Today I start out My Mission with the director's cut of Kingdom of Heaven.
I actually bought this dvd on a bit of a whim. I had seen the theatrical cut and found it quite boring. I'm not sure I actually finished it. But I had heard the directors cut was a massive improvement, so when I saw it at a decent price a few years ago I thought "fuck it", and finally 5 years or so later I put it in and man I gotta say, this movie is better than Gladiator.
Whoa. Whoa. Calm down. I still love Gladiator. I mean, that movie fucking rules. It's rousing and violent in all the right ways, with a commanding performance from the Crowe. But this version of Kingdom of Heaven has bigger ideas and themes, not to mention rich direction from Ridley that ranks it amongst his best films. Aside from Orlando Bloom, I'd also say that there is an overall better cast here than in Gladiator. Again, not that anyone was bad in that film, but with Liam Neeson, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons and a literally unrecognizable Edward Norton all giving their all for Mr. Scott, it's easier to see how this movie rises above that other sword and sandal epic.
Coming back to Bloom for a moment, he is no way bad, and honestly handles himself quite nicely, but put him next to any of the talent listed above and he immediately seems like a lesser actor. Still, it doesn't hurt the movie much and I would be curious to see how he would have fared if a few more director's of Ridley's caliber had taken a chance on him as well.
If you saw the original as I did, give this version a shot. It really is great. I actually wish I had more time to expand on here ( and shit, maybe I will tomorrow) but I got movies to watch today.
Next up is the mind fuck of Being John Malkovich. This movie has been on Netflix instant for a while now, but I knew one day I would own it so I put off watching it. Finally, the gods over at criterion released a wonderful blu ray version of the film which I picked up earlier this month.
This is a movie that takes me back to a time when I was really discovering some good fucking movies. 1999 brought us The Matrix, Magnolia, Fight Club, The Sixth Sense, Toy Story 2, American Beauty, The Green Mile and about a dozen other magnificent flicks. This isn't my favorite movie of that period, but it sure as hell is the most creative and ambitious.
The cast is all great, particularly John Cusack and Cameron Diaz. It's been a long while since Cusack has been in something this great, and honestly it appears as though he's mostly given up trying, but watching him here playing sad and dopey puppeteer Craig Schwartz reminds me just how good he can be, especially with dark comedy. Same goes for Diaz. Unlike Cusack, I always find her to at least be engaging with whatever material she's working with, but rarely does she choose material as good and unglamorous as this. This same year she starred in Any Given Sunday, another movie that gave her a great showcase other than the sweet, bubbly personality that shot her to fame in There's Something About Mary and I really hope we can see a return to form for her.
Of course, special mention has to go to Malkovich himself, who allows his past and personality to be completely ravished here, all in the name of film. There are a number of ways they could of gone with in terms of Being (insert name here), but I'm glad they chose him. Such a weird, wonderful movie.
Full disclosure, these viewings have been split over two days because after Being John Malkovich yesterday, I had a beer and had a grave desire to watch True Blood. So there.
So today I started again with Primal Fear, one of the many legal thrillers to come out of the 90s, but more importantly, includes the film debut of one Mr. Edward Norton.
On the surface, this is a pretty by books lawyer film, with corruption, sex, priests and court scenes a plenty. But it's the performances that help this one stand out. Richard Gere has always been dependable, never phoning it in even if the some of the films he appeared were questionable, and here he is extremely charismatic as a hotshot defense attorney. Laura Linney, Francis McDormand, Andre Bauer, John Mahoney and Alfrie Woodard are also peppered throughout the cast and each making their presence felt.
It's Norton who steals the show though. I won't spoil it if you haven't seen it, but he plays a fine line here, and the fact that it's his first role is remarkable. Definitely deserving of the Oscar nomination he received. Of course, the reveal isn't quite dramatic as it was in 1996, but the performance stands, especially that final scene with him and Gere. Mmm, mmm. nothing like a 90s courtroom drama to waste the day away.
Alright guys, that's it for now. It will be a couple of days before I do this again. Sometime next week I reckon. I promise this though, Alien will be viewed soon. Like tomorrow or the next soon, hopefully. Until then, suck it.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Alright dudes, another day another dollar. Er, well, more movies. Whatever.
