• Seldom have I encountered a movie that left me speechless, flabbergasted, dumbfounded or even sad. Yes, I'm talking about Brian Thompson's directorial debut called “The Extendables”. There is not much to say about this, so let's get into this thing.
    Yes, they use the actual light saber sound effects...
    Vardell Duseldorfer (Brian Thompson) is a has been. He was once Hollywood's biggest action star but after a couple of bad movies and decisions, he's pretty much a joke. To save what's left of his waning star he decides to direct a Sci-Fi action flick. Will he succeed to “extend” his dying career or is this the final nail in his coffin?
    When Kevin Sorbo gives the best performance, you know you´re in trouble!
    I like Brian Thompson, I really do. You might not know the name but you've definitely seen him. I loved it when he got his heart ripped out in "The Terminator", or how he went bowling with his friends in “Fright Night 2”, I absolutely adored him as the big bad in “The Order”. Next to Al Leong, Thompson is the quintessential goon/henchman/bad guy. 
    Pretty much the only action scene in the entire movie...sort of.
    The character of Vardell Duseldorfer is supposed to be a combination of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude van Damme and Steven Seagal. One can assume, Thompson has seen all kinds of things happen on set with these men. This is pretty much his recollection of those experiences (mostly the worst). He wrote a story around it and tried to make a satire about film making, fame and its big stars attached to it. Yes, this isn't a spoof on The Expendables, in fact this isn't even an action film!
    Really, you shouldn´t have...
    One can can only wonder why this movie has been made. Was Thompson angry for not being asked to be in any of the Expendables movies? He does go out of his way to portray Duseldorfer as an incompetent fool. I don't know what he was trying to say with this. What I do know is that this is one of the worst things I've ever seen. The acting, screenplay, cinematography and visual effects are abysmal. The cameos are useless and this is ultimately a major wast of your time and money! This is barely a movie. Just avoid this.
  • It seems as if video game movies are cursed. Apart from being really bad or guilty pleasures, there hasn't really been a video game film that was actually any good. Now, Hollywood attempted to adapt the critically acclaimed fight game “Street Fighter II” not once but twice! Both times they failed miserably! Enter “Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist”. Does this independent movie have what it takes where the big studios failed? Let's take a look.
    Legends in the making
    “Assassin's Fist” chronicles Ryu (Mike Moh) and Ken's (Christian Howard) early days. We meet them as children and follow their training and trials in Japan as they try to master the mysterious power of hado. Parallel to their story we also follow Gouken (Akira Okieyama), Ken and Ryu's master as he reminisces about his past and the tragic fall from grace of his brother Gouki (Gaku Space). As the boys grow into teenagers there seems to be something “off” with Ryu. Things go wrong when a dark force from the past makes its return.
    2 brother and 1 girl...A drama in the making
    Started off as a short film by Joey Ansah and Christian Howard back in 2010. The overwhelming success of that short gave them the chance and the funds to adapt it into a 12 part web-series and a 2 hour film (As it was originally shot). For something that's based on a fight game it is surprisingly deep and character driven. The story is about friendship, brotherhood, honor and love. You really get to know the characters. The downside of that is that it tends to drag in its second act. So, is this a drama movie then? No. Don't worry, this film most definitely delivers on the fight and action scenes!
    You never forget your first Hadoken!
    See, the movie is superbly written by Ansah and Howard. They take their time for you to get into the characters, what makes them tick, their backgrounds, hopes and wishes. When they do fight, when they are in peril, you actually care for them! The fights are beautifully choreographed by Ansah (Matt Damon beat him up). He sprinkles the fights with the signature moves of the game without it becoming silly or too "video game-y". The performances are excellent with a standout performance by veteran actor Togo Igawa as Goutetsu, Gouken and Gouki's sensei. The cinematography by James Friendship is beautiful and the visual effects support the story rather well. The blu-ray "movie" version features an extra prologue. Now, I thought that this would be like an extra 2 minutes or something but it's actually quite lengthy and ends the movie on a cliffhanger! It's a sequence that gives somewhat of a closure to a character in the movie and is not seen in the web-series version. Also, be sure to stick around for the after credit sequence. You get a stinger that would make Marvel Studios proud.
    A darkness returns
    So, how is it possible then that the two big budget attempts failed? It's quite simple actually. Joey Ansah and Christian Howard know and love these characters; and their respective story lines. Above all, they respect the source material. This is why “Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist” is a triumph on many levels and as far as I'm concerned the only good and faithful (live-action) adaption of “Street Fighter”. So has the curse been broken then? Not entirely. The movie does have some pacing problems but apart from that, it is excellent. So, with a sequel coming up I'm more than certain that they'll break that curse and show the world that with care and passion you can make a great video game movie. This is a thing of beauty.

