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Watchmen (2009)
A little tiresome but well adapted
This is certainly a worthy adaptation to the big screen. I don't know the novel religiously, but I know it somewhat well, and it seems sure enough that this film carries through the themes, events and at times even words.
What must be applauded is that it dares take itself seriously - it's violent, dramatic, even a bit disconcerting. Not all heroes save the day, that's really the point of the entire novel and film. You can only harp on the heart-strings so many times (even Spider-Man is getting a bit tiresome), but when a movie punches you in the face, you have a reason to be dizzy.
There are weak points to it though. I think the theatrical cut could've possibly been even shorter (~2h15m? come on, think about it), with some sort of absurdly extensive ultimate end-to-end-all 5-disc DVD/Blu-Ray edition further down the line.
Jackie Earle Hayley gives a spectacular Rorschach, even his "gravelly" voice (really described as being more monotone) and unrelenting quest for punishing criminality. It was too bad that the psychologist scenes were a little different (maybe we'll at least get the entire closing "monologue" somewhere down the line, but I guess you can't have it all).
Some say there's "no trick" to Billy Crudup, but that's the trick in and of itself - to make a character seemingly indifferent feel human, earnest and interesting. He doesn't simply drone on, he's actually acting with every line and twitch.
The adaptation works to the point where it's like reading - it couldn't hold my interest burning passionately the entire way through, but where it does work, it really works (the opening credits and Dr. Manhattan's origin comes to mind). The fact that it does work the entire way through is a testament to the original book, that there are themes resonating beyond just the characters themselves.
At this point I have no rush to see Watchmen again. Whenever there's word of some sort of ultimate package, maybe I'll check it out, but there's a lot to take in, and it's mostly through the dialoge and characters. Hardly your typical action or thriller flick, but one to be savored on occasion, like (pardon the metaphor) a fine wine with enough years to it.
Friday the 13th (2009)
Get out your popcorn
After much anticipation, this take on Friday the 13th maintains all the elements we've come to expect, but feels a lot different than any classic Friday-film. Fortunately enough, it was a fun experience to see it on the big screen.
After New Line's last three attempts to use the Jason Voorhees character in new and special situations, the films have fallen into mediocrity, and become even more gimmicky then they were back in the 80's. So time for something different. And this isn't quite the dark, menacing ultra-violent throwback, but it's more like the lighter Friday installments, especially Jason Lives comes to mind. It's a Friday-movie by all means, and Jason does vicious things, but between the carnage are some wonderfully stupid (and even somewhat heartfelt) characters, making up a nice ensemble of enjoyable and somewhat stereotypical people. What makes it work is that they don't make fun of Jason.
Derek Mears is to Jason what Daniel Craig is to Bond - he's the character we know, and he delivers on all the goods we've come to see, but he goes about it in different ways, and has a fresher take on a classic character. Just see it with an open mind, and don't go in to this expecting "Sean Connery", or you'll be disappointed.
Jason's new motivation makes the story somewhat new and unique, and that's where fans will probably divide. If you feel as though you know and expect certain things from the character, you have to sort of put it aside. But I just feel that this new incarnation is what makes the film work overall - he's after all logical and fully based in reality, and isn't that better than some undead rotting corpse? There are certain characters I could do without (or I'd gladly recast), and a few glitches in storytelling here and there, but when it all comes down to it, Friday the 13th is all about a fun experience. It's not brain surgery folks, and this is not Academy Award-winning material. Just have fun with it, because every film is going to treat the same premise in a different way.
The unrated cut might resolve a few things, or even add more tone, but for now, Friday the 13th is just a fun and predictable thing, or as someone once so well put it - comfort food, the Big Mac of horror. So have fun with it while it lasts.
The Dark Knight (2008)
If you only watch one movie this year..
..then shut it off and go watch this one instead! Everyone has an opinion on The Dark Knight, and most are raving. Is everyone biased? Is it overrated? In my opinion, no. When hype builds up to a near frantic collective explosion (for several reasons), there's usually a letdown to be found at the end of it. Because you hear and see all the praise, but is it really that good of a movie, without all this going on around it? Yes. It sure is.
It has a darker tone, but still a balance of skillful cinema and all the popcorn thrill ride fun you can expect. And most of it comes right out of the blue. The score always gives it a sense of tension and grandeur, and the performances are what makes or breaks it.
We know Christian Bale pretty well as Batman by now - to give the character conviction (especially under that suit) is what he does best. In this he gives it even more intensity, even fury - but that's definitely what Batman is all about.
Heath..well, what else could be said? Everybody sensed something right away, and it caught on. The "Joker-flu" now has its firm grasp on most of us, but I hope there's still someone who will go into it and find the whole thing a pleasant surprise. Heath was at the top when he fell, but he left us an immersed, entertaining, surprising and impressive role. And at the same time very simple.
Michael Caine, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman and Maggie Gyllenhaal are the ones that will surprise you. When focus has been off them for so long, you find that they are still able to surprise you just with little moments, as opposed to the big ones the two leads come with.
Just see The Dark Knight. Hyped up or not, you shouldn't be disappointed.
Xena: Warrior Princess (1995)
An entertaining but rarely great show
Xena was never my kind of show to begin with. It takes a certain kind of humor or taste to "get it" or get into it right away, and that took me some time. Once I got into it, and eventually realized Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi were behind it, it made sense.
