Kick-Ass Review

Every instinct in me is screaming for me to write "Kick-Ass kicks ass!" but I refuse to give into the already overused phrase. So anywho heres... oh what the hell...

KICK-ASS KICKS ASS!

To start off I have yet to read the mini series. I meant to pick it up once it had all been collected in graphic novel form but due to the series being massively delayed it was only collected in a trade paperback a short while ago and I have yet to pick it up. Yes I feel like a poor nerd; if a comic movie that I'm interested in is coming out and if I haven't read the comic I usually run out and read up on it. Sadly real life has made that difficult lately, but oh well.

Kick-Ass tells the story of Dave, an everyman comic nerd who decides to become a superhero despite no motivation, training, or powers, and of course he gets his ass kicked. The story for the most part is a real life look at what being a superhero is like, complete with Youtube vids and Myspace. Its a great satire on the internet age, hero worship, and comic book culture in general. At one point all of us nerds have read a comic and fantasized about becoming the heroic characters we read about but at some point we acknowledge it can never happen. This movie looks at what would happen if someone refused to come back to reality, and then gives us the real life effects of it.

On his first attempt at being a hero, Dave ends up in the hospital but wins the affection of the girl of his dreams, just not in the way he hoped. Later on he succeeds in barely fighting off some muggers but becomes a Youtube sensation. But in the end, we see the effects this has on Dave mentally and emotionally and realize that maybe being a normal guy isn't all that bad.

But the movie isn't all about the message, as we are also subjected to some extremely fun (and violent) action scenes. The character of Hit-Girl by far gets the best action scenes, including an amazing raid on the bad guy's lair at the end (though Big Daddy gets a sweet fight scene earlier). Director Matthew Vaughn doesn't shy away from the blood and guts, doing a great job of getting us to cheer when the bad guys are taken out and cringe when the good guys are hurt, especially in an extremely intense scene involving a hostage Kick-Ass and Big Daddy.

Before I get into the acting I have to focus on one actor in particular: Nicholas Cage. I have been really hard on him in the past, and with good reason. The man has put out some real stinkers and given some shitty performances to boot, but Kick-Ass gave him the perfect role for his goofy acting. As Big Daddy, masked vigilante and father of Hit-Girl, Cage gives one of the film's two scene stealing performances. He manages to be tender and loving, yet bad ass. He also does a great homage to Adam West's Batman when he suits up in full Big Daddy gear. Hopefully this movie will turn things around for Cage, but it proved to me that when he tries he can indeed pull out a good performance in a good movie.

Chloe Moretz as Hit-Girl gives the films other great performance. She has to be the most bad-ass eleven year old ever and has great chemistry with on-screen dad Nicholas Cage. I personally say forget Kick-Ass and give Hit-Girl her own movie.

Which brings me to the film's key flaw: The secondary characters far outshine the lead. Kick-Ass is a great character and all and newcomer Aaron Johnson gives an amazing performance, but as soon as Big Daddy and Hit-Girl show up they immediately steal the movie with their backstory and performances. Hit-Girl basically takes center stage in the third act and you mostly forget about Kick-Ass. Kick-Ass does make a great come back complete with jet pack, another thing I didn't dig about the movie (it just didn't fit in the gritty world created in the film).

But overall Kick-Ass was an extremely fun ride at the movies. It doesn't take itself too seriously and recognizes itself as basically a superhero exploitation film. I am really digging Matthew Vaughn as a director, who did an amazing job with Stardust, one of the best fantasies in the past several years, and now with Kick-Ass. I also give props to the guy because when all the major studios refused to fund this movie he just went out and financed it independently. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what else he has in store for the future.

Ten Great Comic Book Villains Ruined by Hollywood

With Iron Man 2 almost upon us, I decided to take a look at comic book movies (again), mainly the villains. As much as we like the heroes, we love to watch a good villain. Whether its The Joker smashing a man's head onto a pencil or Magneto tearing the iron out of a man's blood, villains are just fun to watch. But not all villains got the awesome movie treatment and sadly some of the best bad guys in comics have been reduced to punch lines thanks to mishandling by Hollywood. I'll have another list up after this documenting the best heroes ruined by Hollywood, but all in good time.

