| Arañas infernales |
[Dec. 24th, 2009|11:24 pm] |
Arañas Infernales dates from 1968 and stars Mexican luchadore wrestler Blue Demon as the hero who finds himself pitted against the Hellish Spiders of the title.( Read more... ) |
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| The Prisoner 2009 - Harmony |
[Nov. 30th, 2009|07:11 pm] |
A definite improvement, darker and more interesting, drawing on concepts used in the original series while adding one that would not have been out of place in that show.
5/10 as a Prisoner remake
6/10 as a TV show
( Major spoilers below the cut... ) |
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| Ow and okays |
[Oct. 15th, 2009|10:57 am] |
 The last couple of weeks I've been wiped and emotional, my cold has come back (it never fully went away), and today I've majorly barked the back of my right foot on the wire door, hurt the index finger of my left hand mending the gate, and hurt the thumb on my right hand fixing a tap.
On the bright side I spent chunks of yesterday watching Ghost Rider, which while Nicolas Cage was a bit crap in it, I still found to be an enjoyable film. And Christopher Young did the film's music, and I almost always enjoy his work.
And I finished The Kolchak Papers which was a good read despite the huge amount of spelling errors. |
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| The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008 remake) |
[Oct. 14th, 2009|09:49 am] |
While I don't see the point of most remakes, there are some that I think are better than the originals, like Ocean's Eleven and Little Shop of Horrors, or different but more or less equal to the originals, like The Thing and Cat People.
The local video library has brought back $2 Tuesday, so I thought it was time to check out the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still.
It's a pointless remake that will be deservedly forgotten within a couple of years, along with the remakes of The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds. ( Very minor spoilers )
This film is exactly why I don't go see major films at the cinema unless I get glowing reports from people. It wasn't worth my time or my money. In fact I originally thought that $2 would be a fair price to see this, but now having seen it, it wasn't even that good.
Don't bother. Hire or buy the original. Yes it's got its flaws, but it was written by people who knew how to write, and made by people who knew how to make films. |
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| Invisible Man |
[Aug. 2nd, 2009|12:33 pm] |
Had chills and been substandard the last two days. Blah!
But I needed to watch through a few things before the The Best TV Shows That Never Were panel I'm on at C5, and being sick suddenly means I'm better able to make the time to do so. Just rewatched the pilot of the 2000 series The Invisible Man (also known as I-Man in some countries), and pretty much instantly remembered why I enjoyed the show. ( Read more... ) |
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| Return From Witch Mountain |
[May. 12th, 2009|11:15 pm] |
Just watched the old 1978 film, Return from Witch Mountain. In it there are a gang of wannabe tough guys (all played by kids) called the Earthquakes. Their gang names are Rocky, Muscles, Crusher, and Dazzler.
I think Dazzler is kind of missing the point. He's way older and a good head taller than the other kids, so you'd think he'd get the whole 'tough' nickname thing. What makes it especially funny is the way he lights up as introduces himself to Kim Richards. "...and I'm Dazzler!"
For all the film's problems, there are actually some fairly full-on moments during the major chase scene, and Christopher Lee plays his part dead straight, which is especially nasty when he's trying to arrange for a child to be crushed to death.
5/10 |
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| Star Trek (11) |
[May. 11th, 2009|12:21 am] |
A bit of background - The last Star Trek movie I enjoyed was First Contact (or as most people know it, the Borg one) which is also the only Star Trek movie out on DVD that I still wish to buy.
I refuse to buy the 9th and 10th films. I'll watch them again if someone loans them to me, and who knows, I may re-evaluate my position, but for the moment I feel that Paramount got my money at the cinema, and they ain't gettin' another cent outta me for those lacklustre pieces of crap. I felt dissatisfied while viewing them, and by their respective finales was feeling quite cheated at what we were being given. Overlong, uninspired episodes that weren't even internally consistent and hoped to disguise what they were by wearing tarty clothes and talking dirty.
