THOR

THOR (2011)
US
Directed by Kenneth Branagh

CAST:
Chris Hemsworth - Thor
Natalie Portman - Jane Foster
Tom Hiddleston - Loki

PLOT:
     The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard and sent to live amongst humans on Earth, where he soon becomes one of their finest defenders.

REVIEW:
      Well it's almost summer this is marked by the release of the first of the four big superhero movie and this time it's Thor. I'll admit that I'm not really a fan of the comics even though I do like some of the artists Marvel has had for it's long and lengthy run since the character first appeared in Journey Into Mystery # 83 in 1962, even though the comic has been cancelled multiple times only to come back later. After being in development hell since 1990, the character is finally on the big screen and ready to take his place with the Avengers which releases next year, yet can the character and movie stand on it's own is the true question.

     Let me just say that Chris Hemsworth has so much charisma that it actually shines throughout the whole film. Even the quieter scenes you still feel his presence even though he doesn't talk, the camera just loves this man. Hemsworth portrayal of Thor is just perfect as you can tell this man is something more and can do amazing things just by his demeanor. Hemsworth is the star of this film and you know why after watching it. Tom Hiddleston is intriguing to watch as Loki, not so much for his charisma but for the calculated cunning that you know lies behind the the caring exterior. This is a man that has so much disdain for his brother that every action he takes is to somehow get a upper hand over Thor no matter the cost. While Hemsworth's Thor has a boyish charm to him, Hiddleston's Loki is a stewing pot of anger that is disguised by niceness for his own purposes. I should mention that Natalie Portman to me runs either hot or cold, depending on the movie she is in, and in Thor you can tell she cares about her role, as her acting is sincere again and you know she's having fun playing the character of star struck Jane Foster.

     As this movie is a connecting movie to Iron Man and The Avengers, I was surprised to see that this film easily stood on its own and told a very enjoyable origin story that didn't feel like a one. Kenneth Branagh who is know for directing more Shakespearean fare at first seemed an odd choice to direct a movie about a superhero god, yet he pulled it off. I think the main reason for this is due to that much of the movie is the story is about one brother at odds with the other and trying to make himself look better in their father's eye. While the movie is called Thor and his journey to becoming more than a prideful, arrogant boy into someone that is worthy to lead a kingdom,  it can easily also be about Loki and his realization that he's more what has been let on by his father. I can easily say that Loki is the tragic Shakespearean figure due to that he thinks what he's doing is the right thing yet at the end it all turns against him. The story itself is finely tuned so where nothing seems like a waste, though the movie does slow down in parts it doesn't interrupt the pacing. Even the humor that is thrown in doesn't ruin or take away from what the story has built up.

     My only complaint  with the film is that some of the action does get lost due to the 3D post conversion as this process still isn't perfect and will probably never be able to compete with filming in 3D. Other than that, the views the audience are giving of Asgard are just beautiful and majestic, even though you aren't giving much in the way of how the society functions. What is giving though is the camaraderie and friendship between the Brothers Three, Sif, Thor, and Loki which can be story in and of itself what they have gone through together as the act more like family than friends. I should mention as well for any fanboy of comics, they will geek out (I did) when Jeremy Renner shows up as Clint Barton/ Hawkeye in a uncredited role, that was filmed after the main filming was finished it seemed, which helps tie Hemsworth and Renner's characters more into the whole movie universe that Marvel is building. While there is no telling where the next Thor movie will take place or what it will be about, this one stands on it's own just amazing and is a fun film that has more going for it than seems.

BEST DEATH:
     Thor's quick playtime with a giant frost doggy that ends with a reverse tracheotomy to the nape of it's neck.

BEST LINE:
     Hey, we got Xena, Jackie Chan, Robin Hood, and that Lord Of The Rings guy coming!

FUN FACTS:
    Natalie Portman took the role of Jane Foster because she couldn't resist the opportunity of a comic-book film directed by acclaimed director Kenneth Branagh saying, "I was just like Kenneth Branagh doing 'Thor' is super-weird, I've gotta do it." This is also Portman's second movie based upon a comic, the first being V For Vendetta.

     J. Michael Straczynski's recent run on the relaunched Thor comic is serving as the influence for the film, who also has a cameo in the film as one of the Townies.