10. Dracula in Blade: Trinity

During the 1970's horror comic craze, Blade rose to popularity as a back up story in Marvel's popular Tomb of Dracula series. In the third film in the Blade series, Dracula serves as no more than a plot device. The once feared lord of the vampires, the man who started it all, is reduced to a one note douche bag who talks about honor but yet kidnaps a baby to keep Blade from staking his ass. Prison Break's Dominic Purcell doesn't even try with this role, but every actor in this movie seems equally dead on their feet with the exception of wrestler Triple H and Ryan Reynolds.




9. Two-Face in Batman Forever

In the comics, Two-Face is one of Batman's most tragic and complex foes. Once a friend of both Batman and Bruce Wayne, Harvey Dent is forever torn between his light and dark side. He has been an alley and enemy on equal occasions and even been cured a few times. In the movie Batman Forever, Two-Face is turned into a one note henchman for The Riddler. Pursuing the Batman and hell bent on revenge, Two-Face shows none of the pathos given to him in the comics or even the popular animated series. At one point there is a scene where Two-Face repeatedly flips his coin hoping to get the scarred side just so he can shoot Bruce Wayne. The Dark Knight did the character well, portraying his tragic nature and sympathetic side, but I was sad to see they killed him off instead of leaving him around for another sequel. Hopefully one day Hollywood will realize the potential this character has.



8. Elektra in DareDevil and Elektra

Yes, she basically is an anti-hero in these movies but she can be a pain in the ass in the comics when she wants. One of the most compelling and tragic romances in comics is just made... boring and silly. In what should have been one of the most complex female comic characters, Elektra is instead made into run of the mill love interest. Her appearance in the DD movie generated enough buzz for her to get her own movie, which I can't remember a damn thing from. Not a good sign...



7. Catwoman in Catwoman

Once again, a character who is great as a villain made into a lame anti-hero. And why is it that Hollywood can't seem to get female comic characters right? Tim Burton's treatment of Catwoman in Batman Returns was pure genius, making a compelling villain and love interest. Catwoman's solo movie is a spin off in name only and has nothing to do with Batman or the DC Comics character. Basically the movie is The Crow with boobs. Also, I have not seen the movie. Now before you go ahead and say that I shouldn't judge it without seeing it, just read the official synopsis below and you'll understand why I cannot justify spending my time or money on this movie:

"Patience Philips is a shy, reserved young woman who wants to be an artist but instead is a designer for an advertising company. She is mousy and lacking in self-esteem even when she gets her big break to work on the launch of a major beauty product for her mean-spirited, ruthless boss. But a series of events initiated by a mysterious cat results in her discovering a terrifying secret that leads to her murder. That same cat breathes new life into her, creating a strong, brave woman within her that wrestles with her previous self for control of her mind and body--a body that can now do amazing things."



6. Mr. Freeze in Batman and Robin

When he first appeared in Batman comics, Mr. Freeze was a one note mad scientist villain with a twist on the standard death ray. Then the animated series came along and reinvented him as a tragic figure and he quickly became one of Batman's most captivating and popular villains (the episode featuring him actually won the show an Emmy). Then Batman and Robin hit and took it all back to square one. Arnold Scwarzenegger's Mr.Freeze does everything a bad villain should with the exception of twirl his mustache. He monologues, vows world domination, makes bad puns, and has an evil hockey team working for him. He even finds time to have them sing along to children's Christmas specials along the way. If any Bat-villain deserves another shot, its Freeze; sadly a ray gun villain has no business in Nolan's Bat-universe.



5.Phoenix in X-Men: The Last Stand

The Phoenix Saga is one of the most popular in X-Men comics. Jean Grey is taken over by an evil alien entity and messes up a bunch of stuff before dying. Her death is one of the most touching in comics history and for a time had us actually care about Cyclops (a feat in itself). The third X-Men movie has Phoenix kill Cyclops in the first fifteen minutes, then Professor Xavier, then do nothing, then dies. The epic storyline we all wanted to see in movie form was reduced to a subplot/henchwoman for Magneto.The Phoenix force is never really seen, the trademark fire is replaced with black eyes (which makes the final image of X2 basically worthless) and another great comic book romance glanced over.



