Entries from June 2009 ↓

Another one of my ‘most awaited’ remakes of all time. I remember growing up with Alice in Wonderland as a story and no doubt later recalling how that particular story had shaped my perception and shaped my life. I felt the same way when I first saw the Matrix. It had the effect of a crow-bar prying open my mind to new possibilities and opportunities. I loved it.

And here it is again… so far only a few pics of the movie have been released and the cast looks brilliant, with a few staples from the Tim Burton toolbox. Namely, Johnny Depp as The Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter as the Queen of Hearts. The nice touch is Anne Hathaway as the White Queen.

The movie is set to release on 5 March 2010.
Here’s an idea of what it’s going to look like…

Alice in the Caterpillar’s Garden

Johnny Depp – The Mad Hatter

Helena Bonham Carter – The Queen of Hearts

Anne Hathaway – The White Queen

I remember posting before on Sarah Michelle Gellar working on creating the movie version of that AWESOME game, American McGee’s Alice. I don’t
know when that will be released, but one at a time… right now I’m looking forward to Tim Burton’s recreation. I wonder who’s playing Alice???

Technorati Tags: Alice in Wonderland, Tim Burton, American Mcgee, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, 2010

Rating:

Okay you don’t have to tell me I know that isn’t the real title I’m simply trying to inform anyone who reads this that this is in fact the second one and they haven’t missed any of the ” Transformers Trilogy”. First off I would like to ask a question why does Michael Bay of all directors have to be the one making these movies?! WHY?! And second I had been hoping the editor of this site was going to beat me on putting a review up for this movie before me but oh well.

Transformers, have actually been around since 1984 when the Japan toy company, Takara Tomy, sold the distribution rights to the American toy company Hasbro. Over nearly the first 23 years of the “Robots in Disguise” there were various new lines of the popular toys coming out very often with the main premise of the “Autobots” vs the “Decepticons” fighting each other constantly with the “Autobots” trying to protect the human race. New twists were being constantly added and eventually the robots appeared on a TV show that aired 16 episodes. Soon after “The Transformers: The Movie”, an animated film, came out. Then less than 2 years ago Michael Bay debuted a live-action version of the robots fighting each other on Earth. The main plot (SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!) was that years ago one Archibald Witwicky in the 19th century was attempting to reach the Arctic Circle. He stumbled upon the frozen leader of the “Decepticons”, “Megatron”. “Megatron” had traveled to Earth looking for “The Cube” aka “The All Spark” an energy source that had created him and his species which had lived on the planet “Cybertron” until a civil war between the “Autobots” and the “Decepticons” destroyed the planet. Jump forward to the year 2007 and we find Sam Witwicky, played by Shia Lebouf, the descendant of Archibald. Sam posses his great-great grandfather’s glasses which the coordinates of “The Cube” are engraved on the lenses. To make an over two hour long story short both the “Autobots” and the “Decepticons” race to find Sam and his glasses and the story ends with Sam killing the now thawed Megatron by shoving “The Cube” into his “spark”, aka heart, and “The Cube” being raw power kills “Megatron”. “Optimus Prime” and the remaining “Autobots” vow to remain on Earth to protect the humans and Sam gets the girl, Mikaela Banes, played by the very attractive Megan Fox. Though I am leaving out many important characters I wish not to ramble when you can easily see the film yourself and I am not reviewing that film right now but perhaps later.

Now onto the sequel, the main premise of the movie which I will not spoil is basically the “Decepticons” getting back at the “Autobots”(and they get big-time payback) and the revenge of the original “Decepticon” name “The Fallen”. Yes you read that right it isn’t “Megatron” it is one ‘Decepticon” named “The Fallen” who was once on Earth in 17,000 B.C. and has a history with “The Primes”, “Optimus’” ancestors. The first half of the movie is about, more “Transformer” history, revenge, suffering, and unveiling, and I will say nothing more. The other half is yet another search for an ancient object of power, which can be seen in one of the trailers.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Final Official Trailer

Yeah, you know that's a badass picture.

In general the film was a mash of somewhat repetitive battles and explosions, and two-thirds of the plot being correlative to the first film.

 KABOOM!!! I’m guessing this was one of the more expensive scenes.

Yet Bay tried to bring in many new characters to capture the audience that we get to know slightly but they sadly take away from the characters that audiences got to know and love from the first film. One character that Bay did introduce this film had audiences laughing and people nearly immediately liked him, then POOF! He disappears at one point and is never to be seen again the rest of the film with no explanation. So at this point I must summarize what i think and say number one Bay was feeling cocky and severly blew it in way too many scenes. He did very well with the couple scenes with Mikaela and Sam to calm down the audience between action sequences and several scenes that had half the audiences balwing their eyes out, even some guys! Number two, they gave Bay way to big of budget that he didn’t need, 190 million dollars, which I think took away from what could had been a genuinely excellent sequel. Finally if Michael Bay ever reads this, dude get the next one rated R because you had a lot of language in the first half of the movie for a PG-13 rating and get Megan Fox naked in it cause she will do it, 90% sure.

Thanks for reading.

The trailer for the new TV movie – ‘Battlestar Galactica: The Plan’ chronicling the battle between the Humans and the Cylons, this time from the viewpoint of the Cylons. I assume it would be summarised seeing as the human side was told across five seasons and this new movie is only two hours long. But check out the Trailer below… it looks AWESOME.

Technorati Tags: Battlestar Galactica, Movie

Can’t wait for this one to come out!  Tarantino is back in the habit with this long-awaited World War II flick about a group of soldiers who’s only business is “Killin’ Nazi’s”.  The trailer already makes it look pretty damn cool.

“We’re in the Bid’ness of Killin’ Nazi’s, and baby… Bid’ness izza Boomin’!” – Brad Pitt

Here’s more insight from Amanda Palmer from “The Fabulous Picture Show” on Al Jazeera talking live from Cannes.

and the original trailer…

Technorati Tags: Movie, Inglorious Basterds, Tarantino

Rating:

So, Land of the Lost (2009), I would have to say I actually expected worst things out of this film. The trailer actually fouled up the movie and I almost didn’t go to it, and I can watch movies for free! Another factor that nearly made me turn away from Will Ferrel’s newest movie was when I heard the movie is based off anold 70’s TV show. But I took a deep breath and dove into the theater and sat all the way through. The beginning we find an astronaut walking through a jungle in his space suit calling his base for help and a loud roaring sound getting closer and closer to him. From there I would say you could guess what happened if you have seen a trailer or poster for this movie. After seeing the whole ball of wax that creates this mediocrely amusing film even the common numbskull could think back to the beginning and say what the heck was the astronaut for? After reading up on Brad Sieberling I knew that I could not expect a great piece of film from him espicially noting that this is only his third film to direct and all his past work he worked as a producer (otherwise know as the nobody of film, or the guy to get the director coffee). Anyways I’m not writing to bash certian directors or positions in film. Throughout the film very few lines are rescued from the brink of pointless by Ferrell and McBride.

Don’t worry 30 lizard things aren’t sneaking up on you.

Perhaps througout the entire film only one scene, the scene where Ferrell, McBride, and Jorma Taccone have a witty drug sequence suggesting several drugs crammed into one seeing that they are in a virtual Land of the Lost. Throughout the mildly funny film the special effects save the film from a horrible rating with great creature effects ranging from T-Rex evil grins to Sleestak opening wide to show several rows of sharp teeth.

But in the end one must wonder if well done sets, great creature CGI and an almost all star cast make a great movie and I say no but it still makes an OK movie.

Thanks for reading.