I started out with The Killer Inside Me starring Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson. Affleck plays a deputy in a small west texas town who gets involved in bribes, sex, masochism, and of course, murder.
Between this and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Affleck has pretty much perfected playing a true creep. To say that he in unsettling here would be a bit of an understatement. There's a moment where his character just happens to be beating a woman to death, quite slowly, and while he does it he makes sure to tell her how sorry he is and that he loves her. So yes, that's creepy, but the matter of factness in his voice is what really gets me. Affleck has an inherent nice guy quality, which makes him perfect in a role like this. He's proven himself time and again, and I hope he continues to make interesting choices like this.
As for Alba and Hudson, both are quite good. Alba in particular shows chops here that were previously unseen. She finally goes beyond just being a pretty face in the frame and gets to dig deep. It's not an earth shattering performance, but shows that she can do more than previously thought. Hudson is good as well, though it's a tiny part. She never quite took advantage of her Almost Famous momentum, which is a shame. Hopefully a few smart choices like this and we can see a comeback for her.
All in all a pretty creepy movie. Strong direction and great casting choices peppered throughout make it an interesting journey in the mind of a killer.
Next up is AMERICA! or as most people know it, A Few Good Men, the 90s military courtroom drama starring CRUISE, Demi Moore, BACON and Jack Nicholson.
I'll be honest, when I bought this movie however many years ago, it was only because it had CRUISE in it. I went through a period around 19 years old where if I saw a movie that was reasonably priced and had CRUISE in it, I bought it, regardless of how I felt about the film.
Yes, I have seen A Few Good Men before, but I was probably 6 or 7 and had no real memory of it other than the very famous battle of wills between CRUISE and Nicholson at the end. Now since this is 90s CRUISE, it just happens that this movie is pretty damn entertaining. CRUISE was at the beginning of his hot streak that lasted almost 20 years when this movie came out, so of course I love it.
This is Hollywood filmmaking made with the broadest strokes possible. Big names, equally big characters, drama, tension...montages. Everything a great court thriller needs. On top of all this, the script was written by Aaron Sorkin, who also wrote The Social Network and many, many other great movies and shows. As always, he gives his actors great dialogue to chew and they all step up to bat. CRUISE is especially on top of his movie star game here. Ripping the dialogue with glee and having an absolute blast, he really hits his home run when playing against Nicholson, who obviously fucking rules. Seriously, that last scene is electric, and it's all because of CRUISE, Nicholson, and Sorkin's script. Great, great, great.
The film has one fairly major flaw though; it's score. Most 90s films feel dated just cause, but this score sounds like it's from an 80s teen scream schlock fest, or worse, lifetime movie of the week. It honestly brings the film down an entire level. No matter though, CRUISE still CRUISED it.
Finally, we end the night with Cinderella Man, a true story of boxing legend James Braddock and his rise and fall and rise in Depression era New Jersey from Oscar winners Ron Howard, Russell Crowe blah blah blah. Look, describing this movie makes me kind of hate it. It sounds manipulative and cliched, and honestly it is, but shit, man. It works.
Asshole or not, Russell is an incredible actor and Howard can be a great director. Also, this true story that Hollywood just loves to share happens to be really uplifting. I know, I know. I'm eating right out of those bastards hands, but c'mon, I dare you not to goosebumps every time Russell wins a fight.
Maybe not as good as their previous film A Beautiful Mind, though equally as manipulative, Crowe and Howard make a great team and make really enjoyable movies together.
I don't really have much else to say about this one. I love it, but it tends to leave the mind fairly quickly after viewing it. Take that as you will.
Well, it will be a few days before I do this again. Some time next week I believe, although I plan to watch Alien before then in anticipation of Prometheus and I think I'll post something about that here. So until then, suck it.
I started out with The Killer Inside Me starring Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson. Affleck plays a deputy in a small west texas town who gets involved in bribes, sex, masochism, and of course, murder.
Between this and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Affleck has pretty much perfected playing a true creep. To say that he in unsettling here would be a bit of an understatement. There's a moment where his character just happens to be beating a woman to death, quite slowly, and while he does it he makes sure to tell her how sorry he is and that he loves her. So yes, that's creepy, but the matter of factness in his voice is what really gets me. Affleck has an inherent nice guy quality, which makes him perfect in a role like this. He's proven himself time and again, and I hope he continues to make interesting choices like this.
