by | May 20, 2012

Let’s Talk: Cool Hand Luke

Welcome to another LET’S TALK discussion; an opportunity to share thoughts, opinions, quotes and all things related to our selected movie of the week. The discussion is open for seven days in order to allow everyone around the world to voice their thoughts.

I’m Brent and I run  Criminal Movies, a blog devoted to film anti heroes. Russell knows I’m a fan of the “Let’s Talk” format and was kind enough to invite me to host one. The film I picked is Cool Hand Luke.  If you want my further thoughts on the movie as a talking point, check out my review here: Review, or just go from your own memory.

 

There are two ways to contribute to the conversation:

The first way is the easiest, leave a comment on the post, and I will edit to be part of the conversation.

The second way is to register on the site and you will have access to edit the post and add your opinion.

I assume everyone has seen this one, and if not, go see it now. and then come back. Really, this is one everyone should check out. (Plus there will be spoilers here, I’m sure.)

Cool Hand Luke, is in my opinion one of the greatest films of all time. The remarkable thing about it is it was released in 1967, and was seen as a response to the Viet Nam war. Despite that fact, it’s just as relevant today. Luke is a character we can identify with at any point in time. He’s a stubborn loner, who won’t accept orders when they don’t make sense. He bucks the system but he isn’t trying to be a tough guy, he just won’t back down.  He’s a different kind of character in that, as Dragline says, he’s fighting back with nothing. He takes quite a journey in the film from openly defiant but glad to receive the admiration of his prison camp mates, to being totally broken by the guards, and finally to having no use for his “fans” and simply wanting to escape and be left alone.

There’s no doubt that Stuart Rosenberg is a great director, and the supporting cast is phenomenal (particularly Strother Martin and George Kennedy) but  it’s the amazing performance of Paul Newman that makes it a real classic. I’m not sure about you, but I always smile when I think of this movie, because the character really gets to you. He’s a guy you wish you knew. That’s no small feat considering the amount of abuse that goes on in it. Luke gets beaten pretty decisively, but I still feel like he won in a way, but maybe it’s just that I want him to. You can certainly read the film either way. I once read a review of someone who watched Cool Hand Luke, and this person remarked, “He had a poor attitude. I’d never hire a guy like Luke to work for me.” In my mind, that person was missing the point entirely. What do you think? Here’s a few more questions to kick this off, but feel free to add whatever thoughts you’d like.

Is Cool Hand Luke still relevant today?

What’s your favorite scene/ quote?

Could anyone but Paul Newman have pulled off the role?

@InTheFrame1: Good choice, Brent. This one is in my collection, but I haven’t seen it for a while. I’ll watch it tonight before I contribute.

@CriminalMovies: very cool. I’ll look forward to your thoughts with the movie fresh in mind!

@FuriousCinema: Cool Hand Luke has been one of my favorites since first seeing it (I don’t even know when that was). It’s gotta be one of the best character studies in cinema history, as well as a great Southern Fried crime genre film.

I think Cool Hand Luke really is a timeless story that could take place in any period or place. It’s always been an inspirational to me with its theme about fighting the system and never giving up. At the same time Luke was a lost soul who didn’t know how to live in society. So theres two things at odds there that make it really interesting.

Favorite scene: There’s alot of great scenes of course, one of my favorites is when Luke and the men have to pave that road and they go crazy throwing the asphault and when it’s all done they laugh because they “beat the Man”.

Paul Newman as Luke: I think he brought a unique charm and sensibility to the character that another actor may not have been able to do. Its Newman’s personality that gives it that special quality.

@CriminalMovies: I completely agree with those points. The character of Luke is astonshingly well realized and has been inspirational to me too. The road paving scene is an interesting one. They “Beat the Man” by doing the job better than expected. You know sunglasses doesn’t like that!

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by | May 13, 2012

Let’s Talk: The Dark Knight

Welcome to another LET’S TALK discussion; an opportunity to share thoughts, opinions, quotes and all things related to our selected movie of the week. The discussion is open for seven days in order to allow everyone around the world to voice their thoughts.

I’m Steve from In the Frame Film Reviews and Russell has asked me to host this discussion. We’ll be taking a good look at The Dark Knight, from director Christopher Nolan.

There are two ways to contribute:

The first way is the easiest, leave a comment on the post, and I will edit to be part of the conversation.

The second way is to register on the site and you will have access to edit the post and add your opinion.

Oh, and there will be spoilers discussed, so if you haven’t seen the film yet, I suggest watching it and then coming back here to join in on the discussion.

http://paulmmartinblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/the_dark_knight_poster.jpg

I want to give everyone a chance to contribute before I start pointing you at reviews or giving you my own thoughts, so let’s start off by saying what this movie means each of you.

Did you see the movie at the cinema? Perhaps several times? Or did you discover it on cable or home video?

Were you already a Nolan fan?

Where would The Dark Knight rank among Nolan’s films? Where would it rank among all comic book adaptations?

I know comic book adaptations are extremely popular and almost guaranteed box office success, but The Dark Knight earned over $1 billion. Why do you think that was? What sets it apart from other movies in the genre?

The movie stars Heath Ledger as The Joker and it’s sometimes thought of as his movie. Is that true for you, or do you think it could have been as good or better with another actor in the role?

How about the casting in general? Any good choices or glaring errors? What about the change of actress for Rachel?

Many of the supporting roles are filled by superb actors such as Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman and Cillian Murphy. Do you think assembling an all-star cast elevated the movie above others in the genre?

Have you seen Batman Begins? If so, how much does it contribute to the success of The Dark Knight, and how does it do that?

The Dark Knight Rises will soon be released. What are you expecting from Nolan’s final contribution to the trilogy? Can it be even better than what came before?

