M.I.A.

MAYA [Deluxe Edition] [2010]
4/5

I wasn't sure what to expect from this album, not because i was worried about it being weak, but the few songs that leaked prior to the albums release didn't give me a strong indication of what this album would sound like. I figured we'd be offered the same sort of heavy electronica we always get from her, and we do for the most part, but when 'Born Free' hit the internet with it's epic 9 minute music video, it was obvious MIA was dabbling in a few new sounds.

The electric guitar that bashes it's way through 'Born Free' was a nice indicator of how loud and angry this album was going to be. We hear more of the rockier sound in songs like 'Steppin Up' and 'Meds and Feds', the latter also having the heaviest bass she's ever used in a song. It makes your ear drums explode.

Once the first official single hit, 'XXXO', there were even more signs of experimentation. The track is heavy on the electronica, but it was also very commercial sounding, which isn't very usual for MIA's music. With a bit more tweaking, the track could be given to a number of pop stars to sing. Some fans started complaining about MIA "selling out", frankly, i couldn't give a shit. The song was fantastic, and the more mainstream sound was a welcome change in my opinion. She isn't completely foreign to more commerical songs anyway, 'Paper Planes' is her biggest hit to date, and that follows a more accessible sound.

The album isn't too much of a departure though. There's still plenty of tradmark MIA in the songs, with some nice newer sounds and instruments introduced to freshen things up. The hypnotic 'Lovealot', and anthem sounding 'Tell Me Why' could have come off one of her previous albums, and you can't get anymore token MIA than the epic, 'Teqkilla', which runs for 6 minutes, and sounds like MIA amped up to 100, with every sound effect and beat thrown into a trippy none stop dance masterpiece. It really fucks with your head.

The only weak point in the album for me is the Carrabien sounding, 'It Takes A Muscle'. It's just boring. Reviewers seem to be name dropping it as a highlight though, so i'm in the minority on that one.
The deluxe edition comes with 4 extra songs, the stand outs for me being 'Illygirl' and 'Believer'.

Overtime, this may end up becoming my favourite MIA album. It's certainly her easiest one to listen to, and i like that she's given us a few new sounds to enjoy. I really like it.

Predators [2010]
Starring: Adrian Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace.
Directed by: Nimrod Antal
4/5

A group of elite warriors are hunted by a relentless alien race known as Predators.

I thought it was as enjoyable as the first Predator film, except this time they are given a bit more to play around with thanks to expanding on the Universe of the Predator, so everyone has a bit more to do.
The story itself was exciting. The earlier section of the film is very reminiscent of the original Predator with all the tension build up they give us as the characters try to find out where they are while hearing strange noises and seeing weird figures through the trees. Once it all kicks into gear though, it's none stop action with each member of the group being picked off one by one.

I actually preferred this cast to the first film. Adrien Brody is no Arnie of course, but he was an interesting choice for the lead role, and he did surprisingly well with the character. He was believable and likeable. The rest of the cast were your typical "bad boy" bunch, with one chic thrown in. She wasn't anything exciting, but her chemistry with Adrian was a nice addition to a mainly male dominated cast. Topher Grace was given a few nice comedic moments and Laurence Fishburn had a cool cameo. Danny Trejo however, was sadly wasted in this. Why did they get rid of him so fast???

The Predators themselves were badder than before, mainly due to the fact that we are introduced to a more "dangerous" species of Predator, as well as the same sort we saw in the first movie. The rivalry introduced between both species was a nice addition also, but wasn't explored all that much outside of a quick fight scene. The rabid alien "dogs" were a cool addition to the film as well.

I agree with Digi that the twist at the end probably wasn't needed, but kudos to them for trying to keep things happening within the story and not just fading into a long winded end battle with no "oooh" moment. The planet itself wasn't all that exciting either, outside of a few "weird" plant moments, it didn't look too much like another world. Maybe that was the look they went for though, something close to Earth?............either way, it wasn't a major issue or anything.

If another film is made, i'd like to see a bit more about the Predators history. I know that was touched upon with the Alien vs Predator films, but lets GET SERIOUS, we all ignore those fun, yet disposable movies when it comes to referencing the original franchises both monsters came from. We all enjoy a bit of Alien/Predator dumbery, but really, who actually bothers with those when we get the chance for NEW additions to the already existing series? especially when they're done as fun as this.

