Summer Season Recap

Ok I know the title of this post is a little strange considering we're about to leave winter not summer but any movie fan will know that the American summer season "offically" finished when Conan and Spy Kids 4 bombed last week. So lets have a look back before I give my top five summer films.

Overall the summer season was much better than last year and generally held a decent amount of films that were good, ranging from some very good ones to one of the worst films I've seen in many years.

Coming in at number five for the WORST film of the Summer Season is...

Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon. Ok you all this was coming and this is mostly because of how long the film is. I read a review a few months after the film came out that I think sums up my feelings perfectly. See this movie, just come an hour and a half late so you can see the extremely impressive Chicago set piece. The last hour of this film is visually amazing which is the only recommendation I can give the film

Number four of the WORST films of the Summer Season is...

Green Lantern. For what was meant to be the Ryan Rynolds summer, it really hasn't panned out to well for him with This barely making $200 million worldwide (much lower than it's budget) and The Change-Up opening fourth before dropping down to tenth. Green Lantern has the problem of not knowing what it wants to be. The opening makes it seems as though it wants to be an epic superhero film in vein of Spider-Man or Superman the problem is the script which is mostly lame jokes that don't work. Ryan gives a decent enough performance and there are a few laughs but it never builds up to what it could have been. This is one film that a sequel or remake is needed because its more of a missed oppurunity rather than a bad film.

Number three of the WORST film of the Summer Season is...

The Hangover Part II. I loved the original The Hangover; it was funny, shocking and an overall fun time. The only problem I had with it was it does't really have repeat value. I didn't enjoy it the second time as much as I did the first and by the time I'd seen it four or five times I was really over it and ended up not enjoying it at all (my friend were in love with this movie and always forced me to watch it). So when the film's sequel is basically a remake of the original with many of the same jokes, I don't have fun at all. Another one of my problems and it was  the same one I had with Due Date is that Zach Galifianakis is given the same joke over and over and you just get sick of it. He is a very talented comedian but unfortunately he keeps using the "child in a grown man's body" joke and I'm over it.

Number two of the WORST films of the Summer Season is...

Cowboys & Aliens. Again this is a missed opportunity. This could have been a really fun and exciting adventure and one that I was actually looking forward to. The problem it has is that it's not engaging at all. The action in the film is the biggest let down, everything is just really badly shot with uncoherient editing that your not pulled into the screen and you don't engage with what is happening. It's boring. Also the story is a huge problem in that I didn't care for any of the characters at all. Olvia Wilde's character is so pointless and unnessassary that everytime she's on screen I zoned out. Then again I zoned out for most of the film. Like I said, it's just boring.

and the worst film of the Summer is...

Your Highness. Ok I know, I'm cheating with this one a little but technically it didn't come in Australia until May which is when I saw it so it counts. To quote the Joker "Where do we being?" This film is just so horrendously bad that there isn't anything to really say without me sounding like I'm going on a rant. If there was ever a movie to show that the actor or actress is simply doing it for a paycheck, this was it. I mean what were James Franco and Natalie Portman thinking? They just came off of two Oscar nominated performances (with one even winning the bloody award). Sorry I'm starting to rant, this movie just annoyed me because it shows everything I hate about bad films. It doesn't know who it's target audience is. The script is filled with f words and things that get the film an MA rating (R if your American) but then the humor is so childish that its target audience couldn't get in to even see the movie. I'm going to stop now before I do sound like I'm going on a rant. My original review is here which sums up how I feel about the film. The only redeming factor is that it bombed and didn't make back it's budget.

Ok so that's the shit that came out this season, let's talk about the good stuff because surprising enough I actually go to the movies to see good films.

Number five of the BEST films of the Summer Season is...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Pt. 2. I know shocking right? Actually probably not but what may surprise some is how low it is on this list. I'm putting it at fifth (despite beinging a huge Harry Potter fan) because it is the second part of a larger film and so despite it being a great way to finish the Harry Potter series, the other four films on this list all stand alone as their own films which Deathly Hallows Pt. 2 can't really do. Anyway enough of me justifying its so low on my list and lets move on.