4. Galactus in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

Galactus should be one of the most feared villains in the Marvel Universe, a being so powerful that it has to consume planets to live. Leading up to this, fan boys were all curious to see how Hollywood would portray him, fairly certain that he would not be a big guy in a purple helmet. Well he wasn't, the big reveal was that Galactus was...

A giant cloud?

Yep, A giant cloud headed toward Earth. Hints are thrown that inside the cloud is the Galactus we all know and love (a silhouette and shadow of the classic helmet are seen) but his appearance isn't even the beginning of it. The Galactus storyline was epic for its time but in the movie just fizzles. The cloud reaches Earth and is promptly blown up by the Silver Surfer.We don't fear it, there is no epic confrontation, and little background. A legendary storyline turned into a mildly entertaining flick.



3. Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Deadpool was a part Ryan Reynolds was born to play. A smart ass, bad-ass, and all around awesome guy, it was a match made in casting heaven. For the first part of the film Deadpool seemed spot on, sure he didn't have the mask or the scarred face but I let that slide since this was only a cameo leading up to Deadpool getting his own film. Then the second half of the film just went and said " You know that character you all love? Well, we can do him better"

They take away his mouth (making his nickname, the merc with the mouth, pointless) and give him the power of every mutant. An interesting idea but not one to be tested on one of Marvel's most popular characters. Marvel claims a solo Deadpool movie is in the works which ignores the continuity created in Wolverine but the damage is done. And a cheap after credit sequence showing that he is still alive and has his mouth back does not make it better.



2. Venom in Spider-Man 3

Yes Venom had no business being in this movie in the first place. He doesn't fit in with the story and feels tacked on for the fans, which he was. And I have to give credit where credit is due to the studio that forced Sam Raimi to put Venom in because when I went to the midnight premiere of this movie I lost count of all the Venom t-shirts among the movie goers (I was one of them). But Venom is a character that deserves center stage in his own movie and not as a villain brought in for the third act. Sam Raimi's lack of interest in the character is apparent throughout the whole movie, but it was almost like he purposefully destroyed him out of spite. Instead of a beefy, broken down man we are treated to a skinny, nerdy, love sick Eddie Brock who gives a tear filled prayer to God to kill Peter Parker (I'm sure God got right on that). When Venom finally shows up he does indeed look the part but when he speaks with Topher Grace's voice it just destroys his entire image. Also, why does a blood thirsty alien symbiote have the sudden urge to jazz dance?



1. Doctor Doom in Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

As a supervillain, Dr. Doom has always been a step above the rest because the man rules his own damn country! He has mastered the mystic arts and has even taken over the planet only to relinquish it out of boredom! He is easily the top villain in the Marvel Universe and one would expect that Hollywood would get this one right.

Wrong.

Alan Rickman was born to play this part, or at least an actor with some presence, and who do they get? The guy from Nip/Tuck. Julian McMahon is far from imposing as the arch enemy of the Fantastic Four, and his silky smooth voice emitting from under Doom's mask is just silly. Instead of a bad-ass monarch we get a money hungry CEO trying to take back his company (The Green Goblin called, he wants his motivation back). Doom does get a pretty cool fight with the thing at the end of the movie but is quickly defeated by the combined power of the Fantastic Four. The sequel vowed to get it right but Doom once again doesn't don his trademark armor until the end (a little bit cooler this time around) and then flies around on a silver surfboard (just as hilarious as it sounds) and is then knocked into the ocean. The movie Doom is never bad-ass, threatening, or as calculating as the comic Doom and really just seems like a pussy.

Sam Jackson's Best Moments

Recently a favorite website of mine posted up a video documenting Christopher Walken's most awkward moments of all time. After viewing it the wheels started turning in my head as to the favorite moments of some of my favorite actors.

