Naughty by Nature - Hip Hop Hooray (1993) [Original Post]
Tuesday, April 02, 2019
Monday, April 01, 2019
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Monday, March 25, 2019
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Infinite Wars: Lobo vs Superman
LOBO versus SUPERMAN
Blood Brawl (DC)
Where: Adventures of Superman #464 When: March 1990 Why: Dan Jurgens How: Dan Jurgens & Art Thibert
The Story So Far...
Superman's gladiatorial exploits on Warworld have spread the legend of his strength across the galaxy! As fallen champion Draaga embarks upon a determined quest for redemption; prospects of a main event rematch have space pundits placing their bets across the universe -- inviting unlikely new contenders!
Talk of Superman's reputation proved a professional and personal insult to the bar crawling mercenary: Lobo! Now the Main Man is headed to Earth to prove he's the best there is at what he does by killing The Man of Steel! Tracking Superman to the South Pole, Lobo and his drunken buddies are crashing The Fortress of Solitude for a fight to the death!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/03/lobo-versus-superman.html
Where: Adventures of Superman #464 When: March 1990 Why: Dan Jurgens How: Dan Jurgens & Art Thibert
The Story So Far...
Superman's gladiatorial exploits on Warworld have spread the legend of his strength across the galaxy! As fallen champion Draaga embarks upon a determined quest for redemption; prospects of a main event rematch have space pundits placing their bets across the universe -- inviting unlikely new contenders!
Talk of Superman's reputation proved a professional and personal insult to the bar crawling mercenary: Lobo! Now the Main Man is headed to Earth to prove he's the best there is at what he does by killing The Man of Steel! Tracking Superman to the South Pole, Lobo and his drunken buddies are crashing The Fortress of Solitude for a fight to the death!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/03/lobo-versus-superman.html
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
Sunday, March 17, 2019
Friday, March 15, 2019
Infinite Wars: Thor vs Conan the Barbarian
THOR versus CONAN
What If Thor of Asgard Had Met Conan the Barbarian? (Marvel)
Where: What If? #39 When: June 1983
Why: Alan Zelenetz How: Ron Wilson
The Story So Far...
Victorious in battle with the Frost Giants of Jotunheim: Thor, God of Thunder, followed his wicked half-brother into a cavernous labyrinth. In search of the mischief-making Loki, Thor chose a path that led him backwards through time, into the realm of Troy during the Trojan War.
This was but one course of history, but what of the path not taken? In another reality, Thor chose a different tunnel, one that led him to ancient age of Hyboria! There, his memory was lost and godly powers diminished, making him prone to the wanted warrior-thief stalking Corinthia: Conan The Barbarian!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/03/thor-versus-conan.html
Where: What If? #39 When: June 1983
Why: Alan Zelenetz How: Ron Wilson
The Story So Far...
Victorious in battle with the Frost Giants of Jotunheim: Thor, God of Thunder, followed his wicked half-brother into a cavernous labyrinth. In search of the mischief-making Loki, Thor chose a path that led him backwards through time, into the realm of Troy during the Trojan War.
This was but one course of history, but what of the path not taken? In another reality, Thor chose a different tunnel, one that led him to ancient age of Hyboria! There, his memory was lost and godly powers diminished, making him prone to the wanted warrior-thief stalking Corinthia: Conan The Barbarian!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/03/thor-versus-conan.html
Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Saturday, March 09, 2019
Friday, March 08, 2019
Infinite Wars: Ms Marvel vs The Collective
MS MARVEL versus THE COLLECTIVE
(Marvel)
Where: New Avengers #17 When: May 2006
Why: Brian Michael Bendis How: Mike Deodato Jr
The Story So Far...
When a mysterious energy force from space destroys North Pole, Alaska -- a lone survivor emerges from the burning wreckage. This entity comes to be known as The Collective as it begins a march across Canada, brutally defeating the first line of defense: Alpha Flight!
With The Collective making its way toward the United States; SHIELD Director Maria Hill is forced to reluctantly enlist the aide of Tony Stark and the newest formation of The Avengers!
As The Collective reaches Cleveland, Iron Man is there to greet it with gentle inquiry. For a moment, The Collective stops its path of destruction and attempts to communicate, but the situation quickly escalates when Ms. Marvel arrives -- attacking in response to the distress call put out by the Avengers!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/03/ms-marvel-versus-collective.html
Where: New Avengers #17 When: May 2006
Why: Brian Michael Bendis How: Mike Deodato Jr
The Story So Far...
When a mysterious energy force from space destroys North Pole, Alaska -- a lone survivor emerges from the burning wreckage. This entity comes to be known as The Collective as it begins a march across Canada, brutally defeating the first line of defense: Alpha Flight!
With The Collective making its way toward the United States; SHIELD Director Maria Hill is forced to reluctantly enlist the aide of Tony Stark and the newest formation of The Avengers!
As The Collective reaches Cleveland, Iron Man is there to greet it with gentle inquiry. For a moment, The Collective stops its path of destruction and attempts to communicate, but the situation quickly escalates when Ms. Marvel arrives -- attacking in response to the distress call put out by the Avengers!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/03/ms-marvel-versus-collective.html
Thursday, March 07, 2019
Tuesday, March 05, 2019
Sunday, March 03, 2019
Infinite Wars: Ms Marvel vs Super-Skrull
MS MARVEL versus SUPER-SKRULL
All This and the QE2 (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Team-Up #62 When: October 1977
Why: Chris Claremont How: John Byrne
The Story So Far...
Having been imprisoned by Tigra and Red Wolf within an ancient artefact known as The Soul Catcher; Super-Skrull is once more unleashed upon the Earth when Spider-man inadvertently frees him during battle with Equinox.
The Human Torch and Spider-man stand valiantly against the Super-Skrull while the Fantastic Four and Avengers are unable to be raised, but they're no match for powers boosted by an uninterrupted signal broadcast from the Skrull Throneworld!
In victory, Super-Skrull seeks a Cavorite crystal to power a ship that will take him back to the Skrull Empire. As he attacks the family of vacationing antiques dealer Josiah Rubin -- Super-Skrull has no way of knowing the cruise ship also carries a witness to the earlier carnage: Carol Danvers, aka; Ms. Marvel!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/03/ms-marvel-versus-super-skrull.html
Where: Marvel Team-Up #62 When: October 1977
Why: Chris Claremont How: John Byrne
The Story So Far...
Having been imprisoned by Tigra and Red Wolf within an ancient artefact known as The Soul Catcher; Super-Skrull is once more unleashed upon the Earth when Spider-man inadvertently frees him during battle with Equinox.
The Human Torch and Spider-man stand valiantly against the Super-Skrull while the Fantastic Four and Avengers are unable to be raised, but they're no match for powers boosted by an uninterrupted signal broadcast from the Skrull Throneworld!
In victory, Super-Skrull seeks a Cavorite crystal to power a ship that will take him back to the Skrull Empire. As he attacks the family of vacationing antiques dealer Josiah Rubin -- Super-Skrull has no way of knowing the cruise ship also carries a witness to the earlier carnage: Carol Danvers, aka; Ms. Marvel!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/03/ms-marvel-versus-super-skrull.html
Friday, February 22, 2019
Sunday, February 17, 2019
Friday, February 15, 2019
Monday, February 11, 2019
Friday, February 08, 2019
Thursday, February 07, 2019
Monday, February 04, 2019
Saturday, February 02, 2019
Infinite Wars: Eradicator vs Steel
ERADICATOR versus STEEL
Impact! (DC)
Where: Superman: The Man of Steel #24 When: August 1993 Why: Louise Simonson How: Jon Bogdanove
The Story So Far...
When Superman apparently died defeating the rampaging behemoth known as Doomsday -- four men were inspired to fill the void under the guise of a new Superman!
When the visor-wearing Superman known as "The Last Son of Krypton" comes to confront the "Man of Steel", they're interrupted by representatives of businessman Rex Leech, who claims to own trademark rights to the name "Superman". Attempts to issue a cease & desist draws a violent reaction from The Last Son, who ignites the papers with his mastery of energy!
To protect the innocent, Steel carries his challenger away from the server with hopes of reasoning with him -- but Eradicator takes them into a deadly nosedive towards Coast City! The impact crater will be their battleground as two of the reigning Supermen battle it out for ultimate supremacy!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/02/eradicator-versus-steel.html
Where: Superman: The Man of Steel #24 When: August 1993 Why: Louise Simonson How: Jon Bogdanove
The Story So Far...
When Superman apparently died defeating the rampaging behemoth known as Doomsday -- four men were inspired to fill the void under the guise of a new Superman!
When the visor-wearing Superman known as "The Last Son of Krypton" comes to confront the "Man of Steel", they're interrupted by representatives of businessman Rex Leech, who claims to own trademark rights to the name "Superman". Attempts to issue a cease & desist draws a violent reaction from The Last Son, who ignites the papers with his mastery of energy!
To protect the innocent, Steel carries his challenger away from the server with hopes of reasoning with him -- but Eradicator takes them into a deadly nosedive towards Coast City! The impact crater will be their battleground as two of the reigning Supermen battle it out for ultimate supremacy!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/02/eradicator-versus-steel.html
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Saturday, January 26, 2019
Infinite Wars: Marvel Family vs Monster Society of Evil
MARVEL FAMILY versus MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL
Return of the Thunder (DC)
Where: Convergence Shazam #1 When: June 2015
Why: Jeff Parker How: Evan "Doc" Shaner
The Story So Far...
The coming of Telos pits entire worlds against one another as they converge in the ultimate battle of inter-dimensional survival! Encased in crystalline domes devised by his master Brainiac: each chosen capital awaits its fate as the crisis consumes the multiverse!