Number Four of the BEST films of the Summer Season is...

Source Code. What I loved about this film was that it was able to tell its story in such a fast-paced manner and didn't take away from the film. Too often films are slow to begin with and then really fasten the pace up towards the end and it feels disjointed. Source Code didn't and it really shows by how well the film comes across. The action is really well shot and edited, the acting supurb, the story while not overly orignal works really well and the script is really well written. This is a near perfect film. Yes there are some issues with it like plots holes and the film taking a bit of every other film of this genre but hey you forgive it for this while watching it because its fun and that's what I love about it. It's a cross between Inception, Groundhog Day and a touch of Deja Vu that makes Source Code an engaging and thrilling ride.

Ok these next three are in an order because they have to be I mean any one of them could be number one it just depends on when you ask me. Right now however is this list.

So Number Three of the BEST films of the Summer Season is...

Captain America: The First Avenger. I went into this movie a little cautious. I'd heard reviews from all over the place with some calling it cliched and corny while one calling a near perfect film so I was a little concerned. Thank god my worries were put to rest because I loved every second of this film and the reason is because director Joe Johnson understands how corny the character of Captain America is and he tries to make it realistic. The way they handle him becoming Captian America so is well done that spoiling it would be a crime. Chris Evans drops his usual cocky and sarcastic attitude to play Steve Rogers and does so with such conviction that it believable that this guy would go all over America just to get into the army. All he wants to do is fight for his country. That being said the highlight of the film of course is Hugo Weaving as Red Skull. What is it about villains that makes films so good? Captain America is lifted on the strength of it's villain, which was another problem I had with Green Lantern whose villain was annoying. What more can I say other than Captain America is a great time at the movies and one of the best films of the Summer.

Coming in at second of the BEST films of the Summer Season is...

Ceaser...i mean Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Ok yes I have talked about this film to death and it probably surprises a few of you that it's not number one but I fucking loved this movie and its all because of this guy here.

Andy Serkis. He made this movie. This is Ceaser's film from the moment we are introduced to him and I'm glad that the film didn't try to take it away. I've talked to death about this performance in another of my blogs so I'm not going to talk about it here. What also makes the film great, because you know one amazing performance doesn't movie, is the story and how it's told. Many people didn't believe that this film would work because humans have guns and there is no way apes could rise up and kill everyone. Yeah, watch the film and you'll see how they can do it. (hint; 28 Days Later...just saying). Is there anything else I really need to say about this film that I haven't already said? If you haven't seen it, go now, just go see it. You will not regret it.

And the BEST film of the Summer Season is...

X-Men: First Class. Honesly this is probably the best film of the year (yes more than Adjustment Bureau which I freaking loved). It had everything I wanted in an X-Men film and is by far the best one of the lot. I freaking loved this movie, from start to finish every second and every moment of the film was amazing. Michael Fassbender needs some type of award for this film, James McAvoy needs something too, everyone does. I'll be very surprised if they do but they really deserve it. There is something special about this film and yes I know there are a lot of continuity problems but to be honest who cares, the third and fourth X-Men films don't exist anyway. The thing that really impresses me about this film is how it was done with absolutely no time at all. This is one of those few time where lighting just strikes and something magical comes out afterwards. If you are on the fence about seeing this one go see it, I cannot recommend it enough. It is the best film of the Summer and if something if something comes out that is better than it I'm really looking forward to seeing that.

So that my list of the Summer Season, sorry for it being so long. So comment below and let me know some of your favourites. My "Fall" preview post will be up shortly and til then I'm the Mad Movie Man.

Drama Winning Box-Office?

Hello dear readers and welcome to another exciting entry into the wonderful world that had become the mind of The Mad Movie Man. Today my thoughts are turning towards something I'm actually quite happy about surprising enough, yes there are good things we can talk about when it comes to the world of film. Following last weeks box-office results (August 19 - 21) in which The Help beat out the four new releases that were opening and won with an impressive twenty million dollars, it has gotten me thinking; are audiences starting to actually spend there money on good films in the cinema?

