Clash of the Titans

When I saw the trailer for Clash of the Titans way back before the Christmas season I kind of scratched my head. To me it felt like this film belonged smack dab in the middle of the July. As I looked at Warner Brother’s line up for the summer I saw no tent pole pictures lined up. One might argue that Sex in the City 2 or even the reboot of Nightmare on Elm Street could be considered flagships for WBs this summer. They’ll both do well at the box office but they won’t see Harry Potter type numbers. I thought it possible for Titans to have a box office that could comparable though. So I ask, why did it come out now? 

Titans just wasn’t that good a film. It had great set pieces; a good concept of story and some very talented actors but the film never came together for me. It was entertaining but I saw it at 2pm today and I’m already starting to forget it. Usually when this happens I can carry some things away from the experience like the effects of the film but Titans really disappointed me in this area. If you’re going to have a big tent pole film than you’re going to need world-class special effects. But wait! Wasn’t this film in 3-D? Doesn’t that mean it was going to be another all-immersing experience like Avatar? Not in the least. 

About four months ago Warner Brother announced that Titans was going to be retrofitted with 3-D. This picture was originally supposed to play in theaters as a 2-D film. After Avatar exploded though several studios decided to go back and convert some of their bigger films to 3-D in hopes that they could grab some of the potential box office that Cameron’s film tapped into. The only difference was that Avatar was filmed in native 3-D. Before I saw Titans I didn’t really have an opinion about the 3-D conversion process. After I saw Titans I pretty much decided that the studios should try and stay away from this whole 3-D retrofitting idea. In Titans it just felt like a gimmick and actually took away from my experience overall. 

I mentioned earlier that this film had some great talent in it. Liam Nesson, Ralph Fiennes and the very talented Gemma Arterton all turned in decent performances with a so so script. Notice though that I left out the Sam Worthington. Does anyone else feel like Hollywood has been trying to turn this actor into the next Arnold Schwarzenegger? He’s been in several major films in the last two years but this was the first picture where he was the main attraction. Unlike Arnold I don’t think Sam has the charisma needed to be a leading man for much longer. He isn’t a bad actor he just doesn’t have what it takes to be the heart of a film. I kept waiting for him to give me something other than dark and brooding through out this film. Normally I wouldn’t blame an actor for his performance because I believe the director is ultimately responsible for that. When I think about it though the only time I’ve seen Worthington give the audience something other than dark and brooding was when he was a Na’vi in Avatar. The animators get all the credit for that. So I'm starting to think that Worthington is just a one trick pony. I know that sounds harsh. I just don't want another Keanu Reeves loosed upon the world. 

I asked a question earlier about why Titans came out now instead of later this summer. After I saw this film and experienced it’s flaws I got my answer. I’m pretty sure that Warner Brothers knew this film just didn’t have what it would take to stand out this summer. So because of this they decided to make it 3-D and gave it a release date where it wouldn’t have very much competition. It turns out that it wasn’t bad a move. It made 68 million last weekend and broke all the records for the Easter holiday. 

Until next time I’ll be getting ready to experience the awesomeness of Date Night with Tina and Steve. 

The Pretentious Filmmaker.

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Kick Ass

There’s no more original thought in Hollywood these days. Think about it? I have no idea how many movies have been made since the early 20^th century but I’m sure the number is a lot bigger then we all think. Eventually Tinsel Town had to run out of steam because really nothing is new under the sun. I’m pretty sure that’s the reason why we are seeing so many remakes or reboots and so many special editions these days. Unfortunately this trend is beginning to take over and if you ask me I think this is setting a very strange bar creatively for today’s cinema. Don’t worry. If your film stinks you can always reboot it! 

So how about Kick Ass? Is it a reboot? No. Is it anything more than another hero's origins film? No. Is it all that original? No, not really. Is it most likely the smartest and most entertaining comic book movie I’ve ever seen? YES and here’s why. 

I’m sure you guys all remember the movie Scream right? It came out in 1996 when the slasher genre was already in full decline. So many films came before it that had the same plot, same scares and even the same lines. Scream wasn’t all that original but my my wasn’t it special? It was, because near the end of the film we’re treated to a scene where one of the film’s characters actually decides to go over the rules that need to be followed in a horror movie. Remember? If you want to live through a slasher you can’t take a roll in the hay. You can’t drink or do drugs and most importantly you can’t ever say, “I’ll be right back.” At that point Scream showed it’s true colors. This wasn’t a horror movie. It was a movie about horror movies. It was a very clever and highly entertaining satire about a film genre that had run out of anything new to say. 

That is exactly what Kick Ass is as film. The comic book genre has gotten to the point where it’s impossible to really come up with anything original. The super hero movie too has its established rules. So instead of trying to make something original writer/director Matthew Vaughn decided to give us a comic film that’s all about comic books and the conventions that exist in them. There’s one difference between Kick Ass and Scream though. I don’t think Scream ever broke away from its satire. By the end of the film Jamie Kennedy’s character actually becomes a kind of play-by-play commentator that tells the other characters and the audience alike what’s going to happen next. What we as filmmakers like to refer to as the 4^th wall comes crashing down and Scream almost moves into a full-fledged parody. Think about it this way. Imagine any number of films that are narrated by Morgan Freeman. Now imagine him walking into frame as the actors are moving throughout the story look you strait in the eye and begin to describe what is happening. There's no wall separating you any longer from the movie and suddenly you're just watching a play on Broadway but I digress.