     The Eye of Agamotto, a very powerful magical amulet, can be seen in Odin's treasure room. This was a weapon wielded by a Marvel hero, Doctor Strange the Sorcerer Supreme.

     Sir Anthony Hopkins signed on as Odin despite never reading a "Thor" comic or knowing anything about the Thor mythology. It was the concept of the father and son relationship that intrigued him about the role.

    Sam Raimi after directing Darkman, pitched the idea of a Thor movie to Stan Lee and 20th Century Fox in 1990.

I AM NUMBER FOUR

I AM NUMBER FOUR (2011)
US
Directed by D. J. Caruso

CAST:
Alex Pettyfer - John Smith
Timothy Olyphant - Henri Smith
Dianna Agron - Sarah

PLOT:
     John is an extraordinary teen, masking his true identity and passing as a typical high school student to elude a deadly enemy seeking to destroy him. Three like him have already been killed ... he is Number Four.

REVIEW:
     I saw this last week with friends due to it was cheap and we wanted something to do after we got done with dinner. I actually was interested in the movie when it first came out due to it looked interesting, if not a little teeny unfortunately.  I knew it was based on a series of young adult books that have done reasonable well but I really didn't know much more about it than someone is tracking the main character down to kill him so I effectively went into this one blind.

     While the story is your average fish out of water story, as in it has the basic high school story of new, good looking guy comes to a new school and the jocks don't like him, it does throw in that the lesser characters in it turn out to play a part when you weren't expecting them to. Yet then again this has been done in plenty of recent movies as well, it just transplants aliens in instead of wanna-be vampires and pseudo werewolves and magicians. What does set this movie apart from the rest of the pack is above average writing done on the script. Nothing is made to sound like the audience is dumb or hollow and the characters even though they're your cut-out basics all have a depth to them (even the dumb jock amazingly). Alas that doesn't make up for the stupid talk of the malicious aliens, who it seemed learned how to talk from reading comic books from the 1960's. It's actually worse than it sounds. Also it just seemed like the aliens were just a holding place for a bigger bad that never showed up, well minus the two pets they carry around in a reinforced tractor trailer.

     Now the acting I was more surprised with than anything else in the movie, due to that now one seemed to call it in, and the actors clearly had a good grasp on their characters. Nothing seemed wooden, which in a teen type of movie is hard to do these days because of a certain vampire movie. Yet Timothy Olyphant was above everyone else in the movie as the protector of  Alex Pettyfer character. Olyphant just has a darkness to him that comes out in certain performances, and this is one of them. He knows that he'll probably die protecting his ward and that always hangs over his head and he tries to get John, Pettyfer's character ready for that inevitability. Pettyfer's John Smith is well acted as well, due to the fact that he Pettyfer doesn't make the character a whiny teenager, yet instead, someone that just wants to stay in one place for an extended period of time. To just call a place home and mean it for a change. True, there is a side love story but it's more of a getting to know someone more than anything else.

     Admittingly the movie isn't perfect. There is mention of the destroyed homeworld of the main character briefly and that's it for a back story, which is the one truly sad part in the movie as there is so much potential that just got thrown out the window. Moreover the movie introduces Number 6 halfway through with just a passing "Hi" and then she's gone for another fifteen minutes till she comes back for another sec to only show up full blown during the climax of the movie with a quick introduction only. Thankfully the end of the movie is a joyride of destruction and mayhem. Also if anyone has a chimera like the one in the movie let me know because I would love one, even though it's ugly when it's fully revealed, it's just so, damn, cute! Even with all its flaws I walked out of the theater not disappointed like I thought I would be and I'm actually kinda looking forward to a sequel if they ever make one. 

BEST DEATH:
     50 yard line small tactical grenades that  wasn't so small after all, more like a small tactical nuke.

BEST LINE:
     I play a lot of XBOX.

FUN FACTS:
     Actor Alex Pettyfer has described being an actor to being in prison.

     Number Six's motorcycle is a Ducati 848.

     Sharlto Copley was scheduled to play Henri but had to drop out due to commitments with the A-Team film.

     In an interview with Collider, DJ Caruso talked about directing a sequel using 3D. Alex Pettyfer, Dianna Agron, and Teresa Palmer are contracted to participate in future sequels.