  • I remember how excited I was after I saw “Sin City” in 2005. I definitely wanted more of Robert Rodriquez' slick and stylized adaptation of Frank Miller's graphic Novels. After a lot of teasing and promises of a sequel my interest slowly faded away. Now, finally (and without much noise or excitement) the sequel “Sin City: A dame to kill for” opened in theaters. Does this film surpass its predecessor or is this simply a case of too little, too late? Let's find out shall we.
    Sin City...
    This time around we get four stories that serve as both prequel and sequel. In “Just another Saturday night”, Marv (Mickey Rourke) is out for justice after a couple of rich kids burn some wino's to death. In “A dame to kill for” we see Dwight (Josh Brolin) try to save Ava Lord (Eva Green) from an abusive husband. He gets more than he bargained for as thing go from bad to worse.
    A place of blood...
    We meet Johnny (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in “The long bad night”. He's a cocky young gambler that has some unfinished business with Senator Roarke (Powers Boothe). In “Nancy's last dance” we follow Nancy Callahan's (Jessica Alba) descent into darkness as she drinks away the pain of losing her love, John Hartigan (Bruce Willis). She blames Senator Roarke for all of it and is out for his blood and revenge.
    A place of sex...
    Right from the beginning you get the sense that something is off with the “Sin City” sequel. It has the right look, sound and apart from a couple of necessary recasts, the right actors as well. So why didn't it sit right with me then? The stories perhaps? The ones newly written for the film are very, weak. Both “The long bad Night and “Nancy's last dance” ultimately go nowhere and fail to make an impact on any level. They build up, giving you the impression that there is an explosive end to them but both stories just fizzle out without any real resolve.
    And a place of violence...
    The two adapted stories fare a bit better but never reach the level of brilliance of its predecessor. The stories are just a little weaker and at times Rodriguez makes strange decisions that take you out of the movie. The film looks gorgeous though. It has a more streamlined and refined look to it. The acting is deliciously campy with a standout performance from Eva Green. Just as she pretty much saved “300: Rise of an Empire” the same could be said for this movie, albeit to a lesser extent. 
    This rotten town. It soils everybody.
    This film feels rushed, unfinished and ultimately without passion. It hits some right notes but it misses the impact and good writing that made the first film so enjoyable. Is it a bad film then? No, absolutely not. The performances are good and it looks great! It just misses that charm, that spark the first movie does have. I hope that Rodriguez is allowed to streamline and perhaps re-shoot and/or add to certain scenes and segments for the blu-ray release. Underneath all the confusion and strange directorial choices, there is a great movie waiting to bust out. For now, I can only recommend that you rent this one.