As for Alba and Hudson, both are quite good. Alba in particular shows chops here that were previously unseen. She finally goes beyond just being a pretty face in the frame and gets to dig deep. It's not an earth shattering performance, but shows that she can do more than previously thought. Hudson is good as well, though it's a tiny part. She never quite took advantage of her Almost Famous momentum, which is a shame. Hopefully a few smart choices like this and we can see a comeback for her.
All in all a pretty creepy movie. Strong direction and great casting choices peppered throughout make it an interesting journey in the mind of a killer.
Next up is AMERICA! or as most people know it, A Few Good Men, the 90s military courtroom drama starring CRUISE, Demi Moore, BACON and Jack Nicholson.
I'll be honest, when I bought this movie however many years ago, it was only because it had CRUISE in it. I went through a period around 19 years old where if I saw a movie that was reasonably priced and had CRUISE in it, I bought it, regardless of how I felt about the film.
Yes, I have seen A Few Good Men before, but I was probably 6 or 7 and had no real memory of it other than the very famous battle of wills between CRUISE and Nicholson at the end. Now since this is 90s CRUISE, it just happens that this movie is pretty damn entertaining. CRUISE was at the beginning of his hot streak that lasted almost 20 years when this movie came out, so of course I love it.
This is Hollywood filmmaking made with the broadest strokes possible. Big names, equally big characters, drama, tension...montages. Everything a great court thriller needs. On top of all this, the script was written by Aaron Sorkin, who also wrote The Social Network and many, many other great movies and shows. As always, he gives his actors great dialogue to chew and they all step up to bat. CRUISE is especially on top of his movie star game here. Ripping the dialogue with glee and having an absolute blast, he really hits his home run when playing against Nicholson, who obviously fucking rules. Seriously, that last scene is electric, and it's all because of CRUISE, Nicholson, and Sorkin's script. Great, great, great.
The film has one fairly major flaw though; it's score. Most 90s films feel dated just cause, but this score sounds like it's from an 80s teen scream schlock fest, or worse, lifetime movie of the week. It honestly brings the film down an entire level. No matter though, CRUISE still CRUISED it.
Finally, we end the night with Cinderella Man, a true story of boxing legend James Braddock and his rise and fall and rise in Depression era New Jersey from Oscar winners Ron Howard, Russell Crowe blah blah blah. Look, describing this movie makes me kind of hate it. It sounds manipulative and cliched, and honestly it is, but shit, man. It works.
Asshole or not, Russell is an incredible actor and Howard can be a great director. Also, this true story that Hollywood just loves to share happens to be really uplifting. I know, I know. I'm eating right out of those bastards hands, but c'mon, I dare you not to goosebumps every time Russell wins a fight.
Maybe not as good as their previous film A Beautiful Mind, though equally as manipulative, Crowe and Howard make a great team and make really enjoyable movies together.
I don't really have much else to say about this one. I love it, but it tends to leave the mind fairly quickly after viewing it. Take that as you will.
Well, it will be a few days before I do this again. Some time next week I believe, although I plan to watch Alien before then in anticipation of Prometheus and I think I'll post something about that here. So until then, suck it.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
My Mission
Sup.
Today I have once again started going through some of the dvds and blu rays that I have yet to watch since I purchased them. Now, let me be clear here, I have seen these films, but I have not physically put them in the blu ray player. About a year ago when I realized how many this applied to, I decided to make it my mission to watch every single one of them. It's been slow going, but here I am, one year of college under my belt and a summer full of nothing ahead me. So here we go.
First up is The Godfather, Part II. I had only seen this once in its entirety before, so it was actually a pretty fresh viewing. What else can I say that hasn't already been said? This is a true masterpiece of film-making. Epic in every way, spanning 60 years of the Corleone history, expertly edited by director Coppola. Of course there is also the ridiculous cast. Pacino. Duvall. Keaton. Even a few small bits from future greats Harry Dean Stanton and shlock film-maker Roger Corman.
