space Odyssey), but it’s ultimately let down by the fact that nobody involved seems to be trying too hard… or at all, really. The film relies on its intriguing premise to carry it, which it just about does, but it’s hard to feel that there isn’t so much more that could have been done.

I'm not sure if Chuck demonstrates to Planet 51 that there's intelligent life out there...

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: aliens, animation, cgi, film, jessica biel, justin long, Movies, non-review review, planet 51, pop culture, review, the rock | 6 Comments »

Non-Review Review: The Joneses

Posted on April 20, 2010 by Darren

The Joneses is a sharply observed, perfectly timed, more than a little cynical examination of American suburbia. Trust me when I say that it’s hard not to leave the movie thinking of American Beauty, I mean that in the most flattering way possible. Yes, I bought what it is the Joneses were selling.

Sometimes you can choose your family...

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: advertising, amber heard, american beauty, david duchovney, demi moore, films, gary cole, glenne headley, keeping up with the joneses, marketing, non-review review, review, selling, stealth marketing, suburbia, the joneses, the right hook | 7 Comments »

Non-Review Review: The Comfort of Strangers

Posted on April 19, 2010 by Darren

Let me tell you something: My father was a very big man. And all his life he wore a black mustache. When it was no longer black, he used a small brush, such as ladies use for their eyes. Mascara.

– Robert

The Comfort of Strangers is… a strange film. I can appreciate what it’s doing (or rather what it is trying to do), but it never quite comes together. Perhaps it’s because the movie seems structured as too much of a thought exercise rather than a finished dramatic production. There’s food for thought here, but there’s really not too much else.

Never wander off with strangers... ESPECIALLY if they're Christopher Walken...

Note: I will be discussing the film’s ending, which is kinda important. But don’t worry, I’ll flag it beforehand. Plus, this film is nearly twenty years old, so I figure it’s fair game.

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: christopher walken, comfort of strangers, films, harold pinter, helen mirren, ian mcewan, Movies, natasha richardson, non-review review, paul schrader, review, rupert everett, the comfort of strangers, venice | Leave a comment »

Firefly

Posted on April 12, 2010 by Darren

Psychic, though? That sounds like something out of science fiction.

We live in a spaceship, dear.

So?

– Wash and Zoe, Objects in Space

Joss Whedon writing a science fiction show – a science fiction western, to be precise. Doesn’t that excite you? Just a bit? Well, it should, because they’re just so… very… pretty. Huh? Look at that chiselled jaw!

And yes, I am already quoting it. It’s going to be a fun review.

Male bonding... Or bondage, I'm not sure...

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Filed under: Television | Tagged: firefly, joss whedon, nathan fillon, review, science fiction, serenity, Television, western | 13 Comments »

Non-Review Review: The Time Traveler’s Wife

Posted on April 12, 2010 by Darren

It’s certainly an interesting concept: it’s the story of a love out of sync – of two individuals who live their lives at different speeds. Claire falls in love with a strange man she met in a meadow when she was growing up – only he hasn’t aged a day. That’s because he’s a time traveler. So, as you can imagine, that throws up more than the usual boundries to romance. In fairness, the movie seems aware of the myriad of possibilities suggested by its premise, but the truth is that it does little more than exploit them for melodrama. Cheap, heavy-handed melodrama.

Stuck in a movie I can't get out of...

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: eric bana, films, Movies, non-review review, rachel mcadams, review, The Time Traveler's Wife, time traveler's wife | 4 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Demolition Man

Posted on April 9, 2010 by Darren

I love Demolition Man. I know I shouldn’t, but I do.

Eye see you...

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: action, be well, comedy, demolition man, dennis leary, fascism, films, future, huxley, jack black, john spartan, los angeles, Movie, murder death kill, mvoies, non-review review, review, san angeles, science fiction, simon phoenix, simon says, sly stallone, sylvester stallone, the demolition man, the three seashells, three seashells | 3 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Kick-Ass

Posted on April 1, 2010 by Darren

Kick-Ass may be the action movie of the year. It will more than likely be the comedy of year. And it is currently among the best movies I’ve seen so far (and it’s been a very good March, might I add). Kick-Ass does what Watchmen should have, and takes superhero movies to the next level: working on the assumption that the genre is so well recognised that audiences will appreciate all the tiny little tropes, Kick-Ass picks apart the big budget superhero flick, but manages to avoid being mean.

Kick-Ass kicks... well, you see where this is going...

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: aaron johnson, big daddy, Chloe Moretz, film, hit girl, kick-ass, mark millar, matthew vaughn, Movie, nicolas cage, non-review review, parody, review, superheroes | 12 Comments »

Non-Review Review: Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Posted on March 30, 2010 by Darren

I think you could argue that Who Framed Roger Rabbit (which doesn’t have a question mark at the end, because apparently marketing demonstrated audiences don’t respond to question marks) sits at the perfect midpoint on the Zemickis spectrum, balancing the fine and fun storytelling of the Back to the Future series with the early forefathers of the technical wizardry which would so fascinate the director in the years to come. However, Who Framed Roger Rabbit finds a way to match its technical wizardry with a genuinely fun and entertaining story.

Saw VII: Would Bob Hoskins rather saw his own arm off or spend the rest of the movie as the straight guy to Roger's plucky comic relief? Jigsaw, you fiend!

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Filed under: Non-Review Reviews | Tagged: animation, cartoons, disney, film, jessica rabbit, live action, looney tunes, Movie, non-review review, review, robert zemeckis, roger rabbit, who framed roger rabbit | 1 Comment »

Non-Review Review: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Posted on March 28, 2010 by Darren

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is a strange film, even with the concession that Terry Gilliam is a strange film director. Everyone knows the film is the last big screen work from the deceased Heath Ledger and it’s a shadow the film doesn’t feel entirely comfortable stepping out of. It’s almost paradoxical, but in watching it one gets the sense that the film may have bee the better for being less reverent of the actor – it would stand as a better testament to his memory if it could let go of his memory. In short, The Dark Knight will probably stand as the greatest testament to the actor’s ability and and rightly so. That doesn’t mean Parnassus is a waste of time – well, not all of it anyway.