Naturally, my thoughts turned to the best of the best. The Baron of Bad ass. The Man.

Sam Jackson.

Much like Christopher Walken, there really isn't an actor quite like Sam Jackson. He's loud, funny, bad ass, nerdy, and seemingly pops up in everything. His name is synonymous with the phrase "Mother Fucker" and many other unforgettable lines of dialogue. What are those lines? Well, I can't spoil the ending.

So without further delay, here are my ten favorite Sam Jackson moments.

10. Nick Fury

Nerds all over the world creamed their pants when rumors ran wild that Sam Jackson would be have a cameo in Iron Man as none other than the leader of S.H.I.E.L.D, Nick Fury himself. Then rumors ran again that Sam had been cut from the film and the dreams of nerds world wide were crushed.

But thankfully after the credits this small little gem came up, teasing us with what was to come for Iron Man and Marvel films in general.



9. "This party's over!"

The good things in the Star Wars prequels are few and far between, but Sam was definitely one of them. After being kept on the sidelines during the first film, Mace Windu finally gets his chance to shine at the end of Episode II. Not only is Sam the only person that could make a purple lightsaber look cool, but he also makes short work of the galaxy's most feared bounty hunter. After bossing around Count Dooku, Mace gets into a short fight with Jango Fett which ends with Mace cold heartedly beheading him! Mace is one Jedi you do not mess with



8. Shaft

If there was one role Sam was born to play, it was John Shaft. Though the film was pretty forgettable, Sam did his best to show why he is who he is. Many moments of badassery (I just created a word) were abound, including Shaft using a police badge as a ninja star! The scene below is just one small example of what awaits you when you sit down to watch Shaft



7."Inglewood Jack! Inglewood Jack!"

I don't know where the idea to have Jules Winfield from Pulp Fiction coach a youth hockey Red Wings team, but I don't care! This skit is a classic and probably more quotable than most SNL skits. Sam Jackson shows he doesn't mind spoofing the foul mouthed image he has created for himself, and hilarity ensues!



6. The Spirit

Without Sam Jackson, Frank Miller's The Spirit probably would have been much, much worse(and that's saying something). Sam plays The Octopus, a villain who claims to have "eight of everything"(?) and employs various hot chicks/retarded clones to take out his arch nemesis, The Spirit. Whether its goofy disguises like a samurai or a Nazi, ranting about his love of eggs, or just plain being himself, Sam is truly unique in this. Yes he is over the top but he had to do something to out do every other actor sleepwalking through the film. Here is just one small sample of Sam's love of eggs in The Spirit



5. "They ate me! A fucking shark ate me!"

One of the most sudden deaths in cinema history. After being subdued for most of the underwater horror film The Deep Blue Sea it seems like Sam's inner badass finally comes out! Alas it was too little too late because, well, take a look...



4. The Long Kiss Goodnight

Basically The Bourne Identity with boobs, The Long Kiss Goodnight contains too many classic Sam moments to count. Whether its telling someone that "When you make an assumption, it makes an ass out of you and umption!" or "You will go to prison, where you will be ass raped on a daily basis. And if you don't go to prison due to the violent nature of this arrest, I will hire people to ass rape you for my own personal satisfaction!" Sadly Sam spends most of the film as a sidekick to Gena Davis' super agent with amnesia, but he does have many good moments. The clip below illustrates the movie's awesomeness in just a few short seconds...



3. Sam's opinion of the death penalty

A Time to Kill is a legal thriller based on the John Grisham novel of the same name. Sam plays a man who murders the men who raped and beat his daughter; Matthew McConaughey is the hot shot lawyer defending him. Hilarity ensues.

The following scene is what happens when the mustache twirling evil lawyer played by Kevin Spacey gets his chance to cross examine Sam.



2. Sam's animal control

I really can't say much about Snakes on a Plane other than it spawned one of the best Sam moments of all time. Originally this line was not in the film but the fan outcry for it was so loud that the filmmakers went back and re-shot the film, adding in the now legendary line of dialogue. I'm pretty sure no one would know about this movie if not for this little gem...