DYLAN DOG: DEAD OF NIGHT

DYLAN DOG: DEAD OF NIGHT (2010)
US
Directed by Kevin Munroe

CAST:
Brandon Routh - Dylan Dog
Sam Huntington - Marcus
Peter Stormare - Gabriel

PLOT:
     The adventures of supernatural, penniless nightmare investigator, Dylan Dog, who seeks out the monsters of the Louisiana bayou in his signature red shirt, black jacket, and blue jeans.

REVIEW:
     I first heard about Dylan Dog when it was going into pre-production back in 2008 and it went by the title Dead of Night. It caught my interest just because it sounded like it could be a fun movie, and a throw back to movies from the late '80s and early '90s. Then it seemed like the movie got stuck in production hell. Then toward the beginning of last year a trailer popped up on line with a new title.  Bad part about that is that it just said coming soon and no date was attached to it hence more waiting unfortunately. Well my wait is over and the movie is out, now to see if it lives up to my expectations.

     I'll go ahead and say that I think that Brandon Routh is underrated as an actor. He plays things low key and always with a hint of self depredation. Even when he played Superman a couple years back, he played him more low key. And here he is again playing it more to the vest at the same time though more open. Routh is the best part of Dylan Dog hands down. If the movie could have used more of someone though it would have been more Peter Stormare's Gabriel. Anytime he shows up on screen, he steals it, overacting and all. Even Taye Diggs does wonderfully in his role as the head of the vampires, playfully smug yet at the same time menacingly. As for Sam Huntington, I have nothing against him as an actor, I just found his character in the movie as grating more than anything else and at times kills the movie all together.

     Now I want to talk about the big bad in the movie. I was let down completely by it. It didn't pose a threat as big as they said it would and to really end its reign of terror, all you really had to do was pull the damn cross out of it's back. Done and over with. Another thing that didn't help is the terrible CG effects added to the big bad, as is just made it look like a science fiction channel monster reject due to it was just a little above their standards.This isn't to say that the rest of the creature effects in the movie are bad, quite the opposite in fact. The zombies each have their own look about them, they age each time you see them, and the funny thing is that they have to keep on buying newer body parts to replace the old ones that get to ragged. The vampires though look like they came from the Buffy T.V. series as they get a reptilian look to them when they go full vamp. The really bright spot in the creature feature section is the rouge zombie. The thing looks like a tank on feet and acts like one as well they way it plows through minor characters.

     I'm not going to say that I loved the movie, cause I didn't love it. I thought it was okay. There was just way to many flaws that kept bugging me throughout the movie. I know that it is basically a low budget horror movie (once it's funding cuts got done with they had 8 million dollars only to make it), but that doesn't mean you cut the story with comedy to make up for it. Another problem is that even though the movie was shot in New Orleans, it didn't have the atmosphere that permeates other movies shot or centered around the area. I've read a little bit of the comic series this was based on, and I must say that even though I like the humor they put into the Dylan Dog character they should have kept the character more downtrodden. Also, I really miss seeing the Groucho Marx chacater pop up even though I understand why the film makers didn't put him into the movie (the Marx estate wanted 8 million to use the likeness of Groucho, which would have left the production nothing to spend). The truly bright spot in the movie is the noir aspect of the story even though the script writers ruin what ever they build up with it with by putting in a comedic side story for Sam Huntington instead of keeping the story and movie darker. The best way I can put this movie is it's a mess that has bright spots in it even though those spots are razed by feeble attempts to add humor to the story.

BEST DEATH:
     Lobby floor shootout of the vampire variety with magnesium flares.

BEST LINE:
     We don't eat them, they don't shoot our brain stems.

FUN FACTS:
     Dylan Dog exist in the same world as Francesco Dellamorte from Dellamorte Dellamore.

     Both Dylan Dog and Dellamorte Dellamore were created Tiziano Sclavi.

     Dylan Dog is the top selling comic in Italy.

DRAGONSLAYER

DRAGONSLAYER (1981)
US
Directed by Matthew Robbins

CAST:
Peter MacNicol - Galen Bradwarden
Caitlin Clarke - Valerian
Ralph Richardson - Ulrich of Craggenmoor

PLOT:
     A pact with a dragon, where virgins are left for sacrifice to it, by a king to save his daughter. An old wizard, and his keen young apprentice volunteer to kill the dragon.