But of course, for me, this film belongs to De Niro as a young Vito Corleone ascending to the throne as a man of the people as well as a man of violence, when necessary. De Niro is simply astonishing, commanding respect the instant he appears onscreen. Even if he hadn't gone on to work with Scorsesi his legend would have been solidified with this role. Aside from The Deer Hunter, I think this may be my favorite De Niro role.
But again, I can't really say anything new about this one, except to say that if you haven't seen it, do so. Now.
Next up is Rain Man.
Shit. I love me some Cruise. No matter the era of Cruise, I love Cruise. 80's Cruise isn't the best Cruise, but because there is no bad Cruise, 80s Cruise is still great and Rain Man is no exception.
While I can't really agree with a Best Picture Oscar in 1988, I can definitely understand the huge box office the movie earned. A true crowd pleaser about yuppie Cruise who finds out about his older autistic brother after his estranged father dies and leaves the family fortune to said brother. In true hollywood fashion, Cruise is forced to get to know his brother in order to claim some of the cash.
This movie is ridiculously dated. The score, the clothes. The hair. The fucking hair. It was a hard decade for such things, but even with the unintentionally silly aspects, Rain Man works because Hoffman and Cruise are amazing together. In the beginning Cruise is a true ass-hole, who at first only takes his brother for selfish reasons. But once he starts to shine to the Hoff, I couldn't help but be drawn in. Hell, I even got a little teary-eyed at the end when *SPOILER ALERT* Cruise admits his true affection for his brother. Seriously though, Cruise and Hoffman are truly affecting and completely make the movie. Definitely a worthy addition to the land of Cruise.
We continue this journey with Speed, the best "Die Hard on a _____" rip-off there is. This is a flick I've seen dozens of times, but somehow still packs a hefty wallop, not to mention a ridiculous pace. I mean, I pressed play, looked at my watch and realized 45 minutes had already passed.
This next statement may upset you, but I truly believe Keanu Reeves has never been better than he is here. I know, you probably never thought Keanu was good in anything, even though I've countered that argument a time or two right here on this mind map of mine. Let's be honest though, he fits this part like a glove. Smart, tough, and very action capable ( a fact that he would solidify just a few short years later ), there might have been plenty of other actors who could have done this part, but none would have brought as much fun to it as Reeves did.
Oh yea, Dennis Hopper rules.
Finally, I tapped the evening off with The Grey, Joe Carnahan's tale of survival starring Liam Neeson. This movie fucking rules. It's not exactly the wolf-punching extravaganza the trailers promised, but still, there's plenty to love. Neeson is kicking ass better than ever, and here he is actually given one of his best dramatic roles in years. Yes, Taken was a blast, but that was a pretty straight forward action flick. With The Grey though, director Carnahan has made something more than just a man vs wolves adventure. He slowly reveals the movie to be about living life while you can, even if you can't imagine going on any further.
I know it sounds a little preachy, but trust me, its invigorating and exciting. I hope Carnahan sticks to movies like this and Narc. I love Smokin' Aces and The A-Team, but he seems to be at his best with smaller budgets and bigger ideas. Who knew?
Alright dudes, that's it for tonight. Tomorrow I plan on drinking and maybe watching Jersey Shore after work, but Thursday I hope to do another marathon. If so, I will definitely come here to share.
Until then, suck it.
Today I have once again started going through some of the dvds and blu rays that I have yet to watch since I purchased them. Now, let me be clear here, I have seen these films, but I have not physically put them in the blu ray player. About a year ago when I realized how many this applied to, I decided to make it my mission to watch every single one of them. It's been slow going, but here I am, one year of college under my belt and a summer full of nothing ahead me. So here we go.
First up is The Godfather, Part II. I had only seen this once in its entirety before, so it was actually a pretty fresh viewing. What else can I say that hasn't already been said? This is a true masterpiece of film-making. Epic in every way, spanning 60 years of the Corleone history, expertly edited by director Coppola. Of course there is also the ridiculous cast. Pacino. Duvall. Keaton. Even a few small bits from future greats Harry Dean Stanton and shlock film-maker Roger Corman.