Ok I know that statement is rather cynical of me but what I mean by that is simple. Since Jaws, which is considered to be the film that started the now common blockbuster, studios have pumped out blockbuster after blockbuster films in an attempt to win audiences over with their special effects and impressive visuals (hense why Transformers 2 was one of the highest-grossing films of 2009). I know I'm not really breaking any new ground by saying this but what is interesting is that before Jaws, the highest grossing film of all time was actually a drama film called The Godfather and before that was Gone With The Wind. Yes, for many years dramas were the films that won the box-office and captured everyones heart and now I'm beginning the think that maybe this momentium is coming back with The Help winning the box-office this weekend.

Before you say anything like it's only been a week or anything I know and I'm not judging this based solely on The Help. No I've had this thought for awhile and it started earlier this year when I learnt what the thirteenth highest-grossing film of 2010 was...The King's Speech. That's right, a drama that cost shit all to make ended up grossing over four-hundred million dollars. Of course the questions that follows that statement is why and the answer is simple; story. The King's Speech had an absolutely amazing story behind it and the film was simply a good time which made people want to go see it. Another piece of evidence which shows you that people may be starting to accept drama and go see them in the threatres is the film that ended up seventeenth last year; Black Swan.

Most movie fans would know of the troubled shoot this film had because of how low the bugject was, Natalie Portman reportedly had no trailer for most of the shooting because the cost of it was used to hire a first aid officer. Yet the film ended up grossing over three-hundred and twenty million dollars. Yet films like Green Lantern or Conan the Barbarian are given a ridiculous amount of money and they have been both claimed and the greatest bombs of 2011, these and Cowboys and Aliens.

I don't mean to sound like I'm beating a dead horse but this comes back to the old cliche of "good story, good film" and I think people are starting to accept that most Hollywood blockbuster's that come out recently have been quite awful and therefore are more willing to see these independent and cultural films because they aren't satisfied with the stuff they are getting. Granted everything I've been saying can be undone by easily mentioning that The Smurfs has been in the top five every week since the day it opened but hey, every film deserves a chance.

So am I jumping the gun and looking to much into it or do you believe that audiences have begun to accept that a good story usually means good film? Comment below let me know. As always, I'm the Mad Movie Man and I'll see you and the cinema

Motion Capture and The Oscars

So today I'm going to do something a little different. I'm going to bitch abotu a film I actually loved. Ok well not really bitch about the film, but what is going to happen now because of this film. Yes I am of course talking about Rise of the Planet of the Apes.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is the first film I have seen this year that I honestly think, in a world of ten nominations, has a shot at being nominated for The Academy Award for Best Picture (The Tree of Life you can go to hell). Now while I do have some personal problems with the film (seriously I'm still not over that ending scene, god it pissed me off), I did completely love the film and as I said in my review, it was all because of the performance by Andy Serkis.

For those of you who do not know Andy Serkis played Ceaser, the genius ape who begins the revolution against humanity and is the cause of the entire film. When the film was said to be in production, everyone I'm pretty sure believed it to be a bad idea. When the first trailer came out and it showed all the signs of being a cliched disaster movie, my expections were dropped further. Then of course I see the film and I'll be the first to admit the cliches are present, but you know what as an audience member you don't care. Also the idea of making apes you know actual apes and not human in make up like every other Planet of the Apes film was a great idea and is the only reason this film works. The foundation of the film is Andy Serkis performance, it's the best performance I've seen all year and if there is a better one then I'm excited because this one is some tough stuff to beat, but with that comes the question of how much is Andy Serkis and how much is CG.