REVIEW:
     There's some movies that when you see them stick with whether they are good or bad for some reason or another. For me the '80s were a time of wonder for me where I actually believed that what I saw on the movie screen could possibly happen. From time travel (1.21 gigawatts is what's needed) to a on screen hero being frozen (he's a nerfherder). They were so many movies that just made me fill with  wonderment and excitement while being taken on a voyage that lasted 2 hours and got me back home safe.

      The acting in the movie was above average for the type of movie it was for the most part. The one real draw back was Peter MacNicol trying to over-act when he shouldn't have. Sure he was supposed to be playing a young man trying to prove he was able to take over his master's position, but it could have been done with more temperance from the acting. Thankfully this is what happens in the second half of the story after Galen, basically gets the sense knocked into him by screwing up and is responsible for unleashing the wrath of the dragon in the movie.  The actor that stand out above all others in the movie though is John Hallam who plays Tyrian, the King's enforcer for the kingdom. The reason I say this is because even though he can be considered the bad guy of the movie, in reality he's not, he's just trying to protect his King and the Kingdom as best as he can, by whatever means he has at his disposal. Yes, he kills Ulrich (kinda) and Hodge (for real) but he does so out of commitment to his position. This was the character that made me understand that sometimes when someone seems evil it is not always out of malice but for a purpose. Hallam plays Tyrian not with a aire of malice, but instead with a sense of he doesn't like what he does, but understands that it has to be done for the greater good.

     The setting of the movie and script is well put together as it shows that this isn't a Disney fairy tale kingdom, but of one that is grounded in reality for the most part. The village and houses are dirty and in poor condition for the most part while the King's castle is well kept and in fair repair and not lacking which shows the actual conditions that in reality were present during the time represented in the film. The countryside and surrounding environment adds a sense of grit to the film on top of the corruption and false authority that is presented by the monarchy in the film. Still the main attraction to the movie is the dragon Vermithrax Pejorative. The design of this creature is just stunning and amazing to look at. While the special effects of 1981 don't hold up to today for about a third of the shots of it, the scenes that do work, are a sight to behold though as Vermithrax has a depth and weight about it that isn't present in most special effects that are CG (I'm looking at you Lucas).

     While the story itself lags and sputters in spots,  the story picks right back up as it knows what it did wrong each time it does. One of the great things in this movie is that it doesn't take itself lightly. Every action has a consequence, more often than not that equals widespread destruction and suffering. While there is some humor in the movie, it doesn't last long and is non-existent after about 30 minutes. Regarding the film itself, it holds up relatively well after 30 years and is still nevertheless a great example of what a fantasy movie is. From the setting to the actual look and feel of the film, it's a movie that has a feeling of danger and it shows that the who we thought as the hero doesn't always get what he wants, but instead understands what the world is in the end and can live with that realization which is rare enough. 

BEST DEATH:
     The soon to be Emperor  Palpatine being charbroiled for his stupidity. Seems like he doesn't understand getting cocky gets you killed!

BEST LINE:
     No. In fact, if it weren't for sorcerers, there wouldn't be any dragons. Once, the skies were dotted with them. Magnificent horned backs, leathern wings... soaring... and their hot-breathed wind. Oh, I know this creature of yours... Vermithrax Pejorative. Look at these scales, these ridges. When a dragon gets this old, it knows nothing but pain, constant pain. It grows decrepit... crippled... pitiful. Spiteful!

FUN FACTS:
     Including the hydraulic 40 foot model, 16 dragon puppets were used for the role of Vermithrax, each one made for flying, crawling and breathing fire.

     To create the dragon fire, the FX team used a pair of military-style flamethrowers.

      In the novelization of the movie, a vision glimpsed by Ulrich in his scrying bowl implies that sorcerers could have been responsible for the creation of dragons. This is only briefly alluded to in the film. It is further mentioned that the sorcerer who created dragons also fashioned the magical amulet which Galen wears through most of the story.