In Fawcett City, forces of evil work to capitalize on the predicament of their encasement! While the dome denies the Marvel Family their power-giving lightning -- other heroes, such as the soaring Bulletman & Bulletwoman, work to keep the city safe in their absence!
A powerless Billy Batson broadcasts the call for hope as he and his friends investigate strange goings on in the subterranean traffic ways beneath the city. It turns out Doctor Sivana has discovered Captain Marvel's secret identity and assembled a new Monster Society of Evil to take full advantage!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/01/marvel-family-versus-monster-society-of.html
Where: Convergence Shazam #1 When: June 2015
Why: Jeff Parker How: Evan "Doc" Shaner
The Story So Far...
The coming of Telos pits entire worlds against one another as they converge in the ultimate battle of inter-dimensional survival! Encased in crystalline domes devised by his master Brainiac: each chosen capital awaits its fate as the crisis consumes the multiverse!
In Fawcett City, forces of evil work to capitalize on the predicament of their encasement! While the dome denies the Marvel Family their power-giving lightning -- other heroes, such as the soaring Bulletman & Bulletwoman, work to keep the city safe in their absence!
A powerless Billy Batson broadcasts the call for hope as he and his friends investigate strange goings on in the subterranean traffic ways beneath the city. It turns out Doctor Sivana has discovered Captain Marvel's secret identity and assembled a new Monster Society of Evil to take full advantage!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/01/marvel-family-versus-monster-society-of.html
Friday, January 11, 2019
Infinite Wars: Ms Marvel vs Prowler
MS MARVEL versus PROWLER
Battle Lines (Marvel)
Where: Ms. Marvel #6 When: October 2006
Why: Brian Reed How: Roberto De La Torre
The Story So Far...
When super-villains fleeing the New Warriors caused the destruction of Stamford, Connecticut and deaths of thousands, the US government is mobilized to create the Superhuman Registration Act. Supported by prominent figures, like Iron Man, the act makes it law for super-powered individuals to divulge their personal details and enlist as part of a fully sanctioned force.
Some heroes follow the example of Captain America, opposing the invasive authoritarian action by going underground. To apprehend and detain these rogue individuals, SHIELD deploys a task force nicknamed the CapeKillers, along with registered heroes such as Ms. Marvel. With suspicions of a mole working within their ranks, the Unlicensed Hero Recovery Team targets The Prowler!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/01/ms-marvel-versus-prowler.html
Where: Ms. Marvel #6 When: October 2006
Why: Brian Reed How: Roberto De La Torre
The Story So Far...
When super-villains fleeing the New Warriors caused the destruction of Stamford, Connecticut and deaths of thousands, the US government is mobilized to create the Superhuman Registration Act. Supported by prominent figures, like Iron Man, the act makes it law for super-powered individuals to divulge their personal details and enlist as part of a fully sanctioned force.
Some heroes follow the example of Captain America, opposing the invasive authoritarian action by going underground. To apprehend and detain these rogue individuals, SHIELD deploys a task force nicknamed the CapeKillers, along with registered heroes such as Ms. Marvel. With suspicions of a mole working within their ranks, the Unlicensed Hero Recovery Team targets The Prowler!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/01/ms-marvel-versus-prowler.html
Friday, January 04, 2019
Infinite Wars: Cosmic Powers vs Tyrant
COSMIC POWERS versus TYRANT
Long Live Tyrant! (Marvel)
Where: Silver Surfer #82 When: July 1993
Why: Ron Marz How: Ron Lim & Tom Christopher
The Story So Far...
Eons ago a biomechanical entity known as Tyrant was created to serve Galactus, Devourer of Worlds. When Tyrant developed an independent taste for interplanetary conquests -- Galactus was compelled to intervene in the name of maintaining balance in the universe.
So powerful was Tyrant that the ensuing battle did untold cosmic damage! The conflict was only ended when Galactus stripped his servant of much of his cosmic energy, banishing him to the darkest corners of existence, where he was expected to remain.
Not unlike his master, Tyrant learned to sustain himself by siphoning cosmic energies. After eons of restoring his lost power, Tyrant returns to a path of conquest, now commanding an awesome army of robot soldiers! Even the greatest cosmic heroes fall before him, becoming new sources of power, but the self-sacrifice of a captured Jack of Hearts releases the cosmic assembly from captivity. Now they unite their powers to fight together against Tyrant!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/01/cosmic-powers-versus-tyrant.html
Where: Silver Surfer #82 When: July 1993
Why: Ron Marz How: Ron Lim & Tom Christopher
The Story So Far...
Eons ago a biomechanical entity known as Tyrant was created to serve Galactus, Devourer of Worlds. When Tyrant developed an independent taste for interplanetary conquests -- Galactus was compelled to intervene in the name of maintaining balance in the universe.
So powerful was Tyrant that the ensuing battle did untold cosmic damage! The conflict was only ended when Galactus stripped his servant of much of his cosmic energy, banishing him to the darkest corners of existence, where he was expected to remain.
Not unlike his master, Tyrant learned to sustain himself by siphoning cosmic energies. After eons of restoring his lost power, Tyrant returns to a path of conquest, now commanding an awesome army of robot soldiers! Even the greatest cosmic heroes fall before him, becoming new sources of power, but the self-sacrifice of a captured Jack of Hearts releases the cosmic assembly from captivity. Now they unite their powers to fight together against Tyrant!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2019/01/cosmic-powers-versus-tyrant.html
Friday, December 28, 2018
Infinite Wars: Doctor Light vs Green Lantern
DOCTOR LIGHT versus GREEN LANTERN
The Ghost of Christmas Light (Marvel)
Where: Green Lantern #36 When: February 1993
Why: Gerard Jones How: Gene Ha
The Story So Far...
Hal Jordan's heading home for the holidays, bringing best pal Carol Ferris to the Jordan Family Christmas at his brother Jim's! A magical flight in sets the season off to a perfect start, but hidden within the majestic Northern Lights is the malicious manifestation of Doctor Light!
With his powers ever-expanding since experiencing death; Light no longer needs a physical form! He exists as a being of pure light, passing through particles and wavelengths as he searches for purpose and power. Finding himself drawn to the ethereal glow of the Green Lantern's power ring, the villain is on a course to crash the party!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/12/doctor-light-versus-green-lantern.html
Where: Green Lantern #36 When: February 1993
Why: Gerard Jones How: Gene Ha
The Story So Far...
Hal Jordan's heading home for the holidays, bringing best pal Carol Ferris to the Jordan Family Christmas at his brother Jim's! A magical flight in sets the season off to a perfect start, but hidden within the majestic Northern Lights is the malicious manifestation of Doctor Light!
With his powers ever-expanding since experiencing death; Light no longer needs a physical form! He exists as a being of pure light, passing through particles and wavelengths as he searches for purpose and power. Finding himself drawn to the ethereal glow of the Green Lantern's power ring, the villain is on a course to crash the party!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/12/doctor-light-versus-green-lantern.html
Friday, December 21, 2018
Infinite Wars: Flash vs Kid Flash
FLASH versus KID FLASH
Meet Kid Flash (DC)
Where: The Flash TV Special #1 When: 1991 Why: Mark Waid How: David Williams & Darick Robertson
The Story So Far...
When a freak lightning bolt struck police forensic scientist Barry Allen and threw him into a shelf of laboratory chemicals - his life was changed forever!
With the help of STAR Labs scientist Tina McGee; Barry discovered his body chemistry and metabolism was radically altered, granting him the gift of moving at super-human speeds!
Wearing a high-tech, heat-resistant suit designed by STAR Labs, Barry uses his powers to fight crime in Central City as The Flash! Tina continues to aide him in his mission, but when she attempts to understand his transformation further by recreating his origins in the lab -- a criminal on the run accidentally receives the same powers! Now The Flash must race to stop a super-fast crime-spree!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/12/flash-versus-kid-flash.html
Where: The Flash TV Special #1 When: 1991 Why: Mark Waid How: David Williams & Darick Robertson
The Story So Far...
When a freak lightning bolt struck police forensic scientist Barry Allen and threw him into a shelf of laboratory chemicals - his life was changed forever!
With the help of STAR Labs scientist Tina McGee; Barry discovered his body chemistry and metabolism was radically altered, granting him the gift of moving at super-human speeds!
Wearing a high-tech, heat-resistant suit designed by STAR Labs, Barry uses his powers to fight crime in Central City as The Flash! Tina continues to aide him in his mission, but when she attempts to understand his transformation further by recreating his origins in the lab -- a criminal on the run accidentally receives the same powers! Now The Flash must race to stop a super-fast crime-spree!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/12/flash-versus-kid-flash.html
Monday, December 17, 2018
Friday, December 14, 2018
Infinite Wars: Hulk vs Champion of the Universe
HULK versus CHAMPION OF THE UNIVERSE
And They Shall Call Him... Champion! (Marvel)
Where: Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7 When: October 1982 Why: Tom DeFalco How: Ron Wilson
The Story So Far...
The Thing has battled some of the most powerful beings in this universe and beyond, earning a fighting reputation that spans galaxies! Enter: Proja - Promoter Supreme!
Charged with signing worthy opponents to face The Champion of the Universe - Proja sees big box office potential in a match between Thing and his client! Madison Square Garden is the only arena that could stage this once in a lifetime title bout, but you can't have a main event without an undercard!
The Mighty Thor was disqualified when he brought his enchanted hammer into the boxing ring. His exit paves the way for a potential show stealer as Champion welcomes a challenger who may be the strongest one there is: The Incredible Hulk!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/12/hulk-versus-champion-of-universe.html
Where: Marvel Two-In-One Annual #7 When: October 1982 Why: Tom DeFalco How: Ron Wilson
The Story So Far...
The Thing has battled some of the most powerful beings in this universe and beyond, earning a fighting reputation that spans galaxies! Enter: Proja - Promoter Supreme!