So, the new film. ( No real spoilers, but cut for those who are worried... )
Well worth a look.
7/10 |
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| Sweeney Todd |
[Mar. 25th, 2009|11:44 pm] |
Watched Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd tonight, based on the Stephen Sondheim musical. This is the sort of movie that is made just for me. Tim Burton, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter (who I'm pretty sure wants to have my babies), Timothy Spall, and Alan Rickman, working together on a dark musical.
As a film it was ok, but as a musical it didn't work. Which means essentially that as a film it didn't work. Now I'm left to wonder whether the musical was always bad, or whether Burton's adaptation of it is rubbish.
For me, if I don't come away humming a single song, or even remembering them, it's a failure. And if Sharon, who is a song-stuck-in-the-head magnet, isn't caught by any of them, then that's badness times two!
I just watched Deep Roy's songs from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to get the taste out of my mouth. |
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| Movie goodness |
[Mar. 13th, 2009|05:33 pm] |
In the last week or so, between getting ready for the rent inspection, looking after Lex, and not much else, I have been thoroughly enjoying two different movie related shows. Actually, not enjoying - mainlining. Inhaling.
Both are by non-professionals
The first is Terry Frost's Paleo Cinema, a fairly regular podcast on movies pre-dating 1980. Terry's range of tastes and knowledge is fairly eclectic and encyclopedic, though as he is the first to admit, he's no expert. Terry forewent a formal study of cinema, and instead simply grew up watching lots of films.
His shows are usually well put together and presented, and it tends to feel like you're sitting around chatting with him, rather than being talked at. I don't always agree with his views and criticisms, but there hasn't been a single show I haven't enjoyed.
I checked out a couple of random podcasts, but have now gone back to the start and am running through the shows in order. Highly recommend it.
The other is The Bazura Project, a movie show that screens on Channel 31. Shannon Marinko and Lee Zachariah present a half-hour program of news, reviews, interviews, entertainment and general silliness. Every show opens with a short parody of a well-known film (there's only been one I haven't picked so far).
My attention was first drawn to the Bazura Project by this report on Media Watch about their efforts to get nominated for a Logie.
All three seasons are watchable on their website, and on youtube. I started from the first episode and I'm now nearing the end of season two.
What I enjoy about both shows are that they are simply people who love movies talking to you about them. It's rare I come away from either without wanting to check out something new, or rewatch something old.
Check'em out! |
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| Some February dot points |
[Feb. 16th, 2009|11:27 pm] |
* I made banana and walnut muffins today, and they were yummy. I gave half to Bill and Diane from the Post Office, because they are lovely people and I didn't manage a Chrissy prezzie for them last year.
* Our estate agent has put back our rent inspection a month at my request. Basically told her we were in the middle of sorting/rearranging, and the house would be a mess.
( Cut for extreme length, and because there's nothing overly exciting... ) |
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| Superman and the Mole Men |
[Jan. 27th, 2009|06:09 pm] |
I'm still kind of wrecked, so today after episode 2 of Time and the Rani, I watched Superman and the Mole Men (1951) to help get the taste out of my mouth.
It was George Reeves' first go at playing Superman, and he did it well. Superman is a deadly serious and no-nonsense kind of guy in this. Not afraid to put people in their place by taking their guns, or giving the undeserving townsfolk an acidic comment.
( Spoilers under cut )As films go, it's a bit slow but mercifully short at just under 60 minutes. The production values are low, and the Mole Men are cheap. But I rather like Superman's characterisation, and the take on the base idea.
Quite reasonable for a piece of fifties sci-fi. |
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| Wes Craven's New Nightmare |
[Jan. 21st, 2009|08:24 am] |
Given I talked about Nightmare on Elm Streets 5 and 6, I though I may as well talk briefly about the seventh film, given I've just finished going through the box set.
New Nightmare is not only the best Elm St. movie since the original, it's probably the best movie of the series. Wes Craven's had ten years to further hone his writing and directing skills, and it shows. The core premise is interesting and a clever twist on the old idea. The best summation is that of all the films, this was the only one that still evoked feelings of tension from me, even though I know the film well.