     Guillermo del Toro has stated that along with Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty Vermithrax is his favorite cinematic dragon. He further stated that “One of the best and one of the strongest landmarks [of dragon movies] that almost nobody can overcome is Dragonslayer. The design of the Vermithrax Pejorative is perhaps one of the most perfect creature designs ever made."

DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE

DELLAMORTE DELLAMORE  (CEMETERY MAN) (1994)
IT
Directed by Michele Soavi

CAST:
Rupert Everett - Francesco Dellamorte
Francois Hadji-Lazaro - Gnaghi
Anna Falchi - She

PLOT:
     Dellamorte is the guardian of the cemetery of Buffalora, a little town in the north of Italy, in which the dead come back to life and he has the job of killing them a second time.

REVIEW:
     Dellamorte Dellamore was one of those movies I heard about but could never get my hands on a copy of. Then thanks to Anchor Bay, they released it on DVD. This was back in 2006 mind you. The really sad thing about all of this, is that I haven't watched the movie until now, and that's thanks to Dylan Dog: Dead Of Night being released. I really don't know why I waited so long to watch it, or it could be because I have over 1000 DVDs and I work, so some of the movies I get to, while others I don't get to watch until a later point in time. I must admit one of the reasons why I started this blog was to work my way through my movie collection sooner rather than later. Okay, enough back story about me, here is the review of the film.

     This film is something to behold, but it's the story that drives this movie more than anything else. Even when it gets weird in parts it only helps add to the story. The humor is suitable dark as in how much can a person really take living in cemetery while having to kill it's recently buried inhabitants when they come back to un-life a short time later but this can be viewed as a metaphor for what is happening to Dellamorte. One thing that will be overlooked throughout the whole film is the broken skull Dellamorte is attempting to put back together throughout the film as it gives a major clue to the whole story as is the snowglobe during the closing credits as Gnaghi is a major factor in both instances and the true meaning of the film. Another scene that was thought provoking was the conversation in the hospital between Dellamorte and Franco as another clue is giving to the true meaning of the story and the state of Dellamorte's mind. Yet all this is outshined by the last three minutes of the film.  I was just speechless at what it implied and loved the wondering aspect of it. Now some people will absolutely hate the movie due to the ending alone, but yet to me the ending adds so much depth to a film that already has a solid story to begin with. There are so many hints subtly giving throughout the film as what is really going on it's easy to miss them even when you're basically slapped in the face with them.

     The acting is superb from start to finish, with  Rupert Everett giving an amazing performance. If Everett didn't give the portrayal  he did, the movie would have failed in so many ways, yet it's thank to him Dellamorte is the anchor to the audience that draws us in. Even when his character starts losing his grip on reality, which is easily to point the exact moment this happens, you still feel a connection to him. Yet it's when he does lose his grip and multiple layers are added is when Everett really shines additionally as when he realizes that his idea of love will never match up with reality. Even Francois Hadji-Lazaro's Gnaghi is fun to watch, as what is seen as a simpleton to begin with, becomes more complex and interesting throughout, all the more so with his character's bittersweet side story of his love for the Mayor's daughter whose is just a head. And the end of the film just destroys all pre-conceived notions about his character and what happens to both Gnaghi and Dellamorte.

    While the movie is fun to watch, the plot does get a little wacky though it doesn't take away anything from the overall experience. Gorgeously shot with style and flair specifically  the more thought provoking scenes. Filled with great violent scenes that come out of nowhere while other times is widely telegraphed, it is always fun to see. Weird, engaging, surreal, and always interesting, Dellamorte Dellamore is a film worth viewing again just to catch the little things you miss the first time around at what was is truly going on such as when a character is shown with wings, or it can be viewed simply for what is giving on the screen. There are so many layers to this film that it's sad that this is one of those films that are overlooked compared to what is coming out that is considered horror now.

BEST DEATH:
     Motorcyclist faceplant by moving bus.

BEST LINE:
     Death, death, death comes sweeping down, filthy death the leering clown, death on wings, death by surprise, failing evil from worldly eyes, death that spawns as life succumbs, while death and love, two kindred drums, beat the time till judgement day, an actor in a passion play, without beginning, without end, evermore, amen.

FUN FACTS:
     The sets for the cemetery in the film were built upon actual abandoned cemetery grounds in Italy.