But of course, for me, this film belongs to De Niro as a young Vito Corleone ascending to the throne as a man of the people as well as a man of violence, when necessary. De Niro is simply astonishing, commanding respect the instant he appears onscreen. Even if he hadn't gone on to work with Scorsesi his legend would have been solidified with this role. Aside from The Deer Hunter, I think this may be my favorite De Niro role.
But again, I can't really say anything new about this one, except to say that if you haven't seen it, do so. Now.
Next up is Rain Man.
Shit. I love me some Cruise. No matter the era of Cruise, I love Cruise. 80's Cruise isn't the best Cruise, but because there is no bad Cruise, 80s Cruise is still great and Rain Man is no exception.
While I can't really agree with a Best Picture Oscar in 1988, I can definitely understand the huge box office the movie earned. A true crowd pleaser about yuppie Cruise who finds out about his older autistic brother after his estranged father dies and leaves the family fortune to said brother. In true hollywood fashion, Cruise is forced to get to know his brother in order to claim some of the cash.
This movie is ridiculously dated. The score, the clothes. The hair. The fucking hair. It was a hard decade for such things, but even with the unintentionally silly aspects, Rain Man works because Hoffman and Cruise are amazing together. In the beginning Cruise is a true ass-hole, who at first only takes his brother for selfish reasons. But once he starts to shine to the Hoff, I couldn't help but be drawn in. Hell, I even got a little teary-eyed at the end when *SPOILER ALERT* Cruise admits his true affection for his brother. Seriously though, Cruise and Hoffman are truly affecting and completely make the movie. Definitely a worthy addition to the land of Cruise.
We continue this journey with Speed, the best "Die Hard on a _____" rip-off there is. This is a flick I've seen dozens of times, but somehow still packs a hefty wallop, not to mention a ridiculous pace. I mean, I pressed play, looked at my watch and realized 45 minutes had already passed.
This next statement may upset you, but I truly believe Keanu Reeves has never been better than he is here. I know, you probably never thought Keanu was good in anything, even though I've countered that argument a time or two right here on this mind map of mine. Let's be honest though, he fits this part like a glove. Smart, tough, and very action capable ( a fact that he would solidify just a few short years later ), there might have been plenty of other actors who could have done this part, but none would have brought as much fun to it as Reeves did.
Oh yea, Dennis Hopper rules.
Finally, I tapped the evening off with The Grey, Joe Carnahan's tale of survival starring Liam Neeson. This movie fucking rules. It's not exactly the wolf-punching extravaganza the trailers promised, but still, there's plenty to love. Neeson is kicking ass better than ever, and here he is actually given one of his best dramatic roles in years. Yes, Taken was a blast, but that was a pretty straight forward action flick. With The Grey though, director Carnahan has made something more than just a man vs wolves adventure. He slowly reveals the movie to be about living life while you can, even if you can't imagine going on any further.
I know it sounds a little preachy, but trust me, its invigorating and exciting. I hope Carnahan sticks to movies like this and Narc. I love Smokin' Aces and The A-Team, but he seems to be at his best with smaller budgets and bigger ideas. Who knew?
Alright dudes, that's it for tonight. Tomorrow I plan on drinking and maybe watching Jersey Shore after work, but Thursday I hope to do another marathon. If so, I will definitely come here to share.
Until then, suck it.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
The Avengers
Before I begin, I feel as though I must confess that I'm a DC man, through and through. Batman and Superman are the end all be all of superheroes in my correct opinion. Unfortunately, DC films have been all over the place since the likes of 1978's Superman and a few good to great Batman films. Not that Marvel's track record has been perfect, but since Iron Man in 2008, they have done an incredible job at building a shared movie-verse with five different movies all with the intent to lead into this years The Avengers.
Think about that for a second. 4 years, 5 movies, and boom, the biggest superhero movie of all time (notice I didn't say best). The mere fact that Marvel was able to make it to The Avengers at all is an achievement in and of itself, but that they actually made a great fucking movie is incredible ( I could have said Marvelous, but I wanted to spare you).
Just about everything in this movie is spot on. The action is epic, the humor is plentiful and hilarious, and the character work is exceptional. Director Joss Whedon brings the earth's mightiest heroes together in a way that seems effortless, making sure every character ( that matters) gets their time to shine.