These questions are just a guide. Answer them if you like, or just contribute to the discussion in any way that you wish.

Over to you.

 

@Wayneley: I may be the only person in this discussion to say that THE DARK KNIGHT was slightly OVERRATED! Don’t get me wrong the movie was enjoyable, successful and well acted by the cast of NOLAN’s flick, but it would not even make My Top 10 Superhero Movies. I would place the movie at No.5 on Christopher Nolan’s CV, with Memento, Insomnia, Inception & Batman Begins before it. Another topic of conversation is Heath Ledger, he was fantastic in the role BUT no where near as good as Jack Nicholson in ’89 Jack will always be the JOKER for me personally AND for me the overlooked star of THE DARK KNIGHT was Aaron Eckhart playing Harvey Dent – he was truly outstanding. Great topic as always & I look forward to reading on 1:37

@InTheFrame1: I enjoyed Eckhardt’s performance too and I’m a fan of his work on Thank You For Smoking and Rabbit Hole.

@Russell_Oz:  What a movie to discuss! I loved The Dark Knight! It is easily the greatest Batman film of all time! Where do I even begin… there are so many things to love about it! Alright, I’ll start off with the simple reason that whilst it is technically a “superhero” movie it is a wonderful action movie with complex and interesting characters.

The stand out for me was Heath Ledger. The man OWNED every single scene that he was in. I felt that no one else came close to delivering the same type of searing performance. I remember that when Ledger had been selected to play a role that Jack Nicholson clearly had defined in Tim Burton’s Batman I was doubtful of Ledger’s ability. I did not think that anyone would come close to the Nicholson’s performance but he not only did a brilliant job as the Joker, Ledger REDEFINED the role of the Joker.

I feel that when Heath Ledger died he missed out on seeing his moment in the sun because based on his performance in the movie, his career was only beginning!!

@InTheFrame1: I agree that it’s the best Batman film so far, but Batman Begins helps make it good by establishing Wayne’s motivations. I also thought that Ledger was great. The thing I love most is that this world could really exist. The Joker could be a psychopath in modern society and Batman could make the things he uses to become what he is in the movie. I loved the ferry scene and the imagination of the scenario. Let’s hope the final entry wraps things up as we hope.

@Russell_Oz: You make a good point, Steve. One of the best things about the series thus far is how real it all feels, from the villains to the heroes to the technology, you won’t be seeing Mr Freeze pop up any time soon! Although I have to say, I wasn’t a huge fan of Batman Begins because the Scarecrow seemed a lil bit like a poor villain, so I was very happy when he was picked up at the beginning of The Dark Knight.

@Raghav: I loved Dark Knight because firstly it focuses and doesn’t hide away from making the villain a more powerful character than the hero. Furthermore, it carries on with Batman Begins and takes it a notch higher. Lastly, it’s a superhero movie with a story that is both complex and keeping true to the story.

@Russell_Oz: Thanks for stopping by this week’s LET’S TALK discussion, Raghav, it means a lot! Unlike most action movies where you know that the good guy will win and the bad guy will lose, The Dark Knight is a great exception because there was genuine drama because you had no idea what was going to happen next!

@melbwrites: I love, LOVE the Dark Knight!!! Probably because it was filmed right here in Chicago and I got to witness first hand some of the awesome scenes.  It will always be a part of me. I have such fond memories and for once, I didn’t even mind the street closures and reroutes of my bus. :)

Batman Begins contributed mightily to setting up Dark Knight in getting into Wayne’s motivation. I especially enjoyed Ken Watanabe as Ra’s Al Ghul. Neeson was awesome as Ducard, too. Though I do wish that perhaps Nolan might have kept Katie Holmes as Rachel. Maggie Gyllenhaal was not good. She was my only disappointment in Dark Knight. There’s something flat about her delivery to me. I can never buy her completely in any role. Same goes with Holmes 90% of the time, though I thought she did a little better job as Rachel. But perhaps Tom Cruise just didn’t want his wife to star in a bigger picture than he had. LOL  Go ahead, make fun, tell me I am so wrong about Mags and an utter idiot for believing Katie has any talent. :) But that’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it.

I think Heath gave the performance of his career aside from Brokeback Mountain. I bought his psycho Joker hook, line and sinker. He was the opposite of Nicholson’s magnificent over-the-top theatrical psycho and went with stripped down evil, which was the exact right note to strike.

TDKR is going to be the hugest film of the three I think for the simple reason that Dark Knight was a killer set up. Like Two Towers for Return of the King. People are salivating for this final Nolan Batman. Just like they were for Whedon’s Avengers. We could see two billion dollar superhero flicks this summer and sorry, but Spidey won’t be joining that club. :)

@Russell_Oz: Hey Mel! Thanks for the awesome comment! I would never make fun of you but like a lot of the time I am going to disagree with you slightly ;) I never really thought much of Maggie Gyllenhaal until I watched Stranger than Fiction and thought she delivered such a subtle and lovely performance that I became a fan at that point. I enjoyed her role in The Dark Knight but if it had been Katie Holmes I wouldn’t have minded either.

I agree about TDKR being massive this year and it probably is easily one of the most anticipated and I do wonder how it will fare compared to The Avengers because I suspect that given the subject matter, I think The Avengers appealed to a larger audience. Although I am sure that there will be plenty of repeat viewings of TDKR :)

@Bubbawheat: I haven’t seen a movie in theaters in years (changing that tomorrow though), so I for sure saw this one on home video. I think one of the biggest reasons why it made so much money was just a confluence of events. It had a reprise of the Joker, Batman’s most popular villain. Heath Ledger played it amazingly and so much differently from Jack Nicholson before him, and while it is disappointing that he died, there’s no denying that all the publicity surrounding his death had the subtext of this movie all over it making it the movie everyone had to watch.

