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What Happens When You Lose Everything?
Sequels represent to films what incremental improvements do for business. You already have a winning formula. You don’t want to mess with it. At the same time you do not want people to pay more for something they have already got so an upgrade is put in place. The message is that “this is more of what you want and like” with an extra layer which we are sure you will find appealing.
In John Wick (https://goo.gl/1G6bm6) Keanu Reeves gave us a character wallowing in pain and seeking justice. We felt he was alone, cut off from his past, measuring himself against an implacable foe in the face of the Russian mafia, except of course, this wasn’t true. Sure, Baba Yaga might have retired, but he was still a man with formidable connections in the parallel, shadowy world of criminal organizations and the hidden administrative force the supported them.
The Continental (https://goo.gl/mt5EHZ) where Wick goes to seek information and get a good night’s sleep was but the tip of a massive iceberg that floated silently and invisibly in the ocean of normal life. John Wick 2, is subtitled “Chapter 2” and it cleverly moves the story forward.
Wick’s past is coming back to haunt him and as he struggles to extricate himself from his past life he finds everything being slowly stripped from him. His house, his car and gradually and perhaps inevitably the life he had built in the past he had inhabited.
So, what’s left? A man alone. Seemingly, truly alone, running for his life, with a dog by his side. John Wick 2 has some incredible action pieces and the pace barely flags but it truly feels like a transitionary chapter to what happens next? What will John’s next move really be when he is suddenly, totally, alone? Set your calendars for John Wick 3 (https://goo.gl/VKLH3m) and try telling me he’s not a character that by now has become embedded as much in your consciousness as he has in pop culture.
Sequels represent to films what incremental improvements do for business. You already have a winning formula. You don’t want to mess with it. At the same time you do not want people to pay more for something they have already got so an upgrade is put in place. The message is that “this is more of what you want and like” with an extra layer which we are sure you will find appealing.
In John Wick (https://goo.gl/1G6bm6) Keanu Reeves gave us a character wallowing in pain and seeking justice. We felt he was alone, cut off from his past, measuring himself against an implacable foe in the face of the Russian mafia, except of course, this wasn’t true. Sure, Baba Yaga might have retired, but he was still a man with formidable connections in the parallel, shadowy world of criminal organizations and the hidden administrative force the supported them.
The Continental (https://goo.gl/mt5EHZ) where Wick goes to seek information and get a good night’s sleep was but the tip of a massive iceberg that floated silently and invisibly in the ocean of normal life. John Wick 2, is subtitled “Chapter 2” and it cleverly moves the story forward.
Wick’s past is coming back to haunt him and as he struggles to extricate himself from his past life he finds everything being slowly stripped from him. His house, his car and gradually and perhaps inevitably the life he had built in the past he had inhabited.
So, what’s left? A man alone. Seemingly, truly alone, running for his life, with a dog by his side. John Wick 2 has some incredible action pieces and the pace barely flags but it truly feels like a transitionary chapter to what happens next? What will John’s next move really be when he is suddenly, totally, alone? Set your calendars for John Wick 3 (https://goo.gl/VKLH3m) and try telling me he’s not a character that by now has become embedded as much in your consciousness as he has in pop culture.
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R.I.P. Adam West
Although he was always at odds, in my mind, from the comic book Batman he nevertheless brought to the small screen a hero who has stood the test of time. A good inning. https://goo.gl/yxAxQq.
Although he was always at odds, in my mind, from the comic book Batman he nevertheless brought to the small screen a hero who has stood the test of time. A good inning. https://goo.gl/yxAxQq.
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R.I.P. Roger Moore
For many Roger Moore was 007 and, given the length of time he was in the series, a little bit of a lightweight with a minimalist style of delivery. I loved pretty much all of his films, many of which I watched uncritically, given that I was growing up and he was part of my cultural landscape. Yet in North Sea Jihack (https://goo.gl/sGxcVn) he proved that he could act against type, be self-referential and irreverent (his early life was as a cardigans and sweaters model) and still deliver a stellar performance.
For many Roger Moore was 007 and, given the length of time he was in the series, a little bit of a lightweight with a minimalist style of delivery. I loved pretty much all of his films, many of which I watched uncritically, given that I was growing up and he was part of my cultural landscape. Yet in North Sea Jihack (https://goo.gl/sGxcVn) he proved that he could act against type, be self-referential and irreverent (his early life was as a cardigans and sweaters model) and still deliver a stellar performance.
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The Crimson Permanent Assurance
Conceived as an introduction to Monty Python's Meaning of Life it became a full-fledged 16min-long film: https://goo.gl/kvnIsX which has a multi-layered approach packed with meaning. It is highly recommended and you can find the full film online here: https://goo.gl/oxqhYq
Conceived as an introduction to Monty Python's Meaning of Life it became a full-fledged 16min-long film: https://goo.gl/kvnIsX which has a multi-layered approach packed with meaning. It is highly recommended and you can find the full film online here: https://goo.gl/oxqhYq
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Logan
The end always brings a new beginning. It was 17 years ago that Wolverine first made an appearance in the first X-Men movie (https://goo.gl/Aw4A43) and in that time the cinema-going audience has become well acquainted with his particular flavor of ferocity abetted by a less-than-brilliant IQ. Yet, in his character we have also come to recognize some of the best things in us: an unwillingness to let go, a tenacity that just keeps us going against all the odds and the belief that friends are important and that people can surprise us.