Offered everything i expected, with a few nice surprises thrown in.

DVD Roundup, June 2010

Precious [Blu-ray]

Poor brave Precious. Always getting told to take her fat ass to the Welfare, always having to steal fried chicken because she can't afford to pay for food, always being hated on by everyone, especially her pig foot eating Momma. Poor poor Precious.

The Doors [Blu-ray]

Wow, man, i'm like....tripping out. Oliver Stone's trippy arty interpretation about Jim Morrison's life. Love it.

The Dark Crystal [Blu-ray]

Cute movie, mainly got it for the features. I own Labyrinth on Blu-ray as well, and you can't own that one without this.....gotta complete the "childhood" series!

Leon: The Professional [Blu-ray]

Badass. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favour and watch it, BUT, make it the director's cut, because it's so fucking more amazing than the theatrical version.

Mean Girls [Blu-ray]

It was time this was added to my collection in HD. Best teen comedy EVER.

The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Directed by: David Slade

Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner

4/5

Bella, whose high school graduation is fast approaching, is forced to choose between her love for vampire Edward, or her friendship with werewolf Jacob, all while trying to stay alive from the clutches of hell bent vampire Victoria, who wants her revenge on Bella and The Cullen family.

The Twilight series has finally come full circle with Eclipse. As i've mentioned before, i found the first 'Twilight' film to be enjoyable, but it's very uneven most of the time and i still find it to be the weakest of the series. 'New Moon' improved on the first film A LOT and i was very happy with the final product [minus ONE hideously cheesy forest frolic scene].

Eclipse is hard to fault though, not because it's a perfect film, but because it's ironed out a lot of the issues that have plagued this series so far.

Director David Slade does a great job bringing the book to life. In fact, i would have liked to have seen him direct all the 3 of the first films, he has a more darker take on the story which i think would make the movies more appealing to a wider audience. Not a big deal though, i still like the fact that each film has had a different style.

The cast FINALLY settle into their characters properly. I'm not sure if playing a punk rocker lesbian in 'The Runaways' had anything to do with it, but Kristen Stewart loosens up a lot in this, and she isn't stuttering and moaning her way through the whole thing. Granted Bella is less annoying anyway, but still, Kristen seemed to look like she was comfortable being the character. The same can be said for Robert Pattinson as Edward. Less constipation face, more smiling and relaxing face. Jasper and Rosalie get nicely beefed up roles in this film, and both actors did great with their scenes.

The new cast members were all decent. Riley, Victoria's newly born right hand man was a strong addition to the cast, and even Bree Tanner had a small role in the film. As we all know, Rachel Lafavere was replaced by Bryce Dallas Howard in the role of Victoria for Eclipse, and that would be my only minor gripe about this movie. I didn't NOT like Bryce in the role, in fact, i thought she did well, i just preferred Rachel as that character. There was a maturity and strength about her that Bryce lacked. Bryce was way too girly looking. That blank stare and deep voice Rachel had was perfect for Victoria, it was a shame she couldn't finish up the character properly.

The make up on the cast is still over the top, why hasn't anyone from the town the vampires live in asked why on Earth they all have the most fucked up eye colour ever, lol!?..........to David's credit though, he did pull back a lot on making Edward look like a butter face, and Jasper lost his Spaghetti hairdo. Bella was given a wig throughout the film [Kristen had cut her hair for another role], most of the time i actually liked it, but every so often it would change shades of brown and sit a whole bunch of different ways. Random. Overall though, everyone looked a lot better.

The pacing of the film was a lot faster than the previous movies. There's no need for introductions anymore, so we get right into the action from the first shot of the film. The character arcs have become more interesting, Bella actually has more to think about other than Edward, she's facing a decision that would change her life forever, and that brings in a whole bunch of issues about where she wants her life end up in the future. The flashback scenes a few of the Cullen's get in this film flesh out the Cullen history well, especially with Rosalie, which sets up her character nicely for the next couple of films. Hopefully we get to see the remaining Cullen's history in the next two movies.

I think most fans would agree that the series is going from strength to strength, and it's been interesting seeing a different director have their own take on each film.

If you've hated these movies from day one, you may get some more enjoyment out of this movie, i wouldn't hold my breathe though. For Twilight fans, it's perfect and for the casual viewer who doesn't have any bias opinion of the series, it's enjoyable.

