MEANWHILE AT THE MOVIES: The Spirit

The Spirit was a fun ass movie, but hey, this is a guy who enjoys All Star Batman and Robin, and DK sequel, etc (and never read Sin City, or 300)...It just seems to be cool to hate on Miller, and The Spirit, and if you're prone to that, this is Miller hater fodder extreme!
Was it a great movie? No, it certainly was a mess, but I still really enjoyed the hell out of it.
The thing is, it's hard to go into a movie and just purely take it in in this age... you go in with so many expectation or reservations from what you've heard and seen online etc. Some times things are so hyped, it's hard to match up to the expectations, other times, like with The Spirit, they're so badmouthed, any quality seems that much better in contrast...

THE GOOD

The visuals, of course, were amazing, and I thought most of the cast were pretty good, Macht as the Spirit was cool, he fit the vibe and character very well, and Sam Jackson owned his Octopus (in his finest form since Pulp Fiction... over the top? Hell yes. Sublime? Hell yess!), the commissioner (that Wonder Years dad), and Jewish police gal (whom I didn’t recognize) were cool too.
The action was pretty cool too, it starts off great, with a slam bang Octopus v Spirit dust up, and finishes strong in the same vein.

THE BAD?

Well, yes, there's a lot, but for me the flat to odd performances were cleary due to Frank's inexperienced hands, and mostly forgivable. I mean, with the whole tone here, it’s acceptable, and maybe even better with some really bad acting… Scarlett Johansson’s Silken Floss was the worst offender though, and not much surprise there... Scar Jo is pretty dry, and her beauty is best served in a certain light, Miller and co missed the mark here and didn't cater her costuming, makeup, whatever to bring that out, which is a huge mistake... to say nothing of her wooden performance (call it prequel syndrome, with George being the other big offender here, taking mostly top notch talent and making them utterly lifeless and dead eyed on screen).
However, as much as the directing of the actors was lacking, or uneven, by far the worst offender was the dreadful score. My god! Look, I'm not a big soundtrack honk, but these big budget franchises with generic or nonexistent scores (Iron Man, X-Men, FF, Hulk, etc) look superb compared to the work in The Spirit. The soundtrack here is downright annoying and distracting! It's almost like the producers knew they were in big trouble with the uneven directing/performances, so they tried to zing things up with the most obnoxious distracting score, that pulls you out of half the scenes. Awful. Just awful. There was one moment, mid movie, the elevator scene, where they had a snippet of jazz, and wow, something jazzy would've really suited this film better throughout.

OVERALL

So, yeah, if you're averse to Miller's over the top, broad stroke, lead heavy storytelling, or out for more Dark Knight/Iron Man modern contemporary ultra realism, this is clearly not for you, but, if like me, you're open minded and out to have a fun time at the movies, and be swept into an amazing new worlds, The Spirit DOESN'T disappoint!
Myself AND my wife really enjoyed it, and it's too bad that the films shortcomings will likely overshadow what's a fun, daring comic book movie that's clearly not for everyone. Come on all you Miller haters, get over yourselves… the man may turn off many, may not be what he once was, but he is a visionary artist, that continues to stay true to his self, and if he wants to try his hand at bringing his trademark style to the screen, as opposed to directors aping it, fine by me, and maybe he'll get it better next time (or maybe it'll be an even bigger mess).

RECOMMENDED

Now, what did all of you think?

Christmas Anyone?

Zombie Rudolf eats elfen flesh!
Happy Holidays!

TALES FROM NETFLIX: Turning Japanese

Watched a couple of off-the-beaten-path Japanese flicks recently, VERSUS and Takeshi Miike’s SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO, so thought I’d give them a mention together...

First up, VERSUS

Just finished watching this one, and it’s a bit older, been kicking around since 2000, but I’d heard of it quite a ways back and put it in the queue, since it was supposed to be gonzo action with a touch of zombie, then when it got a plug on Attack of the Show’s Asian Underground, I dug it out and bumped it up.

To be honest, as much as I wanted to like it, I did have a really hard time not ejecting it, several times, but, I am glad I stuck with it. As much as it has really cool action and staged conflicts, and stylish anime style camerawork and characters, it does move very very slow when not in action, and get a bit repetitive. However, things do escalate, and get cooler.