  • Even though I have love for the “Planet of the Apes” movies, I've never been the biggest fan that franchise. Yes, the 1968 original is a classic but its sequels are pretty silly. When the reboot, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” hit theaters in 2011, I was pleasantly surprised. The film managed to create something fresh while still honoring what worked in the original films. It was much better than expected and left me wanting more. Now that the sequel is out, one wonders if it can recreate the magic of its predecessor. Let's find out!
    I was half expecting Will Smith to show up and do his crazy "Fred" rant.
    10 years after the events of “Rise”, mankind has fallen to the effects of the mysterious “simian flu”. During this time, Caesar (Andy Serkis) has founded a sort of ape colony; far away from the humans. When Malcolm (Jason Clarke) and his fellow humans stumble upon the ape settlement, Caesar allows them to work on a dam to give what's left of their city a little electricity. Disturbed by the respect Caesar gives to the humans, Koba (Toby Kebbell), the second in command has his own agenda and sabotages the truce. Now, Caesar and Malcolm must do everything in their power to avert a full out war between man and ape.
    Koba, the ape with an idea...
    I usually continue a review with what I didn't like about a movie or point out what was flawed (for me). In this instance though, I can't really come up with one thing that didn't work or something that was weak. What Matt Reeves and co. have created here is a thing of beauty and makes “Planet of the Apes” as a sci-fi franchise more than relevant again. Especially in this day and age where racism, class-ism and inequality are on the rise. That's the one thing I always appreciated of the “Planet” movies; they didn't shy away from commenting on what ever social issues were important at the time.
    ...Dreyfus, the man with a plan. See what I did there?
    Does that mean this is a movie pushing some sort of political agenda? Absolutely not. At its core this is a movie about family. It has more heart and depth than any other so called blockbuster I've seen this summer. This can be attributed to a great screenplay. It gives humans in the film a voice and real motivation. It expertly avoids that whole “Humans are evil, apes are good” thing. Both sides have their strengths and flaws. Yes, even the villains have valid reasons for doing what they think is best. Where the performances in “Rise” were excellent, “Dawn” brings it to a whole new level. Each and every ape has a distinct voice, face and personality. What Andy Serkis and the other actor playing the apes have achieved here must get some kind of acting recognition. Not once did I say, “Great 3D animation”. These were real, living and breathing characters to me.
    And the Oscar for best visual effects goes to...WETA Digital!
    This could not have been possible of course without the superb work of the people at WETA digital. There are things in this film I've never, ever seen. The visual effects are beautiful. I also love the movie score. Michael Giacchino while keeping his own voice music wise, gives a respectful nod here and there to Jerry Goldsmith's score to the original “Planet of the Apes”. He does it very clever and subtle indeed. I have nothing but praise to give this film. It hits all the right notes, It has heart, it has adventure, it has action and I just can't recommend it enough. Go see this film now!



  • Let me get right to the point, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is not at all the train wreck I expected it to be. Is it a good movie then? Well, let's crawl our way into the review and find out; as I keep this one short and sweet.
    Wheeeeee!
    Life is good for Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield). He's graduating high school, has a wonderful girlfriend and he's very comfortable being the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. Something is eating away at his conscience though, The promise he made to Gwen's Father. The promise not to get her involved in anything having to do with his alter-ego. He decides to break off the relationship. Meanwhile his old friend Harry Osborne (Dane DeHaan) shows up back in town and desperately needs Parker's help. Peter also solves some of the mystery of his parents death and an energetic fellow that calls himself Electro (Jamie Foxx) has a bone to pick with Spider-Man. While all of this is going on he tries to save his relationship with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone) and makes some choices which will have devastating consequences.
    Ugh...Get a room will ya!
    This film is surprisingly light on an actual plot. It mostly consists of moments out of Parker's life, the choices he makes and all of it is wrapped around some action scenes. While these moments are well written, it has to be said that the script is all over the place. At one moment Spider-Man is acting all zany and fun and literally a minute later he's teary eyed and brooding. The whole tone of the film is like this. At times it even reaches Sam Raimi-like silliness and eye rolling moments of drama or forced romantics. As with the first movie, the weakest link are the villains. When it comes to their characterization, all logic is thrown out the window. Their fall from grace is comparable to that of Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith. It's so abrupt. The actual reasons for them becoming evil is almost insulting to the intelligence.
    The Founding fathers of the Sinister Six?
    Bad writing aside, the performances are stellar. With what little the actors have to work with, they get the maximum out of it. I was worried most about Jamie Foxx and Dane DeHaan. Foxx, sadly is not much in the film but when he´s on, he nails it. His Electro is somewhat of a tragic figure. While his motives for becoming evil are very simplistic, you can´t help but feel for him. DeHaan´s Green Goblin was the toughest sell. The first promotional images did not instill much hope but it turned out a lot better then I could have hoped for. DeHaan actually pulled it off. I have to admit seeing Spider-Man fight against The Green Goblin and one of comic book´s iconic moments play out on the big screen was quite exhilarating. When it comes to the VFX and action scenes, I have no problems with this movie. It´s a visual treat.
    A visual treat indeed!
    So, yes. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is a good movie but if Sony wants their own (cinematic) comic book universe to survive, they can´t make these movies like this anymore. This would have worked in the late 90´s or early 2000´s. In this day and age of “The Dark Knight” and more recently “Captain America – The Winter Soldier” audiences expect more than pretty visuals alone. Those movies proof that you can have fantastical characters and situations and still tell an engaging and intelligent story. While this was good, they simply have to do better than this.

