As a writer, I like looking at almost any form of storytelling. I love reading and watching movies, as both mediums provide me with the opportunity to exercise my imagination, and be compelled by quality plot lines and characters. When I was growing up (I'm 18 so my childhood was during the late 90s and early 2000s), the majority of T.V. shows I watched also served the same purposes. From Justice League to Batman to Spider-Man, the comic book animated series' at this time were great examples of good television. With spectacular animation, solid writing, and great voice talents, these shows captivated viewers as much as a good movie. And it wasn't at all limited to this genre. Sitcoms from the 80s and 90s provided wholesome family entertainment, and the wide range of characters allowed audiences to connect with them in one way or another. Both cartoons and live action shows at this time demonstrated originality and creativity.
Today, it seems as though all you can find is a long list of bogus reality shows and low quality fictional series'. Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, and Cartoon Network used to contain great shows that invoked the imaginative spirit of children. I know from what my eleven year old cousin watches whenever he hangs out, that all three channels have gone down the drain. It points to the underlying problem with television and film today: people are running out of ideas.
Our culture spends way too much time watching T.V. Beyond this, there's so much pure garbage within this medium that younger generations just aren't being exposed to quality storytelling. Hence, kids today are being deprived of the opportunity to really use their imaginations. Reality T.V. continues to turn me off more and more because it just goes to show you producers can't come up with anything better. I can think of four singing shows right off the bat-"American Idol", "America's Got Talent", "Britain's Got Talent", and "The Voice". Wow, real original. Then, there are those stupid fashion shows-"Say Yes to the Dress" and "What Not to Wear". Can you get any more pathetic? A show about picking out wedding dresses and all the bogus drama from Bridezillas that accompanies it. And don't even get me started on that "Toddlers and Tiaras" garbage.
The sad thing is, it's only getting worse. If T.V. producers and screenwriters had the same mentalities as those of let's say, the guys at Pixar, we might see some more quality and family oriented shows come about. When you do things like adapt comic book characters into T.V. shows and films, you open up a lot of doors for solid, compelling plot lines. If networks would just utilize the resources they have available to them, I think this medium could move in a more artistic direction.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
"Combatting Stereotypes: Why Movies About 'The Disabled' Stink" by Michael P. Murphy
Found this article a few weeks ago. Being physically disabled, I really liked how the author provided a lot of insight into how poorly the handicapped community is portrayed in film. Read this and share it in an effort to combat stereotypes about us.
Friday, May 4, 2012
The Avengers
****
Dir. Joss Whedon
The Avengers is what it sets out to be, a treat for fanboys and a good action flick for casual moviegoers. I went in knowing it wouldn't be nearly as thoughtful and provocative as a superhero film done by Christopher Nolan or Sam Raimi, but seeing if Joss Whedon could do justice to these characters by making a fun and entertaining comic book movie. Having anticipated this one for quite some time, I can say that I am pleased by the final product.
Starring Chris Evans-Steve Rogers/Captain America, Robert Downey Jr.-Tony Stark/Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth-Thor, Mark Ruffalo-Bruce Banner/Hulk, Jeremy Renner-Clint Barton/Hawkeye, Scarlett Johansson-Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Tom Hiddleston-Loki, and Samuel L. Jackson-Col. Nick Fury, the film will engage viewers with a solid story line and well executed action sequences.
When Loki returns to Earth after activating a portal through the Tesseract, his lust for revenge spells certain doom for S.H.I.E.L.D. The brother of Thor manages to enslave several of Fury's best agents, including Hawkeye, with mind control techniques. With no where else to turn, Fury decides to at last launch the Avengers Initiative, despite facing opposition from the United Nations and various government agencies. Yet the process of forming a team of independent Superheroes, each with different motives and intentions, is no easy one. Nevertheless, in order to save the human race from the greatest extraterrestrial threat it's ever faced, this band of vigilantes must set aside their differences.
This being the first live action, big budget Hollywood portrayal of any Superhero team (sadly, DC could've made a Justice League live action movie by now), fans had high expectations. Being a comic book lover, I was very impressed. Not only did it fit the qualifications for a good summer Blockbuster, but it really did the characters justice. With Marvel having had its ups and downs throughout this series, the task of culminating each of these stories together was no easy one. However, Whedon and Zak Penn constructed a plot which was great for die-hard fans as well as those unfamiliar with a lot of the characters. And from a cinematic perspective, it is dynamic. My first glance at the Helicarrier brought me back to when I first witnessed the Enterprise in the J.J. Abrams Star Trek. Whedon directs with a definitive style that makes for a nice Hollywood blockbuster. Unlike idiots like Michael Bay and Jonathan Liebseman, he knows how to effectively use CGI and make it relevant to the storytelling process.