I loved it, and i can't wait to see it again. Now all i have to do is wait for 'Breaking Dawn part 1', it's only a year and a half away [sad face].

My Favourite Films of ALL TIME! #17The Rules of Attraction [2002]
Starring: James Van Der Beek, Jessica Biel, Ian Somerhalder, Shannyn Sossamon
Directed by: Roger Avary

"Since when does fucking somebody else mean that I'm not faithful to you?"

This comes from the same people who gave us American Psycho and Pulp Fiction, so you have a fair idea of what style of movie i'm talking about when i try and describe this to you. I remember reading the book a few years back before the movie came out. I found myself laughing out loud on the train while reading it, so once the movie hit screens, i was glad to see it lived up to the enjoyment i got out of the book. They needed to make this fucked up, it needed to be done a specific way. Luckily the right team got behind it.....

Rules follows the lives of a group of college students, and the "interaction" they have with one another during their mundane day to day lives. It deals with relationships, sex and drugs. Most, if not all the characters are dealing with all 3 of those things at one point or another. There's a whole collection of quirky characters. There's the main guy, Sean [James Van Der Beek], who spends his solitary days selling drugs and trying to find as much pussy as he can. He develops a crush on Lauren [Shannyn Sossamon], who has her eyes set on her teacher, and can't stop thinking about her ex boyfriend Victor [Kip Pardue]. Then we meet Paul [Ian Somerhalder], a gay student who has a crush on Sean, but doesn't know how to go about once they become friends. Then there's Lara [Jessica Biel], who is Lauren's roommate. She spends her days being the resident slut, and becomes the object of Sean's lust when he can't get his hands on Lauren. Sean actually hates Lara, but feels she'll do in the meantime while he tries to get Lauren to fall for him.
In the midst of all that we have a whole bunch of other misfit weirdo characters who try not to get murdered by drug dealers, try not to overdoes, try to deal with obsession, and a whole mix of other angsty issues. Basically, it's a mess!.Two things stand out the most when you watch Rules. The first is the direction by Roger Avary, the guys got some style and nifty camera techniques. The movie is scattered with lots of cool editing and camera shots. You see it right away once the movie starts during the 'End of the World' party. Out comes the vomit [you'll need to see the movie to know what i'm talking about], and back in it goes as the entire party scene is on backwards replay. There's also a great split screen meeting between Sean and Lauren, which is broken down in detail in the special features of the DVD. There's also some GREAT camera work during a suicide scene, and a fast paced Europe trip montage made up of hundreds of photographs and a quick voice over. I imagine this movie would be a film students wet dream. You could sit and talk about the camera styling all day.

The second thing that will stand out to you is James Van Der Beek in the title role. When i think of James, i think of that shit Dawson's Creek show, his giant forehead and that stupid wavy hair. You'll soon forget all about that once you watch him in this. Talk about a polar opposite of what you're used to seeing him play!.........he eats up this role like crazy. You can tell he loved every minute of it. He's really good in the role. It's such a departure for him. Have you ever wondered what Dawson would look like fucking? well you'll see that. Have you ever wondered what Dawson would look like taking a dump? well you see that too! haha!
He's not the only one trying to break away in this film either. Jessica Biel sheds away her WHOLESOME 7th Heaven tv show fuckery by slutting around in her underwear and getting gang banged by footballers. There's also a cameo from The Wonder Years kid, Fred Savage, who's credited as The Junkie Named Mark, ha!. He's certainly changed since his childhood star years in this.

It's s dark comedy, so it's funny, but with a fucked up twist. You'll be laughing at the character shenanigans and then be really focused on the more serious aspects of the story. The movie goes between the two easily. See it, if only for how fucked up everyone is, ha!.

The Runaways [2010]

Starring: Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning

Directed by: Floria Sigismondi

4/5

No idea when this will get a indie cinema run here, but i managed to catch an early screening of it at the Sydney Film Festival last night. I'm glad i did, because the movie was fucking badass!.

First time movie director Floria Sigismondi is best known for her music video work. She's directed a lot of rock videos [including collaborations with singers like Marilyn Manson], and has even thrown a couple pop videos into her portfolio as well [both with Christina Aguilera]. Her slick music video style is PERFECT for this type of film. Not only does she KNOW how to shoot rock and roll and make it look cool, but she captures the feel of the 70's really well. It looks authentic. She has a good eye for colour and editing as well, there's some great camera work in this, and she gets very up close and wild with the live performance sections of the film.

