Of course there is the super obvious choice of Nash from my own book, Youth in Asia. But that's not really fair, since he's based on me anyway. Although, I would have to be more athletic, and there's always the super fun stunt work and wrestling school, I'd have to attend.
But in all seriousness, I would have to go with one of four choices...
Omega Red.... as the seldom used X-Men villain I could go places, Brian Singer would never dare to go. Plus having to work with the cgi Carbonadium Tendrils would be a gas too. I just always liked Omega Red since I red how he made it through the Russian Super Soldier Program, "he toughed it out on pure mean." I honestly think, even though I'm not massive like Arkady Rosavich, I could bring a super dark and tortured presence to the character. He's mean, he's nasty and he's perfectly capable of killing Wolverine. Think about it. He secretes Death Pheromones. Just like Rogue, he would be a really isolated and tortured kind of person. Combine that with the possibility of him not being a willing participant in the Super Soldier program, and I'd give Hugh Jackman a run for his fuckin' money.
Nightwing/Batman... Since I picked up the Wizard 1/2 story, and then went back and bought over a year's worth of back issues by creative team, Chuck Dixon and Scott McDaniel I fell in love with the grown up Dick Grayson. Gone were the days of being Batman's sidekick and protege. Grayson filled the shoes of a much needed hero in the only city that made Gotham look like a great place to live, Bludhaven. From the acrobatics to the sharp wit and biting sarcasm that Bruce would never allow for himself, coupled with the idea that he honestly wants to hang up the tights one day and just be a normal guy. To his troubled, father/son relationship with Bruce. Dick Grayson as either Nightwing or Batman would be a serious ride and sort of cathartic to play. Plus all the stunt work and wire work would be first rate, since I would demand Woo Ping choreograph the fight scenes.
Moon Knight.... Marvel's much darker and more twisted answer to Batman comes in the form of everyman mercenary Marc Spector, who when left for dead in the Egyptian desert finds Kon Shu who grants him power and rebirth. It left Spector a little dazed in the cranium, but playing character with an imbalance would push my acting and probably make me the next Heath Ledger. What? Too soon?.... Seriously, to play a third string character recently given new light by Marvel would allow for a much darker transition and the ability to go places with the character much like they did with Blade. Shrouded in cloak and cape, Moon Knight would be tougher to pull off than Batman, as you wouldn't be able to rely on facial gesticulations or expression. You would have to go where Hugo Weaving went with V. Physical actions and a killer voice would be the only things depicting Spector's further descent into madness. And I think I like that just fine.
The Joker.... With my final choice, I intend to take things way further than even Heath Ledger could have if he returned for the next face off with Batman. I would dig into my playbook of psychotic with a hint of legitimate humor and rapier wit to be a darker, edgier and bigger, badder Joker than anyone has ever known. People think of the Joker as "just" a psychological villain. When in reality, he's just the chaos that mirrors Batman's so called "sanity and logic." People forget that Bats is just as crazy as the Joker, and I know I could drag that out of that pointy eared freak show. You see, Batman wears a mask. I don't. I'm not hiding who I am. Am I Brucie? So his parents were killed. So were the Menendez Brothers and they turned out alright. Where Ledger conjured up visions of a more sinister Joker, he forgot about the suave style and sophistication that must come with being the number one rogue in the world of four color funny books. I know I could draw on the only two other men who came close to capturing the scintillating style and the mad a macabre that I have festering deep within me. Because as every little boy once wanted to be..... send in the clown!
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Clash of the Titans (1981); A Hardcore Review
In getting ready for the monumental 3D event of the early Spring, I decided to download and watch the original Clash of the Titans. Yes the very same movie made famous for some amazing stop motion animation and special effects by Mr. Ray Harryhausen. The same Mr Ray Harryhausen who was made homage to in
Monster's Inc for the sushi house named after him. The same movie made famous with a line from Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, where Randal goes into the Quick Stop and proclaims, "I was trying to watch Clash of the Titans and all I can hear is those two yelling about Morris Day at the top of their lungs."
This movie had pretty much everything a flick involving the Gods should. Infidelity, bastard children, vengeance, brutality, egomaniacs, and some wicked stop motion animation. You have to remember that I went to school for animation in the early 2000's. And the cgi and ability has changed so much since then. It's change immensely since 1981 when this movie came out. I cannot get over how, even with the limited tech they had and the limits that compositing held, this movie holds up remarkably well. I mean to me, Gollum from LOTR doesn't even look all that realistic anymore. And that wasn't more than a handful of years ago. Some of the greatest movies of all time come from that specific time period, and the suspension of disbelief is what made it great. Now don't get me wrong, I love a movie with amazing animation in it, but there's nothing like the original Star Wars trilogy, or ET or the first two Aliens movies and Terminator 2. These films are epic, and will stand the test of time, not just cause of the generation who will never let them go, but mainly because they were phenomenally told narratives on good versus evil. And since then things have become so blurred in the 98% of Gray area we have called moral ambiguity.