I’ve seen every theatrical Batman movie, and a few of the animated ones. I think my favorite at the moment is Tim Burton’s Batman, though that may change once I re-watch it sometime this year I have a feeling nostalgia may be clouding my memory. As far as this movie, I never thought Rachel was very strong in either movie. I have hope that Catwoman has a much better portrayal, and I think that while this new movie will likely do more than Batman Begins, I think it will fall short of the Dark Knight’s box office. Though I’m definitely looking forward to watching it.

@Russell_Oz: I agree that due to the “perfect storm” surrounding The Dark Knight’s initial release will be very hard to beat but I suspect that TDKR will come close but not beat it. I think that Nolan’s Batman has become so big that given that it’s the final chapter will be enough to get people back into the cinema for multiple viewings. But we’re not talking Avengers money…

@criminalmovies: I really enjoyed the Dark Knight. Where Batman Begins gave us mostly setup, this one started with Batman firmly in place. Ledger’s Joker was terrific, but I thought this was really Harvey Dent’s movie even more than Batman or the Joker’s. I’d say it’s the best Batman done so far, although I liked Burton’s quite a bit. I’m hoping that in the next film we get to see Batman a little more in control for awhile, as that’s the only story element I think we’re missing from the first two. He’s competent, sure, and manages to come through in the end, but everything is cut so close, we haven’t seen the great detective.

@Russell_Oz: You do make a good point about the great detective aspect but didn’t we get to see a lil bit of that when Batman was using the cellphone signals to locate the Joker? I thought that was a lil detective-esque. Oh, how about Burton’s Batman, I think Michael Keaton spent some time in the Batcave doing some investigative work…

@Russell_Oz: The Dark Knight is a movie full of great sequences and brilliant action but for me I have 2 favourite scenes. The first is the opening sequence is in the bank. The bank heist is so intense and executed so well that it immediately sets the tone to what type of movie is going to follow. The second is the interrogation scene. I could watch that scene over and over again and never get sick of it. It was brutal to watch and I love how the cops have that moment where they realise that Batman is not playing by their rules and rush to the door. I love watching the Joker push Batman’s buttons and love every minute of it!

So what’s your favourite scene?

@InTheFrame1: I must admit that I like the whole ferry sequence. The idea itself is good and it built a lot of tension. The chase scene is obviously great, especially when he switches to the bike.

@Wayneley: Must admit the scene in the pool hall “Why So Serious” is incredible to watch – the chilling tone as the psychotic JOKER explains his scars, whilst holding a blade to a guys open mouth is wonderfully executed by LEDGER. :)

@InTheFrame: Yeah, I also like that his story is just made up and he adapts it for each victim.

@Russell_Oz: Totally agree! Love that there is no defined “true” story for how the Joker got his scars and that it changed from victim to victim, kept the audience guessing!

@criminalmovies: It’s clear that Batman in Dark Knight is very bright, but using gadgets is a long way from making Sherlock Holmes type deductions. I’m not saying he’s a slouch I just wish we had a little bit more of that side of things. Maybe in the next one. My favorite scene is the Joker intro. I liked the ferry scene a lot too.

@Russell_Oz: That’s a fair call, Brent. Hopefully in the next one we’ll be able to see a lil more of the great detective we’ve all read about…

@melbwrites: My fave scene is the intro with the Joker in the very beginning. It’s one of the best opening sequences in film, I think. I also love the ferry scene and Tiny Lister taking charge like that. I wish we would see more of Bruce’s brains as well. It seems Lucius Foxx is the one with all the thinking going on.

@InTheFrame1: As it’s the last day of the discussion, I’ll post the mini-review I did for my 100 movies series:

The Dark Knight (2008)
Action, Crime, Drama, 152 minutes
Directed by Christopher Nolan
Starring Christian Bale, Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhart

I don’t like superhero movies as a rule and only watched The Dark Knight so that I could confirm my belief that all the hype was unjustified. To my surprise, I ended up loving the experience.

There are a number of reasons why I don’t usually watch the genre. The characters are often shallow and we don’t know their true origin and motivations. Acting is cheesy and deliberately over the top. The need for humor means that I’m likely to be assaulted by childish jokes. The plot is there as an excuse for cool special effects and a lot of action. In short, I don’t believe in the characters or the world in which they live.

The Dark Knight overcomes all of those problems and delivers something special.

The characters are far from shallow. After seeing the movie, I made a point of seeing Batman Begins, in which Nolan shows us how Bruce Wayne became Batman. We see the training that allows him to fight criminals. His wealth enables him to develop weapons, vehicles and protective clothing that could actually exist. The acting is superb and many of the cast are Oscar-winners or nominees. Instead of making The Joker an unbelievable character such as the one depicted by Jack Nicholson in 1989, Nolan and Ledger invent a character who could be walking around in New York or anywhere else. He’s psychotic, but we understand his twisted logic. When he makes a threat, we believe that it’s possible and that he could pull it off.

Nolan’s world is totally logical and could easily exist in reality.

The Dark Knight has enough thrills and action to satisfy fans of the genre, but it’s much more than that. It works as a character study and as a police procedural. It’s also a thriller, with elements of romance.

If there’s one movie that transcends the genre, The Dark Knight is it.

If you like The Dark Knight:

As I already mentioned, Batman Begins is the starting point for Nolan’s Batman. While not quite as good as The Dark Knight, it’s complexity and realism blow away any previous efforts in the superhero genre. Many of the actors star in both movies, and Liam Neeson is especially good as Wayne’s trainer.