Kick Ass never makes fun of itself and after a painstaking effort of creating realism in its first two acts it decides to become a true comic book film by shedding all reality and satire in the 3rd. It manages to deliver a story as entertaining as Iron Man and as smart at Tropic Thunder and I was very very pleased. There are a lot of other things I could mention about this film from superb acting, smart humor, great choreographed action sequences and unforced entertaining pop culture but I won’t. Go see this film and I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Until next time I’ll be content in the fact that I am a massive fanboy! 

The Pretentious Filmmaker

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The Losers

I love going down the cereal aisle at the local supermarket. I’m always excited to find that perfect tasting cereal that I can enjoy in the morning or just before bed. Its impossible for me to decide which brand is my favorited (not a typo!) If you can decide if Captain Crunch is tastier than Fruity Pebbles then you’re a bravery soul than I. After I finally pick my cereal of choice for the week and head for the checkout. Its then that my heart sinks as I realize the box of cereal will cost me somewhere between five and seven dollars. I’m not cheap but come on that’s flippin expensive. It’s inevitable that I pause for a second and say to myself, “Wait a second! instead of Fruity Pebbles I can always get Sugar Stone instead.” Yes that’s right I’m always tempted to go ahead and buy the Maltomeal cereal version of my favorite brands. Thankfully I never do and enjoy the real thing even if its way over priced. With movies though, the stories a little different. 

Hollywood has its maltomeal brand too. For every Transformer film there’s always a Transmorphers. If you don’t want to watch Snakes on a Plane you can always rent Snakes on a Train. I kid you not those are real titles and I’ve partaken in these films with a smile on my face. I love a good old fashion B-movie. They’re campy over-the-top awesomeness that are great for a laugh. If you doubt me please rent the best Jaws rip-off ever Shark Attack 4 Megalodon. You won’t regret it. Now, with the cereal analogy in place for your movie imagine the Fruity Pebbles you bought turns out to be Sugar Stones. If you weren’t expecting it odds are you’d be a little more then disappointed. You just spent all that money for goodness sakes! 

Enter the Losers. That’s exactly what this film is. It’s a maltomeal cereal that’s just not that good. I’m sure you’re probably wondering which brand this film is ripping off. Maybe this will ring a bell? “If you have a problem and no one else can help.” That’s right, in total maltomeal tradition the Losers should have been titled The Kinda A-Team. I know that The A-Team is currently just a TV show but in a few short weeks it will be a feature film. Bold prediction, the A-Team film will do a much better job with the whole framed soldiers become outlaws plotline because it will have one very powerful element on its side; Nostalgia. The Losers had other failings as well. It was overly stylized via shaky cams, quick cuts and slow motion. Just imagine a film with all the bad habits of Micheal Bay, John Woo, Brett Ratner and McG. Need I say more? 

This film did have its silver lining though. The very talented Chris Evans co-stars and steals every scene he’s in. This guy is going to be a major box office force one day and I’m very glad he’ll finally get his star vehicle in Captain America, The First Avenger. He was the right choice for that franchise. 

Until next time I’ll really be hoping that the plan does indeed come together for the A-Team movie. 

The Pretentious Filmmaker

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Iron Man 2

One of my absolute favorite things to do other then watching a movie is sitting out on my back porch with some good friends to chat the night away. Of course a crucial element of the evening is deciding what type of consumables will be present for the conversations that will happen throughout. Yeah chips and salsa will be there but I’m talking about the important stuff. Am I going to have a nice glass of wine at my side or am I going to have a good old fashion tall glass of lager? It all depends on what I’m in the mood for. The wine is always enjoyable; it helps to bring out the flavors of everything else I eat that night. If I choose the lager I know I’ll be getting the same taste every time but yikes that some great flavor. From now on I’m going to have to make that choice when I decide if I want to watch Iron Man or Iron Man 2.

Lets get this out of the way right now. Iron Man is the lager. Its not all that complicated and you know you’re going to get the same flavor throughout the film. I believe this comic adaptation is probably the best superhero origins feature I’ve ever seen. It’s full out fun and never tries to change the tone. I’ll always enjoy it no matter how many times I see it. Now let’s talk about the sequel. 

 

This film is a fine wine. Its got a lot different flavors running thorough out and at the same time doesn’t suffer from the complex fate of some other notable sequels that have come out in the last few years. Just ask Jack Sparrow, he’ll tell you what I mean. I’ve read a few other reviews on this film and they keep trying to say that it gets muddle because it focuses to much on Stark. If they had done their homework they’d have realized that Tony is one of the most complex superheros in the Marvel universe. He's flawed, he’s an alcoholic and truthfully he can be really hard to like at times. Back to the wine analogy, it’s all those little flavors that make it so great to enjoy. 

