Change Your Image
fightrunner
Reviews
Caprica (2009)
The Same but totally different!
You have to hand it to the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica Ronald D Moore he knows how to get hard core fan boys in a tizzy and then silence them in style. Remember when it was announced that BSG was going to be re-imagined ? those fans boys where up in arms about the new elements Starbuck and Boomer re-cast as women ! Cylons that look human! it was going to be disaster they wailed but then when we actually saw that he had crafted the best Sci-Fi no scrub that the best TV show of recent years they went silent. And now The new BSG has a rabid legion of fan boys and as the curtain drew on BSG Ron Moore announced he was going to give BSG the spin off treatment by going back 50 years and fleshing out the back story of how the Cylons came to be. Then he announced it would be like a family drama , sort of like Dallas so light fuse and ignite the message boards were swamped with the fan boys enraged again and yet again, but one crucial thing they haven't seen a frame of Caprica and yet again it looks like Ron Moore is on the money.
Like i said the pilot and the series is set some 50 years before the fall on Caprica and focuses on two families the rich Graystones and the brilliant scientist/robotics genius man of the house Dr Daniel Graystone and the civil liberties lawyer Joseph Adams (no prizes for what his real surname is). The two fathers are brought together when an act of religious fanaticism on a train takes their daughters away from them. Dr Graystone then finds out that unknown to him his daughter had been a genius at Artificial Intelligence and had created a digital copy of herself inside a sort of virtual reality chat room. Now obsessed with the idea of having his daughter back he enlists the help of Joseph Adams to commit industrial espionage and steal from a rival robotics firm an AI circuit to allow him to download his daughters personality into a robot. You see where this is all leading to, but like BSG you knew where it was going but they packed in enough subplots and story arcs to keep you glued to the set.
Here a good deal of plot threads are introduced : the genesis of AI, the religious element (polytheism v monotheism), The family tensions between Joseph and William Adams, How far would you to have a departed loved one back?, Anti-immigration attitudes of Capricans (The Taurans are looked down upon and hence why the Adams use the adopted surname). And in that way they similarities to BSG are evident. The main difference will be the focus on the family feud that is to ensue and also making this planet-bound (no shaky camera POVs of hyper-kinetic space dogfights here folks!).
The acting and casting is likewise on the mark with leading man Eric Stoltz playing Dr Graystone to perfection as a brilliant man wounded by the tragic death of his daughter and now pushed to do anything no matter what to bring her back from the dead. Likewise we see with Joseph Adams a hard working man also struggling after the death of his wife and daughter who oversteps the mark in a bid to get them back only to regret his decision and then decide to re-connect with his estranged son. And so far those are the major players introduced in this feature length pilot the first series will air next year. Also there is something for BSG fans as we get to see the very first Cylon in action and here the immortal line "by your command" which will send a tingle up your spine. Overall this is a great pilot and does what a pilot should do introduce the protagonists, open up the plot threads and leaving you just chomping at the bit for more. This will be the series to watch next year and also you don't have to be BSG mad to understand it ohhhh and do not not worry the young Bill Adama is handled much better than young Anakin Skywalker in Phantom Menace!.
In short if your a BSG fan and even if your not this is well worth checking out – bring it on!.
Rating 8/10 – A great pilot for what looks to be a very promising show
Frakkin great SO SAY WE ALL
http://www.fightrunner.co.uk contact@fightrunner.co.uk
You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008)
You don't mess with the Zohan
Comedy is a subjective genre. One man's Blazing Saddles is another man's Meet the Spartans. Like most other comedians, Adam Sandler polarizes audiences; You either love him or you hate him. His latest offering, you don't mess with the Zohan, will no doubt offend a great many people as he tries to tackle the mountainous topic of the Isreali/Palestinian conflict and create laughs from it.
Sandler plays Zohan, a disco-loving Isreali counter-terrorist Action Man. His skills at tackling terrorism border on Super Powers as he catches bullets between his fingers and does flying kicks through solid walls. His big mission is to stop another larger than life villain called The Phantom (John Turturro), but, in his heart, he secretly dreams of leaving the Mossad and starting a new life. A new life in America. As a hairdresser.
His plans don't work out straight away though as he is laughed or chased out of each Salon he tries. At the point of giving up, he finds a small Salon owned by a sexy Palestinian chick and begins to live out his dream. Of course, In true Comedy spirit, there's a catch. The building is listed to be torn down to make way for a monstrous new Mall and the Salon is on the brink of closure. Zohan's unique brand of 'Silky Smooth' styling might just pull it back though, as he gains notoriety for giving a little extra service to his customers. Ahem.