With Executive Producers such as Avi Arad, Jon Favreau, Stan Lee, and Kevin Feige, you can't go wrong. And to top it all off, one of my favorite composers, Alan Silvestri, does a tremendous job with the film's music. All in all, I'm happy to say this was worth the years I've waited, and I would venture to say many of my fellow nerds would agree. Avengers assemble!
Dir. Joss Whedon
The Avengers is what it sets out to be, a treat for fanboys and a good action flick for casual moviegoers. I went in knowing it wouldn't be nearly as thoughtful and provocative as a superhero film done by Christopher Nolan or Sam Raimi, but seeing if Joss Whedon could do justice to these characters by making a fun and entertaining comic book movie. Having anticipated this one for quite some time, I can say that I am pleased by the final product.
Starring Chris Evans-Steve Rogers/Captain America, Robert Downey Jr.-Tony Stark/Iron Man, Chris Hemsworth-Thor, Mark Ruffalo-Bruce Banner/Hulk, Jeremy Renner-Clint Barton/Hawkeye, Scarlett Johansson-Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Tom Hiddleston-Loki, and Samuel L. Jackson-Col. Nick Fury, the film will engage viewers with a solid story line and well executed action sequences.
When Loki returns to Earth after activating a portal through the Tesseract, his lust for revenge spells certain doom for S.H.I.E.L.D. The brother of Thor manages to enslave several of Fury's best agents, including Hawkeye, with mind control techniques. With no where else to turn, Fury decides to at last launch the Avengers Initiative, despite facing opposition from the United Nations and various government agencies. Yet the process of forming a team of independent Superheroes, each with different motives and intentions, is no easy one. Nevertheless, in order to save the human race from the greatest extraterrestrial threat it's ever faced, this band of vigilantes must set aside their differences.
This being the first live action, big budget Hollywood portrayal of any Superhero team (sadly, DC could've made a Justice League live action movie by now), fans had high expectations. Being a comic book lover, I was very impressed. Not only did it fit the qualifications for a good summer Blockbuster, but it really did the characters justice. With Marvel having had its ups and downs throughout this series, the task of culminating each of these stories together was no easy one. However, Whedon and Zak Penn constructed a plot which was great for die-hard fans as well as those unfamiliar with a lot of the characters. And from a cinematic perspective, it is dynamic. My first glance at the Helicarrier brought me back to when I first witnessed the Enterprise in the J.J. Abrams Star Trek. Whedon directs with a definitive style that makes for a nice Hollywood blockbuster. Unlike idiots like Michael Bay and Jonathan Liebseman, he knows how to effectively use CGI and make it relevant to the storytelling process.
With Executive Producers such as Avi Arad, Jon Favreau, Stan Lee, and Kevin Feige, you can't go wrong. And to top it all off, one of my favorite composers, Alan Silvestri, does a tremendous job with the film's music. All in all, I'm happy to say this was worth the years I've waited, and I would venture to say many of my fellow nerds would agree. Avengers assemble!
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Script Review of J.J. Abrams' Superman
Before Bryan Singer's 2006 film "Superman Returns", J.J. Abrams was originally scheduled by Warner Bros. to reboot the franchise. He did complete a screenplay, which I had the pleasure of reading after I found it on www.simplyscripts.com. Perhaps it was too many liberties he took from the source material that made them reject it. Nevertheless, I found the plot very original and compelling.
Probably the biggest problem they had with his take is that Krypton is not destroyed in this story. Instead, the home planet of DC's greatest hero is plagued by civil war. A rebellion under the leadership of Jor-El's brother Kata-Zor wreaks havoc upon the Kryptonians, forcing Kal-El's parents to send him to Earth to be safe. From here, Jonathan and Martha Kent adopt the young child and give him the name Clark. Keep in mind, his biological parents are still alive, with the script actually including an encounter between the Kents and Jor-El later on.
What I really liked though was how Abrams developed Clark's character. We see him as a young boy struggling to control his powers, and continue to have difficulties as an adolescent in Smallville. One scene features him as a young boy lash out and beat up his parents' landlord with little to no effort, after the man sexually harassed and attacked Martha Kent in the middle of a parking lot. This moment comes to scar him, as he realizes how dangerous he is.
