filmandcinemapuritans

I’m angry. I love the fact that I can’t get a decent DVD version of some of my favorite movies until a remake comes out. The reason is because before the soulless scum of Hollywood and the DVD houses actually put some classic films on DVD they have to do a freaking remake first. Take MY BLOODY VALENTINE for example, the original copy of the DVD was just the film; now that the remake came out all of a sudden a new SPECIAL EDITION comes out. When THE FOG remake came out a new special edition came out with a free movie pass with the purchase of the DVD. Just give me the disc, there are enough fans out there that they’ll love and appreciate you put into the disc.

MY BLOODY VALENTINE Before you go out and see this film I have a little secret to tell you, this movie is not original, yes you guess it, (if you have been a fan of my website, you know what I’m about to tell you) IT’S A REMAKE. This was a little 1981 Canadian horror flick that exploited the fact that they wanted to make a horror movie based on a holiday. The original title for this film was actually called “The Secret” but Paramount wanted to capitalize on the holiday title because they were guaranteed some money with it. Ironically the film actually bombed commercially and domestically when it was released. This is actually one of flicks that I actually have on my shelf, it’s a good movie to watch at like ten o’clock at night on a Saturday when a girl dumped you. It’s eighty minutes of pure gory fun. The plot is about a killer that was thought to be dead comes back to the small town where some awful stuff happened (HALLOWEEN anybody?) to get revenge. The killer walks around town in coal miners helmet, suit and pick ax and cuts people’s innards out. The movie is just fun. The sad thing is that there isn’t an unrated cut because during the MPAA attack on this film back in the 1980’s, the director was ORDERED to cut nine minutes of the film out, making some of the gore shots actually too brief that it’s confusing. The rumor is the director is looking for some lost footage to cut together the film that he actually wanted to make. 

So, I’m actually not going to bash the remake because I haven’t seen it. I just would like to say the producer that remaking this film in 3D is a great idea. Instead of just being a boring old, shot for shot remake actually spruced some visual gags and this might actually make them a ton of money. I do want to see it because one of favorite Tom Atkins actually has a cameo in it.

Check out the new special edition dvd

RESIDENT EVIL: DEGENERATIONThis film is amazing to watch and reminds me of the FINAL FANTASY film that came out in 2001, which I feel was one of the best-animated films that portrayed computer generated people (too bad the film’s plot left a lot to be desired). I think this new R.E. film actually trumps the FINAL FANTASY film in a way of style. The film doesn’t look like a video game; it looks like a real movie. The effects and the nuances of every element of the film explode off the screen; the fire scenes look real, the people’s movements, to even the animators putting little nuances in the characters wardrobe. I can go on about all the technical stuff of the movie but the question you’re probably going to ask me is: What about the plot? The plot of the film is surprisingly not bad. The film isn’t going to win any Oscar’s for the screenplay; the story does have some cliché’s and predictable character twists, and some plot holes. But as a movie, grab the popcorn, put the surround-sound on and prepare to be entertained for ninety minutes. The film starts off with a plane crash that contaminates an entire airport with the dreaded “T-Virus.” Claire Redfield (from the previous games and film) a senator and a few survivors are left inside at the mercy of a zombie threat. A specialist named Leon Kennedy (from video games R.E. 2 and R.E. 4) and an S.W.A.T team with goes in to rescue the survivors. This movie is a departure from the live action films and it actually takes place after R.E. 2. The film isn’t complicated, all the past video game plot points are explained and that helps sets up some of the more detailed action pieces. This film is worth viewing, not just for the technical beauty of it but also just for a good old-fashioned ride.

RESIDENT EVIL 3: APOCOLYPSE has every convoluted plot device in the book plus almost every scene is a rip-off from another movie. Mila Jovovich is back, but the scrumptious Ali Larter(Heroes) stars as Claire Redfield (Character in R.E. 2 and R.E. CODE NAME: VERONICA) who is leading a pack of survivors through the zombie wasteland to some sort of promise land. This film has almost every shot from all the MAD MAX films, PLANET OF THE APES, DAWN OF THE DEAD (both original and the remake). The film is uninspired and just run-of-the-mill. Sadly, I think this was the end of the live action franchise, however the next film up for the review was the just released on BLU-RAY and DVD computer generated sequel

RESIDENT EVIL 2 was a very amateurish film with some very ridiculous scenes. The same characters return with the company of “Umbrella” being the central bad guy. Characters from the video game series are actually introduced in this film: Jill Valentine (star of R.E. 1 and R.E. 3), Carlos (R.E. 3) and the “Tyrant”(the hideous killing machine from R.E.3). But the film is clouded with ridiculous MATRIX style action sequences, with dumb stunt wirework and a un-watch able boxing sequence between Jovovich and Tyrant. I actually turned the film off and turned it back on a week later, I had to cleanse myself from the horror. The original film actually had some good touches, where as the survivors ran out of ammunition for their weapons and they had one gun between them. This is just a light show of confusion and frustration. Not a good film at all, and of course it spawned another live action sequel.

