A Video Review of "Brother"
Copyright 2002 Glenn Walker
When it comes to Japanese gangster cinema Beat Takashi is The Man. As a director he is a masterful genius, as an actor he is invincible. He strides through this movie like Clint Eastwood through a 1960s Italian western – no one can touch him.
In Brother he comes to America and ruthlessly takes over territories and kills competition making friends and enemies as he goes along. This movie takes all the action of Hong Kong, all the attitude of gangsta rap, all the violence of American Mafia flicks and all the clever cool of the Britmob pics and mashes it together into a fine wine of cinema.
It’s "Stranger in a Strange Land" meets Goodfellas. Very violent, visually exciting, excellent cool. See it.
Warning - the above trailer is very violent and may be inappropriate for most audiences. It's also very indicative of what you'll see in the flick itself.
Wednesday, May 07, 2003
Tuesday, May 06, 2003
X2: X-Men United
AGAINST ALL ODDS
A Film Review of X2: X-Men United
Copyright 2003 Glenn Walker
Being the real comics geek that I am it’s not hard to find things to like about the second X-Men film. What amazes me is how accessible it apparently is to non-comics folks.
Before the credits had run at the end of the film my wife spoke up to say she liked it – rare when it comes to comics-related stuff (she gets enough of that stuff from me). My friend Marni said she liked Nightcrawler so much she wanted to hug him. Two young girls behind us in the theatre discussed the original film before the previews started. One hadn’t seen it so her friend described it to her. "It’s so complicated, you don’t understand what’s going on, there’s too many characters… but it was sooo cool. You just gotta see it!" They were suitably impressed afterwards as well.
My amazement comes from that none of these folks are comics people. X-Men somehow works in the mainstream against all odds. It is actually a good movie. Unlike the first film which was (hell, it had to be) a lot of set up and had to introduce a dozen or so characters plus the whole mutant concept and premise for the X-Men the sequel had room to move, to expand, to explore.
X2: X-Men United focuses on one storyline and a specific group of characters. It keeps it light and tight. Rather than being overwhelmed by too much information you can sit back and marvel at what you’re seeing. This is much better than the original.
Magneto and Mystique are suitably evil and strictly out for themselves even as they work together with their sworn enemies the X-Men. The tales of Wolverine and Rogue continue to evolve as we get deeper focus on minor characters from the first film Iceman and Pyro. The movies, like the comic books, establish a soap opera like continuity that made the comics so successful.
Anyone who hasn’t taken the dive and seen this movie or its predecessor I urge you to immediately. Don’t be put off by the geek factor. Don’t think you’ll turn into a comics freak or worse yet a Trekkie. You’ll just enjoy the flick like everyone else. It’s accessible, it’s entertaining and it’s amazing.
A Film Review of X2: X-Men United
Copyright 2003 Glenn Walker
Being the real comics geek that I am it’s not hard to find things to like about the second X-Men film. What amazes me is how accessible it apparently is to non-comics folks.
Before the credits had run at the end of the film my wife spoke up to say she liked it – rare when it comes to comics-related stuff (she gets enough of that stuff from me). My friend Marni said she liked Nightcrawler so much she wanted to hug him. Two young girls behind us in the theatre discussed the original film before the previews started. One hadn’t seen it so her friend described it to her. "It’s so complicated, you don’t understand what’s going on, there’s too many characters… but it was sooo cool. You just gotta see it!" They were suitably impressed afterwards as well.
My amazement comes from that none of these folks are comics people. X-Men somehow works in the mainstream against all odds. It is actually a good movie. Unlike the first film which was (hell, it had to be) a lot of set up and had to introduce a dozen or so characters plus the whole mutant concept and premise for the X-Men the sequel had room to move, to expand, to explore.
X2: X-Men United focuses on one storyline and a specific group of characters. It keeps it light and tight. Rather than being overwhelmed by too much information you can sit back and marvel at what you’re seeing. This is much better than the original.
Magneto and Mystique are suitably evil and strictly out for themselves even as they work together with their sworn enemies the X-Men. The tales of Wolverine and Rogue continue to evolve as we get deeper focus on minor characters from the first film Iceman and Pyro. The movies, like the comic books, establish a soap opera like continuity that made the comics so successful.
