Western

Wyatt Earp’s Revenge

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Wyatt Earp’s Revenge
  • IMDB: link

wyatt-earps-revenge-dvdMost know Wyatt Earp for his time as a Marshall in Tombstone, Arizona, and the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Wyatt Earp’s Revenge, the new film by director Michael Feifer and screenwriter Darren Benjamin Shepherd, takes a look at a three-day period during Earp’s role as sheriff of Dodge City, Kansas, and the manhunt which changed his life forever.

The movie opens in 1907 in San Fransisco where an elderly Wyatt Earp (Val Kilmer) recounts to a Kansas City Star reporter (David O’Donnell) the events that led him to form “The Best in the West” gang and go after outlaw James “Spike” Kennedy (Daniel Booko), the man responsible for several murders including the woman Earp loved – Dora Hand (Diana DeGarmo).

The flashbacks, which take place in 1878 in the Oklahoma Territory, show the younger Wyatt Earp (Shawn Roberts) and Charlie Bassett (Scott Whyte) investigating the murder of the woman he fancied.

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The Lone Ranger #1

/ / Comics

 

 

the-lone-ranger-v2-1-coverThe Lone Ranger rides again! I’m a fan of Dynamite Entertainment’s previous Lone Ranger series by writer Brett Matthews and artist Sergio Cariello (with some terrific covers by John Cassaday). I even own the Definite Edition hardcover. The new series gets off to a bit of a shaky start coming off very much like the poor B-Western from which the character sprang (that frankly we don’t want to be reminded of).

The Lone Ranger and Tonto are supporting characters for a story centered on a farmer and his family terrorized by a local band of outlaws which, before the issue’s end, will have the Ranger looking back on the similarities to his own past.

The first issue isn’t bad, and a one-issue story opening was a good choice, but it’s far from the rousing call to adventure I’d been hoping for. I’ve missed seeing a Lone Ranger on the comic stand. There’s a fair share of clunky dialogue from Ande Parks and the art of Esteve Polls lacks the larger than life quality of Sergio Cariello’s take on the character, but I’m willing to give the title another issue or two to see if it finds its way. Hit and Miss.

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Cowboys and Aliens

/ / Movie Reviews
  • Title: Cowboys and Aliens
  • IMDB: link

cowboys-and-aliens-posterIt begins with a cowboy waking up in the desert with no memory of who he is and ends with cowboys and Indians fighting aliens for gold. Yeah, you heard me, gold.

Although I enjoyed it, with a title like Cowboys and Aliens I expected the film to be a little zanier, goofier, and far more of a fun summer popcorn flick. What director Jon Favreau delivers is entertaining, at times, but it also feels unimaginative and uninspired.

After waking up in the desert without any memories, Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) makes his way to the nearest town. Almost immediately he gets into a tussle with the son (Paul Dano) of the town’s wealthiest man (Harrison Ford), is thrown in jail for a train robbery, and shoots down a giant alien spacecraft with a strange metal bracelet attached to his arm. You know, just your everyday activities in the Old West.

When several of the townsfolk are taken Jake is roped into helping rescue them as well as a woman (Abigail Spencer) from his past he thinks may have been taken as well.

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Rango

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Rango
  • IMDB: link

rango-dvdA pet chameleon (Johnny Depp) with an overactive imagination finds himself separated from his owners and stranded in the desert. As a consequence of his wild tales (and an amazing amount of dumb luck) he soon finds himself elected sheriff of a small town with a water shortage. Under the name of Rango our hero sets out with a posse to solve the problem.

Rango is a quirky and beautifully rendered animated slapstick comedy that also, sadly, drags in places. And despite referencing everything from the westerns of Sergio Leone to Chinatown to Apocalypse Now, Rango isn’t nearly as original or smart as it wants to be.

The story plays out in predictable fashion. Part One – ill-suited protagonist is mistaken for hero. Part Two – hero is forced to admit lies. Part Three – liar is given a moment of illumination and learns his lesson. Part Four – liar returns and becomes a true hero he was destined to be all along. You’ve seen this story before, many, many times.

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Once Upon a Time in the West

/ / Home Video
  • Title: Once Upon a Time in the West
  • IMDb: link

Although I know many love it, I’ve never been a big fan of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. In fact the only film I really enjoy out of the “Man with No Name” trilogy is the second film – For a Few Dollars More. For my money Sergio Leone‘s best western, and his best film, is Once Upon a Time in the West.

Co-written by Leone’s longtime partner Sergio Donati, Once Upon a Time in the West is a love letter to the mythology of the Old West and more than thirty American Westerns Leone had deep affection (several of which are referenced throughout the film including High Noon, 3:10 to Yuma, The Searchers, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Iron Horse, and The Magnificent Seven).

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