Look, I loved The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and The Hellboy movies. Those you need on Bluray so you can admire the quality of the animation, costume and set design. And let's not forget how the quality of special effects has risen to a new level. It's just astonishing in scope. But there is legitimately something special about Clash of the Titans. The only other movie that came close to that, was done back in 1933, and it was called King Kong. It stood as testiment for almost 50 years. And even with the newest advent of using 3D in every other flick that comes out, I still need to harken back to movies like Clash and Star Wars to remember where I came from and what made me passionate about my imagination. It's what made me what to be a super hero. And even with the cheesy dialog and props that don't look quite right, it stands as lineage to what is.
You know I grade my reviews on a scare of a hardcore moment in professional wrestling history. The more hardcore the moment, the more I enjoyed the work I am reviewing. The more references to Hulk Hogan, the more I recommend you gouge out your eyes of puncture your ear drums. So, here we go...
It was a Friday night in late 1999. The Dudley Boys, on their last night with ECW had just won back the World Tag Team Titles. And they promised to lay them at the feet of WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon. Was there nobody who would rescue the most coveted titles in team sports? That man came forth. His name is Tommy Dreamer. With a massively damaged back, and tortured soul from the Dudleys, he wouldn't back down. He stormed the ring and began defending the honor of the company he loved. But all too quickly the two toughest men in the tag team division began the ultimate destruction of the ultimate team player in Dreamer. But, then something happened. From out of the crowd came a man from Dreamer's past. A man Dreamer hated. A man who but once had never lost to Tommy. The delusional and egomaniacal man named Raven, slid into the ring, and DDT'ed one of the Dudleys and pinned him. Tommy began to get up as the ring bell sounded. Confused and in a daze one of the tag belts was slapped onto Tommy's shoulder by his arch nemesis, Raven. And just as quickly as it started, Raven slipped back into the embrace of the ECW crowd, arms out stretched, head thrown back in effigy.
Monster's Inc for the sushi house named after him. The same movie made famous with a line from Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, where Randal goes into the Quick Stop and proclaims, "I was trying to watch Clash of the Titans and all I can hear is those two yelling about Morris Day at the top of their lungs."
This movie had pretty much everything a flick involving the Gods should. Infidelity, bastard children, vengeance, brutality, egomaniacs, and some wicked stop motion animation. You have to remember that I went to school for animation in the early 2000's. And the cgi and ability has changed so much since then. It's change immensely since 1981 when this movie came out. I cannot get over how, even with the limited tech they had and the limits that compositing held, this movie holds up remarkably well. I mean to me, Gollum from LOTR doesn't even look all that realistic anymore. And that wasn't more than a handful of years ago. Some of the greatest movies of all time come from that specific time period, and the suspension of disbelief is what made it great. Now don't get me wrong, I love a movie with amazing animation in it, but there's nothing like the original Star Wars trilogy, or ET or the first two Aliens movies and Terminator 2. These films are epic, and will stand the test of time, not just cause of the generation who will never let them go, but mainly because they were phenomenally told narratives on good versus evil. And since then things have become so blurred in the 98% of Gray area we have called moral ambiguity.
Look, I loved The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man and The Hellboy movies. Those you need on Bluray so you can admire the quality of the animation, costume and set design. And let's not forget how the quality of special effects has risen to a new level. It's just astonishing in scope. But there is legitimately something special about Clash of the Titans. The only other movie that came close to that, was done back in 1933, and it was called King Kong. It stood as testiment for almost 50 years. And even with the newest advent of using 3D in every other flick that comes out, I still need to harken back to movies like Clash and Star Wars to remember where I came from and what made me passionate about my imagination. It's what made me what to be a super hero. And even with the cheesy dialog and props that don't look quite right, it stands as lineage to what is.
You know I grade my reviews on a scare of a hardcore moment in professional wrestling history. The more hardcore the moment, the more I enjoyed the work I am reviewing. The more references to Hulk Hogan, the more I recommend you gouge out your eyes of puncture your ear drums. So, here we go...