The story isn't anything we haven't seen or heard before. Band gets created, band gets big, singer gets all the acclaim, other band members get pissed off, and drug habits and sex antics run rampant. What really makes this film move beyond a predictable plot however are the lead performances. Talk about a 360!!!! Dakota and Kristen are both FANTASTIC in this. I've been vocal about Kristen's shaky acting in the Twilight films on many occasions, and although she's been perfectly fine in her other films, this is the first time we REALLY get to see her actually BECOME someone else and show off her acting ability. She really surprised me in this, and she looked like she loved every minute of it. Butch dykey rockstar suits her very well.
We all know Dakota can act, she's been tackling adult roles she was a kid. She really steps it up a notch in this though. She is completely magnetic on screen, she has a great presence for such a young actress and she stole every scene she was in. I absolutely loved her in this. Michael Shannon as their eccentric manager was good in this too. He got some good laughs out of the audience i was with.

The band may not have been around for too long, and they may only be famous for one song [Cherry Bomb, they did have a few albums though], but it wasn't their hits or record sales that made such a big impact. They were the first EVER all girl rock band, and not only were they all girl, but they rocked it out like THE BOYS too. They changed the rules, and it was after them that a window for female rockers really opened up.
Also, it was the early starting point for Joan Jett, who as we know, later became one of the most iconic female rockers in the history of music. Their short lived run certainly made a special impact.

If you like rock, if you like music bios, or are a fan of either Dakota or Kristen, you'll find SOMETHING to like in this movie. It may not offer anything original, but it still has some great performances, direction and music that's bound to entertain you. The audience of aged hippies and young punks only made my viewing experience even MORE special than it already was!.

It's my second favourite film of the year so far. I loved every minute of it.

My Favourite Music Videos #3

The White Stripes - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

Sex & The City 2 [2010]

Starring: Sarah Jessica Parker & her usual crew

Directed by: Michael Patrick King

3.5/5

Carrie Bradshaw decides to run away to Dubai with her "girls" to try and think through her stupid and insignificant marriage problems. Wacky adventures and lots of high heels soon follow.

I'm a big fan of the tv show, and the first movie. I think the series finished a little too open ended, so it was nice to see lose ends tied up with the first film. At this point though, i think they have taken these characters as far as they possibly can with their story lines, and S&TC 2 is showing the cracks of an over long stay.

I'm all for care free comedies, and the tv series certainly had A LOT of that. However, the more serious side of relationships that the show used to get into have now become really banal. There are only 2 series plots in the film, one revolving around Miranda and Charlotte and their struggles with motherhood, and the other revolving around Samantha and her uncontrollable vagina in a very conservative country. Although, Samantha's story line is supposed to be comic relief, so they don't go too crazy with making a statement. It is the highlight of the movie though, so it didn't bother me that they handled the issue of women's rights with inappropriate comedy. Deep down, we all agree with her on the matter anyway, even if we know it's a......touchy subject.

The rest of the movie revolves around Carrie and her ever growing shrinking brain. I like Carrie, but she really is one of the dumbest women i've come across on film ever. The woman cries about finding a man for 7 years on tv, finds one, gets married, lives in a nice place, has a guy who worships her, and STILL.......she has something to complain about. Turns out Carrie doesn't want to sit on the couch at night with her HARD WORKING HUSBAND, she'd rather complain about the fact that she can't go out at night and party. Wow, Carrie, your marriage issues are just.......so awful. The writers need to focus more on making this woman GROW UP, because she's a damn immature moron. And don't even start me on the AWFUL metaphor for finding the SPARKLE in her marriage through a bloody black diamond ring. What kind of stupid retard woman relates to that mess of a character? Awful.

Minor gripes about stupid women aside, the movie is entertaining from start to end. It's hugely unrealistic, over the top, gay to the extreme, and slightly annoying in parts, but i did have a blast. The girls are just way too funny.

If another film is made, i'd happily see it again, but after the reception this film has gotten, i think maybe it's time Carrie said goodbye.

See it if you're a big fan. Avoid it if you've never liked anything about it.

