June 02, 2008
NarniaFans.com Review
NarniaFans.com has a neat thing set up where you can submit your review of the recent Prince Caspian movie. Mine is HERE. They also ask a series of questions of you in order to survey the reaction to the movie, and to help give a rating based on your answers. Mine turned out to be 4.1 out of 5, which I would say is an accurate assessment of my feelings on the movie. Go submit your own review and come back here (in a day or so after your review has been approved) and tell me where it is and what rating you got.
May 19, 2008
Looking forward to this movie
We saw a preview for this at Prince Caspian on Friday. I love Will Smith, I love superheroes, and I love comedy, so I'm sure to like this movie.
May 16, 2008
Movie Review: Prince Caspian
My wife and I just got back from watching The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. Although taking some liberties with the book, this family friendly film was a treat to watch, with an epic score and cinematography that makes you feel a part of the action.
Director Andrew Adamson uses slow motion and close-ups to good effect. Although his actors can be a bit stiff at times, this is downplayed by the constant motion of the camera. He also has coached his stars to give his C. S. Lewis’ characters more depth of emotion than can be found in the sometimes stilted writing style of Lewis.
For instance, William Moseley (King Peter) is no longer the paladin knight that comes across in the original text. Adamson’s Peter is a boy who had once been grand, but now suffers from an inferiority complex. And who wouldn’t after becoming a great king and then returning to the life of a no name boy? The power play between Peter and Caspian, and the vulnerability that goes with it, provides a reasonable explanation for their sometime failures. Peter is much more human than Lewis’ original character.
Another character change is in Susan. No longer the virgin queen who never fights, even though gifted with bow and arrow, Susan is a warrior woman, a new Boadicea. This is an exciting, even necessary change. But this change comes with a price. In order to ramp up Susan the warrior, Adamson needed to also emphasize her femininity. He does this by creating a little crush between Susan and Caspian. Susan thereby becomes a much more sexualized character, something I thing Lewis would have abhorred. That’s not to say that Susan (played by Anna Popplewell) is some slutty character, but the costuming and a few camera shots – especially around a campfire – make sure that the men in the audience are well aware that Susan is a girl about to become a woman. I think this is detrimental to the story, and leads to an action on Susan’s part, as the four are returning home from Narnia, that is grossly out of character if somewhat sweet.
The movie as a whole is a lot darker than its predecessor The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Adamson uses more dark forest scenes, and a night sortie that emphasize how the conquering Telmarines have done damage to Narnia. This also results in more direct, obvious death, and parents wanting to avoid exposing images of violence to their children should steer clear. Still, even those deaths are relatively bloodless, and blood only really appears after battle in a few cuts and scrapes on the primary characters. If violence can be said to be safe for kids, this is probably is close as you can get, while still maintaining the epic nature of the story.
Georgie Henley continues to be a wonderful Lucy, and I will be please to see more of her in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which is already in production. Skandar Keynes’ Edmund is a more subtle and background character, Adamson perhaps deciding that because his role in the first movie was so big, he needed to take a backseat to Peter and Susan, who as any reader knows, will not return to Narnia.
There are a few plot points that I could nitpick about, but really those are the fault of the original writer, who often wasn’t sure exactly what it was he was writing. Adamson takes a tale that can often be disconnected at times and weaves it into a seamless whole. If the actions of the Telmarine nobility are suspect near the end of the film, I expect that is more Lewis’ fault that Adamson’s. Perhaps Adamson could have better emphasized the racism of the Telmarines, but perhaps it would have been too much, and would have overruled the real themes of trust, reliance on others, and hope.
Ultimately, Andrew Adamson’s second Narnia story is full of action and adventure. The characterization is clean and crisp, and the actors play their roles well.
Go see this movie! It’s clean, it’s exciting, and it’s full of adventure and heroism. Its wonderful entertainment and its creators (both old and new) deserve your vote for its quality by your ticket purchase at the box office. I think I might just go twice.
Oh, and go take this quiz on C. S. Lewis over at Mental_Floss. It's quite fun, even for a Lewisian? Lewisite? like me.