Freddy Krueger is back to doing what he does best - being an all pervading background presence that only appears now and again. This is highlighted by an appearance of Freddy as he became, a pop-culture icon, as opposed to a demonic force. It makes the appearances of demon Freddy more interesting, scarier, because we haven't had time to get used to his new incarnation.
Some clever ideas, solid acting, and a great script - I could easily sit and watch it again. Which I'll do at some point soon so I can listen to Craven's commentary track. |
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| Commenting on Reviews |
[Jan. 19th, 2009|12:36 am] |
So Thursday night I had problems with my clutch (oo-er!), then the fridge died yesterday - and today, the internet exploded!
Long story short, someone attacked a reviewer for giving their work a bad review, which prompted someone else to write a piece effectively saying that if your writing is for public consumption - grow a fucking backbone (my wording, not his) and learn to take criticism.
My take on this is that I like criticism. I haven't had anything published for a while, but that's because much as I tried to continue on post-stroke, it was just too hard and disheartening. But I think I"m getting my mojo back.
I think good negative criticism helps you find the flaws in your writing, and bad negative criticism is something to be ignored. I'm not talking about anyone in particular here, but bad critics are usually more concerned with how cleverly worded their put-downs are, than giving a balanced review.
But for me, the unforgivable sin in reviewing is to spoil the story for the reader. You don't give away plot twists, you certainly don't tell people how it ends - but some reviewers do just that.
When I am actually writing, I put up all the reviews I can find, positive and negative. For me personally, part of being a writer is to take the negative reviews and acknowledge them. They are valid opinions. I don't have to agree with them, but they are just as valid as my hatred of Van Helsing, and my love of Zoolander.
So, am I wrong to write comments about the reviews, or to mess about and play silly buggers? I don't know. Given that virtually no part of my life is hidden in this LJ, it would feel weird not to comment on the reviews.
So here are links to my comments and reviews for Of the Mermaid and Jupiter, Best Seller, and two lots for Sold Out.
I'd be interested in people's opinions. Have I crossed the line without realising? |
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| Elm St. 6 |
[Jan. 17th, 2009|02:00 pm] |
Was as bloody ordinary as I remembered, I was hoping that it would hold up better, as some films do.
Easily the weakest of the films, it falls into the "if this is cool, then ten times as much of it is ten times as cool," trap. Sequences go on far too long, the dreams end up boring and repetitive, and Freddy has now attained cartoon character corniness.
One can only wonder what it would have been like if Peter Jackson's Elm St. script Dream Lover had been made instead. |
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| Comic Book Opera |
[Jan. 15th, 2009|11:35 pm] |
I originally intended for this to be my 1,000th post, but I lost count and posted the Elm St one, so this is my 1,001st post.
Went to see The Young Music Society's production of Comic Book Opera, which was written for them by the ever talented ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) azahru, or as she's known professionally, Liz Argall. Liz is a talented and intelligent woman, so I was looking forward to the production.
And it was good. It was good with a cast of 200+ schoolkids, and 2 weeks rehearsal. It was good with fluffed lines and sound issues that meant it was hard to always hear the singing. It was fun, silly and dark. Kind of hard to describe in detail, but basically a brother and sister get transported to a dimension where villains and super-heroes exist. That's fine, but then the villains decide to come to our reality and take over.
I think my favourite character was Duke Disaster. He was a wonderful dag. And for favourite moments I'm stuck between Goldstar's sideways hop across the stage, followed by her new sidekick's relectant attempt to do the same when ordered to, and the fight scene which featured people running around in front of the action with signs that said "BANG!" and "POW!"
I can't say go out and see it, as the production I saw was it! But Liz is hoping to do more with the project, and I hope she does. I think it would be amazing as a full, professional production. |
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happy
satisfied
disappointed
variable
annoyed
sick
pig-biting mad
curious