So I’m at work and kind of bored and wondering what it would be like if I lived a different life, in a different place. It’s not that I’m unhappy in my current situation – but when my mind is bored it tends to wander into that creative no-man’s land straight into my imagination. Next stop ladies and gentleman, the Twilight Zone!

Below are just a random sampling of some movie and TV worlds I would occasionally like to inhabit. Read the rest of this entry »

There are some pretty bad actors out there who, lets face it, are only up on the big screen because they’re nice to look at (not that I’m complaining mind you).  On a boring Sunday afternoon I’m sure there are plenty of ladies who would gladly give up some brain cells to ogle the likes of Ashton Kutcher , Adrian Grenier , or (dare I say it) Zac Efron – but can these boys act? I’m sure many of you Entourage fans will disagree but when you compare the aforementioned to the likes of Harrison Ford, Tom Hanks, and Tom Cruise, there really is no comparison.

It’s forgivable when a bad actor is in a bad movie (i.e., The Guardian with Ashton and another of his ilk, the always wooden Kevin Costner).  It’s not forgivable however when a good solid actor with some real chops, phones it in. You know what I’m talking about – the actor who you know only took the job because of the paycheck (or maybe something more sentimental like the movie was filming in Aspen and he wants to be close to his family during their ski vacation). I guess I can sort of understand those reasons but something about a good actor slumming it makes me a little sad. Below is a list of just a few said actors and the movies they would have been better off without. Read the rest of this entry »

Solomon Kane, from the title alone, evokes the same mental image as “Alan Quatermain” or “Abraham Van Helsing” – either the movie will be about a swashbuckling hero or a sage protagonist with a wealth of knowledge used to help others.

But Solomon Kane is neither of these fictional characters. Based on the character created by pulp writer Robert E. Howard, Solomon Kane is a wandering puritan who lived in the 17th century and whose goal is to vanquish evil wherever he encounters it. The character appeared in many stories in Weird Tales, the seminal title that brought many high quality pulp horror stories.

I am not thoroughly familiar with Solomon Kane as a character so I’ll base this review solely on what I have seen in the movie and based on what I have just seen, Solomon Kane is a character that should really be given as much focus as the other comic book characters enjoying the adoration of the public.

Solomon Kane revisits the same familiar tropes of faith and repentance but given a deliberate Hollywood polish of expansive cinematography and special effects. Michael J. Bassett, who both wrote and directed the movie, tried to do his best to cram as much of Solomon Kane’s origins in order to give the audience a heftier idea of why he seeks redemption. As “origin” movies go, Bassett also had to contend with trying to cram in as much background story as he could without eating up too much of his available screen time. It’s a worthwhile effort and I feel that even though he has not fully achieved his goal, it was still a passable effort that gave us a good glimpse of Solomon Kane before he repented and began his quest for the deliverance of his soul.

Luckily, Bassett had a very capable actor in James Purefoy who injected just enough pathos in his performance that by the middle of the movie, the audience really roots for him. It is quite easy to ham it up in a movie like this but Purefoy managed to evade this easy trap. His Kane is fractured, conflicted and tortured but there is a nobility that shines through and a goodness that emerges naturally in his performance. Speaking of actors, I was quite happy to see the great Pete Postlethwaite as the well-meaning William Crowthorn. Actors like him always give any movie a worthwhile sheen and as always he delivers here. I feel that Jason Flemyng is thoroughly underused as the villain Malachai. His screen time is just not enough.

The cinematography was a bit hit and miss. I don’t know if it was the copy that I was viewing but there were some scenes that were a bit too poorly lighted. But it’s undeniable that Bassett has a great eye. There were some gorgeous scenes that would put to shame most of the hacks in Hollywood — which makes me wonder why Bassett is not being given more high profile projects. Solomon Kane is loads better than the very poorly made Van Helsing. To compare him to Stephen Sommers is an insult to Bassett.

I am also a bit underwhelmed by the movie’s ending. You get this feeling of wanting more but from the looks of it, it seems that the people behind the movie are hoping to make a franchise out of it. Hopefully, the movie has performed well enough to actually merit a sequel.

All in all, Solomon Kane is one of those action/fantasy movies that are not being noticed because it doesn’t have the pull of an A-list actor. But I think the beauty of this movie is precisely the fact that it is not totally consumed by Hollywood’s touch. Fantasy/action fans would be well advised to check this movie out.