The role of Ceaser was created using the same techology used for Gollum and King Kong (both played by Serkis, the motion capture king), but that shows that it's a computer based performance. Now don't take me into thinking that I'm against Andy Serkis, I believe that it was 100% him all along and he deserves full credit for the role, but I don't vote on the Academy Awards and therefore will not be able to nominate him for the Oscar which he completely deserves. Yes I'm already, in August of 2011, five months before the nominations come out, talking about Andy Serkis being snubbed for Best Actor at next years Oscars. This is one of the greatest performances I have ever seen, I'll say it's better than Gollum (there I said it, happy?), it could even rival Colin Firth's performance last year from The Kings Speech, and I am not the only one who agrees on this. So why won't the Academy regonise it next year and give him the Golden Statue? Because it was a computer based performance and the Academy are elder snobs who don't like new techology. That's why The Social Network lost to The King's Speech last year, because The Social Network promoted an interest website, something the Academy is too old to use.

So why am I writing this? Well mostly because I couldn't think of anything else to write and I am already two days behind (sorry guys but don't worry I have a massive article about the films that inspired and changed me coming soon) but also because I believe that The Academy should start to regonise these types of performances. Serkis should have been nominated years ago for Gollum but for him to not be regonised this year for Ceaser would be a travisty, even if it is an honorary Oscar. He deserves it. I'm the Mad Movie Man and I'll see you at the cinema.

The Amazing Spider-Man Trailer Breakdown

Ok I mentioned in my previous blog that I am actually looking forward to the new Spider-Man film and since then a trailer has been released of what the overall feel of the film will be. The trailer itself has sparked a little debate on the ending but I'll get into that later. Now I'm just going to talk about what I think of the tone and hints at what the story is going to be.

So the trailer starts out with Peter (we don't know it's him but its fairly safe to assume) being told by his dad that they have to go away for awhile and it feels as though this could be an espionage movie and a lot of people have said this is stupid and blah blah blah. Guys, this is keeping with the original comics. In the comics, Peter's parents worked for S.H.I.E.L.D, yeah S.H.I.E.L.D you know those guys from the last four Marvel Studio films. The ones that keep setting up The Avengers? Those guys. Which leads to tell us that (once legal right and what not get out of the way, Spider-Man is owned by Sony not Marvel Studios) Spider-Man could end up being in The Avengers sequel. I know I'm reading into this way too much but I love that opening and the implications that it could set up...and that's just the first thirty seconds we got a whole other two minutes to deal with.

So after that we see young Peter grow up into Andrew Garfield. Those of you who know me will know that I absolutely love Andrew Garfield and the fact that he was robbed of an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor last year is something I will never really understand. I say this because I believe that he will be a great Peter Parker.

So we get another 30 seconds establishing that Peter is a bit of an outcast and strange kid. Keeping with the comic-book lore, it seems like Gwen and Peter are close friends and also that her father George has angst with Peter. There is then a lot of quick flashes and cuts that build that Peter is a little geeky and it all builds up to the moment that we've been waiting for...the scene when Peter gets bitten. I'll admit this look pretty weird and I'm interested to see why he's in that room let alone what that room actually is. Remember this is only a trailer so you can forgive it for not giving us all this information. I will also say that I love the opening score. It works really well for the trailer, not sure if it will for the film but in this trailer it works great.

From here we get the montage of Peter discovering his powers and its all building up to the final climatic scene, with voice-overs from I'm guessing Rhys as Dr. Conners/The Lizard. The line "Are you ready to play God" makes me believe this. I hope the film do The Lizard justice and really play up the tragicness of the character. In the comics, Lizard is more of a Jekyll and Hyde character where he'll change into the Lizard at unexpected moments before changing back to Conners and trying to live a normal life. I hope they do this, because Lizard is a great tragic villain and those who know me know how much I love tragic villains.

We then get a first shot of the back of the Spidy Suit and I know a lot of people have a problem with it but, I kinda like it. It's not as campy or well made as in the first three Spider-Man's and this works because it looks like something a teenager would make, not something a costume department with an unlimited budget could do. I really like this...if the trailer cut there it could be a near perfect trailer, but no it doesn't. Instead we get one of the strangest sequences I have ever seen.

