PROMETHEUS or ..The Return of RIDLEY SCOTT

While Batman fights the Avengers for most anticipated film of 2012, I'm counting the days 'til PROMETHEUS.

#1 on this kid's personal "film wishlist" was Ridley's return to Sci-Fi. I don't think any single Director has had more intelligent influence in the genre.
Only Stanley Kubrick's 2001 could challenge the claim, but that's for someone else to try.

Regardless, he's back, and man am I happy about it.

A MIND-BLOWING Trailer, and a clearly ultra-invigorated Scott has got ALIEN fans drooling for next summer. It looks mysterious and frightening, highlighted by brilliant sound design, and one talented cast.
I'll be talking about this one a lot.

Wanna get PSYCHED-UP?
Watch this one first...

...then this one..

I truly believe Ridley Scott is one of the few actual geniuses working in film today, and lucky for us - he's as excited as a boy with toys, on this particular playground.
So stoked.


A.

American Horror Story

Okay, it's not perfect..
..but man, I'm enjoying AHS.

Liked the premise right off, but it took a few episodes for this "haunted-house" show to truly find it's legs  ..but it found 'em. Some good acting and a couple surprises here and there are making this a pretty reliable watch.

Wouldn't have guessed that so much sex would work but it does ...and pretty well actually.
Most recent episode with Violet's realization = Fantastic.

I'll be back here real soon..
I'm back.. and wow, is everyone dead on AHS? What a crazy show! ...groovy, bring on the wacky..

Jan4/12
Wow, I can't believe I didn't see where this was all going for the season..
Very cool.

And Jessica Lange - Fantastic.
Gotta say - I'm genuinely intrigued by where this next season's going to go..

Alright - just watched it again, and I loved that last episode but yeah, where the fuck are they going with it?
Season Two:
"Happy Holiday-Loving Ghost Family Fight Anti-Christ!!"

Must confess to being somewhat apprehensive, but I'll be watching - that's for sure.


A.

Of Unknown Origin

I like horror movies.
I like simple straightforward narratives a lot.
..and I like Peter Weller.

Of Unknown Origin is a little old thriller from 1983. I'd seen that claw-raked-photo-painting-cover for years and just last night succumbed to my fascination.
Glad I did - it's wayyy different than I'd expected ...that being a AIP type of film ...bit loosey goosey and very dated. What I got was a small tight little story with a wicked performance at it's heart.

I love this era of horror ...when Dead Zone was shot in Canada ...when Changeling was shot in Canada..

Not Sold?
Well, the movie also boasts the debut of Shannon Tweed, and if you watch it for her nude scene you're done in five minutes ...easy peasy..
Then there's Louis Del Grande leading the Canadian charge comprised of Jennifer Dale, Maury Chaykin, and Kenneth Welsh ...go Canucks!

Peter Weller toasting to Canadians..

I'd always thought it was a supernatural story ...nope, far from it..
...so simple it's charming as hell.

AC

Larry Hama ...and my 80's.

Up ...wayyyy up, in the pop stratosphere of my goofy existence...
Wayyy back, in the early 1980's, and even up above George Lucas and Steven Spielberg is Larry Hama.

Is that Chris Farley as BAZOOKA???

"Who's he?" you ask..

Larry Hama wrote Marvel Comic's G.I.Joe from it's little old #1 issue right thru to the end, and a fair number of my childhood experiences in the process.
I picked up #2 at the United Cigar Store in the Spryfield Mall- gooood issue, well-drawn and wellll-written. Hooked. Instantly.
Then there's the Sierra Gordo stuff ...God, I love those issues..
& SILENT INTERLUDE ...'nuff said.
..but I digress..

Turns out LH was responsible for the "file cards" too, and this was a unique situation for us kids at the time: A monthly comic book to guide our hands - the best 33/4 figures ever built, and a smart, cool writer at the helm who, more than anything, knew how to have fun with the whole thing. Not only was he a clever storyteller, he was teaching us too - I learned a lot, reading a comic book about military behavior, vehicles, and teamwork. I apply a fair bit of it to life now.
AWESOME.
I don't have memories that are better than those days ...just equal at best. Seriously, we were just plain happy ...kids all over North America were building bases, roads, stockades...
We were fighting Cobra ...all of us together ...innocent days(okay, some brushfires...)
that ended in our Moms calling us to dinner as dusk claimed our summers.
Beautiful memories they are.

G.I.Joe made us wanna be outside, play with others(well), and read ...not too bad for a "funny-book" eh?
We wrote our own side-stories ...made up histories ...all out of LH's world he was creating for us.

I remember calling my mother at work and asking if she'd pick up the new issue on the way home..
Mom'd had a bad day but agreed to pick it up for me/us(my bro too) anyway.
When it finally landed in my eager little mitts a few hours later I grinned and hugged her ...gave her a big "thanks". It was the issue from the month previous and I had it already, but it felt like a smile Larry Hama and I got to give to a pretty cool lady who always put her kids first. Always.
It felt like Larry Hama put us kids first too.