There are no other superhero movies in the same league, but the first half of The Incredible Hulk comes close. Unfortunately, the second half doesn’t meet expectations.

If you enjoy the way in which the story was told, I would recommend any Christopher Nolan film. Inception is a blockbuster with plenty of thrills and special effects, but the script is excellent. Memento and The Prestige are also well worth a look. All three have complex plots with a few twists, so don’t check them out if you prefer your stories to be completely linear with neat explanations. I don’t mean that as an insult, I just want to make it clear what you would be letting yourself in for. Straightforward stories have plenty of value if they are told well.

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by | May 17, 2012

‘Argo’ Trailer

Ben Affleck surprised the world with his directorial skills in Gone Baby Gone and followed it up with successful heist movie The Town, now he’s back again on double duty, both directing and starring in Argo, the true story of the rescue of 6 American hostages during the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis.

When watching the trailer the first thing you notice is that there are a lot of moustaches and beards during 1979, it’s almost a little unsettling seeing them all…however that might just be beard envy on my part since I am not “allowed” to have a beard. Well I guess I could push the envelope and try to keep it but it tends to make the missus a little unhappy…which in turn makes me a little unhappy. Um, ok…what was my point again?

Oh yeah, Argo.

So Ben Affleck gets back into the director’s chair to tell the unbelievable true story where both the Americans and Canadians devised a plan to convince Iran that the 6 hostages were in fact members of a film crew called Argo and were in Iran for location scouting. It alsmost seems to unbelievable to be real…and that’s why I think it’s going to be another success for Mr Affleck.

Directed by Ben Affleck and written for the screen by Chris Terrio based on Joshuah Bearman’s Wired article titled “How the CIA Used a Fake Sci-Fi Flick to Rescue American from Tehran” and co-starring Bryan Cranston (Drive), John Goodman (The Artist), and Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine).

Argo will be released on the following dates: (correct as of today)

Australia: November 1st 2012, USA: October 12th 2012, and UK: October 12th 2012

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by | May 13, 2012

‘Gangster Squad’ Trailer

Is it wrong to want the gangsters to win?

Not that I have anything against the Gangster Squad but seriously Sean Penn is a stick of dynamite with a lit fuse, how can he not win??

The official trailer for Ruben Fleischer’s the Gangster Squad was released a few days ago and it looks pretty sweet. It’s set in a time where the gangsters were bad so the cops needed to be worse.

Directed by Ruben Fleischer and written by Will Beall and based on the series of L.A Times articles “Tales From the Gangster Squad” by Paul Lieberman, the film tells the story of Police Office John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) who has been tasked with taking down the notorious crime boss Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn). In order to do this, O’Mara needs good men to help him, and that’s where Sgt Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), Conway Keeler (Giovanni Ribisi), Navidad Ramirez (Michael Pena), and Coleman Harris (Anthony Mackie) come in.

Gangster Squad is released on the following dates; correct as of today

Australia: November 1st 2012, USA: No official confirmed date, UK: November 9th 2012

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by | May 13, 2012

‘Killer Joe’ Trailer

After making a convincing “comeback” in 2011′s The Lincoln Lawyer where Matthew McConaughey showed the world that he still has what it takes to deliver a strong performance in a dramatic movie instead of just being known as the bongo drum guy,  McConaughey looks like he’s on a roll because the trailer for Killer Joe looks intense!

Killer Joe is based on the stage play of the same name written by Tracy Letts, who adapted her play for the big screen. The play ran off-broadway for 9 months in 1998 and starred Scott Glen (Training Day), Amanda Plummer (Pulp Fiction), Michael Shannon (Take Shelter), and Sarah Paulson (Serenity).

Directed by William Friedkin (The Exorcist) and starring Matthew McConaughey (The Lincoln Lawyer), Emile Hirsch (Into The Wild), Juno Temple (The Three Musketeers), Thomas Hayden Church (Sideways), and Gina Gershon (Face/Off). Side note: I’m so happy to see Gina Gershon back on the big screen!

Killer Joe is released on the following dates; (Correct as of today)

Australia: June 7th and 14th as part of the Sydney Film Festival; USA: July 27th 2012; UK: June 29th 2012

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by | May 8, 2012

‘Collaborator’ Trailer

From first time screenwriter and director Martin Donovan comes Collaborator, the story of fading playwright Robert Longfellow (Donovan) who is taken hostage by a neighbour (David Morse), an angry right-wing criminal.

I’d not heard the name Martin Donovan before stumbling across this trailer this morning but I can say that after watching it I am going to remember it now. Donovan, who has starred in multiple TV series, such as Boss and Unnatural History, and various movies since 1982 plays a man who on a visit home is taken hostage by a neighbour.

The angry neighbour, Gus, played the ever-versatile David Morse who has starred A LOT of movies, always playing the guy you recognise but can never really place his name “Oh that’s that guy from that other movie, you know the one with the other guy in it..oh what’s his name”. To spare you from having to Google, here’s a few of his movies; The Rock, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Contact, TV’s House, and the soon-to-be-released World War Z

What really appeals to me is that this feels more like a character film and less like a hostage movie where the negotiator (Film Fact, David Morse starred in The Negotiator) tries to rescue the innocents while taking out the bad guy.

I really hope that the Collaborator gets an Australian release date however I can’t seem to locate any information of one.

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by | May 7, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises Trailer – Official #3

Oh hey there, just in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last few years there’s a new movie coming out in July called The Dark Knight Rises, it’s the sequel to another indie film from 2008 titled The Dark Knight.

Now some of us caught the 2008 film and loved it. Actually, it’s a little known fact that it was a sequel to another movie Batman Begins starring the same title character, Batman.