It was a Friday night in late 1999. The Dudley Boys, on their last night with ECW had just won back the World Tag Team Titles. And they promised to lay them at the feet of WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon. Was there nobody who would rescue the most coveted titles in team sports? That man came forth. His name is Tommy Dreamer. With a massively damaged back, and tortured soul from the Dudleys, he wouldn't back down. He stormed the ring and began defending the honor of the company he loved. But all too quickly the two toughest men in the tag team division began the ultimate destruction of the ultimate team player in Dreamer. But, then something happened. From out of the crowd came a man from Dreamer's past. A man Dreamer hated. A man who but once had never lost to Tommy. The delusional and egomaniacal man named Raven, slid into the ring, and DDT'ed one of the Dudleys and pinned him. Tommy began to get up as the ring bell sounded. Confused and in a daze one of the tag belts was slapped onto Tommy's shoulder by his arch nemesis, Raven. And just as quickly as it started, Raven slipped back into the embrace of the ECW crowd, arms out stretched, head thrown back in effigy.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Top 5 Movies list
Following is a list of my top five favorite movies. Compiling this list is tough for me because there are so many movies I love for so many different reasons. The picks on my list might surprise some, who would take one look at me and pass judgment that I could not enjoy a movie with subtitles or subtext. I find it kind of hilarious that just based on my outward appearance and minimal conversation could help justify these individual's opinions. Especially seeing as they pride themselves on being so knowledgeable about so many different things. One being that they are working on the greatest movie to ever be made. Seeing as how they have been "working" on this project for over a decade, and they seem to think they have expertise on the subject simply because they took courses on film and film making in college, befuddles me. I don't claim to be an expert in animation and I got a degree in that, not just took classes involving it. I decided to do this as a sort of challenge taken from someone, due to my distaste for the IMDB Top 250. Which to me seemed to be more a popularity contest than a listing of the actual top 250 movies in terms of quality. I refuse to apologize for believing that nothing Quentin Tarantino directs should ever be placed on anyone's top anything list other than "Top Overrated Pieces of Shit"
1. Texas Chainsaw Massacre: This 1974 "semi true" movie directed by Tobe Hooper and written by Hooper and Kim Henkel is best viewed on regular dvd, and not bluray. Simply because the bluray makes the picture too clear. And part of the charm and macabre of its appeal is that it's grainy and harsh. This predates Freddy and Jason and even Michael Myers in terms of creating the ultimate believable "heavy" in a horror movie. Leatherface is a guy who can and does feel physical pain and is left with just enough life detail to compel one into feeling some empathy for him, while simultaneously rooting for him to kill the gaggle of hippie scum that have invaded his territory. Cinematographer Daniel Pearl worked with 16mm film and with it weaved an dirty and gritty film closely likened to a snuff film in its frightening realism. My love affair with this film began in 1998 when I first owned it on VHS. I have owned five separate copies of this film, two on tape, two on DVD and one on BluRay. The BluRay adds greatly to the sound and makes the 16mm film super high def. However, I prefer it to be grainy and sometimes hard to see, due to the nature of the story itself. Incidentally Tobe Hooper also scored the movie as well. TCM has spawned a legion of cult fans, three sequels and a revamp with a prequel that adds to the mythos and origin of the greatest slasher who ever lived, Leatherface. This movie has also inspired me to create and do the illustration for my tribute piece Fuzzyface: The Agnew Chainsaw Massacre, which is written by my partner Venus of Necro. The film has also been immortalized on my flesh as I have dedicated skin space to two Texas Chainsaw Massacre tattoos.
2. Amelie: This is possibly the most amazingly filed and written movie I have ever seen. It draws my praise and is as close to perfect as cinema can ever hope to come. There is nothing wrong with this film. All the characterization is perfect. The visuals are stylish and very intriguing. You can watch the movie without reading the subtitles and you will still be amazed at this stupendously written movie. Audrey Tautou is the most likable protagonist in the history of celluloid. She lights up absolutely every scene she is in. The entirety of this film is fun and beautiful. Bruno Delbonnel frames each shot with such clarity and color, that you cannot help but be amazed. This is visually one of the most stunning films I have ever seen, that did not have obvious special effects or CGI involved. This is the purest movie I have ever had the pleasure seeing.
3. Pan's Labyrinth: This stunning visual movie is spawned from the mind of Guillermo del Toro, the man behind the Hellboy films. Del Toro has done so many movies of superb quality, it is hard to pick a favorite. However, Pan's Labyrinth, with it's depth, and relation to fairy tales more in the vein of The Brothers Grimm than Disney is the reason I like it. The visuals in this classic are due to the amazing eye of Guillermo Navarro. Movies like Pan's Labyrinth may fall under the radar to the lowest common denominator, but its depth and passion are not lost on me. I first viewed this film at the behest of a girlfriend. And I am very glad she compelled me to watch it. And while watching this amazing story you are drawn in and you feel as if you are the only one watching, as if it is a story book and you are a child with the covers pulled up over your head, living it with the aide of a flashlight. Del Toro may be more famous and made his proverbial living by doing big budget flicks like Hellboy and Hellboy the Golden Army, and Blade 2, but his passion for his work is obvious in these very personal moments captured on film.