Christina Aguilera

Bionic: Deluxe Edition [2010]

3/5

With people like M.I.A, Santigold, Goldfrapp, Ladytron and Sia on board for this project, it's hard to imagine how the final product for this album became so uninteresting. Christina chose the best people for this album, and she seems to have merely sprinkled their work over a handful of tracks, and chosen more generic pop songs produced by 'Tricky Stewart' to make up most of the tracklist.

What's even more baffling is that this album was meant to be her big first step into electronic music, so how the 'electronic' artists helping her out got pushed to the back of the line just makes no sense. Either she had NO idea what she got herself into, or she wanted to play it as safe as possible. Either way, she's missed the boat.

There are a few songs that do stay in line with what direction this album should have gone in. The title track, 'Bionic' [produced by the epic Santigold] is a nice opener to the album, 'Elastic Love' [produced by M.I.A] has a cool new wave sound sound to it, and 'Glam', although lyrically cringe worthy and forced, does have some decent electro production on it. Other than those three songs though, we don't get much else from the world of electronic music. The Ladytron produced track 'Birds of Prey' was even pasted onto the bonus disc of the deluxe edition, while awfully bland songs like 'Desdunodet' and 'Vanity' made the "official" standard tracklist. Huh?............a bit of a mess, yes.

Speaking of 'Vanity', talk about atrocious!!!!! it's the worst song she has ever done in her career and one of the most inflated ego driven pieces of crap i've ever heard. The lyrics MUST be heard to be believed! it's just unbearably tragic to hear. How anyone can stand listening to anymore than 30 seconds of it is beyond it. Just awful. Not to mention how it made it on the album when Goldfrapp's entry didn't event make ANY of the discs!.

It's not ALL bad though, as generic as most of it is, and as awful as a few of the songs are, there is some enjoyable stuff on the album as well. 'WooHoo' is an IMMENSE club track, and some of the ballads are really nicely produced, mainly 'Lift Me Up' and my favourite off the album, 'I Am', such a beautiful track.

If you think of the album and see the producers it had on board, it comes across as a bit of a failure. If you ignore that though, it's a DECENT ENOUGH pop album for the most part. After 4 years, you think she'd be a little MORE adventurous with it though. I'm certainly playing the album a lot, but it's nowhere near what it should have been, and it barely touches the records her peers put out like Britney or Gaga, who know pop like the back of their hand. I struggled with giving the alum a 2.5 or a 3, but i decided with a 3 after i heard the bonus disc.

I appreciate Christina's attempt, but maybe she should stick to what she does best.............which ain't electronic pop music.

DVD Round up: May, 2010

A Nightmare On Elm St [Blu-ray]

I wish the whole series was in HD, but this is the only one.....for now. Classic 80's horror, gotta love it.

Gunslinger Girl 1 & 2

Ah, 2 dorra, 2 dorra! It's been a while since i've watched an Anime. I better get around to seeing volume 2. 1 was good stuff.

The Neverending Story 2

Omg, my childhood!............well, sort of. Not one of my most beloved kids films, but one i enjoyed catching as a kid anyway. Found it for like....$3!.


A Clockwork Orange [Blu-ray]

Trippy, smart and funny..........well.....funny in that sick sort of way. I appreciate this movie the more i see it over the years. I look forward to catching it again when the mood strikes me. Kubrick was a cool director. Love the music in this too.

Never Sleep Again: An Elm St Legacy

A 4 hour long doco covering the 7 original Elm St films. The only making of doco's iv'e seen that come anywhere near as thourough are the ones found on the Lord of the Rings extended DVD's. It's a beast of a film! It's getting raves all over the place. LOVE IT, and worth EVERY penny!

Wild Things

Omg, remember this!.......Neve as a goth, Denise getting champaign poured on her giant tits, and Kevin Bacon's big dick in the shower!!!! trashtastic!

True Blood: Season 2 [Blu-ray]

I was going to wait to get this for a few months, but i couldn't help myself. I'm such a big fan, it'd drive me nuts knowing it's just SITTING there down the road in my local shop and that i haven't got it in my hands.

My Favourite Albums Of ALL TIME! #3 Boomkat A Million Trillion Stars [2008]
Boomkat released their first album way back in 2003. They had a minor hit with the lead single 'The Wreckoning' [great song!], and vanished soon after that. I assume they were dropped from their label, because we didn't hear much else from them for 5 years. I was disappointed, i wanted to hear what else Taryn and her brother [forgot his name] could come up with.