  • This film pretty much passed me by, stayed under my radar. All of sudden it was in theaters everywhere! Now, I'm a pretty big fan of the "Need for Speed" video game and I just had to see if the movie would do that title some justice. We all know how movies based on video games tend to be bad and/or fail; will this one break the "curse"? 
    Just like in the game!
    By day Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul) is the respectable owner and mechanic of a car shop. At night he joins local street races. After a race with his old rival, Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper) goes horribly wrong; Marshall gets framed for a death he did not cause. After 2 years, Marshall is a free man again. When he gets out of jail he is hellbent on avenging the death of his best friend. The only way to get to Dino is by joining the ”De Leon” an underground race organized by eccentric Internet personality called Monarch (Michael Keaton). With the help of his old crew, Marshall will not stop to clear his name and avenge his friend's death. 
    Tobey and his boys
    Let's get it right of the bat here, this film's biggest weakness is the story and its characters. They are as cliche as it gets. Aaron Paul is the strong silent type, in fact, at one point he even gets called just that! Dominic Purcell is one step away from twirling a mustache and to add insult to injury Scott Mescudi's character Benny is quite literally the token black guy and I'm not trying to be smart or funny either. It is clear they had action set pieces ready on paper and built a story around them. From the obligatory dramatic death scene to the forced romance; It's characters and story by numbers. The tone of the movie shifts rather dramatically as well. In one scene we see Marshall getting chased by Police and it's all “ fun and games”. In the next scene we seen him teary eyed, staring off into the distance.
    First I was like...
    Strangely enough though, director Scott Waugh makes it work. With what little the actors have to work with, Waugh gets the most out of them. You can see the actors had a blast and their enthusiasms and energy can be seen. Think of a Jackie Chan movie. They never have the best acting and stories but the enthusiasm explodes right of the screen. The film makers and actors believe 100 percent in their movie, it's exactly the same with “Need for Speed”. 
    ...but then I was like
    Aaron Paul is a great actor. We've seen what he's capable of (Breaking Bad, Smashed) but has never had to carry a movie. While this is an ensemble cast, he is at the center of it all and pulls it off quite nicely. With better material Aaron Paul could be a serious leading man in action or drama. The stand out performance was that of Micheal Keaton though. If people are wondering if he can step back in the role of “Beetlejuice” need not worry. His performance of wild eyed and loud Internet personality, Monarch convinces me that Keaton is more than ready. He's more than ready to step back into the spotlight. He turns every line, gesture and facial expression to gold. Whenever he's on screen it is just a pure delight.
    It's time for a Keatonaissance!
    Now, I've played some Need for Speed in my day and seeing some of the elements of the games making their way onto the big screen was quite cool to see. From the car chases, maps, vehicles to even the colored lighting of certain “race tracks” were things I recognized from the game.  The most surprising thing is that little to almost no CGI was used for the race and chase scenes. It was all good ol' fashioned stunt driving and it was very spectacular indeed. That last race scene had me sitting on the edge of my seat. It's there where the movie truly delivers on its promise.
    Real stunts and explosions!
    So, yes it is cliched. Yes, the characters are barely even real people but I'll be a son of a motherless goat if I said it wasn't a whole lot of fun. The stunts are breathtaking and the cinematography is gorgeous. Yes, It is an amusing film but for that video game movie “Curse” to be broken it has to do a lot better. Need for speed made some considerable cracks in that wall though. We're almost there. 