I really want to give Jon Favreau a hand here. He didn’t fall into any of the traps that a lot of directors snare when they try to make a sequel. They always want to go bigger and better with more explosions and deeper plots. Favreau does exactly this but its done the right way. The story never felt forced and it moved naturally from one plot point to another. Don’t even get me started on Downey. He is as brilliant as always. Go see Iron Man 2. You’ll enjoy it and make sure you stay till the end of the credits you won’t regret it. 

Until next time I’ll be thinking about just how awesome the Avengers could be. 

The Pretentious Filmmaker.

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Robin Hood

What do you remember most about your last vacation? You remember the places you went, the things you saw and most likely where you went to eat. If I were to ask you though, did that really make your vacation awesome or was it something else? I’ve taken a lot of long trips in my life and I remember most of them fondly. For some reason though as I look back on it, it seems like the destination becomes less and less important. 

I went to Panama City Beach, FL three times out of my four and half year college experience. PCB was the place we went but it became just a backdrop for the memories I made there. A good vacation is not just a series of events. You don’t just move from point A to point B. You fill in the gaps with the experiences you had. In turn those experiences become the foundation for your memories and that’s what you remember. It’s funny but this theory also works in film and story too.

Robin Hood could be looked at as a film about travel. During the story our main character played by the every man Russell Crowe covers a lot of ground. As always, Crowe brings his unique style of rugged but gentle character traits to the screen. He moves throughout the plot and delivers a good performance. The same can be said for Ridley Scott. I can’t begin to express how much admiration I have for this director. He’s in my top five and I’ve always loved his work. His command of the camera and his visual story telling are second to none. He is just as present in this film/trip as Crowe. So why was I so bored?

To put it simply, this film was all about the destinations. I’m not taking about the sets or locations they filmed in. Go back and think about your last vacation again? Imagine you don’t have any of the filler that become the memories you made and just have the locations you visited. Suddenly your experience becomes just plain flat. That’s exactly what happened in this new big screen version of Robin Hood. It moved to its plot points and the film kept going but I never really cared about these characters. They moved throughout the story and never really gave me anything to remember. To drive my point home lets look at a true Ridley Scott masterpiece. 

I'll never forget the opening scene of Gladiator. We see Maximus standing on the edge of a battle field. He is strong and impressive and even intimidating in his armor. Do you remember what happens next. He looks up at tiny bird that flutters away and smiles. In that moment the audience is shown who this character is and what gives him motivation. He was a great warrior but it wasn't his true place. He accepted his current position but he longed for something else. It's those moments that make a film memorable and they weren't found anywhere in Robin Hood. 

Normally this is where I’d tell you to go and see the film for yourself but I’ve got to be honest here. I’ve looked back at all the films I’ve reviewed over the last year or so and they always entertained me. That's why I tell you to go see them. Not so with this one though. Its just not entertaining and you should save your money and rent it later on.

 

Until next time I’ll be listening to Everything I do, I do for you on my iPod. 

The Pretentious Filmmaker

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MacGruber

Over the last five years three acts have dominated modern comedy. This first consists of Jon Stewart and his writing team. Whether you agree with his politics or not his show is freaking hysterical. The second is Todd Philips and his merry band of idiots. That name doesn’t ring a bell for you? Well I’m sure The Hangover does and Philips was responsible for it. Find a comedy that was more loved or embraced as strongly by film critics the world over, you won’t. The third act is none other then Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone and Andy Samberg. Collectively known as the Lonely Island. Even if you don’t know them you’ve seen their stuff every time a digital short was on SNL. They created the $^#(@ in the box guys, laser cats and of course Macgruber which is now a feature length film. So was it any good? 

Imagine the last time you went to the bathroom in a gas station along a highway somewhere. What did you see written in the stalls? I’m guessing you probably can’t repeat most of it. Some of it might have been funny but the majority probably catered to the lowest common denominator. This is the best way I can sum up Macgruber. This film was way to foul even for me and mind you I ingest a healthy dose of Family Guy and South Park weekly.

You might be thinking that The Hangover wasn’t all that family friendly either. You’re right but the difference between these two films is vast. In The Hangover there were moments where the story went to the gutter but the film wasn’t dominated by that type of humor. It was smart, it was oddball and at times so funny I almost had to run to the little boy’s room. Macgruber was the exact opposite. It lived in the gutter and every once in awhile it climbed out and gave us solid comedy. That’s what made me so angry. The boys at the Lonely Island are immensely talented and those few moments of good comedy in Macgruber prove it. So why does every joke in this film have to be based on a penis or a vagina? These guys are better then that. Why were they so lazy in their writing? 

The Lonely Island didn’t give us a film to laugh the night away. They gave us a look into most junior and senior high boy’s mind across the country. I tried to have fun, tried to will myself to laugh but instead I felt like I was using a shovel to dig through crap. At the end of the night I didn’t find enough comedy gold to make that terrible smell worth it. 

Until next time I’ll be trying to answer the ultimate comedy question. Why did that darn chicken cross that road anyways?

The Pretentious Filmmaker

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