Also, it’s not really a zombie flick, and I knew that, but don’t get it expecting that. Basically, an escaped prisoner intervenes in some kind of gang incident in the woods, but it turns out everything ties together, and the woods aren’t what they seem, when bodies start dropping, and then getting back up.

Choreographed sword fights, gun fights, fist fights, and 50 caliber damage!

RECOMMENDED if this sounds like your type of thing, it's definitely worth a watch, just be patient.

Along the same lines is a recent release from Japanese gonzo master, Takashi Miike (Ichi the Killer), SUKIYAKI WESTERN DJANGO

Takashi Miike has built a strong brand for himself as the cutting edge Japanese director, who traffics in the extreme, plus he’s quite prolific. Now, I haven’t seen too much of his work, but what I have seen is definitely gripping, if you can stomach it. With his latest release though, Miike is giving us his take on the spaghetti western genre, and is in safe mode by comparison. Django also features Quentin Tarantino in a cameo, so it’s gotten a bit of buzz.

As with Versus, I found Django a bit tough to get into at first, and contemplated giving up, but just like Versus again, I’m glad I stuck with it. Django plays like a straight western, but thematically it’s purely Japanese. Only, instead of choosing subtitles or dub, Miike has the cast here learn their lines phonetically in English, just as he did with his Masters of Horror feature, Imprint (also recommended, but very very dark), which is a bit strange, and so is the movie.

Stick it out though, because it’s a solid story, and has some fun and imaginative standoff/showdown sequences.

A ballet of gunplay, costumes, and blazing gatlins!

RECOMMENDED, again, if you’re ready to be challenged with some offbeat Japanese spaghetti western craziness.

_____
For more Netflix gems, hit up the TALES FROM NETFLIX archives HERE

TALES FROM NETFLIX: From Dusk Til Dawn and on and on

So, I'm a huge Rodriguez, and Tarantino fan (especially Tarantino), but I didn't much care for From Dusk Til Dawn when it first came out, I can't stand Juliette Lewis, and the whole vampire twist wasn't my thing at the time... I'd never been much of a horror movie buff, til more recent years. Now I get the whole inspiration and everything behind it, and just love horror movies of every variety yadda yadda.

Anyway, re-watched Dusk Til Dawn earlier this year, and didn't realize they ever made sequels, so I'd been checking those out.

I watched Dusk Til Dawn 2 (Texas Blood Money ) a month or two back, and while it was fun, it didn't tie into the first movie too much, and wasn't really that good. It has it’s moments, and some flair here and there, but is otherwise pretty forgettable…

However, I just watched Dusk Til Dawn 3 (The Hangman's Daughter - 1999) tonight, and that is a hell of a lot better... a really fun movie.
It's well done, great cast (mostly), great costumes, designs, sets, music, you name it, all very solid.
The story is also great too, as it's a prequel this time, set in Mexico in the early 1900's, that has outlaws, Christians, lawmen, and more all colliding, and eventually having it out at the infamous vampire pyramid home that would become the Titty Twister in the later films.

Some great gunplay, humor, gore, and damn, Jango Fett (Temuera Morrison, the clone man himself) as a hangman/Indiana Jones bad ass. Not to mention Michael Parks (Grindhouse) is super cool throughout, and Machete (Danny Trejo as the barkeeper) as the only actor to appear in all three films (I think).

From the imaginative story, to the quality production, and colorful cast of characters, the movie is full of quirky touches that make Dusk Til Dawn 3 stand out as an overlooked camp/horror/action/adventure gem!

Check it out if you haven't!

And for the die hards, Texas Blood Money might be worth a look, there's nothing to great about it, but it's not a bad way to spin up your DVD player...

FROM DUSK TIL DAWN 3 - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
FROM DUSK TIL DAWN 2 - MILDLY RECOMMENDED (If only for the Bruce Campbell cameo!)

Dusk Til Dawn 3 TRAILER:


And who can forget this scene, man woman or child, from the original?

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Hell's Angels

Over on Twitch, their weekly International Eye Candy column on AICN features a cool upcoming anime...
Check it out!