  • To be honest, I've seen Zack Snyder's “300” only twice. Now, that doesn't mean I didn't like the film, it had simply fallen off my radar. Because of this I went in fairly clean into this sequel. Perhaps it was possible to judge this movie on its own merits then. Early into the movie I came to the realization that this was impossible. Let's sharpen our swords and get right into the heat of things.
    Finally! This CGI blood does have a purpose after all. It looks great in 3D!
    Ten years before King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and his 300 Spartans battled the Persians at Thermopylae, a brave young soldier called Themistocles (Sullivan Stapleton) and the Greek forces fought off the first Persian invasion at the battle of Marathon. This invasion was led by King Darius (Igal Naor) and his young son Xerxes (Rodrigo Santoro). The outcome of the  battle was disastrous. While the Greeks decimated the Persian Army, Themistocles, took a once in a life time chance and managed to shoot King Darius with an arrow. Unable to save his father, Xerxes, now taken over by grief and rage swore to avenge his father.
    Destiny awaits...
    While the Greeks were victorious, Themistocles knew that he had made a mistake by killing Darius. He knew that his actions would come back one day to haunt him and his people, he was right. Xerxes, now reborn as a “God-King” invades Greece once more. Fueled by hate and vengeance he won't let anything stop him. While Leonidas and his brave 300 hold off the Persians, Themistocles has to race against the clock. He must find a way to unite the forces of Greece before their country is overtaken by Xerxes and his dark armies.
    ...and so it unfolds
    This film somewhat follows the beats of the first movie, meaning we get a lot of back story at the beginning of this movie, much of it focusing on Xerxes. These flashback scenes are very exciting and move the story forward at a very fast pace. Unfortunately, the movie almost comes to a standstill during its second act. Sure, there are some action scenes but the focus lies more on political maneuvering and Themistocles trying to unite the Greek forces. It is during its third act where we are rewarded. The end battle is nothing short of spectacular. The 3D cinematography does add a little extra to the action and the overall experience. it is truly exhilarating.
    Also pretty in 3D!
    Now, as good as Sullivan Stapleton and his co-stars are, he lacks Butler's natural charisma and the rest don't fare much better. Fortunately much of this emptiness is filled up with a phenomenal performance by Eva Green. Her portrayal of Artemisia, Xerxes' second in command is one for the books. It is so over the top and fun, she might as well have been a James Bond villain. It is an absolute delight and to top it off she and Stapleton have one of the most ridiculous sex scenes I've ever seen. Yes, it is absolutely intentionally over the top. Remember this is not a historical movie, nor does it try to be fully accurate when it comes to the events it portrays on screen. This is based on Frank Miller's still to be released graphic novel called “Xerxes”. This is very much a live action comic book. From the performances to the spectacular and very stylized action scenes. None of it is to be taken too seriously.
    I expect you to die Mr. Bond.
    Zack Snyder handed over the directorial duties to newcomer Noam Murro who is a very competent director and emulates Snyder's style very good but the element of surprise is gone. There is definitely a “been there, done that” vibe all over it. Also, the reason I could not really judge this on its own merits is because “300” and “300 – Rise of an Empire” are very much intertwined. You see, “Rise of an Empire” isn't really a sequel. Most of this story takes place right along side the events of “300”. We just get a different perspective making it more of a companion piece than a true sequel. Is it worse or better than it's predecessor then? Neither. These two movies are on the same level.
    The end battle is absolutely breathtaking!
    Fun performances (especially by Eva Green and Rodrigo Santoro), brilliant action scenes, a surprisingly good music score by Dutch musician/DJ, Junkie XL (Tom Holkenborg) and 3D cinematography that really adds to the visuals and story. This is one to be seen on the big screen and very well worth your time.
  • Opinions are like assholes, everybody has one.
    Inspector Harry Francis "Dirty Harry" Callahan
    The Dead Pool

    You know, apart from my movie reviews; I would also like give my two cents when it comes to the other things having to do with movies. It could be about crazy casting, the state of the comic book movie, the loss of an actor/film maker or simply share my distaste or excitement for an upcoming film. In short, I'm just going to give my opinion; or write an editorial if you will. 