I know there were a few worry-warts out there who were worried that this was basically going to be Iron Man and Friends, and while RDJ is definitely featured prominently, this is really Captain America's movie. He doesn't get more screen time per se, but the filmmakers made sure to put in some extra care into Cap's transition to modern day as well as his role as leader of The Avengers. Speaking of, the film did a great job of showing the conflict that is had between such giant characters, with Steve Rogers always being the glue that barely holds them together.
As I said before, RDJ has plenty to do here, giving some of the best one-liners Stark has had so far, but he also makes Iron Man's transition into a team player believable, a crucial objective given two films were dedicated to the characters' insistence on being a one man army.
Oddly enough, the film's dark horse is Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner. Ruffalo brings a quiet confidence to the character that we haven't seen on the big screen yet. Finally, Banner truly comes to terms with his alter-ego which is a welcome change to the usual moping and self-pitying previously portrayed in other installments. Don't get me wrong though, I still really like The Incredible Hulk and Norton's performance, but Ruffalo really makes the character his own and I for one hope to see him pop up in Iron Man 3 even if its only as Banner.
Of course, you can't talk about Banner without talking about 'the other guy' as he's referred into the film. This is the Hulk we've been waiting for. A true rage monster, going after whoever and whatever is in his way. Ruffalo is the first actor to play both sides of Banner, as he performed motion-capture as Hulk, and its a vast improvement on previous incarnations. Not only is the technology better, but the personality is hilariously realized by Whedon and Ruffalo in a way that only the comics had done before. Easily the best part of the movie.
Black Widow is also given much better material here than in Iron Man 2, which isn't too surprising since Whedon is obviously known for writing strong female characters, and Johansson acquits herself accordingly. Even Hawkeye gets a few moments here and there, and I hope that if either of them get their own movie, the other is featured prominently.
Honestly, if there was a character who the shafted a little bit I'd say it's Thor. Hemsworth once again brings great authority and humor to the role, and the scenes between him and Loki are especially good, but Thor never really gets that one "Holy Shit!' moment that everyone else does. Having said that though, he still has plenty to do, particularly a great fight with Iron Man and Captain America.
Last, but not least, there's Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston. I love Tom Hiddleston. Between this, and other films such as Midnight in Paris and War Horse, he has proven to be an extremely charismatic performer and he is a blast here. He relishes the part, and that fun is shared with the audience. Brilliantly though, he doesn't let you forget how that deep down he is just a son and brother who feels abandoned, and will let nothing stop him in his quest for vengeance. I seriously hope he has an equally big part in Thor 2.
Overall, The Avengers is rousing and exciting in every way it should have been. I hope Whendon returns for the sequel, as I feel he really is the one who can juggle a group of characters like this. This is a flick that is going to be hard to beat this summer, though I have a feeling Nolan won't go out without a fight.
Well dudes, summer is here and I don't plan on doing much, which hopefully means I jump back into My Mission of watching all dvds and blu rays that I have yet to watch. I plan to start around the 21st or so, so head back here and give me a look see. Until then, suck it.
Think about that for a second. 4 years, 5 movies, and boom, the biggest superhero movie of all time (notice I didn't say best). The mere fact that Marvel was able to make it to The Avengers at all is an achievement in and of itself, but that they actually made a great fucking movie is incredible ( I could have said Marvelous, but I wanted to spare you).
Just about everything in this movie is spot on. The action is epic, the humor is plentiful and hilarious, and the character work is exceptional. Director Joss Whedon brings the earth's mightiest heroes together in a way that seems effortless, making sure every character ( that matters) gets their time to shine.
I know there were a few worry-warts out there who were worried that this was basically going to be Iron Man and Friends, and while RDJ is definitely featured prominently, this is really Captain America's movie. He doesn't get more screen time per se, but the filmmakers made sure to put in some extra care into Cap's transition to modern day as well as his role as leader of The Avengers. Speaking of, the film did a great job of showing the conflict that is had between such giant characters, with Steve Rogers always being the glue that barely holds them together.
As I said before, RDJ has plenty to do here, giving some of the best one-liners Stark has had so far, but he also makes Iron Man's transition into a team player believable, a crucial objective given two films were dedicated to the characters' insistence on being a one man army.