Anyone who hasn’t taken the dive and seen this movie or its predecessor I urge you to immediately. Don’t be put off by the geek factor. Don’t think you’ll turn into a comics freak or worse yet a Trekkie. You’ll just enjoy the flick like everyone else. It’s accessible, it’s entertaining and it’s amazing.
Monday, May 05, 2003
My First Poetry Event
A LOT LESS PAINFUL THAN I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT
A Review of My First Poetry Event
Copyright 2003 Glenn Walker
I’m not a poetry guy. Yeah, I’ve written poetry, yeah, I’ve read it and yeah, I’ve got plentiful friends who do this stuff. But it’s not me.
After numerous (far too many to count) invitations to poetry events and poetry slams I broke down and went. It was local, it was promoted on my writers group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/writercircle/) and it was being organized by good friend Linda of www.cavalcadeofpoetry.com. Blatant promotion mode off. Also having been ill and down and out for quite some time I wanted to see some good friends I had neglected for some time.
Poetry makes me think of two things: puppies and rainbows, and shock and politics. Knowing my darker inclinations one might guess which one I enjoy more. I was hoping it would more the latter than the former.
The venue, Port City Java in Deptford New Jersey, is quite nice in comparison to a lot of coffee shops I’ve been in. It has the familiar stuff; the coffee bar, the pastries, the tables and such. It also has a gift shop with candles and chocolate – and in the back where the event was to take place, a large open room adorned by the wonderful art of So Young whose oil and acrylic mastery of young ladies and flowers is amazing.
I arrived late and was greeted by dear friends; Sharona, Jim, Lisa and Linda, who coincidentally make up the local vocal center of Writer Circle. Checking out the rest of the folks there I was relieved to find no aging beatniks snapping their fingers. Cliched I know but it was a fear. These were normal people interested in sharing creativity – exactly the reason I was there.
Linda, Sharona and Jim all did wonderful readings as did a young man named Steve Paul who was truly amazing. I hope to see more of his work. Having had such a good time this past Sunday I believe I’ll be attending on a weekly basis. It was a lot less painful than I thought it would be – it was actually very cool.
A Review of My First Poetry Event
Copyright 2003 Glenn Walker
I’m not a poetry guy. Yeah, I’ve written poetry, yeah, I’ve read it and yeah, I’ve got plentiful friends who do this stuff. But it’s not me.
After numerous (far too many to count) invitations to poetry events and poetry slams I broke down and went. It was local, it was promoted on my writers group (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/writercircle/) and it was being organized by good friend Linda of www.cavalcadeofpoetry.com. Blatant promotion mode off. Also having been ill and down and out for quite some time I wanted to see some good friends I had neglected for some time.
Poetry makes me think of two things: puppies and rainbows, and shock and politics. Knowing my darker inclinations one might guess which one I enjoy more. I was hoping it would more the latter than the former.
The venue, Port City Java in Deptford New Jersey, is quite nice in comparison to a lot of coffee shops I’ve been in. It has the familiar stuff; the coffee bar, the pastries, the tables and such. It also has a gift shop with candles and chocolate – and in the back where the event was to take place, a large open room adorned by the wonderful art of So Young whose oil and acrylic mastery of young ladies and flowers is amazing.
I arrived late and was greeted by dear friends; Sharona, Jim, Lisa and Linda, who coincidentally make up the local vocal center of Writer Circle. Checking out the rest of the folks there I was relieved to find no aging beatniks snapping their fingers. Cliched I know but it was a fear. These were normal people interested in sharing creativity – exactly the reason I was there.
Linda, Sharona and Jim all did wonderful readings as did a young man named Steve Paul who was truly amazing. I hope to see more of his work. Having had such a good time this past Sunday I believe I’ll be attending on a weekly basis. It was a lot less painful than I thought it would be – it was actually very cool.
Battlefield Earth
GREAT RETRO SCI-FI BUT…
A Video Review of Battlefield Earth
Copyright 2002 Glenn Walker
I hated this the first time I saw it. Now I like it a lot.
It’s very retro – like the Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers movie serials of the 1930s. You have very clearly drawn lines of good and evil. You have a hero Johnny (Barry Pepper of The Green Mile, Saving Private Ryan) to root for and a villain Terl (John Travolta whose heart and soul went into this project) to hiss and boo.
It’s great action but typical sci-fi cliché (not unlike the thousand-plus page book it’s based on). Against all odds it is enjoyable. It smacks of old movie serial in the same way the original Star Wars trilogy does.