So in case this is the first time you’re hearing about The Dark Knight Rises, this will be the final chapter in the trilogy by little-known director Christopher Nolan and soon-to-be-well-known actor Christian Bale.

I hope you make the time to check out the film upon release because I feel that it’s going to need as much support as possible to eventually turn a profit.

Maybe on the DVD release…

The Dark Knight Rises is scheduled for release on July 19th in Australia and July 20th in the US and UK.

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by | May 6, 2012

Let’s Talk: The Avengers

Welcome back to another LET’S TALK discussion, an opportunity to share thoughts, opinions, quotes and all things related on our selected movie of the week. The discussion is open for 7 days in order to allow everyone around the world to voice their thoughts.

However there’s one big difference, this Let’s Talk discussion proudly brought to you by one of the biggest The Avengers fans out there…The One, The Only, @MelBWrites!!!

To join the discussion, there are 2 ways to in;

The first way is the easiest, leave a comment on the post, and I will edit to be part of the conversation. The second way is to register on the site and you will have access to edit the post and add your opinion :) Oh and there will be spoilers discussed so if you haven’t seen the film yet, I suggest watching it and then coming back here to join in on the discussion.

To kick things off, here’s Mel’s review of Joss Whedon’s The Avengers;

Holy hell where do I begin with The Avengers?

I’ll say right now that this is hands down one of, if not the, best superhero movies of all time for me.

And yes, I am including the Chris Reeve Superman films and Nolan’s Dark Knight. I was already a huge fan of Joss Whedon’s work. He is a master storyteller and director with a comic background that includes work in the Marvel Universe with Astonishing X-Men and Runaways, Whedon was the perfect person to helm The Avengers and I want to know why Marvel didn’t turn to him first when they started this wave of superhero films. Unlike previous directors, he “gets” the universe in which these heroes dwell.

Whedon took the groundwork laid out by Marvel and previous directors, then amped it up to the nth degree. Here in The Avengers Thor, Hulk and Captain America are made better. Oh my God was I impressed with what Whedon managed to accomplish with the great golden dunderhead, Captain America. Gone is the cheesetastic corn-fed boy wonder virgin from Brooklyn who always followed orders and never questioned a thing. Here we have someone with a little more complexity, someone who challenges his teammates and questions the leadership of Nick Fury. Can I get an amen?

The cast is amazing. From Hemsworth to Hiddleston to Jackson, Evans and Downey, Jr. each of these mega-talents shines, but they also have a wonderful chemistry together. Ruffalo is incredible taking over the role of Bruce Banner/Hulk from Edward Norton. Scarlett Johansson is completely killer as Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow. Joss always does really great female characters and Black Widow is no exception. ScarJo more than holds her own on screen, kicking some serious ass with hardly any typical female takedowns. Jeremy Renner was cool as Hawkeye with archery shots were phenomenal. However, it was Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson that stole some hero thunder with his performance. His agent is tough, but has a serious case of hero worship which makes him just a bit awkward. I adored him and he is easily the most accessible character in the film.

The dialogue in here is simply brilliant, and a Whedon specialty. It’s original and distinct with a certain snap and flow, infused with plenty of smart humor and laugh out loud moments. You would never mistake the dialogue in a Whedon project with any other. It would be like saying a Kawasaki sounds just like a Harley-Davidson.

The action and effects are beyond anything. I saw this in the 2D version and thought it was just breathtaking. Whedon makes the entrance of each Avenger a mini film in and of itself. Especially Thor’s. It was worthy of his god status. My only problem was that it happened a little too late in the film. Then again that’s just because I am a Thor woman and wanted him onscreen all the time. The CGI’s were flawless and looked real. Not one thing appeared cartoonish. And he kept a tight rein on everything. A film like this could have easily become a chaotic mess.

Whedon’s screenplay is a wonder. He explores two of his fave themes here, that of team unity, and created family. These loner heroes cannot go it solo. They cannot defeat Loki and his army, unless they come together. That being said, no one can break a team then make them rise from the ashes of blood and sacrifice quite like Whedon can. He is not afraid to make his characters go there, nor does he fear bringing out their flaws and making them fall flat on their faces.

The Avengers is one hellagood rush and I am ready to strap in for round two. Right freaking now.

 

@Russell_Oz:  Wow! What a review, Mel! To say that you enjoyed the film sounds like an understatement!! Man, where to begin….ok first things first. Favourite character in this movie only? Thor is a given ;) Sounds like you’re more of a Cap American fan now….

@MelBWrites: Yes, I am indeed more of a Cap fan now. There was more to him this time as well as an edge that he really lacked in his own film. Fave character aside from Thor? I loved all of them, but I’d give special props to Agent Coulson and Loki. Coulson brought not only the tough-minded agent aspect of himself, but also that awkward fanboy. He is also a truly honorable man. Unlike Fury and the council, Coulson genuinely cares about these heroes. He is aware of all the little things that make them special beyond their obvious super powers.

Loki is a supervillain for the ages. Hiddleston plays him like a total diva bitch and he relishes diabolical minute. He rocks those huge horns like he was born to wear them. Loki is a trickster, vain and selfish, yet Hiddleston never forgets that there is that overlooked little boy in there who simply wants his big brother’s attention. 

@Wayneley: GREETINGS @Russell_Oz AND @MelBWrites

firstly Mel loved your enthusiasm for THE AVENGERS and I totally agree, what a brilliant movie, since watching the movie on IMAX 3D I find it hard to find any real bad points to the movie – Joss Whedon was so the right man for the job, his understanding of the comic universe and his ability to use his own brand of humor when required set’s him aside from many of the big directors of today, his talent in bringing the best out of Scarlett Johansson and bringing a touch of humor to the menacing green stature of The Hulk was typical of Whedon – and not forgetting the handling of Iron Man and Thor’s HUGE EGO’S was brilliant too – one of the many highlights for me!