The story continues, and when he discovers the red and blue suit in his basement, Jonathan and Martha Kent realize they must tell him the truth. Hearing that he's from another planet is overwhelming to say the least, and he does nothing but hide his powers over the next decade or so. After briefly meeting incoming Freshman Lois Lane his senior year in college, her determination to become a reporter for the Daily Planet helps him choose a career path.
Years later, he reunites with her his first day on the job. He also meets a homosexual Jimmy Olson (this was a little weird and unnecessary), and the classic, grumpy old Perry White barking orders at him as soon as they face one another. In Metropolis, the charismatic, yet mysterious Lex Luthor announces his plans to seek out alien forms so as to protect Earth from extraterrestrial threats. Although he meets a great deal of opposition from Lane and many government agencies, he has allies nonetheless. Not long after his introduction, Superman is forced to reveal himself to the world in order to save a helpless Lois Lane when her plane breaks down (this scene is very reminiscent of that in the 1978 Richard Donner film). The next portion of the script is what we expect. The world marvels at the heroic feats Superman is able to accomplish, and no one is more entranced with him than Lane. However, the moment of Superman's first strike is followed by the death of Jonathan Kent.
Yet while the humans glorify the Man of Steel, Krypton is flooded with tyranny under Kata-Zor's totalitarian reign. After receiving news of Kal-El's heroism, the tyrant is beyond delighted to discover his whereabouts, and sends his son Ty-Zor to do the honors of killing the Prince of the ancient Kryptonian prophecy. A great battle follows, and the mighty Superman does fall. What comes next is quite interesting. Jor-El committs suicide upon the knowledge of his son's death, and he and Kal-El meet for the first time in the afterlife. It is this moment when the hero discovers his true destiny, and resurrects upon receiving his father's touch. We then watch him return to defeat his menachial cousin, as well as bring Luthor to justice (who actually turns out to be Kryptonian, another plot aspect I wasn't fond of). The script concludes with Kal-El leaving behind his home on Earth to return to Krypton.
Hence, there's definite originality in this piece. I found myself incredibly compelled by the uniqueness of Abrams' work, and I'm quite disappointed this one was not produced. Nonetheless, you can still read this script online, which I would recommend any comic book movie lover to do.
Probably the biggest problem they had with his take is that Krypton is not destroyed in this story. Instead, the home planet of DC's greatest hero is plagued by civil war. A rebellion under the leadership of Jor-El's brother Kata-Zor wreaks havoc upon the Kryptonians, forcing Kal-El's parents to send him to Earth to be safe. From here, Jonathan and Martha Kent adopt the young child and give him the name Clark. Keep in mind, his biological parents are still alive, with the script actually including an encounter between the Kents and Jor-El later on.
What I really liked though was how Abrams developed Clark's character. We see him as a young boy struggling to control his powers, and continue to have difficulties as an adolescent in Smallville. One scene features him as a young boy lash out and beat up his parents' landlord with little to no effort, after the man sexually harassed and attacked Martha Kent in the middle of a parking lot. This moment comes to scar him, as he realizes how dangerous he is.
The story continues, and when he discovers the red and blue suit in his basement, Jonathan and Martha Kent realize they must tell him the truth. Hearing that he's from another planet is overwhelming to say the least, and he does nothing but hide his powers over the next decade or so. After briefly meeting incoming Freshman Lois Lane his senior year in college, her determination to become a reporter for the Daily Planet helps him choose a career path.
Years later, he reunites with her his first day on the job. He also meets a homosexual Jimmy Olson (this was a little weird and unnecessary), and the classic, grumpy old Perry White barking orders at him as soon as they face one another. In Metropolis, the charismatic, yet mysterious Lex Luthor announces his plans to seek out alien forms so as to protect Earth from extraterrestrial threats. Although he meets a great deal of opposition from Lane and many government agencies, he has allies nonetheless. Not long after his introduction, Superman is forced to reveal himself to the world in order to save a helpless Lois Lane when her plane breaks down (this scene is very reminiscent of that in the 1978 Richard Donner film). The next portion of the script is what we expect. The world marvels at the heroic feats Superman is able to accomplish, and no one is more entranced with him than Lane. However, the moment of Superman's first strike is followed by the death of Jonathan Kent.