Then, one day in late 2008, Boomkat put up a website containing 13 streaming new songs. I was so excited to hear them, and when i played the songs one by one, i soon realized they had something REALLY special happening with their second album. I played the album over and over, i loved it, but i also realized that the album wasn't as commercial as it needed to be to get radio attention. I figured it would go nowhere, and a year and a half on, the album still hasn't even had a physical release. It has hit iTunes, thankfully, but the exposure for the album seemed to never reach any decent heights, so Boomkat have become one severely underrated act.

Boomkat have a very original sound to their music. Their second album is a mix of pop [Runaway], lite rock [Lonely Child], electronic [Run Boy] and a lot of scratch board/trip hop [Four Track Dub]. They're very eclectic, but still have enough of their own vibe in their music to not sound like a mish mosh. That's a hard thing to do.
Taryn Manning provides all the vocals, and her brother does all the music. You may recognize Taryn from the big screen as well. When she's not singing in Boomkat, she's doing movies. She's most famous for her role in 'Hustle & Flow', where she played a hooker. She also starred in 'Crossroads' with Britney Spears [among many other movies].
Taryn's voice is full of attitude, it's raspy and sexy, but it can also be soft as well for the right song. I guess a diverse voice needs to match the diverse sounds of this album, so it makes sense that she can go between each style of song so easily.

I have NO idea where the album will end up, maybe it will forever remain unreleased and be loved only by their very small fan base online? Either way, it's a fantastic record, and until things change, it will remain one of my most unknown loved albums ever.

1. Run Boy [Here I Come] 4/5

2. Lonely Child 5/5
3. Stomp 5/5
4. Runaway 5/5
5. Elated 4/5
6. Not My Fault 4/5
7. Four Track Fub 5/5
8. Don't Be Shy 4/5
9. Instead 5/5
10. Fall On Me 5/5
11. Wish I Could 2/5
12. Burn 5/5
13. Say Hi 4/5
14. Dressed In Grief 3/5

Kelis

Fleshtone [2010]

2.5/5

Kelis ditches her urban sound for some euro dance on this album, and i can't say the result is all that amazing.

My first issue with the album is that it follows the same sound throughout all 9 songs, so by the time i get to track 5, i have no idea where the hell i am and which song is what. The only song on the whole album that really deviates from the rest of the tracks is the first song, 'Intro'.

The blending of each song into the next is a nice touch, but sometimes the small outro each song has attached to the end of it is actually better than the full length track that follows it.

My main gripe with this album though is how uninspired the whole project is. We've heard all this since Ministry of Sound decided to release house mix albums in the 90's. There's just nothing here that makes me want to care, since it's all like one long generic dance remix. Madonna released her own euro dance inspired album back in 2005 with Confessions on a Dancefloor, and that was FULL of life. Good lyrics, great atmosphere, and samey songs that at least were unique enough in their own way for me to separate them from each other. On Kelis's album, it all drowns in itself.

This review is coming from someone who finds house music a bit tedious at times. I like it, but when i get too much of it, it starts to bore me, and this is why Fleshtone to me isn't all that spectacular.

On a positive note, if you LOVE this sort of thing, chances are you'll think the album is amazing. I'm certainly in the minority with my opinion on this record, people seem to think it's really fantastic, so maybe i've missed the boat on this one, i'm not sure, but it just isn't clicking for me. I think she had displayed much more creativity when she was doing urban music.

If you want an all out house dance album to party to, you've found it with this. For me, 'Fleshtone' isn't a BAD album, it's just kinda dull. If you'd rather something with catchier hooks and richer production, stick to your Confessions album, i sure will be!.

Wake me up from this nightmare!

It's been a while, but i've joined forces with Super Marcey again to talk about the ELM STREET remake!!!!! The good, the bad, and the slashery!!!!! Stream it here................ >>>>> CLICK

A Nightmare On Elm Street [2010]

Starring: Jackie Earl Haley and some random teens

Directed by: Samuel Bayer

3/5

A serial killer who wields a glove with four blades embedded in the fingers stalks the dreams of a group of teenagers, resulting in their real death in reality.

Maybe my expectations were punched down into the gutter due to the bad reviews this film is getting, but i was honestly entertained enough by this remake to enjoy it. It didn't reach any massive heights, but it was never going to anyway, the original has been out for years, this is a remake, other than a few new changes here and there, it's all very "been there done that".