MEANWHILE AT THE MOVIES: Quantum of Solace

I was finally able to catch Quantum last night, as I'd been dying to see it since it hit, but my wife's not big on going to movies, and my Mom had actually mentioned wanting to see it, but it turns out my Dad and wife not so much. So with the holidays and everything, it took a bit to get on the same page, as I absolutely had to see this in the theater, so my mom and I went last night... probably not your typical Bond ticket buying demographic ;)

So, how was the movie?
Was it worth the wait?
And what did mom think?

Quantum of Solace kicks ass.

Casino Royale? An appetizer, a slow burn origin to this new, lean, mean, ass kicking machine that is an utterly modern spin on the shoe worn franchise, wholly unleashed from the opening frame, clear up to the final, where perhaps we catch a glimpse of evolution and resolution. And just as Casino takes us directly to the start of Quantum, most likely this latest chapter does to the next. Because it’s not just James Bond the character who’s been totally reworked, and the world he exists in, but also the framework of the franchise, to include an ongoing, over arcing story. One that, frankly, seems asinine to not have existed before… we all follow her majesty’s secret agent from film to film, over decades, but we’ve never been acknowledged in doing so, not to any great extent. This new spin finally takes that into consideration, not only giving us a fresh start, new approach, and origin, but an ongoing story, unfolding in layers.

Quantum peels back the next layer, and starts to get at what, and who was behind the tragedy that befell our superhuman spy the last time out, and while it resolves some of that, it also unfolds more layers and points to a much larger tale afoot. It’s simply great storytelling, and when it’s coupled with even smarter set pieces, increased pace, an amazing character growing before our eyes, all with fantastic acting, production, and direction, Quantum of Solace maintains Casino’s momentum, accelerates it, and slings you into the much anticipated next chapter of Daniel Craig’s Bond franchise.

And for those that find it doesn’t carry enough of the elements we've come to expect from Bond films, i.e. the gadgets, girls, and goons, I’m not among them. I thought, just as with Casino, there were a ton of techie tools in play, and next gen gadgets that are either already in use, or believably could be. And while both films feature new, stronger female counterparts, and more grounded villains, this Bond still has plenty of game with the ladies, and I think we’ll get bigger villains as the story progresses. And there are plenty of nods to cannon along the way, in scenes like the one when Bond escapes MI6 at the hotel but meets up with M in classic Bond profile, or when a woman turns up dead on a bead in that same hotel, covered head to toe in oil (as opposed to gold).

My only complaint, as with the first, is the tricky balancing act of a James Bond franchise that very much lives in an ultra real world setting, it can some times be too over the top, in contrast with it’s grounded nature. Although, my qualms with this in Quantum are much better than with Casino’s ridiculous set driven Venetian villa collapse climax. So, as with Casino, it’s not perfect, but it’s damn close!

I absolutely loved Quantum, it is an exhilarating, gorgeous, and dangerous next level of Bond storytelling!!

Oh, and mom loved it too :)

SUPER REAL NOTES: Wolves in stores today!

Ease on down to your local comic shop and check out the latest Super Real Graphics offering, SRG PRESENTS: THE WOLVES OF ODIN!

The latest creator-owned OGN is by Grant Gould and features VIKINGS VS WEREWOLVES... huh! wha? Oh my!?! :o

If you don't score a copy, get your retailer to order one post haste via the handy dandy Diamond order code SEP084260

Or, if you live in the boonies, or some undeveloped corner of the globe, use this here Internet thing and make it yours instantly!!!

Either via the SRG store (a trusted source in SRG ware since ought five) HERE

Or the online retail giant, Amazon.com HERE

And then HERE's where you can learn all about our tale of Norse mythology turned Lycan...

No excuses!
I want full reports back to me in the morning!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Steve Gerber tribute

Earlier this year we lost a voice that influenced many, and had a giant impact on the landscape of our industry, and more specifically, creators’ rights, Steve Gerber.

For those who were fans of his work, his characters, or his actions, I can't recommend the latest issue of BACK ISSUE magazine enough... issue number 31, the Steve Gerber tribute issue that came out this week.

It covers his career in depth, from Howard, to Thundarr (yes, Thundarr the Barbarian, god I loved that show), to his more recent work, with many industry friends and collaborators contributing. It's a can't miss, and a solid tribute to a king of comics, who truly changed the game, in a myriad of ways.

Check out the magazine HERE

And Howard fans, waddle on over to CoverBrowser.com for a walk down memory lane.