May 15, 2008
Book Review: Iron Man - Beneath the Armor by Andy Mangels
* Genre: Nonfiction, Media Tie-In, Graphic Novels
* ISBN: 0345506154
* ISBN-13: 9780345506153
* Format: Paperback, 224pp
* Publisher: Del Rey
* Pub. Date: April 2008
Sometimes reading about fictional characters can be almost as fun as reading the stories themselves. If this were not the case, there would be no controversy of the Harry Potter encyclopedia that J. K. Rowling hates so much. There would be no need to have a Star Trek or Star Wars encyclopedia (both of which I read cover to cover in high school, thrice). Such nonfiction works add to the experience of a book or series we enjoyed immensely - be on the look out for a biography of Robert Jordan in the coming years, mark my words – and nothing jump starts this phenomenon better than the movie industry.
So with the immensely successful release of the Iron Man movie a couple of weeks ago, you are certain to be able to walk into your local bookstore and find several re-printings and new volumes on this rather iconic character. Publisher Del Rey and Author Andy Mangels’ contribution is Iron Man: Beneath the Armor a retrospective look at the comic book hero from his inception up to the recent release of his first live action film, starring Robert Downey Jr.
Thoroughly researched, Mangels’ book takes us all the way back to Iron Man’s first appearance in Tales of Suspense, and looks at creator Stan Lee’s influences. From there the reader progresses through the birth of Iron Man’s own comic, the constantly shifting roles that Tony Stark/Iron Man play in the Marvel Universe. Much of this story is told from interviews that the artists and writers had given over the years, and Iron Man’s story comes to light through the eyes of his creators. Mangels then brings all of these interviews together to show the recurring theme of the Iron Man character, the concept of an ordinary man doing ordinary things. Page after page this comes through, and yet all the while we learn the strange and convoluted history of Iron Man.
Anyone familiar with the comic book hero will know that his story is one of the most complex in the Marvel universe. His comic book was killed and brought back numerous times, had occasions where only four books were produced in a year, and even grew from a more kid-friendly character to an angst and guilt ridden adult one. Mangels skillfully shows all the various incarnations of Iron Man and deftly explains the whys and wherefores of the various directions the Iron Man comic has taken.
I had always wondered why comic book characters would appear in other comics, or would have side stories unrelated to the original. Ever wonder why the TV character you loved to watch as a kid bares only superficial resemblance to the character of today? Or why Iron Man’s back story changed so many times? This all is explained in Iron Man: Beneath the Armor in an engaging manner. Even those readers unfamiliar with the comic will learn about how the comic book industry works in this work. But Mangels doesn’t bog the reader down in excessive facts.
This glossy, full color book does have some difficulties. Some of the quotes that Mangels’ chooses to help us understand the character of Tony Stark/Iron Man can tend to keep ringing the same bell, even when coming from different people. This can feel repetitious. The watermarking that the book uses can also be distracting. Some of the text is overlaid on top of a picture or design, but the designs were not made subtle enough, resulting in some of the words fading into the background. This causes the reader to have to peer closely at the words, causing an uncomfortable squint, which hurts after a while.
Iron Man: Beneath the Armor also has extensive character profiles (almost a full quarter of the book) which are very helpful, especially in understanding the evolutions of the characters. Anyone researching the characters will find these useful. They are also just fun to read, much like when we read a biography of a famous celebrity. We feel closer to the character and that much more connected to their story.
As a supplement to the movie, Iron Man: Beneath the Armor is superb. As a work in its own right, it is extremely helpful in understanding the comic book industry by examining the permutations of the character of Iron Man. All Iron Man fans need to add it to their library, collectors should use it as a resource for identifying missing issues, artists will learn about the re-envisioning common to comic books, and writers will learn about how even the most established character can be taken in new directions. I highly recommend Iron Man: Beneath the Armor by Andy Mangels as a visual and intellectual feast.
Share:
May 09, 2008
Movie Review: Iron Man
The wife and I went last night to see Iron Man. I once was an occasional reader of the comic book. Such things were not approved of in my parent’s house, more for the expense than the subject matter, when the library starting having subscriptions I read it a lot more. This meant I sort of read Iron Man rather piecemeal as issues were returned, or I was forced to skip those issues that were not returned or replaced. (Maybe that’s a good deed opportunity for Marvel?)
We, I have to say, enjoyed the movie immensely. I generally do not like blockbuster hits (The movie grossed nearly $100 million in box office receipts in its first weekend; I heard that was some kind of record.) The visual effects were amazing, and there was no clunky integration of CGI and real life. Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jeff Bridges gave excellent performances, and each was perfectly picked for the role. Jon Favreau’s directing was neat and clean, with no extra scenes for explanation or political agenda purposes.