Now, one of the things we hoped(if we did think of such things) was that our heroes were actually cool. This didn't seem like a huge request - after all, we look up to people - they have to be cool, right?
I had occasion to interact just briefly with Mr. Hama recently, and not only did he take time for it, but ...well, he's exactly as cool as I'd hoped - he's a nice guy.
Moments like that can make your day  ..or link it to the 500 other sepia-toned days of an amazing youth...

Thanks to Mr. Larry Hama ...for the NOW and the THEN..
Thanks for "making" a lot of my days, man.

A.

Apes Will Rise!!!

Loved it.
This summer, movies rock!!


That's actually something cool about franchises -it took 43 years to get another GREAT Planet of the Apes movie, but we got one.
Worth the wait.
What an incredibly entertaining film, and a great addition to the canon. Sooo impressed... I was laughing out loud at the ingenuity of this team - lot of smart decisions in there.

The Uncanny Valley: It'll be WETA who crosses it before Cameron - that's fer sure.
Feels weird and amazing that I liked a purely CG character a helluva lot more than Green Lantern this year, but it wasn't the effects at the core...
WRITING!!!! ...it's still kind of important, dummies...
..and this Apes movie is well fucking written.

That I loved the character of Caesar still has me reeling - I hope I can write a fictional character so well someday. Hats off to Andy Serkis for topping Gollum - there's a lot to the physical presence of these sci-fi creations, and he's in control, boy ...how the hell does an ape have better body language than most of the "superheroes" in their own films?
He looks dramatic, and pensive ...real.

TBC

Captain America: The First Avenger

Holy fuck, I loved this movie...
...and despite it's title, it doesn't feel like an ad for another one. I like that.

Loved Little Steve Rogers...

Captain America is a very long standing Marvel comic book character, and though he's been on the screen before, it was never done like this.
This is the story of a 90 lb weakling who wants to make a difference - a man who was born a hero.
The first third... "Steve becomes a soldier" is perfect.
This is the key to good entertainment, kids - make me care before you bring out the special effects...
And they are special - really nice looking film.

Chris Evans' "young Steve Rogers" is a great performance. I suspect he had to limit his movement for the digital effects - he seemed controlled but so earnest ...wow, I didn't appreciate how rich these characters could be in full flesh and blood. I would have watched a whole movie about that little weakling - why? ..because he's a fuckin' great character.

In fact, the GRENADE is one of the best "character" moments I've ever seen in any movie. LOVE IT.

Joe Johnston is really good at that nice soft vision of the past - his WW2 is like Band of Brothers for kids. But the most noticeable element of this whole project is how much love went into it, for lack of a better word. These guys love this character as much as I do - as much as millions of kids for years and years have - it really shows.
Tommy Lee Jones is great - most I've enjoyed him in a long time. He seemed like he was having fun.
Hayley Atwell is lovely and reminds me of another Hayley I know...
Couple o' tear-jerkin' scenes, boy.
His line after the big event, so to speak - I don't care if you like superheroes or not - it's just great writing, and kudos to the writers they're borrowing from. Years of Cap stories inform this screenplay, with a lot of the Ultimates mixed in ...impressive synthesis storytelling.

Bucky's a surprise. I love the character but it's tough to pull off a kid beside a Super-Soldier. Fantastic interpretation of the "sidekick" role - more like two soldiers at war - just excellent. There's a brilliant montage towards the end - where everyone shines, and the inspiration of this hero is obvious.
Dum-Dum Duggan is great, and I suspect Neal McDonough is in there as the original Cap consideration.

Dominic Cooper's Howard Stark was another pleasant surprise, and what an impressive world the Marvel filmmakers have brought together. The idea of Tony's Dad way back might've sounded hokey but it's so charming. They're creating Marvel history up on the big screen. Out of a wonderfully comic-heavy childhood, this is stuff I'm really happy to see - invested storytelling.
Kinda sad to me that of the four "superhero flics" this summer, three were Marvel, and the other one - well, I wanted to like Green Lantern. He's a great character.

Then there's The RED SKULL.
He's Cap's Joker, and such a fun cat - I mean, Nazis are the perfect villain bar none, but a skull-headed one - c'mon? He's awesome - just look at any Cap comics - the Red Skull is always up to something fucked-up.
Hugo Weaving plays him as a genius weirdo - and on that note,  the Werner Herzog accent is a blast - subtle and hilarious.
 ...and though I'm not so much a fan of the rubber face, it was handled really well - that slipping eye...
But his design - Brilliant - absolutely nailed it.
Took about 30 years to see Cap and his nemesis duke it out properly on the big screen for this kid.
Worth the wait this was..

...and dead?
Ahhhh, ha ha ha ha haaaa....
The Red Skull never dies - he's the toughest bad guy in either of the big stables...

Captain America: The First Avenger is tight entertaining movie. The overall design is charming but totally epic - comic-booky, but cutting edge storytelling.
It has twice the heart of most of these "superhero" flics, amidst a perfectly paced World War II actioner - I'll watch it plenty, I suspect.
I went to see it again this afternoon.

It's too bad the GLUT of superhero flics seems to have killed this one.
It's really really good.

Well, turns out CAP made a fair bit - good, I'd love to see a part 2..
A.