Action

300: Rise of an Empire

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: 300: Rise of an Empire
  • IMDB: link

300: Rise of an EmpireI’m not a Zack Snyder fan. I hated what Snyder and screenwriter David S. Goyer did to Superman, was disappointed with his interpretation of Watchmen, and was disturbed by watching the man make his own wet dreams into a feature film. Of the Snyder films I’ve been forced to endure over the years 300 is the only one I remotely enjoyed.

Despite obvious flaws, Snyder delivered a slick-looking adaption of Frank Miller’s graphic novel that focused on the legendary accomplishments of the 300 Spartans during the Battle of Thermopylae (while completing ignoring the other Greek forces which aided them – as did Miller’s original work). Turning the sequel over to the hands of director Noam Murro, 300: Rise of an Empire is a joyless blood-spattered spectacle lacking in both story and presentation. Sadly, it seems Murro proves unable to recapture what little magic Zack Snyder was able to bring to the screen while balancing the bloodier elements of the first film with 300‘s visual-style and the silly muscle-bound unclothed warriors constantly preening for the camera in various dramatic poses.

…

300: Rise of an EmpireRead More »

300: Rise of an Empire Read More »

Samurai Jack #5

/ / Comics

Samurai Jack #5The first arc of the new Samurai Jack comic comes to a close as Samurai Jack ventures into Aku‘s fortress to find the final remaining Tread of Time and come within a breath of fulfilling his destiny and making it home.

Other than to collect the arc in a graphic novel there’s no real reason to end the storyline so quickly as Jack’s quest to collect the various threads could have continued for quite some time. For better or worse the storyline is shortened, through montages in each of the last few issues, and Jack’s quest to reconstitute the Rope of Eons comes to an end.

…

Samurai Jack #5Read More »

Samurai Jack #5 Read More »

RoboCop Redux

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: RoboCop (2014)
  • IMDB: link

RobocopReleased in 1987, RoboCop holds a special spot in the pantheon of 80’s action movies for anyone who has seen it (and its various lesser sequels and spin-offs). Written by Edward Neumeier and Michael Miner (by far the best script either has done), director Paul Verhoeven‘s satirical, violent, and over-the-top tale of a critically wounded Detroit police officer turned into the first cybernetic soldier by an ominous corporation with its own agenda gets an obligatory, and completely unnecessary, remake. Thankfully this one fares better than the last Verhoeven film Hollywood decided to remake.

Missing the original’s biting wit (none of those terrific commercials this time around) or primal sense of justice and revenge, and substituting a PG-13 gruesomeness for the original’s R-rated violence (meaning we get a much smaller body count but several shots of scientists poking around inside of the still-human pieces of our hero), the new film makes several interesting choices that allow the story to take a slightly different path than the original.

…

RoboCop ReduxRead More »

RoboCop Redux Read More »

Everything is Awesome

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: The LEGO Movie
  • IMDB: link

The LEGO MovieWith a mix of stop-motion and CGI effects (some purposely cheesy enough to show you the string holding figures in frame) The LEGO Movie delivers an energetic and enjoyable story with a nice message for kids. A cynical person would note that the film is basically a 100-minute commercial to sell the various (mostly over-priced) specialized sets and figures that make up the LEGO franchise. However, the movie (for the most part) puts the story and characters first while also promoting the basic message of the building blocks that allow you to build anything you can imagine.

Beginning with an awkward opening scene involving a wizard (Morgan Freeman), the film’s villain Lord Business (Will Ferrell), and a prophecy about “The Special,” the movie gets off to a bit of a shaky start (although it does eventually backtrack to put the events into context). Jumping years in the future we’re introduced to our hero, unremarkable construction worker Emmet Brickowoski (Chris Pratt), who finds the mythical Piece of Resistance which can prevent Business’ plans of destruction.

…

Everything is AwesomeRead More »

Everything is Awesome Read More »

Samurai Jack #4

/ / Comics

Samurai Jack #4Samurai Jack‘s quest to gather the remaining Threads of Time leads the wanderer to a frosty kingdom deep in the mountains ruled over by the tyrannical Queen Krystle whose android warriors capture Samurai Jack and put him to work in the kitchens.

Although I still enjoyed the issue, especially the early scenes recaping the samurai’s journey to find the village deep in the mountainous wilderness, Samurai Jack #4 is by far the weakest issue of the new series complete with a queen who enjoys cake while her peasants starve (and even, unfortunately, at one point utters a trademark phrase causing anyone knowing their French history to groan).

…

Samurai Jack #4Read More »

Samurai Jack #4 Read More »