Charged with signing worthy opponents to face The Champion of the Universe - Proja sees big box office potential in a match between Thing and his client! Madison Square Garden is the only arena that could stage this once in a lifetime title bout, but you can't have a main event without an undercard!
The Mighty Thor was disqualified when he brought his enchanted hammer into the boxing ring. His exit paves the way for a potential show stealer as Champion welcomes a challenger who may be the strongest one there is: The Incredible Hulk!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/12/hulk-versus-champion-of-universe.html
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
Friday, December 07, 2018
Friday, November 30, 2018
Infinite Wars: Flash vs Rag Doll
FLASH versus RAG DOLL
Countdown To Crisis! (DC)
Where: Justice League of America #196 When: November 1981 Why: Gerry Conway How: George Perez & Romeo Tanghal
The Story So Far...
In an effort to destroy his nemesis Superman, Ultra-Humanite forms a Secret Society of Super-Villains across two worlds. His goal: to orchestrate the capture of ten key heroes who will upset the balance of worlds - resulting in the orchestrated destruction of his own!
Earth-1 is home to a Justice League of America led by the youthful Superman, while Earth-2 boasts seasoned veterans of the Justice Society and a matured Superman. Despite a meeting between the heroes of two worlds, they are blissfully unaware of the forces plotting against them!
The Society's efforts have already led to the capture of Earth-1's Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Batman and Earth-2's Hawkman and Hourman! Now the wicked Rag Doll, and recently unretired Monocle, set their sights on Earth-2's Flash with the world only 40% away from cosmic annihilation!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/11/flash-versus-rag-doll.html
Where: Justice League of America #196 When: November 1981 Why: Gerry Conway How: George Perez & Romeo Tanghal
The Story So Far...
In an effort to destroy his nemesis Superman, Ultra-Humanite forms a Secret Society of Super-Villains across two worlds. His goal: to orchestrate the capture of ten key heroes who will upset the balance of worlds - resulting in the orchestrated destruction of his own!
Earth-1 is home to a Justice League of America led by the youthful Superman, while Earth-2 boasts seasoned veterans of the Justice Society and a matured Superman. Despite a meeting between the heroes of two worlds, they are blissfully unaware of the forces plotting against them!
The Society's efforts have already led to the capture of Earth-1's Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Batman and Earth-2's Hawkman and Hourman! Now the wicked Rag Doll, and recently unretired Monocle, set their sights on Earth-2's Flash with the world only 40% away from cosmic annihilation!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/11/flash-versus-rag-doll.html
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Monday, November 26, 2018
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Friday, November 23, 2018
Infinite Wars: Aquaman vs Black Manta
AQUAMAN versus BLACK MANTA
The Manta-Ray Means Murder! (DC)
Where: Adventure Comics #446 When: July-August 1976 Why: Paul Levitz & Martin Pasko How: Jim Aparo
The Story So Far...
Aquaman has been overthrown as King of Atlantis and run out of the city under threat of death from new ruler: Karshon! With his wife Mera and son by his side, the ousted monarch is desperate to contact Aqualad to warn him of the dangers of returning - but even Robin cannot locate the aquatic Teen Titan's whereabouts!
On the Mississippi Delta; Aqualad & Aquagirl are mixing heroics and pleasure by visiting the paddle steamer Club Mark Twain to investigate diamond smugglers. The bust uncovers a grander plot with Black Manta pulling the strings and using surprise to get the drop on his nemeses' ward and his daring date!
Aquaman uses his marine telepathy to desperately canvas the waters for his missing ward. It's a race against time as the arch-villain concocts a deathtrap of malicious mantas and mind-numbed electric eels ready to kill Aqualad!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/11/aquaman-versus-black-manta.html
Where: Adventure Comics #446 When: July-August 1976 Why: Paul Levitz & Martin Pasko How: Jim Aparo
The Story So Far...
Aquaman has been overthrown as King of Atlantis and run out of the city under threat of death from new ruler: Karshon! With his wife Mera and son by his side, the ousted monarch is desperate to contact Aqualad to warn him of the dangers of returning - but even Robin cannot locate the aquatic Teen Titan's whereabouts!
On the Mississippi Delta; Aqualad & Aquagirl are mixing heroics and pleasure by visiting the paddle steamer Club Mark Twain to investigate diamond smugglers. The bust uncovers a grander plot with Black Manta pulling the strings and using surprise to get the drop on his nemeses' ward and his daring date!
Aquaman uses his marine telepathy to desperately canvas the waters for his missing ward. It's a race against time as the arch-villain concocts a deathtrap of malicious mantas and mind-numbed electric eels ready to kill Aqualad!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/11/aquaman-versus-black-manta.html
Monday, November 19, 2018
Friday, November 16, 2018
Infinite Wars: Hulk vs Fantastic Four
HULK versus FANTASTIC FOUR
Part 4: The Hulk At Last! (Marvel)
Where: Fantastic Four #12 When: March 1963
Why: Stan Lee How: Jack Kirby
The Story So Far...
Project 34 is the latest invention by Dr. Bruce Banner: a state-of-the-art device able to blanket cities in protective electro-magnetic rays that repel any modern attack! It's the ultimate defensive technology, but its drawn the destructive interest of the mysterious Wrecker!
General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross suspects Banner's secret alter-ego of the monstrous Hulk is responsible, and recruits the Fantastic Four to deal with the menace!
The heroes accept their mission, with the powerful Thing particularly eager to prove his superiority against the rampaging powerhouse. Little do they realize the Hulk is innocent, and on his own desperate mission to rescue teenage friend Rick Jones from the clutches of the true Wrecker!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/11/hulk-versus-fantastic-four.html
Where: Fantastic Four #12 When: March 1963
Why: Stan Lee How: Jack Kirby
The Story So Far...
Project 34 is the latest invention by Dr. Bruce Banner: a state-of-the-art device able to blanket cities in protective electro-magnetic rays that repel any modern attack! It's the ultimate defensive technology, but its drawn the destructive interest of the mysterious Wrecker!
General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross suspects Banner's secret alter-ego of the monstrous Hulk is responsible, and recruits the Fantastic Four to deal with the menace!
The heroes accept their mission, with the powerful Thing particularly eager to prove his superiority against the rampaging powerhouse. Little do they realize the Hulk is innocent, and on his own desperate mission to rescue teenage friend Rick Jones from the clutches of the true Wrecker!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/11/hulk-versus-fantastic-four.html
Thursday, November 15, 2018
Tuesday, November 13, 2018
Saturday, November 10, 2018
Friday, November 09, 2018
Infinite Wars: Deathstroke vs Robin
DEATHSTROKE versus ROBIN
Apokolips... Now (DC/Marvel)
Where: Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans #1 When: 1982 Why: Chris Claremont How: Walt Simonson
The Story So Far...
Nightmares plague the young heroes of the X-Men and Teen Titans. The memory of fallen comrade Phoenix haunts the mind and heart of those who loved her, while a universe away, her flaming visage inspires terror.
Across the gulf of space: Darkseid contemplates the means to penetrate and harness the supreme power of The Source Wall. His plan: to send his agents to collect the residual psychic energies left on Earth by the cosmic Phoenix entity.
Flanked by an army of Para-Demon soldiers, Deathstroke accepts Darkseid's mission to lead a quest to accrue cosmic energy. First he must acquire a specific scientific device from STAR Labs in Gotham City. A burglary that inevitably brings him into conflict with his nemesis - the Teen Titan: Robin!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/11/deathstroke-versus-robin.html
Where: Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans #1 When: 1982 Why: Chris Claremont How: Walt Simonson
The Story So Far...
Nightmares plague the young heroes of the X-Men and Teen Titans. The memory of fallen comrade Phoenix haunts the mind and heart of those who loved her, while a universe away, her flaming visage inspires terror.
Across the gulf of space: Darkseid contemplates the means to penetrate and harness the supreme power of The Source Wall. His plan: to send his agents to collect the residual psychic energies left on Earth by the cosmic Phoenix entity.
Flanked by an army of Para-Demon soldiers, Deathstroke accepts Darkseid's mission to lead a quest to accrue cosmic energy. First he must acquire a specific scientific device from STAR Labs in Gotham City. A burglary that inevitably brings him into conflict with his nemesis - the Teen Titan: Robin!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/11/deathstroke-versus-robin.html
Monday, November 05, 2018
Friday, November 02, 2018
Infinite Wars: Black Lanterns vs Mera & Tempest
AQUAMAN, DOLPHIN & TULA versus MERA & TEMPEST
Blackest Night (DC)
Where: Blackest Night #2 When: October 2009
Why: Geoff Johns How: Ivan Reis
The Story So Far...
In the forbidden zone of Space Sector 666: the landing sight of the defeated Anti-Monitor has given rise to a mysterious black battery. This was the dawning of a War of Light prophesized by the Guardians of Oa!
The first sacrifice was William Hand: the death-obsessed villain known as Black Hand who willingly becomes the avatar of the coming Black Lantern Corps! Across the galaxy - the dead will join him as undead ranks consuming the living to charge their black battery!
Every hero who discovers this cosmic conspiracy risks being claimed! On the beach of Amnesty Bay, the new King of Atlantis follows Mera to seek the remains of his former mentor and king. Garth aims to strengthen his rule by returning Aquaman's remains to the tombs of Atlantis, but will soon find the dweller of the deep now walks the earth as an undead Black Lantern!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/11/aquaman-dolphin-tula-versus-mera-tempest.html
Where: Blackest Night #2 When: October 2009
Why: Geoff Johns How: Ivan Reis
The Story So Far...
In the forbidden zone of Space Sector 666: the landing sight of the defeated Anti-Monitor has given rise to a mysterious black battery. This was the dawning of a War of Light prophesized by the Guardians of Oa!