I've been hearing about how atrocious the acting was, can't say i was all that horrified by it. The actors were serviceable enough. They certainly had to take on more than the original cast of kids did, and for that i think they did fine. I thought the new Nancy was likeable enough, and i didn't care that the kids were emo. That seems to be an issue for some fans, they're apparently sick of seeing emos in horror movies. Only a couple of the cast were, so i didn't see the fuss really. The movie reflects the generation this was geared to. Whatever.

The story was fine [though i had some minor gripes, i'll talk about them later]. I certainly think they tried to give the movie a meater feel, and there was at least more depth to the conversations and back story than the original offered. Some fans mentioned they were really bored by it, i wasn't, i liked that in some ways it became a horror mystery rather than a by the numbers hack and slash fest from start to finish.

The music was great and the look of the film was good. The slightly cheeky side of Freddy that we all know and love wasn't evident AT ALL in this, but i didn't have an issue with them taking the material as seriously as they did. I've seen enough funny Freddy in my lifetime, at least they tried to give us something a little different when compared to the original series. That's what a remake should do, offer something new. Whether or not that's the style of Freddy you like is another story though.

As for Jackie, i enjoyed his portrayal. His face was odd to look at, i wasn't sure if i liked it that much, but at times i kinda did. It's hard to wipe the image of Englund's Freddy out of my mind, i had to keep trying to do that in this to focus on critiquing this Freddy on his own merits. He certainly LOOKED like a burn victim, but his eye area at times made him kinda look like a cute kitten face or something, lol.
I liked where he took the character though. He wasn't "scary" [though Freddy doesn't scare me anymore as an adult anyway], but he certainly felt dangerous in parts, and i liked the little mannerisms he had at times, like the way he would quickly moves his fingers together playing with his knives. Nice touch. He was a bit of a creepy pervert too, he certainly liked getting close with the girls. I thought he did a good job in making it his own.

Now for the stuff that i had some issues with.....

I wasn't sure if i liked that Freddy was a paedophile instead of a child murderer. The movie didn't have enough emotional impact to take that route. They should have kept him as a creepy child killer. I dunno, that just wasn't really meshing well for me. The scene where Nancy finds the peado pics of herself as a kid didn't really leave any impression on me. Making the kids victims of molestation added a whole new weight to the story that should have been a very intense and emotionally unfolding experience. They didn't really do it that way, opting to just have the kids "remember", freak out a bit, and then go on with their day. I realize they had more important things to worry about, like DYING, but if Freddy was simply a child killer, they could have just gone straight to that instead of giving the teens this extra burden to focus on and sweep under the table quickly.

The one thing that the original Elm St does best when compared to the remake, is tension and build up. Freddy is a creepy shadow for most of the first half of the original. We don't see him too clearly, he's a voice in the darkness, he stalks you, he plays with you. In the remake, he doesn't do any of that. He seems to go right in for the kill a bit too fast for my taste. SCARE the teens, HAUNT them, get them shitting their pants, make them feel like something is coming for them. The new Freddy seemed so desperate to see them all dead, the only thing keeping them alive was the coincidental times the teens "woke up" and got away from Freddy. That's kinda boring.

The one major moment where atmosphere and tension was lost was with the 'Freddy coming through the wall scene'. In movie 1, that's executed SO perfectly. We get a brief shot of Nancy sleeping with that giant white wall behind her and the cross hanging above her head. That in itself looked creepy. Then when Freddy comes through the wall, it's done in a way that makes you feel like he's watching her. He isn't going to kill her right now, he just wants to let the viewer know he's a presence in her dream. He melts through the wall, and goes away.
In the remake, there's no quiet build up or atmosphere to that scene. He literally just randomly melts through the wall, and quickly moves down to make an attack. Wtf? give us a little suspense please!. The scene seemed to come and go in 5 seconds. Didn't like how that was pulled off, but the scene itself wasn;t "bad"..

Another part of the film that i thought could have been remade frame by frame was Tina's death. Again, Freddy just goes in for the kill with no build up. She rises off the bed [that was cool] and is then thrown from wall to wall violently????? no. What made the original Tina death so iconic, was HOW he killed her. It was SLOW, he took his time, and having her be pulled UP the wall and over the ceiling was a REALLY GREAT moment. She was being dragged to her death and it looked creepy doing it upside down. They really should have done it that way in the remake. Having her simply thrown around was boring and completely took away from what made the original so memorable.