4. Leon: Luc Besson writes and directs this masterpiece of film making about a very simple hitman and the strange relationship he forms with a young girl. Jean Reno stars as Leon, the hitman who has standards. The only rule he lives by "no women, no kids." Reno was born to play Leon. He makes you care for this very sympathetic character. Even though he kills people for a living, you believe because Reno puts passion into Leon. You truly know that all the people who he "hits" are very bad people. Leon unwittingly is the target of the affections of his next door neighbor,
Matilda, played beautifully and above her years in Natalie Portman. This was Portman's first film, and she made you believe she was Matilda, a naive yet wise beyond her years girl. Thierry Abrogast is the Director of Photography, and he shot a beautiful film. From the opening flight over New York into the Macaroni Company, to the final moments of Leon's life, you are drawn into this film. So much so that you can smell the gun powder. The movie has recently been offered on BluRay, and it is truly worthy of high definition. This movie, as do my number 2 and 3 are on the IMDB 250, which is not a surprise given their amazing quality, but it is amazing considering a majority of the tripe that ended up on that list. Rumors have swirled since it hit theatres that Leon would spawn a sequel which would focus on Portman's character, Matilda as a grownup, who takes upon the career of a cleaner.
5. The Wrestler: Darren Aronofsky, director of such dark and disturbing films like Pi and Requiem for a Dream directs the story about a past his prime pro wrestler, Randy "The Ram" Robinson who is played by Mickey Rourke. The film is shot by Maryse Alberti, one of the few female DOP's in the business. The first thing I noticed about this film visually is that it seems to be shot in three different ways. The first being more of a "live" documentary type feel. The second being traditonal cinema in scope. The third, which you may or may not expect is that it is shot differently during the actual wrestling portions of the movie. More in the vein of smaller and intimate old school Extreme Championship Wrestling and less in terms of the high budgeted and multibillion dollar funded WWE events. Rourke's career mirrors that of the protagonist. He's a broken down man, who's best years, money and glory are all behind him. Rourke conveys the life of a downtrodden former star in such a compelling way, that you are lead to believe that this movie is not only how a lot of 1980's wrestling main eventers now live, but anyone who once held the spotlight and is no longer marketable to multibillion dollar companies. Marisa Tomei plays an aging stripper, who rebuffs the romantic advances of Randy, compares his life to that of Christ in "Passion of the Christ." Randy is estranged from his daughter who is played Evan Rachel Wood. The story mirrors the telling of Jake "The Snake" Roberts' life in "Beyond the Mat," the 1999 documentary which followed the lives of three career wrestlers. Roberts' relationship with his daughter was well documented and hard to watch. In "The Wrestler" you feel for Woods' character because you know and witness Robinson's inability to let go of any spotlight he may have left to become just Randy Robinson, father. This is a story that is relates to anyone who has held fame or success, and refuses to let go.
1. Texas Chainsaw Massacre: This 1974 "semi true" movie directed by Tobe Hooper and written by Hooper and Kim Henkel is best viewed on regular dvd, and not bluray. Simply because the bluray makes the picture too clear. And part of the charm and macabre of its appeal is that it's grainy and harsh. This predates Freddy and Jason and even Michael Myers in terms of creating the ultimate believable "heavy" in a horror movie. Leatherface is a guy who can and does feel physical pain and is left with just enough life detail to compel one into feeling some empathy for him, while simultaneously rooting for him to kill the gaggle of hippie scum that have invaded his territory. Cinematographer Daniel Pearl worked with 16mm film and with it weaved an dirty and gritty film closely likened to a snuff film in its frightening realism. My love affair with this film began in 1998 when I first owned it on VHS. I have owned five separate copies of this film, two on tape, two on DVD and one on BluRay. The BluRay adds greatly to the sound and makes the 16mm film super high def. However, I prefer it to be grainy and sometimes hard to see, due to the nature of the story itself. Incidentally Tobe Hooper also scored the movie as well. TCM has spawned a legion of cult fans, three sequels and a revamp with a prequel that adds to the mythos and origin of the greatest slasher who ever lived, Leatherface. This movie has also inspired me to create and do the illustration for my tribute piece Fuzzyface: The Agnew Chainsaw Massacre, which is written by my partner Venus of Necro. The film has also been immortalized on my flesh as I have dedicated skin space to two Texas Chainsaw Massacre tattoos.