The first sacrifice was William Hand: the death-obsessed villain known as Black Hand who willingly becomes the avatar of the coming Black Lantern Corps! Across the galaxy - the dead will join him as undead ranks consuming the living to charge their black battery!
Every hero who discovers this cosmic conspiracy risks being claimed! On the beach of Amnesty Bay, the new King of Atlantis follows Mera to seek the remains of his former mentor and king. Garth aims to strengthen his rule by returning Aquaman's remains to the tombs of Atlantis, but will soon find the dweller of the deep now walks the earth as an undead Black Lantern!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/11/aquaman-dolphin-tula-versus-mera-tempest.html
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Infinite Wars: Solomon Grundy vs Bizarro
SOLOMON GRUNDY versus BIZARRO
Christened On A Tuesday (DC)
Where: Solomon Grundy #2 When: June 2009
Why: Scott Kolins How: Scott Kolins
The Story So Far...
19th century Gotham City was home to an evil soul called Cyrus Gold. With blood on his hands, he was cursed upon death to forever rise again from his unmarked grave in Slaughter Swamp! Now he terrorizes the modern world as Solomon Grundy!
Caught in an endless cycle of death and resurrection, the shambling monster is forever drawn to new acts of evil as an unstoppable undead creature - until now?...
A mysterious force has given Cyrus Gold seven days to end his curse, but dark forces conspire to prolong the agony of Solomon Grundy! Waylaid by The Demon Etrigan, a murderous Cyrus Gold was restored only to meet another grim end in a scrapyard. Now Solomon Grundy is loose in Gotham and fate would have it that a LexCorp transport carrying Bizarro now lies in his path!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/10/solomon-grundy-versus-bizarro.html
Where: Solomon Grundy #2 When: June 2009
Why: Scott Kolins How: Scott Kolins
The Story So Far...
19th century Gotham City was home to an evil soul called Cyrus Gold. With blood on his hands, he was cursed upon death to forever rise again from his unmarked grave in Slaughter Swamp! Now he terrorizes the modern world as Solomon Grundy!
Caught in an endless cycle of death and resurrection, the shambling monster is forever drawn to new acts of evil as an unstoppable undead creature - until now?...
A mysterious force has given Cyrus Gold seven days to end his curse, but dark forces conspire to prolong the agony of Solomon Grundy! Waylaid by The Demon Etrigan, a murderous Cyrus Gold was restored only to meet another grim end in a scrapyard. Now Solomon Grundy is loose in Gotham and fate would have it that a LexCorp transport carrying Bizarro now lies in his path!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/10/solomon-grundy-versus-bizarro.html
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Friday, October 26, 2018
Infinite Wars: Venom vs Ghost Rider
VENOM versus GHOST RIDER
Spirits of Venom Part 4 of 4: Last Rites (Marvel)
Where: Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #6 When: January 1993 Why: Howard Mackie How: Adam Kubert
The Story So Far...
Supernatural forces conspire in the night as New York City plays host to a bizarre gathering of occult entities! While Spider-man scrambles to protect Hobgoblin from the evil Demogoblin and Doppelganger -- the progeny of Deathwatch prepares for his resurrection below, drawing Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, and Venom!
The forces of darkness threaten to consume the heroes when they converge in the underground of Manhattan's sewers. Against overwhelming odds, the heroes prevail over endless hordes of Deathspawn, but when Venom's hatred for Spider-man gets the better of him, Ghost Rider steps into the line of fire!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/10/venom-versus-ghost-rider.html
Where: Ghost Rider/Blaze: Spirits of Vengeance #6 When: January 1993 Why: Howard Mackie How: Adam Kubert
The Story So Far...
Supernatural forces conspire in the night as New York City plays host to a bizarre gathering of occult entities! While Spider-man scrambles to protect Hobgoblin from the evil Demogoblin and Doppelganger -- the progeny of Deathwatch prepares for his resurrection below, drawing Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze, and Venom!
The forces of darkness threaten to consume the heroes when they converge in the underground of Manhattan's sewers. Against overwhelming odds, the heroes prevail over endless hordes of Deathspawn, but when Venom's hatred for Spider-man gets the better of him, Ghost Rider steps into the line of fire!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/10/venom-versus-ghost-rider.html
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Sunday, October 21, 2018
Letterboxd: Need For Speed
I could've happily gone through life never actually seeing Need for Speed, but anecdotal reference led me to believe there might be more beneath the hood than an extra-bland version of Fast & Furious.
It turned out it wasn't quite as dull as marketing had led me to
believe -- but it wasn't the second-coming of gritty motor
cinema, either.
The films strongest talking point seems to be its
practical stunts, which differentiate from the increasing absurdity of
computer-assisted gimmicks in the Fast & Furious franchise.
Though
technically proficient, these feats of driving are rendered largely
underwhelming by a devastating lack of cinematic vision or style. A
quick glimpse of Bullit in the first reel can only reflect poorly on a movie that lacks its spirit, grit, and conviction.
Need
for Speed is a standard story of a mechanic/street racer whose rivalry
with a high-flying contemporary takes him down a cliched road of
failure, return, and some form of redemption. It's light on, taking
minor detours for character moments, but otherwise servicing a
rudimentary story that doesn't really kick in until the last act.
Ordinarily
I wouldn't necessarily criticize a film of this type for sticking to a
tried and true formula, but much of the movie feels as if it's merely
doing enough to make the big finish credible. Instead of meandering to
the final event through a series of set pieces, the movie may've been
stronger if everything were consolidated into a single concept.
The
mythic De Leon race is what really seems to matter: an annual
underground, invitational super-event hosted by a reclusive former-racer
who streams results to petrolheads live online.
Micheal Keaton
emerges as the movie's secret weapon, featured as the race host, The
Monarch, in a role I don't remember being promoted prior to release!
It's a surprising omission, particularly given the film suffers
devastatingly from a severe lack of star-power!
The majority of
the cast is an absolute charisma vacuum, which makes Keaton's commentary
a surprisingly welcome burst of character, despite telling us what we
can already see. One can't help but notice he hams it up in complete
solitude, sequestered even after the race seemingly ends at his
doorstep. A last minute addition, perhaps? His bombastic one-man Greek
Choir seems at odds with the movie's under cooked approach, but may be a
model for what the whole movie should've been like. The ethos of 'show,
don't tell' doesn't help the rest of the film.
Feisty Brit
Imogen Poots is the only other consistent bright spark, tagging along as
the unlikely co-pilot in a cross-state race to evade police, and killer
bounty hunters. This could've been a buzzkill role, but she elevates
and humanizes Aaron Paul, who otherwise struggles to live up to the
demands of being a leading man. His performance is earnest, but tough
guy throat-talking plays silly at worst - boring at best. Slow motion
running towards a burning car is unintentional comedy at its most
painful. When Poots takes the emotional wheel, the film is better for
it, building a one-sided romance on the strength of screen presence, and
verve. Diverting from former flame Anita (Dakota Johnson), and her
relationship with bad guy Dino (Dominic Cooper), is the right instinct,
even though it seems to run contrary to earlier parts of the film.
A
more charismatic group of supporting archetypes could've helped the
movie and its lead tremendously. The ragtag group of mechanics and tech
support are barely thumbnail sketches. Roman Rodriguez seems to carry
the most natural gravitas of the ensemble, but also has the least to do.
Rami Malek enters the foreground in one of the biggest human set
pieces, strutting out of his desk job naked to rejoin the team. It feels
like a second-hand movie moment, servicing a character who'll do very
little else. If there was a screenplay dictating these fits and starts
of character, it's very flabby. There are a couple of genuine laughs
that hit, but not nearly enough.
Kid Cudi grapples with flat
running gags as he attempts to give the group a sense of interplay. His
role as eye-in-the-sky does feel like one of the more original concepts
in the film, putting a callsign and face to the video game conceit of
navigation. It's unfortunate that his improvised access to various
aerial vehicles plays out off-screen, as its a more interesting
predicament than our hero deliberately driving on the wrong side of the
road. The forced charm offensive doesn't quite work, but it's tough to dislike the musician turned actor.
Occasionally
homicidal law enforcement seems to be the only major allusion to the
video game series that inspires the film, but I'm not sure much
else does.
As practical stunts don't contribute much to the
grittiness of the movie -- which includes an absurd Fast & Furious
style escape via military chopper and cables -- perhaps a stronger, CG
infused cinematic style would've been a better way to go. It could've
enhanced the sense of speed and infused the action with greater
enthusiasm. Even more interest in location vistas would've been an
improvement. Any visual signature to distract from the flat, uninspired
cinematography that so many digital films deliver.
When the cops
and bounty hunters are unleashed, the movie really picks up a great
deal. It's just a shame there weren't more of them! Even the final De
Leon race only has six drivers - quickly whittled away! Building an
entire movie around the high-concept race, with more vivid characters
behind the wheel, might've been a better way to go. An abundance of
cliches would at least be more engaging than a few long ones.
This
isn't the extra-bland Fast & Furious clone I thought it would be,
but it doesn't have a strong enough vision for itself to really deliver
on what sets it apart, either. It's neither high-octane car movie, nor
gritty low budget thrill ride. In the end, it needed a lot more than
just speed - and maybe a little more of that, too.
Originally Posted: https://letterboxd.com/dialmformicker/film/need-for-speed/
Friday, October 19, 2018
Infinite Wars: Venom vs Spider-man
VENOM versus SPIDER-MAN
The Boneyard Hop! (Marvel)
Where: Amazing Spider-man #347 When: May 1991
Why: David Michelinie How: Erik Larsen
The Story So Far...
When Spider-man's costume was damaged fighting the Secret Wars of Battleworld, he mistakenly chose the wrong repair machine, unleashing an alien symbiote that masqueraded as his new black costume!