Logan begins with the end of the X-Men. Mutants, once hunted are now virtually extinct and no new ones are born, but man is never one to let nature take its course. Where before genetic mutations in human DNA arose naturally, now they are guided by clandestine research aimed not just at reviving mutants, but controlling them.
In the days of 4K TVs and well-written series that are released online all at once and feel like extended movies there has to be a compelling reason to leave the comfort of one’s living room and battle the queues at the Ben & Jerry stand at the multiplex. That reason has usually been supplied by special effects and their unrivalled impact when seen on a truly big screen in full surround sound.
The X-Men franchise has never shied away from big set pieces and complex special effects moments, nor has it ever not been about big, saving-the-world heroics, but Logan is not about that. Like the twilight phase of any series it gives us the best of what we want in characters without explanation and without the dressing of big bangs. Sure, there are special effects aplenty (it is an X-Men movie after all) but they are integrated into the action in such a seamless way that it’s the storyline that drives things, the uncompromising character arc, rather than the spills and thrills.
Inevitably there is a tinge of sadness. We are saying goodbye to characters many of us have grown with and we have come to love. But there is also satisfaction. The closure of a long tale. The sense that even in the Marvel Universe time moves on, things change and the world evolves. Which brings me back to my question, why should you go and see Logan instead of wait for it to come to your home screen?
Well, it’s always easy in a franchise to retread old ground. To give the fans what they want: the enmity between Magneto (the good guy turned bad) and Professor-X (the bad guy turned good), the special effects of people with superpowers exercising them, the spectacular blow-ups as good guys square up against bad guys. Logan avoids all these traps. It’s an intelligent, even sentimental film that’s really well made and that alone should be rewarded. Plus it even pays homage to Shane (https://goo.gl/n5hq4y) which in itself is an inspired moment.
So do go and see it. It may not leave you feeling completely elated and uplifted but it will totally satisfy your craving for a good story, told well and that in movies, these days, is a rarity.
The end always brings a new beginning. It was 17 years ago that Wolverine first made an appearance in the first X-Men movie (https://goo.gl/Aw4A43) and in that time the cinema-going audience has become well acquainted with his particular flavor of ferocity abetted by a less-than-brilliant IQ. Yet, in his character we have also come to recognize some of the best things in us: an unwillingness to let go, a tenacity that just keeps us going against all the odds and the belief that friends are important and that people can surprise us.
Logan begins with the end of the X-Men. Mutants, once hunted are now virtually extinct and no new ones are born, but man is never one to let nature take its course. Where before genetic mutations in human DNA arose naturally, now they are guided by clandestine research aimed not just at reviving mutants, but controlling them.
In the days of 4K TVs and well-written series that are released online all at once and feel like extended movies there has to be a compelling reason to leave the comfort of one’s living room and battle the queues at the Ben & Jerry stand at the multiplex. That reason has usually been supplied by special effects and their unrivalled impact when seen on a truly big screen in full surround sound.
The X-Men franchise has never shied away from big set pieces and complex special effects moments, nor has it ever not been about big, saving-the-world heroics, but Logan is not about that. Like the twilight phase of any series it gives us the best of what we want in characters without explanation and without the dressing of big bangs. Sure, there are special effects aplenty (it is an X-Men movie after all) but they are integrated into the action in such a seamless way that it’s the storyline that drives things, the uncompromising character arc, rather than the spills and thrills.
Inevitably there is a tinge of sadness. We are saying goodbye to characters many of us have grown with and we have come to love. But there is also satisfaction. The closure of a long tale. The sense that even in the Marvel Universe time moves on, things change and the world evolves. Which brings me back to my question, why should you go and see Logan instead of wait for it to come to your home screen?
Well, it’s always easy in a franchise to retread old ground. To give the fans what they want: the enmity between Magneto (the good guy turned bad) and Professor-X (the bad guy turned good), the special effects of people with superpowers exercising them, the spectacular blow-ups as good guys square up against bad guys. Logan avoids all these traps. It’s an intelligent, even sentimental film that’s really well made and that alone should be rewarded. Plus it even pays homage to Shane (https://goo.gl/n5hq4y) which in itself is an inspired moment.
So do go and see it. It may not leave you feeling completely elated and uplifted but it will totally satisfy your craving for a good story, told well and that in movies, these days, is a rarity.
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"What's Logan Gotta Change Into?"
Deadpool 2's trailer is a barrel of laughs. I haven't been doing many film reviews of late not because I haven't been watching films, I have, sometimes when I should have been sleeping but because my writing fingers are at the moment engaged by corporate pay masters who want to read projection reports.