I am hoping, really hoping that this sequence is a trailer only one. Yes I have seen it in 3D and it doesn't work as well. The shot where he looks down at the streets below looks pretty cool but it still looked pretty cool in 2D but I'm not here to rant about how ineffective 3D is. My problem with this ending is not that it's in first person. I like that it's in first person, I think for the most part it works and we can somewhat feel the thrill that Spider-Man has when he's running. I love that, I think its great. What I don't like about this sequence is the effect. That's what they look like, effects. They don't feel real...it's really weird. I know everyone has made this comparison but its true, it does look like Mirror's Edge but I digress. Let's move on to the last line.

"We all have secrets, the one's we keep and the one's that are kept from us" I'm sorry but what the fuck does that mean? This line does not feel like it should be in a Spider-Man movie. It seems like that line is meant to represent what the plot might be like, I don't know all I know is that I hate it. It doesn't work and I hope that the film actually works on it because while I may hate it I can't deny that it's left me intrigued.

Yes I'm really excited for The Amazing Spider-Man and yes I think it's going to be extremely good. I'm hoping that it really is good just to shut all the haters up. Those who believe it's been too soon since the last one for a reboot, it's been 5 years, that's still pretty long for a film franchise especially for Spider-Man.

So that's my take on The Amazing Spider-Man, comment below and let me know you're thoughts. I'm the Mad Movie Man and I'll see you at the cinema

Remakes and Adaptions.

So as some of you may know this weekend in the American box-office a certain film starring little blue creatures tied first in box-office against the awesome action movie Cowboys & Aliens. Yes, I’m talking about The Smurfs.

 

Now a lot of different theories have come out about this, mostly because this surprised everyone as many expected Smurfs to open at third or fourth behind Cowboys, Potter and Captain America, and my favourite so far is because of the two live-action actors in the film. Yep that’s right, people believe that the only reason audiences went to see this movie was because of Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays; people who have huge fan bases because of their respective TV shows. I’d buy this and believe that it could be true if it was a romantic comedy or something (that would actually be a pretty good movie; I’d pay to see that).

The only other theory and this is most likely the main reason, is that adults have taken their kids to see a film based off a show they used to love. I know my father was insane about The Smurfs. This is most likely the real case. So is nostalgia enough of a reason to predict that a movie is going to make money now?

When I was first discussing this with people one of my friends brought up Winnie the Pooh and now excited I was for that and asked what was the difference? The answer is respect. Look at the Winnie the Pooh trailer.

 

It’s in the same style as the original TV show and films. The point of this film was to be nostalgic over a lost art form and type of animation. Traditionally animated films are gone, even if Disney say they will make one every two years they won’t because both times they have it has failed to meet their expectations. Sorry I started ranting then. Going back to the original question, Winnie the Pooh respected the original material. This Smurfs film hasn’t. In the original cartoon, the Smurfs were; 1. Animated, 2. In their forest and 3. It was NOT live-action! In this new film they have broken all three of those and insulted the original TV show.

This is the problem I have with remakes and reimagining. I am all for it, if some producer feels the complete need to retell Casablanca, by all means go ahead but if you do respect the material. Don’t get some shitty writer who’s been paid millions and millions of dollars to write the first thing that comes to his head because that’s where Hollywood is failing. Take the new Karate Kid movie. I loved it, I thought it was extremely well told and you know why? Because those involved love the original material, they loved it and respected it and didn’t want to do anything to hurt it so they gave it their all to make the new one just as good and just as special so it doesn’t taint the memory of the first film (sequels not included). The other end of that would be, oh The Last Airbender. I know not a remake but still an adaption. No-one involved in this project respected the original material and this is clearly seen which is why most people hated it. For people to enjoy a film that is based on something they love, which is what most are, it has no only respect the original material and still tell a good story. This is why I am one of the few who is actually really looking forward to the new Spider-Man film, because everyone involved love Spider-Man. They know where he came from and know who he is and are respecting that.

So there my thoughts on a lot of different things, comment below let me know what you think and list any film remakes or adaptations that you believe insulted the original material. There are a lot I just can’t think of many off the top of my head right now. I’m the Mad Movie Man signing out.