Freeing himself from the parasite using its weakness to sound, Spider-man inadvertently created his greatest nemesis when the symbiote bonded with a Peter Parker-hating journalist: Eddie Brock! Sharing the symbiote's knowledge of Parker's secret identity, host and parasite combined to create a deadly Venom!
Using the symbiote's ability to alter his appearance and negate Spider-man's danger sense -- Venom succeeds in luring the web-slinger to the Moleed Labs cryogenic facility. With his mortal nemesis frozen and helpless, Venom transports him to a deserted island so the pair can have their final showdown!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/10/venom-versus-spider-man.html
Where: Amazing Spider-man #347 When: May 1991
Why: David Michelinie How: Erik Larsen
The Story So Far...
When Spider-man's costume was damaged fighting the Secret Wars of Battleworld, he mistakenly chose the wrong repair machine, unleashing an alien symbiote that masqueraded as his new black costume!
Freeing himself from the parasite using its weakness to sound, Spider-man inadvertently created his greatest nemesis when the symbiote bonded with a Peter Parker-hating journalist: Eddie Brock! Sharing the symbiote's knowledge of Parker's secret identity, host and parasite combined to create a deadly Venom!
Using the symbiote's ability to alter his appearance and negate Spider-man's danger sense -- Venom succeeds in luring the web-slinger to the Moleed Labs cryogenic facility. With his mortal nemesis frozen and helpless, Venom transports him to a deserted island so the pair can have their final showdown!
Full Article: https://secretearths.blogspot.com/2018/10/venom-versus-spider-man.html
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
Letterboxd: Non-Stop
Taken
felt like a much needed movement when it first pistol whipped cinemas
in the '00s, but on its third iteration by 2014, it had become cliched.
I'd well and truly stopped paying attention to anything remotely
similar, and still have no recollection of Non-Stop being
released the same year. Which may have been the perfect way to discover
what is a very pleasant surprise package a year or two later!
Liam Neeson stars (of course) as US Air Marshal Bill Marks. He doesn't particularly enjoy flying, and regards his job with a workman-like attitude. The routines of air security have become familiar more than a decade after 9/11, but as he boards a flight from New York to London, he's about to discover the value of his position.
Non-Stop is a tense thrill ride that immediately begins poking at audience preconceptions as the various players among 150 passengers begin to appear. The movie plays with cultural and cinematic profiling that should keep viewers on their toes. If allowed, it's a movie that will surprise you, both as the mystery of on board threats begins to unfold, and the roles of various characters evolve.
Familiar faces fill the supporting cast, with Julianne Moore holding an affable presence as the passenger seated next to Bill Marks (Neeson). Other recognizable faces include Scoot McNairy (Monsters), Linus Roache (Law & Order), Lupita Nyong'o (The Force Awakens), and Corey Stoll (Ant-Man). It would be a mistake to regard this as any kind of Agatha Christie style ensemble mystery, but depending on what you know, their presence may enhance the experience of questioning their characters.
The tension begins quickly when Marks receives a text message demanding the transfer of $150 million to a specific account or passengers will start dying every 20 minutes. He breaks protocol to consult the second air marshal, beginning an unraveling situation that makes everyone a suspect -- including Bill!
Routine developments ratchet up the paranoia, and although the final reveal may not be everything you'd hoped for, it fulfills the subtext of profiling used earlier in the film. It also comes with genuinely earned concern for the passengers, and an injection of action that goes to the edge of being over-the-top, but doesn't go too far.
Non-Stop is a well written film, anchored by a strong performance by Neeson, who's relieved of any attempt at a bad accent by a backstory benefitting from his origins in Northern Ireland. It's a detail that not only keeps Neeson's acting loose, but also enhances the paranoid subtext, playing upon that region's troubled history. Just one of the many effective examples of social and political subtext offered to a savvy audience.
Low expectations were rewarded as I found myself quickly sucked in to a movie that had quality in every facet. The blue-hued plane interior looks consistent and aesthetically pleasing throughout. It's the right balance of reality and quality filmmaking.
Despite every indication otherwise - this is much more than 'Taken on a plane'. Mystery and surprise is part of the appeal of that first watch, but Non-Stop holds up on repeat viewings as an above average thriller. It's a movie that will inevitably become a relic of its time, but a diamond in the rough of this era of mediocre action cinema. That there's been no sequel can be considered a blessing. A great done-in-one viewing with just enough originality to keep the genre aspects fresh.
Liam Neeson stars (of course) as US Air Marshal Bill Marks. He doesn't particularly enjoy flying, and regards his job with a workman-like attitude. The routines of air security have become familiar more than a decade after 9/11, but as he boards a flight from New York to London, he's about to discover the value of his position.
Non-Stop is a tense thrill ride that immediately begins poking at audience preconceptions as the various players among 150 passengers begin to appear. The movie plays with cultural and cinematic profiling that should keep viewers on their toes. If allowed, it's a movie that will surprise you, both as the mystery of on board threats begins to unfold, and the roles of various characters evolve.
Familiar faces fill the supporting cast, with Julianne Moore holding an affable presence as the passenger seated next to Bill Marks (Neeson). Other recognizable faces include Scoot McNairy (Monsters), Linus Roache (Law & Order), Lupita Nyong'o (The Force Awakens), and Corey Stoll (Ant-Man). It would be a mistake to regard this as any kind of Agatha Christie style ensemble mystery, but depending on what you know, their presence may enhance the experience of questioning their characters.
The tension begins quickly when Marks receives a text message demanding the transfer of $150 million to a specific account or passengers will start dying every 20 minutes. He breaks protocol to consult the second air marshal, beginning an unraveling situation that makes everyone a suspect -- including Bill!
Routine developments ratchet up the paranoia, and although the final reveal may not be everything you'd hoped for, it fulfills the subtext of profiling used earlier in the film. It also comes with genuinely earned concern for the passengers, and an injection of action that goes to the edge of being over-the-top, but doesn't go too far.
Non-Stop is a well written film, anchored by a strong performance by Neeson, who's relieved of any attempt at a bad accent by a backstory benefitting from his origins in Northern Ireland. It's a detail that not only keeps Neeson's acting loose, but also enhances the paranoid subtext, playing upon that region's troubled history. Just one of the many effective examples of social and political subtext offered to a savvy audience.
Low expectations were rewarded as I found myself quickly sucked in to a movie that had quality in every facet. The blue-hued plane interior looks consistent and aesthetically pleasing throughout. It's the right balance of reality and quality filmmaking.
Despite every indication otherwise - this is much more than 'Taken on a plane'. Mystery and surprise is part of the appeal of that first watch, but Non-Stop holds up on repeat viewings as an above average thriller. It's a movie that will inevitably become a relic of its time, but a diamond in the rough of this era of mediocre action cinema. That there's been no sequel can be considered a blessing. A great done-in-one viewing with just enough originality to keep the genre aspects fresh.
Originally Posted: https://letterboxd.com/dialmformicker/film/non-stop-2014/
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Letterboxd: The Horror of Frankenstein
The Horror of Frankenstein seemingly announces a return to
macabre basics for the storied franchise, resurrecting a classic plot
inspired by Universal Pictures' Frankenstein, and Mary Shelley's original literary Modern Prometheus.
It should have been a fresh take for a new decade, but instead
assembles used parts from previous efforts, creating a shambling
retelling, lacking the passion or horror of Hammer's own 1957
production.
The Curse of Frankenstein had given a grim new face to the monster made famous by Universal Pictures in 1931. Christopher Lee was far less glamorous as the pallid sum of decayed corpse parts. His very appearance evoked horror -- a glaring contrast to the lacking creature of the 1970 retelling!
David Prowse is physically gifted as a 6'6" bodybuilder, and commits to the role with deliberate plodding, and a brain-damaged lack of expression. He has a curious charisma, but lacks tactile menace, or visual appeal as The Monster. He's unaided, wearing only the most basic makeup effects to distort the top of his head, suggesting a split cranium. A few symmetrically drawn-on pink scars do little to sell the concept of a patchwork body. Even wardrobe underwhelms, as he at first shuffles into the woods in "bandages" that look like tight, white, lopsided sports wear. This improves somewhat once a dark tunic is thrown over his metal neck-brace, enhancing his size and medieval facade.
Like so many Hammer sequels, Horror of Frankenstein is an endurance test for the audience. The majority is languid period drama, holding back the monster for the majority of the film. This wouldn't be so bad if the drama were more engaging, and the eventual reward more satisfying. The Monster just isn't worth the hour it takes.
To this point, the star of Hammer's Frankenstein franchise had been Peter Cushing. He was seen as recently as 1969 in Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, and was particularly arresting as the driven mad scientist of the first film. With performance and natural character, he carried the first half of the original entry, emerging as its true monster. It's no surprise Cushing would be brought back for Frankenstein and The Monster From Hell - the final installment.
Ralph Bates repeats many of the same beats of murder and malice as Cushing, but is a much less dynamic Baron Frankenstein. He proves to be a villain through action, rather than unflinching conviction. Bates brings an unusual screen energy, playing the role with wry removal, and a distanced calculating that only dabbles in arrogance.
The peak of the movie is its third act, when the monster is unleashed, and various forces begin to converge on Frankenstein's castle, where the body count has steadily risen. The film sadly shies away from ratcheting up the tension of these disparate threats, playing them out one at a time, rather than all on top of each other. Even as the Monster escapes his dungeon cell and Frankenstein's control, the Baron keeps one step ahead of every threat.
Any hope for a big finish is utterly dashed when the Monster, tamed with an injection, meets his accidental demise in Frankenstein's lab. The death occurs right under the nose of ineffective law enforcement, but is only known to the Baron himself. This gives way to the laughable moment when Frankenstein's unwitting killer -- a small girl he'd frightened, but spared, initiating the manhunt -- declares he was actually a nice monster. Sentiments of pathos borrowed from better versions of the story, but unearned in this one!