1. Pulp Fiction

This film changed cinema in many way. Not only did it resurrect John Travolta's career, establish Quentin Tarantino as a major director, but it also made Sam Jackson the man we all know and love today. Many classic moments and lines are in this film, hell Jules Winfield steals any scene he's in and earned Sam an Oscar nomination! But when looking for Sam's best moment in Pulp Fiction, I had to go back to the classic moment at the beginning that started made movie watchers from all over bust out their bibles again...

Clash of the Titans Review

RELEASE THE KRAKEN!!!

Okay, so now that I got that out of my system, lets move on to the review.

So "Clash of the Titans" is a remake of 1980's stop motion heavy film of the same name. It was tacky and cheesy as hell, but still extremely fun to watch. The remake has been in development for some time and even at one time had legendary screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan (Raiders of the Lost Arc, The Empire Strikes Back) take a crack at. I'm not sure how much of Kasdan's screenplay was present in the final product but something tells me not much.

The film focuses on Perseus, rape baby of Zeus, the king of the Gods. Apparently the Gods feed of the love and prayers of man but as of late the Gods have grown lazy so man has been attempting to rebel against the Gods. Zeus turns to his brother Hades to scare some wrath of God into mankind, and Perseus' family is killed in the crossfire. So Perseus undergoes a revenge vendetta against the Gods alongside a few buddies.

The plot plays fast and loose with the legend of Perseus as well as the plot of the original film. I enjoyed the changes made though, seeing how in the original film the main plot is made apparent about half way through. The plot is simple and strangely complex: Hades demands the sacrifice of the princess Andromeda or he will RELEASE THE KRAKEN on the city of Argos, so Perseus undergoes a quest to find a way to destroy the Kraken, and all the while Hades is really scheming to take over Mount Olympus for himself.

This plot moves the film along at an extremely fast pace, and hence my first problem with the movie: its just too rushed. The film is just over an hour and a half and barely gives us time to breath or get to know the countless characters that pop up over the course of the film with the exception of one or two lines of exposition. The film basically just jumps from one major action scene to the next and squeezes in some story in there just to keep our attention. For the most part the action scenes are well executed though they suffer from the "shaky cam effect" where alot of the time you cant see what the hell is going on and who is fighting who (or what). The best action scene is by far the scene when Hades RELEASES THE KRAKEN on Argos. There's a chase through the city with Perseus on Pegasus and Hades' winged bat things, all the while the Kraken is wrecking shop.

Another thing that gets lost amid the action scenes is character. Perseus is never really explored other than being a pissed off ex-fisherman.The focus of the film seems to be Perseus struggling with his demi-God status, but he never really changes his stance on it. When we meet him he refuses to live as a God, and at the end he is still the same, except slightly less pissed off. As said before, many side characters are glanced over, especially ex-Bond girl Gemma Atherton as Io, a character that I guess was meant to be a love interest but for the most part all she does is explain story points and at the end we still don't know anything about her.

But for the most part, great acting makes up for the lack of character development. Sam Worthington, fresh off of stealing "Terminator Salvation" and a solid performance in "Avatar", proves he can indeed carry a movie on his own. The always amazing Liam Neeson was born to play Zeus, and as always brings class to the role. Our generation's greatest "bad guy" actor Ralph Fiennes gives the film's best performance as Hades, being both creepy and somewhat pathetic. "Casino Royale" baddie (was this whole movie just a James Bond reunion?) Mads Mikkelson gives a surprisingly badass performance as the captain of the guard/somewhat mentor to Perseus. I was sorry to see that Danny Huston got mostly cut out of the film with the exception of few lines as Poseidon.

All in all, this was a fun action film. The set design, make up, and special effects are all jaw dropping. As said earlier the action scene with the Kraken was amazing. The acting was top notch for the most part and I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what else is in store Sam Worthington. If the film would have slowed down for a bit I definately would have enjoyed it more, but overall it was a good ten bucks spent.