My favorite character in THE AVENGERS has to be THOR :)
Once again Russell a terrific topic to start the weekend…

@InTheFrame1: I’m glad that everyone loves The Avengers, but I’ll be passing on this one. I only like two comic book movies out of the dozens I have seen (both Nolan) and no longer care about seeing them. I must be getting old. I’ll be back for the next discussion involving anything I have seen or want to see though. 

@MelBWrites: Thank Wayne! I loved the humor with Hulk as well. Whedon really knows the universe and didn’t miss a detail, I think. And yes, he certainly knew how to handle the titanic egos of Thor and Stark. I loved that fight scene.

Thor was my fave character, too. There’s is just something about the god of thunder. :) But Russ asked me to pick my faves aside from Thor. LOL He knows I could go on for pages about my Norseman. :)

@MelBWrites: The Nolan films definitely do rank as some of the best. I’ll miss your thoughts this time around, but look forward to the next discussion. :)

@CineMarvellous: Sweetheart, that’s a killer review! Seriously! It’s absolutely spot-on and so entertaining to read.

The late appearance of Thor didn’t bother me at all. In fact, it was the other way around – it made me burn in anticipation for him to show up. Same thing with Hulk. As soon as the smashing green monster arrived, it blew everyone else out of the water. That being said, Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man remained the highlight amongst the characters. His wit feels so genuine, it excites me.

I loved The Avengers and I can’t wait to see it again. Take that, Dark Knight!

Here’s my brief review of Marvel’s masterpiece:

http://cinemarvellous.blogspot.com/2012/05/97510-avengers-3d-2012.html

@CriminalMovies: I’ve been a fan of the characters in the comics since forever. Marvel is very smart to use what works so well for them there, the shared universe where anyone can run into anyone else. Once they pulled off the Thor and Captain America movies, I knew the Avengers would be spectacular. (I still haven’t seen it, but I will soon and I’ll update if I change my mind.) This movies opens up some possibilities that no one ever dreamed of!

@MelBWrites: I think you will thoroughly enjoy this film I am impressed with how well Whedon balanced the characters. That is not an easy thing to do. I am going to see it again next weekend. LOL One of my nephews couldn’t go yesterday so I’m taking him. Darn it! :)

@SquidRash: Hulk was my favorite Avenger. I include Ruffalo in that. Hulk’s moments to shine were not large in number but made up for it in sheer enjoyment for me. The entire movie was excellent, but Hulk stole the show.

@MelBWrites: @SquidRash I agree the Hulk’s scene stealer opps were not plentiful, but Ruffalo more than held his own. And I love, love when he leaps and catches Iron Man. What an awesome scene. I want another Hulk flick for sure.

@Russell_Oz: There is no better feeling in the world then getting up in the morning and see all these awesome comments being left about a great movie and the discussion taking place! A big thanks to everyone for their involvement thus far :)

I do hear you about Agent Coulson, @Melbwrites. He had a lot more to do this time round and I really loved the scenes between Coulson and Cap, they were awkward but really sweet. I think it added an extra layer of heart to the story. And yes I do hear you loud and clear about Thor! I actually hear the same reasons why you love him being echoed by my girlfriend…it’s funny she never really liked being dragged to a superhero movie but she was ok with Thor…strange huh? And you’re right about Loki, despite everything he is just a guy looking to get his brother’s attention. In lesser hands I think that Loki could have either been played for laughs or as a zany OTT super-villain, Hiddleston was able to tread the very fine line wonderfully.

@Wayneley, what a great comment! Thanks for stopping by and I couldn’t agree more about Thor being my favourite character too! Hemsworth does an amazing job playing the God of Thunder, I can’t wait for the sequel :)

@InTheFrame1, thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, sir. I’m sorry to hear that you’re not really an Avengers fan but that’s ok because I was thinking that the next one would be a look back at the Dark Knight before the release of The Dark Knight Rises. Would you be interested in coming back for the discussion for that one?

@CineMarvellous, thanks for posting the link to your review, I will definitely check it out!! I hear you loud and clear about the anticipatory elements re the late arrival of The Hulk! I thought that Ruffalo did a great job and I feel that they’ve finally nailed the right actor for the job. The character of Bruce Banner is a man who knows what he’s capable of but will try to do everything he can to prevent it from occuring.

@CriminalMovies, thanks for stopping by and joining the conversation Brent! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts about the film when you have the opportunity to see it :)

@SquidRash, Hey Bob! I hear you loud and clear about The Hulk, he was exceptional! Besides Thor (who is my favourite) I think that The Hulk stole the show for me. The finale was brilliant and I think that marvel Studios have FINALLY identified how to do a great Hulk, I look forward to his own movie!!

@Wayneley: I still think SUPERMAN in 78 is my favorite Superhero movie but Whedon’ THE AVENGERS has raised the bar for recent flicks – i’d love to see where they take the Superhero gang from here – maybe we might eventually see Spideman and the New Avengers? THOR 2 – IRON MAN 3 and maybe a BLACK WIDOW movie will next hit our screens all before the possibility of another Whedon AVENGERS outing… I can’t wait!

@MelBWrites: @wayneley @Russell Superman 78 is still an incredible movie. There is nothing like it and it will always be one of my favorites.

I want a Black Widow film. I thought she kicked butt and would love to see her do it for a full length movie.

@Russell_Oz: @Wayneley, you and I agree 100% on the original 1978 Superman movie, it’s definitely my favourite superhero movie! It may not be most well made but it has such a big heart and formed a really big part of my early years :) I am very keen for Iron Man 3 but I won’t be going to see a Black Widow movie. I am sure I’m one of only 3 people in the world who didn’t like her character and felt that her and Hawkeye were the weakest parts of the film. 