The Horror of Frankenstein isn't completely without charm, but like so many remakes, you're better off just seeing the original. Colour and grit at least give the 1957 version a point of difference to Universal's classic black & white horror. Thirteen years on, little has changed in the Hammer approach, and nothing has improved.
The Curse of Frankenstein had given a grim new face to the monster made famous by Universal Pictures in 1931. Christopher Lee was far less glamorous as the pallid sum of decayed corpse parts. His very appearance evoked horror -- a glaring contrast to the lacking creature of the 1970 retelling!
David Prowse is physically gifted as a 6'6" bodybuilder, and commits to the role with deliberate plodding, and a brain-damaged lack of expression. He has a curious charisma, but lacks tactile menace, or visual appeal as The Monster. He's unaided, wearing only the most basic makeup effects to distort the top of his head, suggesting a split cranium. A few symmetrically drawn-on pink scars do little to sell the concept of a patchwork body. Even wardrobe underwhelms, as he at first shuffles into the woods in "bandages" that look like tight, white, lopsided sports wear. This improves somewhat once a dark tunic is thrown over his metal neck-brace, enhancing his size and medieval facade.
Like so many Hammer sequels, Horror of Frankenstein is an endurance test for the audience. The majority is languid period drama, holding back the monster for the majority of the film. This wouldn't be so bad if the drama were more engaging, and the eventual reward more satisfying. The Monster just isn't worth the hour it takes.
To this point, the star of Hammer's Frankenstein franchise had been Peter Cushing. He was seen as recently as 1969 in Frankenstein Must Be Destroyed, and was particularly arresting as the driven mad scientist of the first film. With performance and natural character, he carried the first half of the original entry, emerging as its true monster. It's no surprise Cushing would be brought back for Frankenstein and The Monster From Hell - the final installment.
Ralph Bates repeats many of the same beats of murder and malice as Cushing, but is a much less dynamic Baron Frankenstein. He proves to be a villain through action, rather than unflinching conviction. Bates brings an unusual screen energy, playing the role with wry removal, and a distanced calculating that only dabbles in arrogance.
The peak of the movie is its third act, when the monster is unleashed, and various forces begin to converge on Frankenstein's castle, where the body count has steadily risen. The film sadly shies away from ratcheting up the tension of these disparate threats, playing them out one at a time, rather than all on top of each other. Even as the Monster escapes his dungeon cell and Frankenstein's control, the Baron keeps one step ahead of every threat.
Any hope for a big finish is utterly dashed when the Monster, tamed with an injection, meets his accidental demise in Frankenstein's lab. The death occurs right under the nose of ineffective law enforcement, but is only known to the Baron himself. This gives way to the laughable moment when Frankenstein's unwitting killer -- a small girl he'd frightened, but spared, initiating the manhunt -- declares he was actually a nice monster. Sentiments of pathos borrowed from better versions of the story, but unearned in this one!
The Horror of Frankenstein isn't completely without charm, but like so many remakes, you're better off just seeing the original. Colour and grit at least give the 1957 version a point of difference to Universal's classic black & white horror. Thirteen years on, little has changed in the Hammer approach, and nothing has improved.
Originally Posted: https://letterboxd.com/dialmformicker/film/the-horror-of-frankenstein/
Friday, October 12, 2018
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Letterboxd: Commando
Commando represents the moment the Austrian body-builder famous for Conan The Barbarian finally said it's time to start talking!
Schwarzenegger must've been emboldened by the success of The Terminator, where stilted line readings enhanced his android assassin, but somebody was clearly nervous, as Commando frequently plays like a concept album set to an incidental film.
Composer James Horner seemingly scrambles to fill run time, mixing genres in a madcap flurry of Caribbean steel drums, Asian flutes, and classic eighties neo-noir sax. The soundtrack rarely lets up.
Each musical style takes turns stomping on a conventional score, occasionally double-teaming a puny bass line, or snapping the neck of something that may or may not have been orchestral. The unusual soundtrack succeeds in relieving pressure from simple scenes that won't otherwise be rescued by snappy dialogue. Occasionally, it gets a little too nutty for its own good, pulling focus in a flurry of horns and percussion. Think sax man Bill Pullman in Lost Highway.
I've found myself revisiting much of the Schwarzenegger oeuvre over the last couple of years, and I've started to see past the inflections of beloved impersonation, to notice his performance has evolved far less than I'd imagined.
In the case of Commando, it becomes increasingly clear pieces of this script will follow Arnold throughout the rest of his career. The one-liners aren't as sharp or frequent as they'll eventually become, but the catchphrases are all here, from "I'll be back" to liberal utterings of "DO IT". Scenes of mall rage and the recruitment of a hapless female cohort will be reprised to greater effect in movies like The Running Man, True Lies, and Jingle All The Way.
The story of a South American dictator's effort to blackmail uber-soldier John Matrix is almost irrelevant. Familiar face Alyssa Milano (Who's The Boss?) survives a barrage of cackling, creating enough of a father-daughter dynamic in opening scenes to keep things rolling with the sub-plot of her kidnapping. The first act twist is merely a means to beginning Arnold's rampage of crazed revenge, urban destruction, and inflicted Stockholm syndrome.
Rae Dawn Chong is surprisingly convincing as Cindy, a petite off duty stewardess with a junior pilot's license. Her flip from fear to affection for the troubled one-man army (Matrix) is a little abrupt, but her arc to becoming a rocket launching badass in-the-making lends fun to the mayhem. David Patrick Kelly (The Warriors) is a uniquely effective foil as the sleazy merc' who sexually harasses Cindy all the way to the parking garage. His comeuppance initiates the action and brings our heroes together.
Australian Vernon Wells is much less convincing as the ex-army buddy gone mercenary, and John Matrix' ultimate arch-rival. The tough talk falls short of wide-eyed menace, mincing ineffectively in a chainmail tank top he must've borrowed from Mad Max 2. The inadequacies of the character may very well be by design, signalling a countdown to his inevitable death. It all gets a little Home Alone when he's reduced to chasing an escaped Jenny (Milano). His final fight delivers more bite than the silly talk might have led you to expect.
For fans of eighties explosions and Arnold's less sci-fi fare - Commando will hold a special place in the canon. Otherwise, it's a mostly middling effort, playing catch-up with Rambo, and destined to be outmoded by future refinements of the Schwarzenegger formula. Franchise fans may have fun imagining it somehow fits into the backstory of Predator.
Schwarzenegger must've been emboldened by the success of The Terminator, where stilted line readings enhanced his android assassin, but somebody was clearly nervous, as Commando frequently plays like a concept album set to an incidental film.
Composer James Horner seemingly scrambles to fill run time, mixing genres in a madcap flurry of Caribbean steel drums, Asian flutes, and classic eighties neo-noir sax. The soundtrack rarely lets up.
Each musical style takes turns stomping on a conventional score, occasionally double-teaming a puny bass line, or snapping the neck of something that may or may not have been orchestral. The unusual soundtrack succeeds in relieving pressure from simple scenes that won't otherwise be rescued by snappy dialogue. Occasionally, it gets a little too nutty for its own good, pulling focus in a flurry of horns and percussion. Think sax man Bill Pullman in Lost Highway.
I've found myself revisiting much of the Schwarzenegger oeuvre over the last couple of years, and I've started to see past the inflections of beloved impersonation, to notice his performance has evolved far less than I'd imagined.
In the case of Commando, it becomes increasingly clear pieces of this script will follow Arnold throughout the rest of his career. The one-liners aren't as sharp or frequent as they'll eventually become, but the catchphrases are all here, from "I'll be back" to liberal utterings of "DO IT". Scenes of mall rage and the recruitment of a hapless female cohort will be reprised to greater effect in movies like The Running Man, True Lies, and Jingle All The Way.
The story of a South American dictator's effort to blackmail uber-soldier John Matrix is almost irrelevant. Familiar face Alyssa Milano (Who's The Boss?) survives a barrage of cackling, creating enough of a father-daughter dynamic in opening scenes to keep things rolling with the sub-plot of her kidnapping. The first act twist is merely a means to beginning Arnold's rampage of crazed revenge, urban destruction, and inflicted Stockholm syndrome.
Rae Dawn Chong is surprisingly convincing as Cindy, a petite off duty stewardess with a junior pilot's license. Her flip from fear to affection for the troubled one-man army (Matrix) is a little abrupt, but her arc to becoming a rocket launching badass in-the-making lends fun to the mayhem. David Patrick Kelly (The Warriors) is a uniquely effective foil as the sleazy merc' who sexually harasses Cindy all the way to the parking garage. His comeuppance initiates the action and brings our heroes together.
Australian Vernon Wells is much less convincing as the ex-army buddy gone mercenary, and John Matrix' ultimate arch-rival. The tough talk falls short of wide-eyed menace, mincing ineffectively in a chainmail tank top he must've borrowed from Mad Max 2. The inadequacies of the character may very well be by design, signalling a countdown to his inevitable death. It all gets a little Home Alone when he's reduced to chasing an escaped Jenny (Milano). His final fight delivers more bite than the silly talk might have led you to expect.
For fans of eighties explosions and Arnold's less sci-fi fare - Commando will hold a special place in the canon. Otherwise, it's a mostly middling effort, playing catch-up with Rambo, and destined to be outmoded by future refinements of the Schwarzenegger formula. Franchise fans may have fun imagining it somehow fits into the backstory of Predator.