Iron Man’s terrorists are really bad guys, and the story doesn’t shy away from depicting evil as evil. When Iron Man destroys them and their weapons, you cheer for this hero who wants to fix what he broke. Favreau could have taken the opportunity to use the weapons-maker-turns-conscientious-citizen story to make a political statement, but he doesn’t. Sure, we see how weapons getting into the wrong hands can cause a lot of problems, but we also find out that it was not the manufacture of such that was the problem, but the greed of certain individuals. Truly, if Favreau feels one way or another about the politics of weapons manufacture, it doesn’t come through the screen. And that is as it should be. Superhero tales should entertain, not try and convince us to agree with certain principles, except perhaps for the universal ones of heroism, friendship, freedom and patriotism. I think there are very few who would think those were bad things to desire.
Robert Downey Jr. must draw on his own experience with making a turnaround in one’s life to create the emotions of the character of Tony Stark/Iron Man. Stark’s epiphany is believable and energizing for the viewer. Downey Jr. makes us believe that people can change their behaviors away from self destructive to positive.
Both my wife and I commented on how Gwyneth Paltrow is perfect with reddish hair. My experience with her as an actress is usually depicting strong female leads, whose personalities are nothing like Pepper Pots. But Paltrow gives an excellent performance as the demure, loving-Stark-from-afar, woman. Yet her character is not melodramatic, but efficient and caring. It’s an odd juxtaposition, as we normally do not associate one with the other, by Paltrow makes it happen with skill and grace. My hope is that the sequel (and of course there will be one) will retain her as Ms. Potts.
I also find it interesting that Favreau was able to do so much with so few settings. In particular, the cave and Stark’s workshop. Tony Stark spends a great deal of time in these settings during the movie, but it never gets dry or boring. Yet you would think you would. I mean we return to Stark’s workshop so many times, you would think Favreau would run out of ways to change camera angles. Yet somehow it works. This is first superhero movie in the recent revival of them where I felt that the “lair” of the superhero was really a useful place, and not some melodramatic tool.
I’m actually not qualified to speak to whether it follows the original stories closely enough. I will say this, from my occasional reading of the comics; it seems that the movie really has little difference from the printed matter, except to update the technology and bad guys to reflect the real world political situation. That isn’t much different from setting Spider-Man in NYC. The essence of the story and the characters remains the similar, if no the same, so to the casual viewer, or even the reader of Iron Man the story retains all that makes it great.
I highly recommend everyone go see Iron Man if you haven’t already. Stay till after the credits for a surprise visit from a well-known actor, and a little promo for what can only be a sequel.
April 30, 2008
Interview with Michael Flaherty, President of Walden Media
Read this interesting interview (Part 1; Part 2) with the president of Walden Media, Michael Flaherty. Walden is the company producing the new Prince Caspian movie, set to release in mid-May.
HT: Mr. DawnTreader
Share:
April 19, 2008
How Lost lost me
The love affair is over. After watching the first two seasons, I’ve decided that the Lost TV show is not for me. I don’t think I will be watching it anymore.
You are probably asking why? Lost is so awesome!
Well, I disagree.
First, some background. My wife and I do not subscribe to cable service, nor do we watch network TV over broadcast. We hated wasting time with commercials, and since Netflix and Blockbuster carry TV shows in their repertoire, we ended up saving money and time. My extended family became big Lost fans, so when they purchased the seasons on DVD, I was able to borrow them for free.
Now onto my reasons why Lost has lost me as a viewer. (Don‘t think I made this decision lightly because it cost me nothing, I did like Lost very much in the beginning, and I made it through two whole seasons after all.)
I enjoyed Lost a lot when it was the story of people stuck on an abandoned island, forced to forage in order to survive. But even in the first season, this Robinson Crusoe style need to survive wasn’t enough for the producers and writers. So they added in the strange happenings on the island. Okay, that was pretty cool, especially with all the strange noises and the weird thing with the polar bear. That was fascinating stuff and added a great air of mystery to the whole show.