@Bubbawheat: I’m a little surprised with all the Thor love, I thought he and Loki were both great in their movie, but I felt they were a little downplayed in this movie. Thor had a few great lines and some good action scenes, but that was it. I also thought Cap was a little underplayed. In my opinion, Tony Stark stole the show with tons of great lines as well as the heart. And of course the Hulk has amazing comic timing for a giant green monster.

@MelBWrites: @Bubbawheat Thanks for commenting. You’re right, Tony did do a lot of scene-stealing, but i thought Thor and Loki were just right. I thought Cap got a little too much screen time, but he sort of slide into the defacto leader role a bit. :) And yes, Hulk’s comic timing was genius.

@Russell_Oz: Thanks for joining the discussion, @Bubbawheat! As a big Thor fan, I think that all the Thor love is that even though he had minimal screen-time he owned the scenes he was in. I personally enjoyed The Avengers but still feel that the standalone Thor movie is better but that’s only because I’m a big fan. As for The Hulk, he owned in this! He was awesome and Ruffalo did a great job as Bruce Banner! 

@Zarbicore: I totally agree that this movie could have easily been a massive clusterfk of epic proportions, but Whedon wielded his usual magic and has come out with a genuine contender for movie of the year.

The intro did not seem slow at all, and set the scene perfectly. The characters were all introduced in a great manner. It could have been so easy to rush the introductions, or introduce everyone at once but Joss took his time and picked his moments to perfection.

One thing I really loved was the comedy relief in the movie. Most of it came from Iron Man and of course The Hulk, and each moment was absolutely hilarious. I find having moments like these scattered throughout the movie really adds something special, and really helps you forget that you are watching one hell of a long movie. I almost fell out of my chair when The Hulk punched Thor. Not only was that hilarious, but it made the scene make sense, because prior to that I was wondering “why is the Hulk suddenly being 100% co-operative?”.

I probably won’t get around to seeing it again at the movies due to the cost of the cinema these days, but I will be buying it on BluRay as soon as possible. A truly great movie and it really opens the door for more Avengers movies and Joss has made me believe that even more heroes can be added without turning the movie into a total mess. I just hope he doesn’t add in the Fantastic Four.

@MelBWrites: @Zarbicore Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I loved the Hulk’s punching of Thor and I also loved the fight scene between him and Thor. That moment when Hemsworth wipes the blood off his lip, it is on. What a battle!

I will definitely own this as well. I think I own all of Joss’ films and series. He’s one of my fave directors. He knows how to use those comic moments to break the tension to perfection.

@Russell_Oz: Hey @Zarbicore, thanks for joining the conversation! Great points!  You make a great point that Whedon did indeed take his time with the introductions and made sure that everyone had their time in the sun. It could have easily have been something that seemed rushed just to get to the action but the pacing was perfect. Especially Mark Ruffalo and The Hulk were concerned, it was a slow burn.

LOL! Yeah that scene with The Hulk and Thor was perfect. I think the scene I laughed hardest at was The Hulk and Loki…it was hard to breathe afterwards!

Maybe on a long enough timeline perhaps The Avengers might be the $8 movie of the week ;)

@CineMarvellous: Russell, I agree about Mark Rufallo. He was the best Hulk of them all. I hope you like my review, even though it’s nothing compared to Mel’s. :) Ah, she’s awesome.

@MelBWrites: @Cinemarvellous Thank you so much hon! Your words mean a lot to me as I truly love your reviews. You have the hugest passion for film and it shines through every time.

I agree. Ruffalo owned Bruce Banner and the Hulk. He more than held his own agains the others and his scenes with Tony were brilliant. I about choked when Hulk pounded Loki into the 25th century. That was killer. And that look on Loki’s face. You could just imagine the old cartoon tweety birds flying around his head.

@Russell_Oz: I totally dug your review, sir! Comment has been left :) You raise some good points, and yes you’re right, Mel’s awesome!

@MelBWrites: Hey everyone Avengers just opened here in the US to 200.3 million dollar opening weekend. the highest in history. Booyah Harry Potter!

@Russell_Oz: AWESOME! What an effort! Hellooooooooo Avengers 2, 3, and 4!

@MelBWrites: @Russell I know, right? 2,3 and 4 for sure. And all directed by Joss. I think Mr. Whedon just stamped his golden ticket. ;)

@Russell_Oz: Agreed! Do you think his success might see a return of Firefly or another Serenity movie?

@MelBWrites: @Russell I don’t know, I sure hope so. I am a Browncoat and there has been a hole in my heart since Mal and crew went off the air. I know this may see the realization of more than few Whedon projects that were put on the backburner because of money.

@Russell_Oz: Given a  $200m opening for The Avengers, surely someone must be asking the same questions?

@Wayneley: Personally I hope Whedon walks away from the franchise as director – he’s done an amazing job bringing THE AVENGERS to the big screen HOW can he better what he has already achieved? (let it go) and concentrate on a new venture – i’m sure a DOLLHOUSE or another SERENITY outing would fit the big screen bill just fine!

@Russell_Oz: Wow! That’s a big call, Wayne! I can see why you’d say it though, once you deliver something that big and impressive, how could someone find a way to top it! I guess that might be the challenge that lays ahead for James Cameron and his ‘Avatar’ sequels.

@Bubbawheat: Honestly I think I would like to see Joss helm a movie that focuses on the non-super members of S.H.I.E.L.D. (You know I’m a nerd because I *always* add the periods) such as Black Widow and Nick Fury. 