     The ossuary (a crypt for bones) that was used in the film was quite real. Supposedly one of the crew members removed some of the bones from the ossuary during filming, but quickly replaced them the next day claiming to have encountered an angry ghost following the removal of the bones.

     The English translation of Dellamorte Dellamore is 'Of Dead of Love.'

     When Francesco and "She" are kissing in the crypt with the shroud over their heads, the shot mimics the painting "The Lovers" by Rene Magritte.

     Dellamorte Dellamore takes place in the same universe as Dylan Dog.

EASTER TREATS

     One of the films I love is Trick 'r Treat and it was worth the two plus year wait to see it as it didn't disappoint in the slightest. Then I found out Fearnet and director Michael Dougherty teamed up to celebrate some Easter joy. To view the love just click below. You will not be disappointed.

Easter lover from FEARnet.com and Sam

Enjoy!

GANTSU

GANTSU (GANTZ) (2011)
2011
Directed by Shinsuke Sato

CAST:
Kenichi Matsuyama - Masaru Kato
Kazunari Ninomiya - Kei Kurono
Natsuna Watanabe - Kishimoto

PLOT:
     Kei Kurono and his friend Masaru Kato who die in a train accident and become part of a semi-posthumous "game" in which they and several other recently deceased people are forced to hunt down and kill aliens with a handful of futuristic items of equipment and weaponry.

REVIEW:
     I have actually seen some of the anime this was based on and read the first volume of the manga as well, so when I found out there was going to be a live action movie I had to see what they would do with it. The thing about going from anime or manga to live action there is always going to be some loss in the material no matter what or a change in the pacing due to time constraints. Some times it's not a bad thing as this could mean a part where something slows down in the source material is thrown out and speeds up the story, but at the same time it also usually throws away character development that happens during that time. So adaptations are always a mix bag and sometimes past knowledge of material can sometimes hurt going into a movie.

       While watching this I kept going back in my mind about the original source and how mean, vicious, and perverted it was and was wondering what happened with that. There was no snide, nasty comments about the other people made by Kazunari Ninomiya's Kei Kurono and I was saddened by that fact. part of the reason why the original was interesting was seeing how low and repugnant people can get. I don't mind the fact that the film makers washed away most of the sexuality for the live action movie, but part of what made the character of Kei is his maturing from a horn dog that doesn't mind seeing people die just so long as he get's his release sexually, into someone that actually becomes a leader that actually somewhat cares in a screwed up way about the other people around him. The same can be said about the other characters in the movie, as you can tell something is missing in each character as most of them seem somewhat flat even though back stories are hinted at, yet no real time is spent exploring those backgrounds of the three leads.

     As far as the transposition of the source material to the big screen I was quite surprised by how well it looked and translated. The body suits and weaponry looks just like the drawn and animated version do and act just the same as well. The aliens are perfect and varied throughout and at times funny. One thing that can be said is that the violence is still intact, as this movie gets wet and messy when ever the games begin with only destruction being the end result of each battle, and usually on a larger scale. Even when the action becomes more large scale, with each new alien the special effects never falter nor does the camera work fail to keep up with what is happening on screen nor does the camera try and hide what is going on.

     This was quite a surprise as this movie translated better to the screen than I thought it would and was acceptably done sci fi movie that tries to translate a dense story into a fast paced action movie that works amazing in some parts yet fails in others. If there is one complaint I truly have, it's the disservice the dubbing company did with Gantz. The voice actors performance is lifeless in most parts and the timing of speech to lip movement is just horrendous in most other spot. If you can see the subtitled version, do yourself a favor and watch that one instead. Yet I'm not going to discredit this movie for that as the movie gets better as it moves forward. The translation of source to film is one of the better ones I've seen and if you get a chance watch it enjoy it for what it is as it's better than most other sci fi movies being made at the moment.

BEST DEATH:
     The very wet and sloppy death of Onion.

BEST LINE:
     What doe the scores mean?

FUN FACTS:
     Hiroya Oku, the creator of the manga, first thought of Gantz's story when he was in high school.

     The idea for Gantz came from the Jidaigeki television program Hissatsu series and Robert Sheckley's Time Murderer novel.

     This is the first movie of a two movie story.