The film culminates with The Phantom learning Zohan's whereabouts and coming to America to find him, but quickly descends into the mushiest climax you're ever likely to see. Zohan and the Phantom join forces to defeat the Mall developers and everyone makes friends, or to put it another way, Isreal and Palestine put aside their differences to fight American Greed.
When the film is funny, it's very funny. Some of the jokes will have you creased with laughter. But, when it's serious it tends to get a bit sourly sweet, like the ending outlined above. It really excels when it's showing Zohan's Fish-out-of-water antics. For Example, he quiets a noisy child by giving a Vulcan style sleeper grip to the neck.
Initially the poor accents from Sandler and the supporting cast do grate, but you quickly get used to them. Hats off to Rob Scheider in his obligatory cameo as a Palestinian Farmer cum New York Taxi Driver. He manages to evoke some sympathy despite being the most annoying actor in Hollywood.
|'m going to recommend Zohan because as an Adam Sandler comedy vehicle it works perfectly. Just try to ignore the Pseudo-political message as it really misses the mark.
Just one last thing I really must vent
Mariah Carey??? WTF?
For more reviews go to www.fightrunner.co.uk
contact@fightrunner.co.uk
The Planet (2006)
The Planet
Every once in a while you stumble across a movie that takes you by surprise and this is one of them. On the surprise scale this would rate as sharing a hot tub with Jessica Alba whilst a band consisting of Elvis, Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Phil Lynott and Keith Moon play you music for the night. The reason why this film will surprise you is that for the meagre budget they had (£8,000) and that this was done by a bunch of mates who just wanted to try it out they have produced something very slick and looks easily 100 times more than its budget.
The plot is simple a crew of mercenaries carrying a dangerous prisoner through space come under attack and are forced to crash land on a nearby desolate planet. After some checks not only does the planet not exist according to star charts but they are not alone as it seems and something very unfriendly begins to pick them of one by one. It sounds like very standard Sci-Fi fare mixing elements of Aliens. Predator and Pitch Black but it takes all these and makes them into something that feels fresh and original.
The Location shooting in this is fantastic, utilising Balmeddie beach in Aberdeen to the maximum and you genuinely feel that you are one an alien world. The seemingly never ending sand dunes and clever lighting effects give it a very bleak feel , you truly think the crew are stranded on an alien world. Also the action sequences are superb, the opening assault on the freighter a great showcase of what special effects can be achieved on a budget and the firefights as well as the stunning finale all showcase the inventiveness of the film.
As for the team of mercenaries the cast excels themselves. For a low budget independent movie the casting here was done via local media outlets and they seem to have picked some possible stars for the future. Local body builder Mike Mitchell whilst not a natural actor slots into his role as the Arnie-Esq leader of the mercenaries. From the rest of the cast there are two stand out performances Patrick Wright as second in command McNeal and Scott Ironside as the rough and ready engineer Vince. Both have some the best lines in the movie and Scott injects a good bit of humour into the movie with his performance. Patrick gives a well rounded performance as the cool as ice second in command.
Director Mark Stirton can be very proud of what he has achieved and shows that Scottish cinema need not all be 'Kilts and Ceilidhs' or 'Slums and Drugs' Scottish films can be fresh, inventive and most of all a lot of god damn fun. This film is Scottish (with a north east flavour) to the core and praise to the actors and directors for keeping the accents intact which adds to the charm of the piece. Although the budget limitations show from time to time (the only fault i could find) that is to be expected. This film, its cast and crew deserve all the success they get and then some more. I for one wish Mark and his crew every success and theirs is a career to keep a very close eye on.
Rating - 9/10 The first Scottish sci-fi is bold, fresh and inventive a real triumph.
Movie reviews, news and opinion like no other plus the kick ass bi-weekly pod-casts.
www.fightrunner.co.uk
contact@fightrunner.co.uk
Constantine (2005)
Constantine
In 2005 Francis Lawerence, who most recently made I am Legend, directed an adaptation of the Hellblazer comic series simply titled Constantine. At the time there was an outcry from the fans because their comic hero's features were originally based on Sting, but Keanu Reeves was cast in the part. From then on they were already fighting a losing battle with the fans. So how does it compare otherwise?
The film's story is based around a conspiracy to invoke an ancient prophecy and release the Anti-Christ and the end of days. There are many key players in the conspiracy and not all are who they seem, subverting our ideals on Good vs Evil.
Rachel Weisz plays detective Angela Dodson, who after having a premonition of her sisters death, sets about trying to prove it wasn't suicide. Through her investigation she meets Constantine, who unveils the real world behind what we see. It soon becomes apparent that Angela has a far greater part to play in the prophecy.
Constantine and Angela must travel to the very depths of hell to stop the prophecy and fight demons of many forms and the occasional angel too.