Yet while the humans glorify the Man of Steel, Krypton is flooded with tyranny under Kata-Zor's totalitarian reign. After receiving news of Kal-El's heroism, the tyrant is beyond delighted to discover his whereabouts, and sends his son Ty-Zor to do the honors of killing the Prince of the ancient Kryptonian prophecy. A great battle follows, and the mighty Superman does fall. What comes next is quite interesting. Jor-El committs suicide upon the knowledge of his son's death, and he and Kal-El meet for the first time in the afterlife. It is this moment when the hero discovers his true destiny, and resurrects upon receiving his father's touch. We then watch him return to defeat his menachial cousin, as well as bring Luthor to justice (who actually turns out to be Kryptonian, another plot aspect I wasn't fond of). The script concludes with Kal-El leaving behind his home on Earth to return to Krypton.
Hence, there's definite originality in this piece. I found myself incredibly compelled by the uniqueness of Abrams' work, and I'm quite disappointed this one was not produced. Nonetheless, you can still read this script online, which I would recommend any comic book movie lover to do.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Wrath of the Titans
*
Dir. Jonathan Liebseman
Well, there's 90 minutes of my life I'm never getting back. Jonathan Liebseman makes movies that are as pathetic and obnoxious as Michael Bay's, and this garbage is no exception. The sequel to the already atrocious 2010 Blockbuster Clash of the Titans is nothing more than poorly executed visual effects and a virtually nonexistent plotline.
Liebseman and screenwriters Dan Mazeau and David Johnson continue the story of Zeus' son Perseus (Sam Worthington), in a time where the power of the gods is quickly diminishing. Having chosen the simple life of a mortal, the mighty Kracken slayer realizes he cannot escape his destiny, as great peril stirs within the Underworld. The humans lose faith in the gods, and Zeus (Liam Neeson) and Poseidon (Danny Huston) find themselves unable to stand their ground against the forces of Ares (Édgar Ramírez), the god of war.
As if the "plot" isn't watered down and underdeveloped as it is, but the way it's presented makes the experience of watching this disaster feel like torture. The characters from the previous installment are reintroduced, and from there we see a series of terribly executed action sequences up until the credits. Combine the essence of Transformers and the Twilight saga, and that'll give you a pretty good idea of what this excuse for a movie is like.
The cast is really the only element that strives to save this epic failure. Between Worthington, Neeson, Ralph Fiennes as Hades, and Rosamund Pike as Perseus' love interest, they each make an effort to combat the long list of mistakes in this film. Yet despite their best attempts, it's difficult for any actor when they have a script and director like this to work with.
Furthermore, the cinematography is a reflection of the garbage CGI used in this "film". We've seen other films related to Greek mythology such as Troy and various Odyssey adaptations that are much more gripping, and it's pretty sad that this falls in the same genre. I have seen worse, but it's movies like these that are made for people without any intellectual approach to the cinema.
Dir. Jonathan Liebseman
Well, there's 90 minutes of my life I'm never getting back. Jonathan Liebseman makes movies that are as pathetic and obnoxious as Michael Bay's, and this garbage is no exception. The sequel to the already atrocious 2010 Blockbuster Clash of the Titans is nothing more than poorly executed visual effects and a virtually nonexistent plotline.
Liebseman and screenwriters Dan Mazeau and David Johnson continue the story of Zeus' son Perseus (Sam Worthington), in a time where the power of the gods is quickly diminishing. Having chosen the simple life of a mortal, the mighty Kracken slayer realizes he cannot escape his destiny, as great peril stirs within the Underworld. The humans lose faith in the gods, and Zeus (Liam Neeson) and Poseidon (Danny Huston) find themselves unable to stand their ground against the forces of Ares (Édgar Ramírez), the god of war.
As if the "plot" isn't watered down and underdeveloped as it is, but the way it's presented makes the experience of watching this disaster feel like torture. The characters from the previous installment are reintroduced, and from there we see a series of terribly executed action sequences up until the credits. Combine the essence of Transformers and the Twilight saga, and that'll give you a pretty good idea of what this excuse for a movie is like.
The cast is really the only element that strives to save this epic failure. Between Worthington, Neeson, Ralph Fiennes as Hades, and Rosamund Pike as Perseus' love interest, they each make an effort to combat the long list of mistakes in this film. Yet despite their best attempts, it's difficult for any actor when they have a script and director like this to work with.
Furthermore, the cinematography is a reflection of the garbage CGI used in this "film". We've seen other films related to Greek mythology such as Troy and various Odyssey adaptations that are much more gripping, and it's pretty sad that this falls in the same genre. I have seen worse, but it's movies like these that are made for people without any intellectual approach to the cinema.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Act of Valor
***
Dir. Mike McCoy, Scott Waugh
The nature of war films has changed dramatically over the last twenty years with pictures such as Saving Private Ryan and Courage Under Fire.
