Comic Rack

Hmm, we’re about to talk about comics so it must be Wednesday!  Welcome to the RazorFine Comic Rack boys and girls.  Pull up a bean bag and take a seat at feet of the master as we look at the new comics set to hit comic shops and bookstores today from DC, Marvel, Dark Horse, WildStorm, Vertigo, Dynamite Entertainment, IDW Publishing, and Image Comics.

This week includes and the first issues of The All-New Booster Gold, Angel: After the Fall, DMZ, Grendel: Behold the Devil, Immortal Iron Fist, Justice League of America, The Sword, The Umbrella Academy: Apocalypse Suite, WildStorm: Revelations, Wolverine: Origins, and the first issues of ‘76, Cemetery Blues, and New Exiles.  Also don’t forget the truckload of new graphic novels including Dark Horse Omnibus Volume 1, Doom Patrol Vol. 6: Planet Love, Essential Marvel Saga Vol. 1, Futura: The Art of R. Black, Harley Quinn: Preludes and Knock-Knock Jokes, H, and much, much more.

Enjoy issue #55

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3:10 to Yuma Redux

  • Title: 3:10 to Yuma (2007)
  • IMDb: link

“Just remember, it’s your old man that hauled Ben Wade to that station… when nobody else would.”

3:10 to Yuma

This remake of the 1957 film (read that review) makes a few changes to the tale.  The down-on-his-luck farmer Dan Evans (Christian Bale) still agrees to help deliver the notorious outlaw Ben Wade (Russell Crowe) to justice, but in this version his reasons are just as much about making himself look better in his son’s eyes (Logan Leman) as providing for his family.

The inclusion of the son on the adventure changes the dynamic of the relationship and the one-upsmanship between Ben and Dan.  Although this gives the film a fresh take on the story, it’s a take that isn’t as good as the original.

Also of interest here is the peculiar ending which seems haphazardly put together.  In the first film Wade reluctantly helps Dan at the last minute, but here Wade and Dan almost become bosom pals (which was the intention of director James Mangold) as they race through the town trying to catch the train.  So the tense psychological drama is dropped in favor of a buddy film. Sigh.

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Golden Globe Awards

No fashion, no glamour, no stars, but still an over drawn out spectacle with far less suspense than the presenters would have us believe.  Due to the writer’s strike the 65th Annual Golden Globes were not held, but the awards were still given out (and on prime time network TV no less).  In case you missed it, here’s who won (including a few choice words for the Hollywood Foreign Press)…

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FILM AWARDS

Best Motion Picture – Drama
Atonement
Our take – What were they smoking?  Please ignore this film Oscar voters (hey, audiences already have)!
(read December’s review)

Best Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Our take – Yeah, baby!  That’s more like it!
(read Alan’s review)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama
Daniel Day Lewis – There Will Be Blood
Our take – DUH!  Easiest call of the night.
(read Ian’s review)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama
Julie ChristieAway From Her
Our take – Far and away the best choice from the nominees.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical Or Comedy
Johnny DeppSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Our take – Depp, despite the stiff competition, is a cut above the rest.
(read Alan’s review)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
Marion CotillardLa Vie En Rose
Our take – The KCFCC agrees, but Ellen Page made it a close call. 

Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Javier BardemNo Country for Old Men
Our take – The KCFCC agrees.
(read Alan’s review)

Best Performance by an Actress In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture
Cate BlanchettI’m Not There
Out take – We haven’t seen it, but Amy Ryan would be hard to beat.

Best Foreign Language Film
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Our take – The KCFCC agrees.
Best Director – Motion Picture
Julian Schnabel – The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Our take – The KCFCC agrees (but personally I’d give it to Tim Burton).

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
The Coen Bros. – No Country for Old Men
Our take – We give the edge to Diablo Cody for Juno
(read Alan’s review)

Best Original Score – Motion Picture
Atonement
Our take – Eh?  None of the nominees knocked our socks off.

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Guaranteed” – Into the Wild
Our take – Where’s the love for “Let’s Duet,” people?
(read December’s review)

TELEVISION AWARDS

Best Television Series – Drama
Mad Men
Our take – haven’t seen it.

Best Television Series – Musical Or Comedy
Extras
Our take – I haven’t seen it, but it better be damned good to beat out Pushing Daisies and Californication.

Best Mini-Series Or Motion Picture Made for Television
Longford
Our take – didn’t see it.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Drama
John HammMad Men
Our take – haven’t seen it.

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Drama
Glenn CloseDamages
Our take – haven’t seen it, but we hear good things.

Best Performance by an Actor In A Television Series – Musical Or Comedy
David Duchovny – Californication
Our take – Well deserved!

Best Performance by an Actress In A Television Series – Musical Or Comedy
Tina Fey30 Rock
Our take – WTF?  Isn’t the show being funny part of the criteria for this award?

Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Queen LatifahLife Support
Our take – didn’t see it.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jim BroadbentLongford
Our take – didn’t see it.

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jeremy PivenEntourage
Our take – score a win for John Cusack’s best bud!

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television
Samantha MortonLongford
Our take – didn’t see it.

Cecil B. DeMille Award
Steven Spielberg

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Week Off

We worked through Christmas and New Year’s and we’ve gotten a little punchy (is it bad when your brains start oozing out of your ears?).  So we’re going to take a late holiday with a short break this week to rest up and get ready for all our new reviews and features for 2008.  If you haven’t already, take a look at our Year in Review links, and check out the tweeked top menu bar which should make surfing the site a little easier.  Then come back next week for our Winter/Spring Movie Preview, a look at some of the new shows hitting your idiot box, more DVD’s, more comics, more anime, more trailers, and more reviews!

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2007 KCFCC Winners

The Kansas City Film Critics Circle, to which your RF pals December, Ian, and myself belong (plus our pals Eric and JD from Scene Stealers) got together last night for the 42nd Annual Loutzenhiser Awards voting.  The 25 voting memebers from print, television, radio and online media in the Greater Kansas City area cast ballots in 12 categories to determine the best films and performances of 2007.  Check out the full list of winners inside the Full Diagnosis.

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Best Film: There Will Be Blood (read Ian’s review)

The Robert Altman Award for Directing: TIE
Paul Thomas Anderson: There Will Be Blood
and Julian Schnabel: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis, There Will Be Blood

Best Actress: Marion Cotilliard, La Vie en Rose

Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem, No Country for Old Men (read Alan’s review)

Best Supporting Actress: Tilda Swinton, Michael Clayton (read Alan’s review)

Best Original Screenplay: Diablo Cody, Juno (read reviews from Alan and December)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, No Country for Old Men

Best Animated Film: Ratatouille (read Ian’s review)

Best Foreign Language Film: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Best Documentary: In the Shadow of the Moon (read Alan’s review)
Vince Koehler Award for Outstanding Science Fiction, Fantasy or Horror Film:
Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (read Alan’s review)

The first movie to win the Kansas City Film Critics Circle award for Best Picture was Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? in 1966.  The group is the second oldest organization of film critics in the United States.

For more information go to www.kcfcc.org.

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