@Russell_Oz: Much respect to you, sir!!! Gotta love the proper spelling of S.H.I.E.L.D ;) As much as I love your comment I don’t know if I’d be interested in watching the non-superher0 film because I hated Sam Jackson as Nick Fury (it was just Sam Jackson with an eye-patch) and I felt that Black Widow was just a weak character…think I’d rather watch Thor again LOL!

@Bubbawheat: That’s kind of my point though, while the S.H.I.E.L.D. members didn’t get as much love as they could have in this movie, I think if he actually put his focus on them he could turn them into something special.

@MelBWrites: Avatar, schmavatar. The world does not need more blue people and flying pigeons. :) I hope Avengers and Dark Knight break every record set by that film. Blech! It was like pretty frosting on a stale cake.

I think Whedon should do at least one more Avengers film. I also think that Whedon did a great job creating a stronger Black Widow. Natasha is unfortunately the victim of Stan Lee’s ham-fisted past creation efforts. He likes his women strong, but not stronger than men, blatantly curvy and oozing sex appeal ala Jessica Rabbit. Have you ever seen those old Black Widow comics? Sheesh!Playboy Bunnies with guns. ;) I thought Black Widow killed it in the beginning when she took out those Russians while tied to a chair and she manipulated a god when she fooled Loki into giving it all away. Even if there’s not a Black Widow film, there has got to be some female superhero film very soon. The time has come and H-wood should look to some female comic authors like Rosario Dawson, Gail Simone and Timora Pierce.

Craig: I knew Melissa would rock this review for this rockin’ movie – and she totally did! You also hit on something totally true – a movie with this much going on could well have become a formless blobby mess of sturm und drang – but Whedon kept a firm hand on the wheel and drove us all right across the finish line! Excellent review! Cool to be over here in new environs!

@Wayneley: @Russell_Oz as you may know i’m a huge Cameron fan and loved AVATAR but wish he would stop there, one is enough! – Like @MelBWrites I was impressed the way Whedon handled the Black Widow character and thought Scarlett done a pretty good job and i’m pretty sure the money men over at these film studios are planning a big screen outing for the Widow as i’m tapping my keyboard. As for THE AVENGERS I can see it running like the BOND franchise, every two years a new movie & more new characters :)

@CriminalMovies: Just watched Avengers and I couldn’t be happier. Whedon and everyone involved totally nailed it. It had the dynamic of the Avengers comics that I loved when I was growing up. The threat was big enough to justify them getting together, the characters all had great moments. Ruffalo and the Hulk were my main concern, but I thought he pulled it off perfectly. It had a little bit of everything I could’ve asked for.

@MelBWrties: Hooray!! I am so happy that you enjoyed the Avengers and that it lived up to your childhood memories. Whedon put together a masterpiece that this crew of actors completely pulled off. I thought Ruffalo made a most excellent Hulk, too.

 

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by | May 6, 2012

‘End of Watch’ Trailer

Thanks to one of my favourite movie sites out there, Anomalous Material, I watched a trailer today which just blew my mind and got me all kinds of pumped to watch this movie! In fact, I liked it so much that I just wanted to have it on my site because I know those of you who read my site will probably dig it too.

The movie I’m talking about is End of Watch, a police action/drama starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena as two long time cops and best friends who are the city’s finest at what they do but find themselves targeted by a cartel after a bust gone wrong.

How awesome does the trailer look???

I hope that this is going to be more like Training Day and less like Harsh Times because it’s been awhile since we have a good full-on cop movie, although I haven’t seen Rampart yet.

What do you think of the trailer?

End of Watch is scheduled for an Australian release on 18th October 2012

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by | May 6, 2012

‘Hick’ Trailer & Poster

I believe that in a couple of years that Chloe Grace Moretz is going to be the Natalie Portman of her generation.

Born in 1997 and with her first starring role in 2004′s TV series The Guardian, Moretz has worked steadily since with roles in The Amityville Horror, TV’s My Name is Earl, Big Momma’s House 2, Wicked Little Things, TV’s Desperate Housewives, (500) Days of Summer, before exploding in the cinema-goers consciousness with her scene stealing role as Hit Girl in 2010′s Kick-Ass.

Since her role as the swearing superhero protegé of Nic Cage’s Big Daddy, Moretz has demonstrated her comedic skills in Diary of  a Wimpy Kid and TV’s 30 Rock, flexed her dramatic range in the 2011 American remake of Swedish film Let the Right One In (released as Let Me In), and starred in one of the biggest films of the last 12 months, Hugo.

Moretz seems to be going from strength to strength where her career is concerned and has most recently been cast in the title role of the Carrie remake. I think that one of the only reasons that everyone is ok with Carrie being remade is being Moretz will be playing Carrie White, we know that she is more than capable in delivering the intensity required to make the role work.

This all brings us to the movie Hick, filmed back in 2010 and after Let Me In and before Moretz’s appearance in 30 Rock. Why has it taken so long for it to be released? I’m there are numerous reasons why but one thing is for sure it’s going to showcase another aspect of Moretz’s ever-growing acting skill.

Hick is the story of a young girl from Nebraska who embarks on a solo journey to the bright lights of Sin City, Las Vegas. Watching the trailer you know that nothing good can come of her journey and it feels like you’re almost watching a car crash…I don’t know what’s going to happen but I am pretty sure I’m not going to like it.

Directed by Derek Martini (Lymelife) and written for the screen and based on his own novel, Andrea Portes. Co-starring alongside Chloe Moretz is Blake Lively (The Town), Eddie Redmayne (My Week with Marilyn), Alec Baldwin (TV’s 30 Rock), Juliette Lewis (Natural Born Killers), and Rory Culkin (Lymelife).

Hick is released in the US on May 11th 2012. No word on an Australian date.

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