In Act of Valor, directors Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh go the extra mile to honor our armed forces by using active U.S. Navy Seals as the stars of the movie. The film tells the story of a special forces unit that fight to prevent a large-scale terrorist plot, after rescuing a federal agent from a band of foreign mercenaries. Screenwriter Kurt Johnstad's script tells a great story of honor, justice, and freedom which we as American citizens too often take for granted.
As far as pacing, it does lack a certain essence most viewers would expect. McCoy and Waugh structure it more like an independent film, an aspect I was quite fond of. While I've seen other war pictures that are more character driven, there were many aspects in this one which I found to be quite compelling.
The way the action scenes are shot make it look almost like a reenactment of U.S. missions. I would compare it with films like The Hurt Locker, which I felt did a great job of capturing the reality and essence of war, something that many million dollar budget Hollywood movies have failed to do.
While the acting is pretty sorry, given that these are military men, not theatre majors, it's a unique film nonetheless. Watching it will help viewers acquire a deeper respect for the men and women serving in our armed forces (and hopefully get all the hippies out there to shut up and show some respect for their country!). God bless America!
Dir. Mike McCoy, Scott Waugh
The nature of war films has changed dramatically over the last twenty years with pictures such as Saving Private Ryan and Courage Under Fire.
In Act of Valor, directors Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh go the extra mile to honor our armed forces by using active U.S. Navy Seals as the stars of the movie. The film tells the story of a special forces unit that fight to prevent a large-scale terrorist plot, after rescuing a federal agent from a band of foreign mercenaries. Screenwriter Kurt Johnstad's script tells a great story of honor, justice, and freedom which we as American citizens too often take for granted.
As far as pacing, it does lack a certain essence most viewers would expect. McCoy and Waugh structure it more like an independent film, an aspect I was quite fond of. While I've seen other war pictures that are more character driven, there were many aspects in this one which I found to be quite compelling.
The way the action scenes are shot make it look almost like a reenactment of U.S. missions. I would compare it with films like The Hurt Locker, which I felt did a great job of capturing the reality and essence of war, something that many million dollar budget Hollywood movies have failed to do.
While the acting is pretty sorry, given that these are military men, not theatre majors, it's a unique film nonetheless. Watching it will help viewers acquire a deeper respect for the men and women serving in our armed forces (and hopefully get all the hippies out there to shut up and show some respect for their country!). God bless America!
The Lorax
****
Dir. Chris Renaud, Kyle Balda
I was able to see an advanced screening of this adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic, and was quite impressed by what I saw. Directors Chris Renaud and Kyle Balda do a fantastic job of bringing this story to the big screen, in a way that captivates a wide variety of audiences. The animation is very reminiscent of "Horton Hears a Who" and other films of that genre, and is just as visually gripping.
Screenwriters Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul compose a great script, which includes a string of original songs that you'll find yourself singing along to. I especially recommend parents to take their kids to this film, as it examines a wide range of ethical issues; such as capitalism, humanity's lust for power, and the nature of ambition. Furthermore, the voice talents of Danny Devito, Zac Efron (this is probably the only time I'll compliment the star of that garbage Disney Channel franchise), Taylor Swift, Ed Helms, and Betty White make the picture all the more intriguing.
Films like these not only provide good family entertainment, but more importantly invoke the imaginative spirit within a person. I did like it in 3-D, but again, it doesn't enhance the cinematic quality of a film, just makes the viewing experience slightly different. Hence, I would definitely recommend this one for viewers of all ages.
Dir. Chris Renaud, Kyle Balda
I was able to see an advanced screening of this adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic, and was quite impressed by what I saw. Directors Chris Renaud and Kyle Balda do a fantastic job of bringing this story to the big screen, in a way that captivates a wide variety of audiences. The animation is very reminiscent of "Horton Hears a Who" and other films of that genre, and is just as visually gripping.
Screenwriters Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul compose a great script, which includes a string of original songs that you'll find yourself singing along to. I especially recommend parents to take their kids to this film, as it examines a wide range of ethical issues; such as capitalism, humanity's lust for power, and the nature of ambition. Furthermore, the voice talents of Danny Devito, Zac Efron (this is probably the only time I'll compliment the star of that garbage Disney Channel franchise), Taylor Swift, Ed Helms, and Betty White make the picture all the more intriguing.
Films like these not only provide good family entertainment, but more importantly invoke the imaginative spirit within a person. I did like it in 3-D, but again, it doesn't enhance the cinematic quality of a film, just makes the viewing experience slightly different. Hence, I would definitely recommend this one for viewers of all ages.
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