07.27.07
Posted in Film Review at 3:21 pm by Administrator
Matt Groening and company have hit this one out of the park. Not only did they manage to not disappoint but The Simpson Movie dodges every possible foible that seems to plague all TV-to-film adaptations. The true spirit of the show shines through every moment and I beg you to stay away from spoilers because you will enjoy the film a lot more going in blind. I knew nothing of the films super secret plot and I’m glad that I avoided them. How can I possibly review a movie that people have been waiting for since the show began? It doesn’t matter what you think of the show now because this movie is about how great the show once was then. All your favorite characters each get a moment to shine, Homer, Bart, Marge, Lisa, and Maggie take the center stage with the towns hilarious cast making as many cameo’s as humanly possible. Not every character gets a speaking role but you’ll crack a smile when you catch Disco Stu in the huge town mob or when Comic Book Guy shows up on screen to geek it up.
As a fan I couldn’t have been more satisfied with this films effort to remind us why The Simpson’s are a family that has lasted for so long. Groening stays true to his original intentions. Lisa still wants to save the world. Marge gets to play detective. Homer and Bart continue their eternal struggle to understand one another and Maggie remains a lethal force to be reckoned with. The celebrity surprises are best left unmentioned to further your enjoyment of the movie. I laughed as often as it’s possible to laugh within the short span of 90 minutes. If I had to bring up any weak spots I did notice a lack of any of those classic Simpson song moments we get on the television show. Even the south park movie was loaded with a set of hilarious songs but it seems that was not to be with this movie. The Simpson’s Move is a joy from beginning to end and you don’t want to miss this one in theaters. Trust me when I say that.
4/5
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07.17.07
Posted in Film analysis at 2:59 pm by Administrator
I can start this article by listing all of the things that make me a huge Simpson’s fan but I won’t bore you with those details. Sure I can quote Simpson’s episodes like Christians quote the bible. Sure I’ve seen every episode at least twice if not more. I’ve got stacks of old tapes where I recorded nothing but 8 hours worth of the Simpson’s that I’ve watched at nausea. Like many other fans I’ve eagerly anticipated a Simpson’s movie for as long as I can remember. Most shows like the X-Files, Twin Peaks, and Southpark release films right at their prime. The Simpson’s on the other hand is a different animal all together. Matt Groening and company never ran head first into doing a film in fact they didn’t want any of that pressure which explains why they kept this movie such a big secret until just last summer when a teaser was revealed literally out of thin air (Or fat air).
Is this too little too late for a series that has never been able to regain its golden days? Most fans would argue when exactly the Simpson’s began its decline, apologists would go as high as season 10, the less kind would say at season 6. I will admit that certain seasons left me baffled, the show has become so convoluted and much of the heart of the series has been exchanged for cheap gags. Still their is hope; this past season has to be one of the best since the decline, showing us that The Simpson’s can still win over old fans that have been with the series this entire time.
The ones responsible for some of the best seasons of the show are helming the movie. It wasn’t rushed and if you’ve ever heard commentaries by that crew on the dvd sets they are very picky about what jokes they use. They have very high standards and I can’t imagine the movie not living up to expectations but with the shows fan base not as alive as they used to be is their still room for this film to be the huge box office success it would’ve been 8 years ago? I suppose that answer is up to the millions of fans worldwide. I’ve no doubt the film will make a lot of money and I certainly hope fans will not miss out on the movie because of a few bad seasons.
What made the Simpsons so great is that for once a TV family was not perfect, they had faults, but they perservered through them. As long as the film does not forget its roots we are in for a gut busting good time. I’ve got my tickets for the midnight show on July 26th with plans to see it again opening weekend. Hope to see you there!
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07.13.07
Posted in Random Accidents at 2:37 pm by Administrator
This years E3 conference has confirmed our worst fears. Nintendo’s Wii console is not merely providing entertainment for the millions of non-gamers in the world its completely leaving behind any support for those of us who understand how far video games have come and what they are truly capable of achieving thanks to all of the new hardware. Nintendo’s biggest announcement was Wiifit, a fitness game that comes with a board that measures your weight and allows you to use a virtual hoola hoop to shed those pounds.
Last I checked I didn’t play video games to do work. I play them to be entertained. Nowadays some video games can beat most Blockbuster films as a story telling medium. What has become possible as seen in such franchises as Halo, Metal Gear Solid, and God of War is a level of emotional realism that has never existed until now. A level of immersion beyond simple game play mechanics. You don’t just move characters across the screen you care about them and this creates a real desire to see the games events through to see how it all ends. We use to play games to get a high score now we want to know what happens to Kratos, Snake, and Master Chief.
The Wii is deciding to use its popularity to push the lowest form of entertainment. Gaming made simple. The video game equivalent of fast food. It will sell because that’s how you sell to the masses. This isn’t a PS2 you are buying this is a Wii, it will never have games like Metal Gear Solid, Psychonauts, Shadow of the Colossus, or God of War. It will have games created for your mother and your grandma. When you walk into your living room to crack a couple of hours into Super Mario Galaxy you’re going to have to wait because your mom is doing her morning work out routine on Wiifit.
Nintendo will please their fan base with the usual suspects without a single new intellectual property in sight. Mario, Metroid, and Zelda are enough to please those who never tire of playing the same old thing. Those who seek out new worlds, new characters, and immersive storylines with three dimensional characters will have to seek refuge in the XBox 360 and Playstation 3 because Nintendo is not aiming for you anymore. They want everyone but you and for the company that gave us the NES that is just sad.