Waugh!

SUPER REAL NOTES: Making comics

So, want to be a part of the glamorous world of comic book publishing?

You might have heard me talk about a book I'm publishing, Super Real Graphics Presents: The Wolves of Odin? It's due out later this month.

As it's full color, and perfect bound (i.e. it has a spine) the books are printed overseas (so that the price is affordable). With it printed on another continent (you know, like Africa, as in not a country, not actually Africa either, but a different continent folks) that means the books must ship to our part of the world, and since we're doing this all in the effort of cost, that means by boat.

So, you're printing overseas, and shipping the books back to America (which also means longer lead times btw), you don't just need to get the books to the US, but to you and your distributor specifically. Being located on the west coast, Portland Oregon, you'd think they could ship the books to you, but no dice. Seattle is as close as they can boat the freight, it then has to move by land to you (or Diamond). Well, when I first used an overseas printer, moving the freight 175 miles south from Seattle to Portland was only a small extra amount, but when I printed SRG Presents Gnome this spring, the prices had gone up, drastically. So, it was an extra $600 to move the freight to me (and then, again, I still have to ship copies to Diamond on top of that). So, that means I have to drive up to Seattle, in my Jeep Cherokee, and pick up the books myself, and save about $500. A tank or so of gas, and about 6 hours work, makes it all worth it.

So, after chasing down the freight for days (once it gets' to the states, it then has to clear customs, and that requires the printer and freight companies all working together, and sharing proper documentation etc, which, in this case, they didn't) today was the first I could get to the books, and since they're due in shops this month, and have to ship to Diamond, and then move to their proper distribution centers, before shipping to shops, time is of the essence. Well, it just happened that today we were in the midst of 2 days of rain storms...
Yes, it rains allot in the Northwest, and especially on that stretch of I-5, but our rain is normally of the lighter variety, so monsoon downpours were just a nice touch :)

Here's my Jeep, with the full thousand pound, 31 case, pallet loaded inside, straight from the forklift...
Just a glimpse into the fabulous life of comic publishing.
Any way, the good news is, Wolves of Odin is on it's way!

We shall see...

ELECTION DAY...

brings the worst attack ads yet! (Oh my!)

See more funny videos at Funny or Die

YON ELECTION IS NIGH

Alright folks, let's get political, po-li-ti-cal, I wanna get poli-ti-cal, let's get into party talk, party talk (to the tune of Olivia Newton John's Physical baby!)...

I'm not going to say who I voted for (go on guess), but I think we can all agree our country is in dire need, and this is a muy important time, so hopefully you all registered, and did your duty!

If not, here's a little somethin somethin to help ya motivate!





And, oh yeah, I love me some Deee-Lite and Lady Miss Kier!!

TALES FROM NETFLIX: Feast 2

A tag team midget luchador Dirk Diggler...
A vengeful bad ass twin biker queen...
Monster on cat beastiality...
Monster farting, spewing, spooging dissection orgies...
Group vomiting...
Baby tossing...
Decomposing grandma catapulting...
Feast 2 is truly a feast of foulness and depravity, and god damn I love it!
Give me the craziest shit you can think up, any day of the week.
Does it cross the line? Or every line? Yes. Okay by me, if you tell a fun story, and although Feast 2 (and the original) revel in the taboo, they've got a hell of a lot more going for them.