The dream sequences i didn't mind. They weren't overly interesting, but they went for a more "realistic" type of film, so i guess they didn't want to go to crazy with the over the top dreams. Still, the dream sequences are when they could have been really creative, but they kept it a bit too low key for my taste.
I loved the re-creation of the of Tina/body bag school hallway scene [her name wasn't Tina in the remake], that was creepy. I also liked Nancy falling through floor of liquid, and then her falling out of the blood ceiling. The pharmacy dream was REALLY cool, and the only dream throughout the whole thing that had a sense of fun to it. Loved the constant micro sleeping that was going on while Nancy was trying to stay awake while crawling for help with Freddy's image flickering towards her between both worlds. That sort of stuff reminded me of what i loved about the dreams in the original series. They were fun. I would have liked to have seen more of that.

My last issue with this film was the line Nancy delivers right before she cuts off Freddy's head. I'm all for cheesy one liners, but they need to be used right. In that scene, it just came off a bit random and stupid. "This is my world now, bitch!"...........erm, when did she start talking like this?...........she was reserved and quiet, and all of a sudden she becomes Stallone in Rambo. No. Shut up. Drop the "bitch" and just get to the killing. Awful cringe worthy moment.

Overall, was it as good as the original? no, but as a remake i certainly didn't mind it. I think it improved on a few things, like the script and acting, but with atmosphere that wasn't as strong as it should be, and with the imagination being sucked out of the dream sequences, it all felt a little too empty in parts. It's a decent enough effort though, and not the blazing turd disaster critics and some fans are making it out to be. It's light years better than cap like Zombie's Halloween and the Friday the 13th remake.

If you completely remove the original from your brain, it's easier to enjoy. That's hard to do though. Not sure how it'll hold up on repeat viewings, could go a tiny bit higher, could stay the same. We'll see.

Iron Man 2 [2010]

Starring: Robert Downey Jnr, Done Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow

Directed by: Jon Favreau

4/5

Billionaire Tony Stark must contend with deadly issues involving the government, his own friends, as well as new enemies due to his super hero alter ego Iron Man.

I was originally going to wait to catch this on DVD, but found myself being dragged to see it by a friend. Don't get me wrong, i've seen the first Iron Man, and i thought it was enjoyable enough, but it never left me with any lasting impression, and i wasn't going to "rush out" to see it's sequel. I'm glad i did though....

Robert was BORN to play this role. He is SO good as Tony Stark. As intelligent as his character is, he's also a massive douche bag, so for Robert to play him and make him the most likeable guy on screen is pretty impressive. If he was any more charming, the screen would have exploded. Paltrow, who bored me to tears in IM1, seemed a lot more comfortable in her role, and the chemistry between her and Robert was fantastic. The new characters were also fun to watch. Samuel L. Jackson has a small role, but does well with what he is given. Scarlett's role may have been kind of throw away, and she doesn't serve any MAJOR purpose in the film, but it was cool seeing a tough girl in the mix, and she does sultry very well, and that's pretty much what her character was all about. I have no issue with having to look at a hot chic for a couple hours, and she looked VERY good in this. She was great with the action scenes as well, i'm not sure if her way of fighting in the film was a specific style, but i loved how they made her move. I hope to see more of her in future IM films, she's badass. The only other actor who can steal the spotlight from Robert though, is Mickey Rourke. Man, that guy has MAJOR screen presence, he was incredibly intimidating in this, and looked like he had a blast playing the villain. I only wish there was more of him.

When compared to the first movie, i feel like this story had a lot more to offer. Tony Stark doesn't really go anywhere new, but he does learn a couple of new life lesson that move his character along nicely within the series. I also think the new addition of characters bulked up the story nicely and gave us a few different things to look at. Yeah a few of them didn't add any life changing moments to the IM universe, but it was still enjoyable seeing some new faces on screen. I like Iron Man with friends.

Aside from a more entertaining story, i thought the action was more exciting, the villains were more dangerous [including Sam Rockwell] and it was a lot more funnier than the first film. You genuinely care about the characters, and the movie doesn't take itself too seriously along the way.

Iron Man 1 may not have impressed me all that much, but Iron Man 2 did. I'm actually really looking forward to seeing what comes up next.