Oddly enough, the film's dark horse is Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner. Ruffalo brings a quiet confidence to the character that we haven't seen on the big screen yet. Finally, Banner truly comes to terms with his alter-ego which is a welcome change to the usual moping and self-pitying previously portrayed in other installments. Don't get me wrong though, I still really like The Incredible Hulk and Norton's performance, but Ruffalo really makes the character his own and I for one hope to see him pop up in Iron Man 3 even if its only as Banner.
Of course, you can't talk about Banner without talking about 'the other guy' as he's referred into the film. This is the Hulk we've been waiting for. A true rage monster, going after whoever and whatever is in his way. Ruffalo is the first actor to play both sides of Banner, as he performed motion-capture as Hulk, and its a vast improvement on previous incarnations. Not only is the technology better, but the personality is hilariously realized by Whedon and Ruffalo in a way that only the comics had done before. Easily the best part of the movie.
Black Widow is also given much better material here than in Iron Man 2, which isn't too surprising since Whedon is obviously known for writing strong female characters, and Johansson acquits herself accordingly. Even Hawkeye gets a few moments here and there, and I hope that if either of them get their own movie, the other is featured prominently.
Honestly, if there was a character who the shafted a little bit I'd say it's Thor. Hemsworth once again brings great authority and humor to the role, and the scenes between him and Loki are especially good, but Thor never really gets that one "Holy Shit!' moment that everyone else does. Having said that though, he still has plenty to do, particularly a great fight with Iron Man and Captain America.
Last, but not least, there's Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston. I love Tom Hiddleston. Between this, and other films such as Midnight in Paris and War Horse, he has proven to be an extremely charismatic performer and he is a blast here. He relishes the part, and that fun is shared with the audience. Brilliantly though, he doesn't let you forget how that deep down he is just a son and brother who feels abandoned, and will let nothing stop him in his quest for vengeance. I seriously hope he has an equally big part in Thor 2.
Overall, The Avengers is rousing and exciting in every way it should have been. I hope Whendon returns for the sequel, as I feel he really is the one who can juggle a group of characters like this. This is a flick that is going to be hard to beat this summer, though I have a feeling Nolan won't go out without a fight.
Well dudes, summer is here and I don't plan on doing much, which hopefully means I jump back into My Mission of watching all dvds and blu rays that I have yet to watch. I plan to start around the 21st or so, so head back here and give me a look see. Until then, suck it.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
My school paper on why Live Free or Die Hard should have been rated R
This past semester at Wake Tech Community College, I took an argumentative writing course. One of the papers we had to write was an historical argument, where you had to argue that a certain major event, such as dropping the bomb on Japan, should have happened, should not have happened, or should have happened differently.
I chose to write about the rating of Live Free or Die Hard and why it should have been rated R. I actually didn't get a very good grade on the paper, mostly due to errors in the MLA format and some present/past tense issues (though I did pass). Even so, I think it's a good paper and have decided to share it here, because let's be real, that shit should have been R.
-Sidenote- I just copied and pasted from my word document, and the transition made the format a little screwy, but whatever.
I chose to write about the rating of Live Free or Die Hard and why it should have been rated R. I actually didn't get a very good grade on the paper, mostly due to errors in the MLA format and some present/past tense issues (though I did pass). Even so, I think it's a good paper and have decided to share it here, because let's be real, that shit should have been R.
-Sidenote- I just copied and pasted from my word document, and the transition made the format a little screwy, but whatever.
The Rating of Live Free or Die Hard
In June 2007, the film Live Free or Die Hard, the fourth entry in the popular action
franchise, was released and carried a PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association of
America (MPAA) as opposed to the R rating all previous entries had earned. Twentieth Century
Fox, the film studio that produced the movie, made the rating switch in an attempt to broaden the
audience and hopefully earn a greater profit. However, with a softer rating came a softer movie,
thereby undercutting the meaning of the title itself. Instead of going for the easy dollar, the
studio should have put its trust in the Die Hard brand that was already well established and gone
with the R rating that audiences had come to expect from the franchise.