Originally Posted: https://letterboxd.com/dialmformicker/film/commando/
Tuesday, October 09, 2018
Letterboxd: Dracula: Prince of Darkness
I always approach Hammer Horror with the best of intentions, but I'm not sure Hammer Horror does the same for me. Watching Dracula: Prince of Darkness
some fifty years on- it's pleasing to see the classic vampire mythos
played straight, but difficult to bridge the advances of pace and
production in the half-century of filmmaking since.
The late Christopher Lee remains as grand a draw as ever, but his characterization is uneven in this second outing, oscillating between the commanding icon of Dracula you might imagine in your mind, and a devastatingly camp parody.
Though widely disputed; Lee credited a poor script with his decision to play the role completely without speaking. Whether by design of penny pinching producers, or the creative vision of actor or writer, its a decision that elevates a performance at its very best when minimal and still. Of course, don't be fooled by trivia: Dracula is not silent throughout the movie!
The titular Prince of Darkness lowers himself when shooing a rival vampire from fresh meat. He uses the kind of vamping hiss that must've inspired Sho'nuff. When the villain finally meets his demise, he does so with flailing slapstick and over the top yelps. An undignified end to the arch-villain, redeemed only by the strength of its concept.
The Dracula sequel, set ten years after Christopher Lee's first outing, deserves to be seen in its full context, but could best be captured by a montage of its conceptually driven horror. Its greatest point of difference to earlier visions is the vivid colour of its picture and imagination.
The occult constraints of invitation and sunlight are familiar tropes to the vampire genre, but the power of running water is one of the less common tricks that lend some surprise to the tried and true formula found throughout. Indeed, much of Prince of Darkness and its basic structure will be familiar to anyone aware of the classics, or the many dozens of imitators that have paid homage. Personal thresholds will determine whether you buy in to one of the better examples of the power of the holy cross - mythology later films freqeuntly subvert, or discard.
The first forty-or-so minutes of recap and foreboding is the greatest barrier to entry. A tale of hapless travelers is most tedious, but those who endure will be rewarded with Dracula's resurrection scene. When lurching minion Klove clobbers beloved Australian actor Charles "Bud" Tingwell - the movie really begins! Simple transitions, and generous helpings of "kensington gore", work wonders in turning an open coffin filled with ash into a memorable movie moment!
The supporting cast lacks the inherent presence of a Peter Cushing, but Andrew Keir attacks the expository role of Father Sandor with conviction. Barbara Shelley brings an energetic menace to the film's second vampiric threat. Their roles aren't big enough to elevate an otherwise middle of the road picture, but compensate for a dull heroic lead, and give context to the threat of Dracula himself.
Dracula: Prince of Darkness sits early enough in the vampire canon to warrant at least one viewing, but its place in film history is challenged by the breadth of its weakest moments. It's a legend sustained by still shots of Dracula's bloodshot red eyes, and Christopher Lee's looming, rather than the full ninety minutes of human struggle.
The late Christopher Lee remains as grand a draw as ever, but his characterization is uneven in this second outing, oscillating between the commanding icon of Dracula you might imagine in your mind, and a devastatingly camp parody.
Though widely disputed; Lee credited a poor script with his decision to play the role completely without speaking. Whether by design of penny pinching producers, or the creative vision of actor or writer, its a decision that elevates a performance at its very best when minimal and still. Of course, don't be fooled by trivia: Dracula is not silent throughout the movie!
The titular Prince of Darkness lowers himself when shooing a rival vampire from fresh meat. He uses the kind of vamping hiss that must've inspired Sho'nuff. When the villain finally meets his demise, he does so with flailing slapstick and over the top yelps. An undignified end to the arch-villain, redeemed only by the strength of its concept.
The Dracula sequel, set ten years after Christopher Lee's first outing, deserves to be seen in its full context, but could best be captured by a montage of its conceptually driven horror. Its greatest point of difference to earlier visions is the vivid colour of its picture and imagination.
The occult constraints of invitation and sunlight are familiar tropes to the vampire genre, but the power of running water is one of the less common tricks that lend some surprise to the tried and true formula found throughout. Indeed, much of Prince of Darkness and its basic structure will be familiar to anyone aware of the classics, or the many dozens of imitators that have paid homage. Personal thresholds will determine whether you buy in to one of the better examples of the power of the holy cross - mythology later films freqeuntly subvert, or discard.
The first forty-or-so minutes of recap and foreboding is the greatest barrier to entry. A tale of hapless travelers is most tedious, but those who endure will be rewarded with Dracula's resurrection scene. When lurching minion Klove clobbers beloved Australian actor Charles "Bud" Tingwell - the movie really begins! Simple transitions, and generous helpings of "kensington gore", work wonders in turning an open coffin filled with ash into a memorable movie moment!
The supporting cast lacks the inherent presence of a Peter Cushing, but Andrew Keir attacks the expository role of Father Sandor with conviction. Barbara Shelley brings an energetic menace to the film's second vampiric threat. Their roles aren't big enough to elevate an otherwise middle of the road picture, but compensate for a dull heroic lead, and give context to the threat of Dracula himself.
Dracula: Prince of Darkness sits early enough in the vampire canon to warrant at least one viewing, but its place in film history is challenged by the breadth of its weakest moments. It's a legend sustained by still shots of Dracula's bloodshot red eyes, and Christopher Lee's looming, rather than the full ninety minutes of human struggle.
Originally Posted: https://letterboxd.com/dialmformicker/film/dracula-prince-of-darkness/
Sunday, October 07, 2018
Saturday, October 06, 2018
Letterboxd: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Up to this point I've made very little effort to see Batman v
Superman: Dawn of Justice. I've been a fan of Superman and Batman on the
page (and screen) for most of my conscious life, but it was clear from
previews this wasn't going to be for me. What I failed to grasp was how
totally and utterly terrible the experience would be.
It's difficult to think of any arena where this film doesn't meet with failure. At times it barely functions as a narrative film, shuffling from one sequence to the next, clumsily delivering pieces of information for future reference. I wouldn't like to say too many negative things about wardrobe or extras in the film, but nobody is spared the wrath of an ever-present layer of computer-rendered muting, damning almost all facets to condemnation.
The visual hue is evident to announce this as a Zack Snyder film, but it still stuns me the same director who so lovingly adapted Frank Miller's 300 is responsible for this! Sprinkled references to The Dark Knight Returns recall Snyder's previous passions, but the source material is so completely failed, it raises questions about how much blame the director should be allocated. The sense of a compromised vision is here. It's just a question of whether or not Snyder should've been here at all, bending to interests that weren't his.
As Warner Bros play catch-up with Marvel's superhero universe, someone probably thought it would be clever to organically sew the seeds of a Justice League sequel into the plot of Dawn of Justice. If only that were something they actually did! Commerce enters the room every time Gal Gadot is on screen, serving a sub-plot that has nothing to do with the rest of this film! It culminates in an interlude of Quicktime trailers for future DC players who are so utterly tainted by the bad taste of this film - I don't even want to think about seeing more!
No one is more soiled by the whole experience than Superman and Batman themselves. They plod and grimace their way through a film, barely motivated or engaged, full of sound & fury signifying nothing. They enter the movie idiots, long before the war is settled with a very obtuse reference to the ubiquitous "Martha": mother of macguffins.
The biggest shock of the film comes in the final act, when the obligatory rampaging CG monstrosity manages to focus the film toward something more enjoyable. Which is to say, everything in the preceding acts was so utterly miserable. This vision of Doomsday, like every other DC Comics character featured in the film, is only vaguely reminiscent of the comic book original. They managed to make a fairly shallow character even less remarkable.
Wonder Woman doesn't quite steal the show, but comes damn near close, arriving in full costume to cut a car in half, and smack the beast around without the baggage now dragging the title heroes down. Its enough to qualify as one of the three positive things I counted, but the commercial for his spin-off -- a photo -- wasn't necessary.
What were the other two positives? Laurence Fishburne isn't the Perry White of comics fame, but he's always a pleasant presence, and had a nice enough Wizard of Oz joke about Clark Kent disappearing back to Kansas. The other was the music cue for Lex Luthor. Presumably from JunkieXL's contribution, it's deliciously over the top, and could've been very fun had it been in contrast to a more crisp villain. Instead, it trips and smashes its face, accompanying an excruciatingly lame attempt to update an all-time classic.
The rest of the film is miserable. Utterly miserable. I'm stunned just how bad it is. Top to bottom: no good. During the movie I noticed I had a thorn caught in the back of my trousers and accidentally pushed it into my finger tip. That wasn't the worst thing that happened to me! The only benefit to having seen it is that there is absolutely no reason I ever need to think about it again. Except, perhaps, in my nightmares. Not to be confused with a "Knightmare", which probably should've been excised all together. Yeesh!
It's difficult to think of any arena where this film doesn't meet with failure. At times it barely functions as a narrative film, shuffling from one sequence to the next, clumsily delivering pieces of information for future reference. I wouldn't like to say too many negative things about wardrobe or extras in the film, but nobody is spared the wrath of an ever-present layer of computer-rendered muting, damning almost all facets to condemnation.
The visual hue is evident to announce this as a Zack Snyder film, but it still stuns me the same director who so lovingly adapted Frank Miller's 300 is responsible for this! Sprinkled references to The Dark Knight Returns recall Snyder's previous passions, but the source material is so completely failed, it raises questions about how much blame the director should be allocated. The sense of a compromised vision is here. It's just a question of whether or not Snyder should've been here at all, bending to interests that weren't his.
As Warner Bros play catch-up with Marvel's superhero universe, someone probably thought it would be clever to organically sew the seeds of a Justice League sequel into the plot of Dawn of Justice. If only that were something they actually did! Commerce enters the room every time Gal Gadot is on screen, serving a sub-plot that has nothing to do with the rest of this film! It culminates in an interlude of Quicktime trailers for future DC players who are so utterly tainted by the bad taste of this film - I don't even want to think about seeing more!