Keanu Reeves does well to fill the Constantine character with the same level of sarcasm and wit of the comics. The film portrays him as someone who on the outside doesn't care about anyone but himself. He's killing demons to buy his way into heaven. But he is also fiercely loyal to his friends who have a nasty habit of dying. Also lifted straight from the comics.
The supporting cast are excellent too: Shia Lebouef in an early role as John's trusted yet unused sidekick. Max Baker as the Q type character who provides John with his arsenal of weapons including the Holy Knuckle Duster. Tilda Swinton impresses with her turn as the ambiguous Angel Gabriel, who may be playing both sides. But, even although he's only in it for fifteen minutes, It's Peter Stormare as Lucifer that blows the audience away. He really encapsulates the embodiment of evil perfectly, slithering and sliding around every shot hissing in Constantines ear. Dressed immaculately in white with black tattoos up and down his arms and neck. They couldn't have done it better.
The special effects in this film aren't widely remembered, but watching it again this morning I noticed that they have a lot in common with Nightwatch and Daywatch with exploding glass hanging in the air and people being pulled through walls backwards. It's well worth watching again.
For Movie Reviews, news and opinion like no other. Plus the kick ass Bi-weekly pod-cast go to www.fightrunner.co.uk
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)
Hell of a movie? Maybe not
As an avid fan of the comics and a lover of the director's (Del Torro) previous work, I was in high spirits about going to see this film after having seen all the cool previews and trailers, despite the fact that I didn't really care for the 1st film all that much.
This film sees Hellboy and the rest of the BPRD up against the Price of the Elves/Elfs I never remember which one its meant to be
should have paid attention while playing AD&D role play when I was at school I guess. The king of the
whatever wants to obtain all three parts to a golden crown that will allow him to take command of an indestructible army of golden machine warriors called the golden army. Whilst he is obtaining the parts to the crown, he draws the attention of the BPRD
and thus Hellboy and the team with the notable addition of new team member, Johann Krauss (an endoplasmic entity inside a mechanised suit) have to come kick some ass in order to prevent this.
To be honest, as soon as the film started, I thought "what the DEVIL (see what I did there?) is this?" The kid playing a young Hellboy is as cringeworthy as the young Anakin Skywalker in Episode One! From then on, I wasn't chuffed but the film did pick up at points and feel more like the comic but maybe its just me
this just wasn't Hellboy.
Don't get me wrong, I think maybe if you haven't read the comics then this film is well worth a watch
but speaking as a fan, I felt jipped. I can't actually believe that Mike Mignola (the comic author) would have let this go
mind you he was a co-writer in the 1st film. The problem with this film and indeed the 1st is that it tries to appeal to a wider demographic by dumbing down the mystical and dark brooding feel of the comics, and instead replacing it with too many jokes, slap stick humour and the worst sound track I have heard in ages! Let me get this straight for you, this is how bad it is
Hellboy and Abe (who has some how become the fish version of C3-PO) sing a love song duet over a girl Abe has only just met a few hours before hand!!! Also, Hellboy and Liz Sherman seem to have become a lovers couple
now I have read most of the books and yes, there was tension between them in the comics.
The only saving graces of this movie were the really stunning special effects, from the costume and beast designs to the snazzy and well used CGI. Also I have to say Luke Goss as the Elf price, Nuada, gives us a strong performance filled with emotion and executed perfectly
he continues to prove us all wrong as an actor. Also his martial arts skills seem to have excelled since his also impressive performance in Blade 2
For movie reviews, news and opinion like no other as well as the kick ass bi-weekly podcast check out www.fightrunner.co.uk
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
Just Let The Dead Ret
The summer movie season is drawing to a close now, all the more lacklustre popcorn movies are slithering onto the big screen ( Hell-boy 2, X Files 2 etc.) and here we have a movie that aspires to be lacklustre. Now when i heard that this was being made i asked why? the first movie was a decent piece of cinematic fluff, the second was average at best but hardly sequel worthy. Then news came the both Stephen Sommers & leading lady Rachel Weiz had seen the script and had bail-ed on the project, hardly a smooth start. So here we have it now Mummy 3 in which the O'Connell's son Alex now in his early 20's and estranged from his parents. Will he get back to loving his Mum and Dad and going round for Sunday Dinner? Do we care?.Also his parents are looking damn fine for their respective ages (it has been worked out that for the ages to work the O'Connells would had to be 14 when they conceived Alex). Anyway Alex is doing an archaeological dig in China and recovers the mummified corpse of the dragon emperor (Jet Li) and
well you know what's coming don't you?.
Emperor Rises From Dead.