I absolutely loved the first film, the Project Greenlight season 3 winner was a ballsy in your face send up of the survival horror genre, mixing 2 parts Tremors with equal parts Tarantino and Truama films. Mysterious beastial creatures cornering a dozen or so desert drifters in a hole in the wall bar, and literally fucking with them. Sprinkle in a couple oddball cameos and supporting actors, like Jason Mewes (Jay of Jay and Silent Bob fame), Trech (of OPP fame), Judah Friedlander (of VH1 trucker hat video/Best Week Ever pseudo fame), along with Henry Rollins to kick some ass in pink sweat pants, and the quirk ratchets up a few notches.Feast quickly establishes that it will mercilessly fuck with any and all survival horror formulas, and constantly use that to it's advantage. With the sequel literally picking up from the final frames of the first, we're fairly certain we're in for more of the same. And while the sequel breaks new ground, like taking the production outside the walls of the only bar setting of the first for instance, it mostly suffers for it. The opening act is a bit manic, and not near up to par with what's come before, but once things come together, and the setting gets dark again, it really hits it's stride.
This time out we have an entirely new cast of misfits (mostly, a couple familiar faces do welcomely return), and a broader scope, along with more monsters, but the trademark bat shit crazy characters and situations are very in keeping with the first film! And again, Feast 2 Sloppy Seconds is daringly nasty, so if you can't throw down with no holds barred cinema, don't bother. If however, like me, you're overjoyed at the prospect, Feast 2 is an instant classic, just like the first. And while the original was a buzzer to buzzer success, the second does falter a bit as I said at the start, and also have some spotty effects at times, but in the end I could care less, it's still a hell of a good time.So, if you didn't see the first film, and somehow missed my mad joyous ravings about it, here's a sloppy second chance to throw in on the Feast bandwagon... because with this one's ending, the creative forces behind this franchise (the original director and scriptwriters returned for the sequel) are clearly down for more!

HIGHEST RECOMMENDATION!

RECENT RUNDOWN

HELL RIDE - Tarantino produces what seemed like it could've been a "Grindhouse" feature, but you quickly realize why it's not... All the elements of a Tarantino work are there, Michael Madsen, desert setting, soundtrack, jump cut timeline, but all the substance is lacking. It's a confusing mess with a questionable cast, but shot really nice, and is cool to look at...

MILDLY RECOMMENDED

TALES FROM NETFLIX: The Fabulous Stains

I think it was Rolling Stone (side note, my wife has us subscribed to nearly every magazine, literally, for next to no money I guess, I dunno, but I do enjoy RS and Entertainment Weekly) who had a blurb about this 1982 gem a few issues back...

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: THE FABULOUS STAINS is an early 80's punk rock mockumentary of sorts, and stars a very young Diane Lane as bandleader to would be punk trio The Stains (who also sport a very young Laura Dern on bass). It seems Diane's character was featured on a 60 Minutes style TV expose after telling her boss off on camera (in a cameo from a moustache sporting Data from Star Trek TNG no less), which launches her into an orphaned teen angst fueled journey of empowerment and media manipulation, yeah. It seems her refusal to fit into the accepted path for America's youth, specifically women, with her white striped hair, risque fish netted outfit, and "don't put out" mantra are exactly what other young women are looking for in their lives.

Stains is not only quite a unique story, but it's told in gritty style, perfectly capturing the darker side of the times, showcasing punk music, and road weary rockers, as they take a cross country run down tour bus (complete with rasta driver/manager) that never makes it out of the mid-American tri-state PA setting. Like a time capsule, of punk music, clothes, and attitudes from the dawn of the 80's, and with a line up of radically younger actors still around today, also including Ray Winstone (most recently as Beowulf, and Indiana Jone's "buddy" in Kingdom of the Crystal Skull), and punk/rockers (members of Sex Pistols, The Clash, and The Tubes are featured) the Stains is the perfect rock movie and feels as snarky fresh as if it were shot now, with an eye for campy details from then.

Great music, great cast, and a solid story make LAGTFS a really fun trip to another era, that's as relevant (both musically, and socially, it's mixed messages are as grey as reality) now as it was all those decades ago, even with the uneven ending.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED


RECENT RUNDOWN

FIVE ACROSS THE EYES - This no budget horror is shot in shakey cam as 5 girls take a backroad home from a football game that gets them lost, and colliding with a seriously pshycho Toyota Fourunner... chaos ensues. It's at times gripping, capturing the manic vibe of the situations, but ultimately a scene or two too long, and contrived. MILDLY RECOMMENDED

MOTHER OF TEARS - Dario Argento's final in his witch trilogy is a solid occult outing, complete with freaky demonic monkey, but daughter Asia, and the overall arc, come over poorly in the end. MILDLY RECOMMENDED

REST STOP: DON'T LOOK BACK - The first one sucked, this one is better, but don't bother.

MEANWHILE AT THE MOVIES: Watchmen trailer

It's been floating around the nets, but just finally viewed it myself...

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

This is a touch longer than the last one, and still looks uberdy cooldidy!

And here's some cool Watchmen fan art I've seen recently!



Bon appetit!