    So, you'll see "That opinion piece" pop in from time to time.

    Until then, keep enjoying the movies! Oh, and read my reviews of course!

    wink-wink

  • Imagine this if you will; you really have a craving for pizza. So, you go all around town and find out that for some reason all you favorite pizza joints are closed. You decide to settle for second best and get yourself a fine Chinese meal, Now, while you are eating it, you never get that satisfaction you would have gotten from the pizza. That's pretty much how I felt after watching Nurse 3D. Now, why is that? Let's find out.
    Utterly insane and yet so lovely.
    Abigail Russel (Paz de la Huerta) has a bit a problem. She hates men that cheat. Married men in particular. So, at night she wears the skimpiest outfits possible and scours the city and the clubs to dish out her own special kind of deadly justice. During the day she's a nurse though. reliable, professional and caring of her patients. When Danni (Katrina Bowden), fresh out of nursing school arrives, Abbey immediately takes a liking to her gentle, soft spoken and somewhat naive ways and decides to take her under her wing.
    This friendship is about to turn into Fatal Attraction on crack!
    After a very wild girls night out, Danni finds her self in bed with Abigail. Embarrassed, hung over and not remembering what she did the night before (take a wild guess) she leaves Abby alone at home. Now, the more Abby tries to connect with Danni the more she gets pushed away. Now feeling betrayed and used, Abby develops an unhealthy obsession for Danni and decides she too must be punished. Anyone that gets in her way will feel her wrath as well.
    About to go on a rampage...
    This was a frustrating experience. While this film hits all the right notes it never fully comes alive. Now, take this in consideration; this is a movie where the standard nurses uniform is a short white skirt, wedges and sexy stockings. This is a film where men walk around without their shirts on (most of the time) and needles to say all of them sport a 6 pack. In other words, this is live action pulp. It is intentionally ridiculous but director Douglas Aarniokoski seems to be struggling. It's as if he couldn't decide whether he wanted to make a serious horror movie or an over the top, comedic and sexy blood fest. This makes the movie feel a bit uneven. He never fully embraces this film's ridiculousness. Much like Robert Rodriquez did with his first Machete movie. It's Aarniokoski's unwillingness or unable to fully commit that hold this film back to be truly a standout horrors/comedy.
    ...and no one...
    I've heard people say that Paz de la Huerta's performance is a truly terrible one. I have to disagree with them. She's seriously the Costello to the rest of the cast's Abbott. While they play it straight, she's the odd one out. When in one scene she does open up and shows real feelings to Katrina Bowden's character; de la Huerta brilliantly plays it like a pouting, sad little girl which ties in perfectly with her backstory. At that point you start to get what she's doing. All her facial gestures, body movements and the way she talks are all artificial. Her daytime nurse persona is a fake one, disconnected from our reality. The empty eyed passionate killer underneath is her real one. It sort of reminded me of Dexter in that way.
    ...is going to stand in her way!
    I can't really say that the story was original or that the 3D really added something to the plot or to the visuals even. Yes, Abigail Russel's backstory is an interesting one but the rest of the film was just too schizophrenic to make any real impact. It hovers just in the middle and never gives us an extreme element of horror or comedy. The performances are solid so no real complaints there. The way the movie leaves certain story lines open and character arcs unfinished just screams for a sequel. Nurse 3D gets a few chuckles and thrills here and there but it never fully embraces it's own trashy sensibilities. It wasn't bad but it wasn't really satisfying either. I got a Chinese meal, nothing wrong with that but I was really craving a delicious pizza. 

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