Brendan Fraser utters a smart-arse one liner.
Heroes Chase Undead Emperor.
Brendan Fraser come out with a glib line Two main characters fall in love.
Brendan Fraser has a witty piece of dialogue Big CGI battle.
Brendan Fraser has a 'funny' comeback A supporting character on the goodies side dies a heroic death.
Brendan Fraser states the obvious in a humorous(less)s fashion Everyone Lives Happy ever after.
Brendan Fraser smirks with a bit of observational humor Hint at possible sequel.
Brendan Fraser ... you get the picture The End.
And therein lies the biggest fault of all The plot. It is just a carbon copy of what has come before no new elements are added in, just a change of location for our heroes. It all feels very tired and laboured as a result as if the cast are merely just going through the motions almost like a toddler reciting the times tables. The script is just an uninspired, carbon copy of what has gone before. The only bit of originality is in the O'Connells domestic difficulties (the spark has been lost from the marital bliss) which are more daytime soap opera than summer blockbuster. The whole process has a 'Do i really have to feel' and by the end you will feel the same way the O'Connells did at the start - starved of any real excitement.
This brings me to one huge bone of contention here that of the acting. The returning cast : Brendan Fraser & John Hannah are poor but then with such a poor script i can't blame them. But this in now way excuses the movies (and we all pray not the franchise's) newcomers. Maria Bello as the new Evey doesn't work, Bello puts in such a wooden performance that in any other movie would have had viewers feeling like turkeys at Christmas. But she is still not the worst!. Luke Ford as Alex O'Connell is even worse than Bello and makes Alex such an unlike able character that you question how even his parents could still love him. Still though Ford is not the worst and believe me the worst in this movie is truly dreadful. Isabella Loeng who plays Alex's love interest is truly appalling in what must be the worst acting performance this year, laugh or cry? I pray that you never have to sit through this to find out. At least Michele Yeoh does a good job with her part but then she is woefully under-used here and just a bit player.
The action scenes whilst looking decent just feel as bland and unimaginative as a 24 hour GMTV marathon, with nothing standing out as amazing or original. Overall we are in the dregs of the movie year right now and this ranks down there with the worst of them. Why the powers that be decided to try and bring this franchise back from the dead we shall never know for sure. But please Hollywood let this rest in peace now , because making this you have robbed what was an entertaining enough pair of movies of a humane death.
A dull brainless romp that should never have been.
For more reviews check out www.fightrunner.co.uk
The Cottage (2008)
Good honest fun; Severed heads and all.
A film with Jennifer Ellison from Brookie? Must be shite, eh? Maybe worth watching just for her Bazookas. Let me tell you why 'The Cottage' is more than just eye candy.
David and Peter are brothers. Peter(Reece Shearsmith from League of Gentlemen) is a neurotic, hypochondriac who wants nothing more than his brothers share of the family home. David(Andy Serkis), the bad apple, offers his half of the house, if Peter will help him with an extortion job he has planned. They kidnap a local Crime Boss' daughter Tracey(Ellison) and hold her for ransom. It quickly becomes obvious who has the upper hand in the scenario when Tracey repeatedly headbutts Peter, breaking his nose.
Paul Andrew Williams fuses two types of movie here: The first half of the film takes place almost exclusively in the titular cottage; a place in the country where they take the kidnapped girl. Featuring much bumbling as the ransom plan unravels into farce. The second half of the movie takes us into the slasher horror genre, with a Psycho killer on the loose in the surrounding countryside collecting trophy heads and storing them in his shed.
Overall, the film is a very Dark Black comedy. Making a joke out of the bloodiest, goriest deaths. It gels the two different movie styles with seamless ease and gives us the best of both worlds.
Andy Serkis continues to impress upon us the fact that he is much more than the voice of Gollum, as the loyal brother who wishes he'd never involved Peter in any of his plan. He throws a fit as he watches the disintegration of a finely made plan through the incompetence of his accomplices. Steve O'Donnell plays the gormless Andrew who is the source of much of the fury, making his spectacular, if familiar, death scene all the more rewarding.
The characters may be two dimensional stereotypes, but this film isn't about developing a conscience, it's plain all-out fun and games. Peter is the only one with an arc at all as he develops a back-bone in the final scenes. Shearsmith's face says it all as he transforms from a mouse into a man. Even Jennifer Ellison comes out of this movie with a bit of respect. Her thick Liverpool accent perfect for the abuse she hurls at her captors.
If you're looking for a chuckle and a scream while you chew your popcorn, then you'll love this. Watch out for the very long running joke about Andrew's new haircut. It'll make sense in the end.
Good honest fun; Severed heads and all.
for more reviews check out www.fightrunner.co.uk