While the first three Die Hard films vary in terms of overall quality, one of the things
all three got right was the portrayal of main character John McClane as played by actor Bruce
Willis. In those films, McClane is an ordinary guy, or everyman, who was put in extraordinary
situations, and unlike other action heroes from the time, there was no special circumstance to
who he was as a character. His wife wasn’t killed in a car accident causing him to become
suicidal and labeled a lethal weapon by his reluctant, about to retire partner nor was he a
mercenary stuck in a Central-American jungle being hunted by a predator from another planet.
He was simply a New York police officer visiting his estranged wife in Los Angeles with the
hope of getting back together. That is, until terrorists take over the building and McClane is
forced to take them out one by one. No matter how far-fetched the situation might be, it was his
reactions to the situation that resonated with audiences. When he got hit, he fell. When he got
shot, he bled. When he got angry, he cursed. And because these things happened to McClane
quite often, those films were rated R. In Live Free or Die Hard though, when McClane gets hit,
he barely falls. When he gets shot, he barely bleeds. When he gets angry, he certainly doesn’t
curse. The PG-13 rating simply cannot allow any of these things to be very extreme, or as one
might say, hard. Why, then, risk a proven formula?
According to BoxOfficeMojo.com, a website that tracks how much money films make in
their domestic and worldwide theatrical run, Live Free or Die Hard had an opening weekend of
$33 million on its way to just over $134 million by the end of its domestic run, both of which
were higher than all previous entries in the franchise. Also, according to RottenTomatoes.com, a
website that averages the positive and negative reviews of the nation’s critics for any given
movie, Live Free or Die Hard received an 82% rating, second only to the original Die Hard
which received an impressive 94% rating. Obviously, with a new franchise high in terms of
gross not only domestic but also worldwide, plus a very warm critical reception, the PG-13
rating had done exactly what Twentieth Century Fox had wanted it to do, broaden the appeal
and maximize profit.
If one were to truly compare all four films financially though, one would have to take
into account inflation of ticket prices over the years. In 1988, when the original film was
released, it grossed $83 million domestically, or $158 million if adjusted for today’s ticket
prices, per BoxOfficeMojo.com. In 1990, when Die Hard 2 was released, it grossed $117 million
domestically, or $217 million if adjusted. Finally, in 1995 when Die Hard with a Vengeance
was released, it grossed $100 million, or $180 million if adjusted, meaning that Live Free or Die
Hard actually sold fewer tickets than any other film in the franchise. Could the studio have
scared off even the most die-hard Die Hard fans with the PG-13 rating? Film critic, author, and
self-proclaimed Die Hard enthusiast Vern, in his book “Yipee Ki-Yay Moviegoer”: Writings on
Bruce Willis, Badass Cinema and Other Important Topics says, “As long as there is a chance of a
dishonorable PG-13, please refer to this one as Die Soft, Die Limp, Die Weak, Die Feeble, Die
Fragile, Die Compromised, Die in a Puddle Of Your own Urine Afraid of Facing the
Consequences of Being a man, etc” (387). In early 2012, Live Free or Die Hard even ended up
being chosen as number eleven in the online article “ Movies Ruined By Not Being Rated R” on
the entertainment website UGO.com. The author of the list, Evan Saathoff, points out, “When a
franchise's most recognizable calling card is an expletive, it seems obvious that a PG-13 rating
would be off the table.” Even those fans who weren’t completely dissatisfied with the movie,
still found it hard to get past the rating. Vern, in his official review of the film on movie website
Ain’tItCoolNews.com admitted, “But I am relieved to be able to tell you that, despite
everything going against it, LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD is a pretty damn
entertaining movie. It could and should be harder.” Overall, it was the character
of McClane himself who fans felt had suffered the most with the softer rating.
With the more appealing and friendly action, the character was reduced to an
invincible superhero sliding down the side of a jet wing onto a collapsing bridge
rather than the everyman who was forced to walk across broken glass while
barefoot and actually suffer the consequences that the audience was first
introduced to in the original film.
Even with minor critical acclaim and impressive box office, which has actually
led to the making of a fifth entry due to be released in theaters February 2013, one
can’t help but wonder how much more success the film would have had with the
franchises’ much more traditional and fan pleasing R rating.
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