The real humor doesn't come from quirky sound effects, it comes from the actors. When Bruce Campbell pops in as Autolycus, or Ted Raimi has his better moments (or better jokes), or Lucy Lawless gets to dig into new characters (and odd dialects), it can be funny. Not hysterical, but a few laughs for sure. The present day-episodes mostly feel picked from thin air - forced rather than funny.
The drama is a bit on a one-track trail, but it shows hints of real potential. Only rarely, like the humor, does it really come to its right. The show goes from immensely involving to outright absurd and bizarre. Most of the "alternate" episodes are too out there to be really enjoyable, but others are surprisingly good. There are some clear "arcs" so anyone who chooses to see the whole show might most likely have their own favourite part of it.
My very favorite episodes would have to be "Death In Chains" (great emotion), "A Day In The Life" (great comedy) and "The Ides Of March" (fantastic drama and one of the most pivotal episodes in the show as a whole).
The Ruins (2008)
Surprising and intense
By the beginning of The Ruins, I was already getting the sense it was a good film. When it was half over, I was certain. And by the end of it, I knew it was great.
The premise doesn't hold many surprises - the characters are just about the usual for a horror film, but they're not just victims for a slaughter. You get the sense going into it that they're regular people, and that makes it more nervwracking to see what they experience.
The direction, scoring and effects provide to it - it's still a horror film, but it left me surprised - it dared to go to a slightly different place. It's intense, disturbing, violent and very bloody, but it doesn't back out. And by the end, your heart is still racing as you reach the end credits. The best horror film in a long time.
The Incredible Hulk (2008)
Packs a punch (and not just fight-wise)
At the very beginning there were some issues with the projector, so the opening title sequence was sadly never seen in its "full glory". But once the movie got rolling, it was surprisingly captivating.
Edward Norton really gives us his Hulk-film - and as involved with every facet of it, he delivered a damn good one. The story is a simple one - even if you're not a fan, you could probably tell us what it's about in less than five minutes. But here it's (finally...) told with characters you feel for and care about. The humor is almost subtle, not overplayed, so it's funny without getting "goofy". The score and emotion is also beautiful - has there ever been a better suited main theme? It also has little in-nods (including four cameos of sorts and three other Marvel references) which is great to see.
Edward Norton as David Banner plays to the part that matters. Loneliness, isolation, slight obsession (maybe desperation). He's picking up what Bill Bixby did so great, and paying homage to it. Liv Tyler is usually all smiles, but when her emotions get going, they hit you where it matters. I was skeptical about Tim Roth, but for the most part he does just what he should be doing.
The action is loud and frantic, and the mostly CGI fight scenes were probably the biggest letdown of the whole thing. For me it's really worked out as a dramatic story with action, not an action movie with hints of drama. So after going through it with the characters, you mostly just find "oh, it's time for another fight I guess". (But I'll admit a few moments in particular satisfied the 8-year old Hulk-fan within).
If your choice is between The Happening and this, you might find as I did, that (maybe surprisingly) The Incredible Hulk tells a really involving and exciting story, while The Happening remains pretty hollow.
Give this not-so-jolly green giant a chance, folks. It's a truly entertaining movie-going experience.
The Happening (2008)
Shyamalan leads and leaves us on a new path
Alright, I'll say that M. Night Shyamalan is a good filmmaker. He's brilliant with punctuation and tension, and the cinematography is beautiful. In the end he tells very human stories, albeit with bizarre or unusual circumstances.
But The Happening is no new Sixth Sense. He takes a bit of a new route this time with his first R-rated film - but if you're looking to see brutal death and mayhem, there isn't enough of that here to justify a ticket purchase.
It's the smaller moments that count here, and that's where a whole world of emotion is told in just a brief moment (I don't want to give it away, but I'm sure you can spot it when you see the film). But if only the whole sum left us with as much emotion as those little moments, this would've been a far better movie.
Diary of the Dead (2007)
Finally, the brilliant Romero!
I was born in the late 80's. Romero's original zombie trilogy never struck a true chord with me, but I still watch them and enjoy them. Then came Land Of The Dead, and while it didn't disappoint, it wasn't a great movie experience. But Diary Of The Dead is.
Hearing of it for the first time, I was skeptical. Filming a zombie outbreak? Sounds like a tame idea, and one that's being done too much these days anyway. I was proved completely wrong. This is very much Romero, and at the same time, it's not. The social and political commentary doesn't go unnoticed. But it's part of a narrative that's entertaining. Kids get off too easy with movies today. If you're having a valid thought between every fist of popcorn, it won't be the end of you!
Romero tells a modern day story surprisingly well. And it's great to see MySpace on the big screen for once, and not "zombieemergencyuploadsite.com". The havoc of zombies was just as valid in the 60's as now, but for different reasons. Despite all the tools to our disposal, we shouldn't forget to make good films! It's also nice to see little puns and nods to horror or zombie pictures in general (check the full Cast-list for example).
This isn't an Acadamy Award-winning picture. The actors don't shine with their performances, and most of us are too jaded too get grossed out by the gore-effects. But the point comes across - it's there from the very beginning, and it's stated clearly at the very end of the film. So my applause for George - he got it all along. I didn't until now.