No one is more soiled by the whole experience than Superman and Batman themselves. They plod and grimace their way through a film, barely motivated or engaged, full of sound & fury signifying nothing. They enter the movie idiots, long before the war is settled with a very obtuse reference to the ubiquitous "Martha": mother of macguffins.
The biggest shock of the film comes in the final act, when the obligatory rampaging CG monstrosity manages to focus the film toward something more enjoyable. Which is to say, everything in the preceding acts was so utterly miserable. This vision of Doomsday, like every other DC Comics character featured in the film, is only vaguely reminiscent of the comic book original. They managed to make a fairly shallow character even less remarkable.
Wonder Woman doesn't quite steal the show, but comes damn near close, arriving in full costume to cut a car in half, and smack the beast around without the baggage now dragging the title heroes down. Its enough to qualify as one of the three positive things I counted, but the commercial for his spin-off -- a photo -- wasn't necessary.
What were the other two positives? Laurence Fishburne isn't the Perry White of comics fame, but he's always a pleasant presence, and had a nice enough Wizard of Oz joke about Clark Kent disappearing back to Kansas. The other was the music cue for Lex Luthor. Presumably from JunkieXL's contribution, it's deliciously over the top, and could've been very fun had it been in contrast to a more crisp villain. Instead, it trips and smashes its face, accompanying an excruciatingly lame attempt to update an all-time classic.
The rest of the film is miserable. Utterly miserable. I'm stunned just how bad it is. Top to bottom: no good. During the movie I noticed I had a thorn caught in the back of my trousers and accidentally pushed it into my finger tip. That wasn't the worst thing that happened to me! The only benefit to having seen it is that there is absolutely no reason I ever need to think about it again. Except, perhaps, in my nightmares. Not to be confused with a "Knightmare", which probably should've been excised all together. Yeesh!
Friday, October 05, 2018
Letterboxd: Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Find the local fat kid and go on an unannounced hike in the nearest
area of nature. Local authorities, to say nothing of casual observers,
probably won't find your adventure in kidnapping terribly exotic, or
charming.
Taika Waititi's episode of life in country New Zealand is ready for export, but may be too mundane for anyone living, or familiar with, similar semi-rural areas.
The regional characters all ring true, risking becoming unremarkable, if not for the charismatic personalities of its performing cast, and the availability of tongues in cheeks. Rachel House goes particularly big as the bombastically concerned child welfare worker, who seems as interested in filling the farthest conceivable corners of her job listing, as she is actually doing good for children.
Waititi, like many of his countrymen, keeps an eye on the unimpressive, dwelling self-deprecatingly on coveted mod-cons usually taken for granted in American cinema. It can be stretched a little thin, as with the director's cameo as a junkfood obsessed priest, but it creates a consistent and authentic vibe to the picture.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople is predominantly a two-man show that could work on stage, with a little more writing, and the right cast.
Sam Neill keeps a stiff upper lip as the lovably cantankerous countryman ill at ease with his feelings, but full with emotion. Julian Dennison stands out as motormouthed Ricky Baker, a foster kid just trying to come to terms with a series of bad situations that are out of his control. It will be fascinating to see if Dennison keeps this screen energy into maturity, and how he will use it in the future. Both elicit genuine affection as they do an odd couple's dance toward friendship.
Survival and genuine action help keep the movie rolling, punctuating the chase with subdued comedy. Like other Waititi films, the laughs aren't as frequent as they could be. It wilfully stops short of being a great film, settling for good.
Taika Waititi's episode of life in country New Zealand is ready for export, but may be too mundane for anyone living, or familiar with, similar semi-rural areas.
The regional characters all ring true, risking becoming unremarkable, if not for the charismatic personalities of its performing cast, and the availability of tongues in cheeks. Rachel House goes particularly big as the bombastically concerned child welfare worker, who seems as interested in filling the farthest conceivable corners of her job listing, as she is actually doing good for children.
Waititi, like many of his countrymen, keeps an eye on the unimpressive, dwelling self-deprecatingly on coveted mod-cons usually taken for granted in American cinema. It can be stretched a little thin, as with the director's cameo as a junkfood obsessed priest, but it creates a consistent and authentic vibe to the picture.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople is predominantly a two-man show that could work on stage, with a little more writing, and the right cast.
Sam Neill keeps a stiff upper lip as the lovably cantankerous countryman ill at ease with his feelings, but full with emotion. Julian Dennison stands out as motormouthed Ricky Baker, a foster kid just trying to come to terms with a series of bad situations that are out of his control. It will be fascinating to see if Dennison keeps this screen energy into maturity, and how he will use it in the future. Both elicit genuine affection as they do an odd couple's dance toward friendship.
Survival and genuine action help keep the movie rolling, punctuating the chase with subdued comedy. Like other Waititi films, the laughs aren't as frequent as they could be. It wilfully stops short of being a great film, settling for good.
Originally Posted: https://letterboxd.com/dialmformicker/film/hunt-for-the-wilderpeople/
Letterboxd: John Wick
The memory of John Wick is simultaneously vague, yet vivid. Static,
in hues of blue, existing successfully as a mascot-driven proof of
concept, but lacking any lasting impression to go beyond the poster, or
stills.
The franchise-starter thrives in a reasonably barren market, but can only masquerade as a cult favourite, underachieving in most of the categories that mint genuine, high-concept action classics.
Keanu Reeves anchors the film as its stoic, uber-capable protagonist, at last returning to the man-in-black action heroes he made famous at the turn of the millennium. The cache of The Matrix is self-evident, but fans will see strands of his Constantine, if so inclined, as he navigates the secret world of this movie's cartoon New York City.
Unlike earlier examples in Reeve's oeuvre, John Wick can only muster an impersonation of style.
A decade of bland, pseudo-realism in corporate blockbusters has clearly bludgeoned the audience if this is celebrated at all. Digital photography is clean and crisp, but there's no real vision behind the design or cinematography, relying on Instagram filters to elevate it above the high-contrast of contemporaries, like The Expendables.
The greatest disappointment of John Wick lies in its failure to utilize a strong supporting cast.
Its one-note attempt at style carries over to the creation of utterly forgettable friends and foes. Indeed, the movie plays almost like a well connected student film, puzzled together over a series of improvised weekends shared with famous friends paid in barbecue. It may not be worth watching if not for its cult of participating personalities.
Ian McShane stands out as a hotel owner savvy to the goings on of his clientele, who just happen to include criminals and assassins. The riff of clear conditions applies Highlander's church neutrality to creating some semblance of a character around McShane's natural charisma. Under different circumstances, he could function as the franchise centre, rendering Wick a recurring presence in his world, rather than vice versa.
Willem Dafoe is under utilized as a seasoned vet of the killing game. It's hard to remember if his allegiances are unclear, or if his character is just poorly realized. His presence invites the mind to wander to a better like-minded movie, where his wader-wearing gang leader was unforgettable in Streets of Fire.
Matrix alum Daniel Bernhardt had more to contribute. Pro-wrestler turned actor Kevin Nash at least brings a natural physicality to his cameo role. All of these characters would've been better had they received any of the creative attention the Continental Hotel received.
Gimmick is not a dirty word, and in the case of John Wick, it's really what's missing. The action is too lowkey, and the story too shallow, to allow a character as minimal as John Wick to carry an entire picture. Everything about the movie suggests this should be a world populated with colourful, memorable characters. The choice to deny that only makes it underwhelming.
The franchise-starter thrives in a reasonably barren market, but can only masquerade as a cult favourite, underachieving in most of the categories that mint genuine, high-concept action classics.
Keanu Reeves anchors the film as its stoic, uber-capable protagonist, at last returning to the man-in-black action heroes he made famous at the turn of the millennium. The cache of The Matrix is self-evident, but fans will see strands of his Constantine, if so inclined, as he navigates the secret world of this movie's cartoon New York City.
Unlike earlier examples in Reeve's oeuvre, John Wick can only muster an impersonation of style.
A decade of bland, pseudo-realism in corporate blockbusters has clearly bludgeoned the audience if this is celebrated at all. Digital photography is clean and crisp, but there's no real vision behind the design or cinematography, relying on Instagram filters to elevate it above the high-contrast of contemporaries, like The Expendables.
The greatest disappointment of John Wick lies in its failure to utilize a strong supporting cast.
Its one-note attempt at style carries over to the creation of utterly forgettable friends and foes. Indeed, the movie plays almost like a well connected student film, puzzled together over a series of improvised weekends shared with famous friends paid in barbecue. It may not be worth watching if not for its cult of participating personalities.
Ian McShane stands out as a hotel owner savvy to the goings on of his clientele, who just happen to include criminals and assassins. The riff of clear conditions applies Highlander's church neutrality to creating some semblance of a character around McShane's natural charisma. Under different circumstances, he could function as the franchise centre, rendering Wick a recurring presence in his world, rather than vice versa.
Willem Dafoe is under utilized as a seasoned vet of the killing game. It's hard to remember if his allegiances are unclear, or if his character is just poorly realized. His presence invites the mind to wander to a better like-minded movie, where his wader-wearing gang leader was unforgettable in Streets of Fire.
Matrix alum Daniel Bernhardt had more to contribute. Pro-wrestler turned actor Kevin Nash at least brings a natural physicality to his cameo role. All of these characters would've been better had they received any of the creative attention the Continental Hotel received.
Gimmick is not a dirty word, and in the case of John Wick, it's really what's missing. The action is too lowkey, and the story too shallow, to allow a character as minimal as John Wick to carry an entire picture. Everything about the movie suggests this should be a world populated with colourful, memorable characters. The choice to deny that only makes it underwhelming.
Originally Posted: https://letterboxd.com/dialmformicker/film/john-wick/
Friday, September 28, 2018
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
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