Rating: B+

An unheralded classic of urban gritology, ‘The Incident‘ is a b/w film from 1967. The story is primarily, and claustrophobically, confined to a New York City subway car. As it hurtles and rattles through dark underground tunnels, it becomes a terror ride for a cluster of local types. Two young thugs, including a teen-aged Martin Sheen, taunt, threaten and intimidate the other passengers. They take over the car and hold the other riders hostage to their whims, their sadism, and their unabated cruelty.

The passengers on this night ride include Beau Bridges as a soldier with a broken arm from the mid-west and his Manhattan GI buddy, Ed McMahan as a harried young father (nope, no “Herrrre’s Johnny!” in this flick), a whiny old husband and wife, a gay guy, a black couple, and a few other typical subway strap hangers. Read the rest of this entry »

Far too many of us are stuck this summer, because we just can’t seem to afford a real vacation. So instead of really going somewhere and actually doing something, the term ‘staycation’ was developed to, I suppose, make us feel better as we wilt at home and suffer through the summer doldrums. So, what could be more refreshing than watching a cruise ship movie? You know the genre, all glitz and glitter, as glam passengers parade around the sun-kissed deck of some luxurious ocean liner. Tranquil seas, elegant surroundings, beautiful people, big drinks, and a good time was had by all. Escapism at its finest, I suppose.

Yet there are some cruisy type movies that have, to borrow a term, an assault and battery twist. These are the movies where, despite the happily ever after beginning, the cruise inevitably ends tragically. Given box office and fan ratings, these type of movies provide a guilty pleasure for many of us. So, and to help you feel better about being stuck in staycationville, here’s a few comments about vacationers in three such movies who really owed it to themselves to just stay home! So don’t even think of envying them.

Read the rest of this entry »

I recently  re-watched the movie D.O.A. – the 1950 version starring the underrated Edmond O’Brien (I don’t acknowledge the 1988 remake even though I’m a Dennis Quaid fan).  About halfway through it occurred to me just how sad the story was and probably for the first time, I felt real sympathy. I not only felt bad for Frank Bigelow, our very reluctant hero, but also for his lady friend Paula who would never even get the chance to be called his widow. I’m sure I’m not giving anything away here by telling you that it doesn’t end well for these two (see movie title) but I never really got the tragedy of the story until I viewed it again as an adult. Read the rest of this entry »

I don’t know about you but I love the beginning of movies. In fact, sometimes I’ll watch just the beginning and then turn the movie off at a certain point (only movies I’ve seen before of course) and imagine that the characters never experience the conflict or turmoil that only real life dishes out.

I like to call the beginning of the movie (or Act 1) the calm before the storm. This act usually serves as an opportunity for the filmmaker to get in the most exposition. This part of the movie establishes characters, relationships, plots, conflicts, and most of all it introduces us to the world in which we’ll reside for the remaining 2+ hours. I love this part because it’s usually before anything goes wrong. Of course there are exceptions where we’re plunged right into the action (Total Recall and The Shawshank Redemption come to mind) but for the most part, our main characters are happy in the beginning. They’re still blissfully ignorant to the s$%! storm coming their way, and that’s just the way I like them.

Let me explain what I mean with a few examples of some of my favorites. Read the rest of this entry »

I hate it when someone decides that nouns can be turned into verbs.  It’s like, who gave you the authority to alter the English language?!  Such is the case of Sony Pictures, warning moviegoers that 2011 is the year we all get  Smurf’d.  Yes, our animated blue friends are coming to New York.

I’m never a fan of real-life action mixing with animation, and after viewing the brief trailer, I have no reason to believe this movie will turn me into a believer.

The good news is that Hank Azaria (always a pleasure to watch) will play the evil Gargamel and Neil Patrick Harris will play an expectant father who has his world turned upside down by the Smurfs. Read the rest of this entry »

I have nothing against the Toy Story movie franchise. In fact, I’ve even heard people whispering behind my back that I look like Woody. But I do have an issue with Disney’s latest promotion tactic: “Promoted Tweets” – and worse yet – “promoted trending topics.”

It’s the first time I’ve seen this Twitter pay-for play, and I don’t like it one bit. Read the rest of this entry »

My dad watches a movie trailer and gives his first impression.

Dreamwork’s new and scheduled for a November release is their animated movie, ‘Megamind‘, which shows a good deal of promise. Though the overall premise of the very predictable good versus evil is the movie’s primary theme, there’s a pronounced sophistication, both in the dialogue and the overall plot. If you appreciate sarcasm and irony, then Megamind does not disappoint. Because the plot, and the script, have both; and in abundance. Read the rest of this entry »