But all good things come to an end sooner or later and I am going to be back writing torrents in a few days :) Stay tuned and be entertained!
Deadpool 2's trailer is a barrel of laughs. I haven't been doing many film reviews of late not because I haven't been watching films, I have, sometimes when I should have been sleeping but because my writing fingers are at the moment engaged by corporate pay masters who want to read projection reports.
But all good things come to an end sooner or later and I am going to be back writing torrents in a few days :) Stay tuned and be entertained!
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Look Who's Back! ;)
Don't miss it. :)
Don't miss it. :)
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Ghost In The Shell
Long before The Matrix (https://goo.gl/lMnkV2) Ghost In The Shell provided the idea that became a trilogy of films. Now we are going back and re-examining the source. Fingers crossed for this one.
Long before The Matrix (https://goo.gl/lMnkV2) Ghost In The Shell provided the idea that became a trilogy of films. Now we are going back and re-examining the source. Fingers crossed for this one.
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Zashchitniki Are Coming!
Fans of super-hero films may want to start anticipating an offering from Russia called Guardians. The special effects look insane and the concept is ... well, Russia. Plus, there's a bear. Need I say more? Really?
Fans of super-hero films may want to start anticipating an offering from Russia called Guardians. The special effects look insane and the concept is ... well, Russia. Plus, there's a bear. Need I say more? Really?
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The Man from Nowhere is Derivative But Still Watchable
Man-with-a-past stories always follow the same pattern: An event that becomes the fulcrum around which the staged universe tilts, the reluctant hero’s resistance to the tilt and then some catalytic event that unleashes him upon the hapless villains that were just too dumb to see it coming because they do not watch the same films we do.
John Wick (https://goo.gl/uMxt87) followed that exact formula to spectacular effect giving us both a character we can root for and some pretty amazing fight choreography which is, ultimately, why we watch these films at the end of the day.
The Man From Nowhere doesn’t do anything unexpected. It uses the same man-of-mystery about to be unraveled storyline, substitutes girl-with-dysfunctional family ala Leon (https://goo.gl/SQ6qPM) connection to the man/dog relationship that John Wick used, sprinkles a liberal dose of the inevitable dead wife, man-at-loose end atmosphere (which even James Bond films suffer from). It then stirs things up, lets them brew for one hour and 59 minutes (yep, it is two hours long!) and serves up the resulting concoction.
The question is do we knock it back and ask for more or spit it out, crying “Fake! This is not a real Coke!” The fact that I am writing so much should alert you to the answer and yes, this is the kind of film that you can easily knock back and ask for more. Ultimately while the ingredients are clichéd what makes these films work is the execution and The Man from Maybe is very well executed indeed. The fight choreography is exceptional (think more Matrix but with John Wick believability and you got it), the lead character’s performance by Won Bin (https://goo.gl/08VLlA) is intense enough to overcome our every resistance to suspending our disbelief and the fact that a The Man From Nowhere 2 is on the table should let you know that it did pretty well at the Box Office.
It is a South Korean film (I watched it with subtitles) and the cultural differences (like the way the cops behave) are intriguing in themselves. If you haven’t yet seen it and are twiddling your thumbs waiting for John Wick 2 to be released then you should definitely stream it.
Man-with-a-past stories always follow the same pattern: An event that becomes the fulcrum around which the staged universe tilts, the reluctant hero’s resistance to the tilt and then some catalytic event that unleashes him upon the hapless villains that were just too dumb to see it coming because they do not watch the same films we do.
John Wick (https://goo.gl/uMxt87) followed that exact formula to spectacular effect giving us both a character we can root for and some pretty amazing fight choreography which is, ultimately, why we watch these films at the end of the day.
The Man From Nowhere doesn’t do anything unexpected. It uses the same man-of-mystery about to be unraveled storyline, substitutes girl-with-dysfunctional family ala Leon (https://goo.gl/SQ6qPM) connection to the man/dog relationship that John Wick used, sprinkles a liberal dose of the inevitable dead wife, man-at-loose end atmosphere (which even James Bond films suffer from). It then stirs things up, lets them brew for one hour and 59 minutes (yep, it is two hours long!) and serves up the resulting concoction.
The question is do we knock it back and ask for more or spit it out, crying “Fake! This is not a real Coke!” The fact that I am writing so much should alert you to the answer and yes, this is the kind of film that you can easily knock back and ask for more. Ultimately while the ingredients are clichéd what makes these films work is the execution and The Man from Maybe is very well executed indeed. The fight choreography is exceptional (think more Matrix but with John Wick believability and you got it), the lead character’s performance by Won Bin (https://goo.gl/08VLlA) is intense enough to overcome our every resistance to suspending our disbelief and the fact that a The Man From Nowhere 2 is on the table should let you know that it did pretty well at the Box Office.
It is a South Korean film (I watched it with subtitles) and the cultural differences (like the way the cops behave) are intriguing in themselves. If you haven’t yet seen it and are twiddling your thumbs waiting for John Wick 2 to be released then you should definitely stream it.
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