2. Amelie: This is possibly the most amazingly filed and written movie I have ever seen. It draws my praise and is as close to perfect as cinema can ever hope to come. There is nothing wrong with this film. All the characterization is perfect. The visuals are stylish and very intriguing. You can watch the movie without reading the subtitles and you will still be amazed at this stupendously written movie. Audrey Tautou is the most likable protagonist in the history of celluloid. She lights up absolutely every scene she is in. The entirety of this film is fun and beautiful. Bruno Delbonnel frames each shot with such clarity and color, that you cannot help but be amazed. This is visually one of the most stunning films I have ever seen, that did not have obvious special effects or CGI involved. This is the purest movie I have ever had the pleasure seeing.
3. Pan's Labyrinth: This stunning visual movie is spawned from the mind of Guillermo del Toro, the man behind the Hellboy films. Del Toro has done so many movies of superb quality, it is hard to pick a favorite. However, Pan's Labyrinth, with it's depth, and relation to fairy tales more in the vein of The Brothers Grimm than Disney is the reason I like it. The visuals in this classic are due to the amazing eye of Guillermo Navarro. Movies like Pan's Labyrinth may fall under the radar to the lowest common denominator, but its depth and passion are not lost on me. I first viewed this film at the behest of a girlfriend. And I am very glad she compelled me to watch it. And while watching this amazing story you are drawn in and you feel as if you are the only one watching, as if it is a story book and you are a child with the covers pulled up over your head, living it with the aide of a flashlight. Del Toro may be more famous and made his proverbial living by doing big budget flicks like Hellboy and Hellboy the Golden Army, and Blade 2, but his passion for his work is obvious in these very personal moments captured on film.
4. Leon: Luc Besson writes and directs this masterpiece of film making about a very simple hitman and the strange relationship he forms with a young girl. Jean Reno stars as Leon, the hitman who has standards. The only rule he lives by "no women, no kids." Reno was born to play Leon. He makes you care for this very sympathetic character. Even though he kills people for a living, you believe because Reno puts passion into Leon. You truly know that all the people who he "hits" are very bad people. Leon unwittingly is the target of the affections of his next door neighbor,
Matilda, played beautifully and above her years in Natalie Portman. This was Portman's first film, and she made you believe she was Matilda, a naive yet wise beyond her years girl. Thierry Abrogast is the Director of Photography, and he shot a beautiful film. From the opening flight over New York into the Macaroni Company, to the final moments of Leon's life, you are drawn into this film. So much so that you can smell the gun powder. The movie has recently been offered on BluRay, and it is truly worthy of high definition. This movie, as do my number 2 and 3 are on the IMDB 250, which is not a surprise given their amazing quality, but it is amazing considering a majority of the tripe that ended up on that list. Rumors have swirled since it hit theatres that Leon would spawn a sequel which would focus on Portman's character, Matilda as a grownup, who takes upon the career of a cleaner.
5. The Wrestler: Darren Aronofsky, director of such dark and disturbing films like Pi and Requiem for a Dream directs the story about a past his prime pro wrestler, Randy "The Ram" Robinson who is played by Mickey Rourke. The film is shot by Maryse Alberti, one of the few female DOP's in the business. The first thing I noticed about this film visually is that it seems to be shot in three different ways. The first being more of a "live" documentary type feel. The second being traditonal cinema in scope. The third, which you may or may not expect is that it is shot differently during the actual wrestling portions of the movie. More in the vein of smaller and intimate old school Extreme Championship Wrestling and less in terms of the high budgeted and multibillion dollar funded WWE events. Rourke's career mirrors that of the protagonist. He's a broken down man, who's best years, money and glory are all behind him. Rourke conveys the life of a downtrodden former star in such a compelling way, that you are lead to believe that this movie is not only how a lot of 1980's wrestling main eventers now live, but anyone who once held the spotlight and is no longer marketable to multibillion dollar companies. Marisa Tomei plays an aging stripper, who rebuffs the romantic advances of Randy, compares his life to that of Christ in "Passion of the Christ." Randy is estranged from his daughter who is played Evan Rachel Wood. The story mirrors the telling of Jake "The Snake" Roberts' life in "Beyond the Mat," the 1999 documentary which followed the lives of three career wrestlers. Roberts' relationship with his daughter was well documented and hard to watch. In "The Wrestler" you feel for Woods' character because you know and witness Robinson's inability to let go of any spotlight he may have left to become just Randy Robinson, father. This is a story that is relates to anyone who has held fame or success, and refuses to let go.
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