The next franchise I am going to review is the mediocre RESIDENT EVIL series. This franchise based on a popular 1998 video game deals with zombies, evil corporations, marines and genetically altered woman who is the only hope of well, anybody she’s with. The first film is the best of the whole series. It stars Mila Jovovich as Alice and Michelle Rodriguez as a marine. Mary wakes up in a mansion that is nothing but a front for an underground installation that houses a dangerous virus known as the “T-Virus.” The “T-Virus” turns any living thing into a walking nightmare bound on eating and devouring human flesh. Jovovich and Rodriguez’s team of marines invade the installation in hope of destroying the virus. What they encounter instead are monsters beyond belief and former human beings who disperse the team one by one. I did enjoy this film and feel it was a strong popcorn film, you got what you paid for, sexy woman fighting disgusting monsters, gore, blood, explosions and an actual interesting character twist. The film was enjoyable, although not memorable or something you would want to purchase and place on your shelf, but it’s a good rental or something to watch at midnight at home on television.  My gripe though is I wish they would have stayed true to the video game. Not many video game films actually do (SUPER MARIO BROS., DUNGEON SIEGE, ALONE IN THE DARK), and that’s understandable because making a comprehensible film from a game is hard work. Most video games barely have a story you just have a premise and a series of actions to perform. However, movie, television and video game novelist actually wrote a very good cinematic version of the first RESIDENT EVIL GAME. Check out the novel by S.D. Perry, it’s called RESIDENT EVIL: THE UMBRELLA CONSPIRACY and it actually makes the video game even scarier and had a lot of potential to almost be a film script. Just wish Hollywood would actually read a book sometimes. Pick it up from Amazon.com or your local library. Also floating around on the Internet was the purposed George Romero shooting script for the film, which again I found more interesting than what was actually made on film. Try Drews Script-O-Rama.com for that. This franchise has been surprisingly successful given it’s unfaithfulness to the video games, this film grossed over 100 million alone and spawned three sequels, two live action and one completely computer generated. S.D. Perry’s book http://www.amazon.com/Umbrella-Conspiracy-Resident-Evil/dp/0671024396/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8

SLUMDOG MILLIONAIARE One of the major Oscar contenders belongs exactly where it is, in the running for a major award. This is a very gripping film directed by Danny Boyle (TRANSPOTTING, 28 DAYS LATER). It’s about a kid who cheats on the Indian version of “WHO WANTS TO BE A MILLIONAIRE?” and a series of flashbacks between each question. The brilliance of this screenplay that between each question that is asked on the game show, a flashback ensues and shows how that question relates to the main character’s life. This is the film that everybody will be talking about and this is the film that should be seen. I actually wont be surprised if this film picks up the big prize. With its great acting, excellent camera work and original screenplay, it should pick up a few awards. 

The Oscar nods are in and basically everything that’s expected to be nominated was nominated. The only thing that got snubbed and people are in an uproar and I still don’t know why was THE DARK KNIGHT for best picture. Listen, the film was a great thriller but that fact of the matter is films made for pure entertainment rarely wins an Oscar (THE FUGATIVE, LORD OF THE RINGS, TITANIC). Heath Ledger was nominated but not since Peter Finch from NETWORK has they ever gave an Oscar to somebody who was deceased. Well here’s the link to all the nominees http://www.imdb.com/features/rto/2009/oscarsMy personal opinion is that I’m torn between Mickey Rourke and Frank Langella for best actor, but I have also heard that Brad Pitt and Sean Penn are excellent as well. This time I might actually watch the awards, I usually hate the awards because they’re so boring and they’re all self-serving to celebrities, it’s annoying.Although, I’m very surprised that Bruce Springsteen was not nominated and Peter Gabriel’s hackneyed song from WALL-E was. Bottom line: BATMAN movies do not win Oscars.

The third film in the series takes place six years after the second one left off. I guess this is a Tom Cruise thing, he makes a MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE film every six years. This time, the plot is actually a bit more enjoyable it uses more of the television shows better traits. The sub-plots, like Cruise’s character’s wife being injected into the whole espionage scenario is great (This is kind of like the Jamie Lee Curtis character in TRUE LIES, except more realistic), and the performance of Academy Award winner Phillip Seymour Hoffmann as the bad guy is pure movie gold. However again when you examine kind of further, this plays more of an action film than a MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE film, it’s almost in the same vein as one of the “Jason Bourne” films. It is sure-fire entertainment, and it was much better than the first sequel, but I still don’t think Cruise and company has got it right yet. Well, I guess we’ll have to wait until 2012 to see how MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 4 plays out. Hopefully, Tom Cruise’s infamous, stupid couch jumping incident fueled the fire for a failed box-office.

On to the 2000 sequel to the powerhouse that was MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE. MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 was directed by John Woo, and starred Tom Cruise again, with Ving Rhames(returning from the original), Thadie Newton, Dougray Scott and a cameo from Anthony Hopkins. This film has everything, from great stunts, great action, great special effects, what it’s missing is a good script, plot, and suspense everything that makes MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE what it was. This was probably the beginning of where Tom Cruise started to become a megalomaniac. There are so many great close-ups him and he looks more like an action figure in this film than in any film before it. However, this film is a major disappointment and an utter disgrace to the title it carries. If you are a diehard fan of the television show, avoid this at all cost, if you like karate, motorcycle chase and gun fights then this will be up your alley. Believe me, I love Jon Woo film’s; I just think they bought the wrong elements to the MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE sequel.