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Posted in Film Review at 1:13 pm by Administrator
As I sat down to watch yet another Harry Potter “and the” film I nestled comfortably into my seat, wondered when the a/c in the theater was going to be turned on and watched as all the Potter fans packed the theater once again for another adaptation of the absurdly popular book series. I prepared myself for yet another dull Harry Potter film but something happened. The opening scene caused my eyebrows to rise up. This one didn’t begin like the others, we find Harry sitting in a playground on a swing set looking out at it as if their was a part of his childhood lost all these years as he was running around Hogwarts playing wizard. Deceptive as it was this scene had given me hope that I wouldn’t be in for more of the same. Unfortunately that was not the case.
I’m going to be honest here; I am tired of this franchise, both in book and film form. I read the first three books and I’ve seen all 5 of the feature films. It’s getting to the point where I am having difficulty distinguishing one from the other. The structure of each film is following its own formula set into place by Rowling in the very first book. Each film starts with Harry at home with the family he hates so much. Then it’s off to Hogwarts where something at the school is not quite right. Harry, Ron, and Hermione solve the mystery and theirs always a final battle where Harry does all but prove that he’s the great magician everyone thinks he is. I was hoping Order of the Phoenix would take a different turn but it quickly lulled into the predictable set pattern of events and I sighed in disappointment.
To the films credit it finds ways to bring back some of that initial magic from the very first film. Harry is still discovering the world of wizardry allowing the audience to at times still feel that twinkly sparkly feeling of excitement for the world that Rowling has borrowed, I mean, created. Lets face it if you’ve seen the others you know what you’re getting here and it’s the equivalent of Gryffindor once again winning the house cup. With the exception of Snape the villains continue to be their bland two-dimensional selves. Malfoy makes his cameo appearance to push Harry aside in the halls, which at this point is coming off more homoerotic then intimidating. That character exists solely to bully Harry for no apparent reason and after 5 movies its sad to see how stagnant and stale that whole situation has become.
Lets move along to one of the worst casting decisions since Willem Dafoe played Jesus. Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort. He’s supposed to inspire the kind of fear that makes even his name alone an event whenever it’s uttered. Instead I expect him to put on a top hat and start tap dancing around the screen. Here he is, yet again, making his usual appearance in some way shape or form, as he always does, but this time we are treated to two wands shooting fireworks at each other. Can you make a magic fight any less dynamic then that? This is the figure that makes wizards wet their pants? Teddy Ruxpin inspires more fear then this guy.
So when Harry’s not having wet dreams about Voldemort he does manage to fall in love. Although you may miss the moment where it actually happens. Even the momentous kiss felt thrown in just because it had happened in the book. Ron and Hermione have almost no role to play besides standing next to Harry to remind you that they are best friends or at least they used to be, they sure don’t act like it much anymore. Perhaps you feel I’m being too harsh on the series or maybe it’s just too much to ask for these movies to start breaking their own mold. I will go ahead and assume that is simply not going to happen this late in the game because after all the ultimate flaw lies in the books and that’s a whole other blog for another day when I am feeling more biting.
Harry Potter and More of the same will please hardcore fans but not those who can see through the cracks in this saga.
2/5
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07.09.07
Posted in Film analysis at 1:56 pm by Administrator
Transformers opened to a whopping 7-day box office total of 152 million dollars. Worldwide figures are already close to hitting 250 million. Not only is this the kind of kick in the pants this sequel-laden summer needed its also the first whiff of what Hollywood has up its sleeve as the next big trend. Comic book movies show no sign of weakening with even C grade heroes such as Ghost Rider grossing over 100 million at the box office. With Batman set to return next year and Iron Man ready to make his big screen debut theirs no shortage of comic-to-film translations. So what could possibly shake up Marvel’s golden age in cinema? The 80’s that’s who. It’s back and ready to milk your nostalgia for all its worth.
Transformers are just the first of a few of big screen adaptations of some of your favorite cartoons. This fall they’ve announced Alvin and the Chipmunks starring Jason Lee with the three once-loveable singing trio now turned into what appears to be pimped out ghetto thugs. So instead of a hoola hoop I suppose Alvin will want some gold rims and a platinum chain for Christmas? Making the same mistake as this summers Underdog they’ve decided to turn a cute cartoon into an ugly reality. Chipmunks are some ugly little sons of bitches and just from the poster you can tell that the film is going for this awkward hyper-realistic look. Why take away the one aspect that people fondly remember? Why is Underdog just a boring normal every day looking dog? What happened to the retarded cartoon I remember so vaguely?
Transformers walked the fine line and managed to succeed despite itself. You still get a cringe-worthy “bitch” reference from Jazz but thankfully that kind of tripe is kept to a minimum. So what’s in store for you film lovers out there? An all CGI movie of the Smurfs with an all CGI movie of the Thundercats set for 2010. G.I.Joe is already being talked about and we may even see the steroid induced He-Man sequel nobody asked for, where’s Dolph Lundren when you need him?
You know what? None of these cartoons are as good as I remember them. I sat down to watch an episode of Thundercats on Cartoon Network and had trouble getting past the first ten minutes. Once the joy of watching the opening theme ended I had to sit through some truly god-awful animation mixed with a script that makes every line redundant of what is going on. They seem to always pain stakingly explain what they are doing before they do it and what is happening just after its happened. Don’t get me wrong they have their charm but lets not kid ourselves about these properties. Transformers were never Shakespeare and Bay’s film is true to its original toy-selling scheme. A cartoon created to sell action figures, brilliant.
Still the 80’s could be in for a tough fight as the Wachowski’s bring back the 60’s with their next film based on Speed Racer. I can’t wait to watch as Speed Racer and his monkey sit down and have a philosophical conversation on the need for man to race against others or perhaps he’s truly just racing against himself? Go Speed Racer Go.
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