The reason I didn’t like this film initially was probably all the backstage crap. Yes, it’s based on the aforementioned book by L. Ron Hubbard and yes, it is chockful of Scientology philosophy and yes, most of the cast are Scientologists but. But you have to put that aside when you watch. It turns up the enjoyability factor quite a few notches if you do.
The cast is very convincing and the effects top notch. They even succeed in realizing the considerable size difference between the humans and their alien foes the Psychlos. Forrest Whitaker is particularly good.
John Travolta is over the top as the villainous Terl. It should be noted he had this project on tap for so long that at one point he was slated to play young Johnny, now he’s too old.
Forget the Scientology angle and give this one another shot. It’s very good.
A Video Review of Battlefield Earth
Copyright 2002 Glenn Walker
I hated this the first time I saw it. Now I like it a lot.
It’s very retro – like the Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers movie serials of the 1930s. You have very clearly drawn lines of good and evil. You have a hero Johnny (Barry Pepper of The Green Mile, Saving Private Ryan) to root for and a villain Terl (John Travolta whose heart and soul went into this project) to hiss and boo.
It’s great action but typical sci-fi cliché (not unlike the thousand-plus page book it’s based on). Against all odds it is enjoyable. It smacks of old movie serial in the same way the original Star Wars trilogy does.
The reason I didn’t like this film initially was probably all the backstage crap. Yes, it’s based on the aforementioned book by L. Ron Hubbard and yes, it is chockful of Scientology philosophy and yes, most of the cast are Scientologists but. But you have to put that aside when you watch. It turns up the enjoyability factor quite a few notches if you do.
The cast is very convincing and the effects top notch. They even succeed in realizing the considerable size difference between the humans and their alien foes the Psychlos. Forrest Whitaker is particularly good.
John Travolta is over the top as the villainous Terl. It should be noted he had this project on tap for so long that at one point he was slated to play young Johnny, now he’s too old.
Forget the Scientology angle and give this one another shot. It’s very good.
Saturday, May 03, 2003
Armitage III
A Video Review of "Armitage III: The Polymatrix"
Copyright 2003 Glenn Walker
This is typical anime; cyberpunk, robots, chicks with big eyes and blood and guts. What sets Armitage III apart from the rest is the Americanization of the flick. It’s not just dubbed, it’s dubbed by star voices. Rather than the regular crew of folks who always dub these things this one has employed the celebrity vocal skills of Elizabeth Berkley (Showgirls and "Saved by the Bell") and Kiefer Sutherland (The Lost Boys and "24").
The problem with celebrity dubbing is that sometimes a voice is too familiar. Sutherland’s character is black-haired so I had a problem associating the voice with the character with his voice. I had similar difficulties with Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and Alec Baldwin.
The only thing that takes you out of the flick is the disproportion of the leads. Sutherland is portrayed very realistically while Berkley is your typical petite scantily clad anime babe with big eyes. It may be the style but it becomes most irritating after awhile.
The story involves a serial killer offing robot women on Mars with Sutherland and Berkley as the officers investigating. Even with the cyberpunk and ultraviolent anime trappings this has the distinct feel of an American buddy cop movie. Good story, great characters and involving story, all around a well done piece.
Copyright 2003 Glenn Walker
This is typical anime; cyberpunk, robots, chicks with big eyes and blood and guts. What sets Armitage III apart from the rest is the Americanization of the flick. It’s not just dubbed, it’s dubbed by star voices. Rather than the regular crew of folks who always dub these things this one has employed the celebrity vocal skills of Elizabeth Berkley (Showgirls and "Saved by the Bell") and Kiefer Sutherland (The Lost Boys and "24").
The problem with celebrity dubbing is that sometimes a voice is too familiar. Sutherland’s character is black-haired so I had a problem associating the voice with the character with his voice. I had similar difficulties with Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within and Alec Baldwin.
The only thing that takes you out of the flick is the disproportion of the leads. Sutherland is portrayed very realistically while Berkley is your typical petite scantily clad anime babe with big eyes. It may be the style but it becomes most irritating after awhile.
The story involves a serial killer offing robot women on Mars with Sutherland and Berkley as the officers investigating. Even with the cyberpunk and ultraviolent anime trappings this has the distinct feel of an American buddy cop movie. Good story, great characters and involving story, all around a well done piece.
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