But I’m a little off track, so let’s return. I liked the idea of the people having to survive on a deserted island. Robinson Crusoe is one of all my all time favorite books, alongside The Count of Monte Cristo. Lost glosses over this. Think back to when you watched it the first time. Do you remember the people really having to work hard to find food? Oh, I know, it was mentioned, and Locke did some hunting, but he always managed to come back with food. In all, I just felt that the basics of survival (food, clothing, shelter) and the struggle to get them was glossed over and made much too easy for the characters.
Second Reason. To be honest, this long, dragged out questions about the nature of the island and the various groups living on it has simply gotten annoying. There are too many questions without answers, and when more questions get piled on top, you lose track of the original questions. This is an annoyance for me. Obviously there is a reason behind what the directors and writers are doing, but I don’t want to go through the hassle of getting there. Sorry, it is too much. The air of mystery is wearing thin, and honestly, it is time to give it a bit more oxygen.
Finally, the characters are becoming less and less interesting. They are not growing or changing in any significant way, and to me they are becoming less and less three-dimensional and more and more caricatures. (Yes, even with the flashbacks.) It can be argued that people like Sawyer, Jack, Charlie, and Locke have all been changed in significant ways (for better or worse), and there is a valid argument. But honestly, even after two seasons, I’m still not convinced that if these people were dropped back into their real lives that they would act differently. I think that they are simply acting as circumstances dictate. Compelling characters require real, substantive change and Lost just doesn’t have that, at least not yet.
Feel free to disagree with my position. I am open to being convinced to go back and watch Season 3. My brother has lent it to me and my wife (who really wants to watch it, but to whom I have said feel free to do so without me, something she is unlikely to do. If she asks, I will watch it with her though, but she hasn’t asked) so I could watch it at any time.
At this point, though, I just feel that I would be better entertained by a good book, Law and Order reruns, or some other TV show. (Perhaps Battlestar Galactica or The Sarah Connor Chronicles?)
February 22, 2008
January 30, 2008
Tor Announces Wizard's First Rule Weekly Series
Sam Raimi and ABC are teamin up to bring a weekly series based on Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind. View the announcement here. The 22 episode series will begin broadcast in Fall 2008. I'm interested to see what they do with it.
Wizard's First Rule was probably the best of the Sword of Truth series. I've got Confessor on my TBR pile, so I'll be finishing up the story just as the TV series gets ramped up. I won't watch it when it comes out due to my lack of cable or broadcast TV, but as soon as it moves to DVD you can be sure I will watch it.
What about you? Watch or not watch? Hate Terry Goodkind or love?
On another note, who would you like to play the roles of Richard, Kahlan, Zedd or Darken Rahl?
September 13, 2007
Movie Review: The Whole Wide World
Director: Dan Ireland
Cast: Vincent D'Onofrio, Renée Zellweger, Ann Wedgeworth, Harve Presnell
DVD Release: 07/29/2003
Original Release: 1996
Rating: Rated PG
UPC: 043396100459
Source: SONY PICTURES
Last night brought a pleasant surprise for me. My wife, in her Netflix meanderings, came across a small, low budget, but well directed film starring Renée Zellwegger (Chicago) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Law and Order: Criminal Intent) called The Whole Wide World (IMDB). The film is based on a memoir written by a woman named Novalyne Price. Rated PG, the film is filled with swearing, but has no sex scenes and one of the best cinematic kisses ever. The reason I mention it here, and want to talk about a movie, when I usually talk about books, is the subject matter.
Novalyne Price was from Texas, and in 1933 was a teacher at the school in Cross Plains. That’s not the interesting part. Novalyne was an aspiring writer, who discovered that in her town existed a man who had successfully sold many stories to many of the pulps. That man was none other than Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan the Barbarian and grandfather of the many sword and sorcery novels that fill bookshelves today. I was shocked that Hollywood had made such a movie. Directed by Dan Ireland, the film is a love story, and is classified as a romance.
Novalyne and Bob circle each other. What begins as Novalyne’s attempt to improve her writing moves into a friendship and progresses into love. But the trouble and conflict come from Howard’s extreme attachment to his ailing mother, and his stereotypical writer’s moods. Socially awkward and inept, unattractive and opinionated, Howard has few friends and no graces. Yet he is brilliant, an adept writer, who is very successful. Novalyne finds herself attracted to this beguiling man, who always insists that he walks alone. Although not without struggles. At one point Novalyne really rips into Howard and his opinions, "Well, yeah, that's right, thanks indeed, thank God! If it wasn't for teachers like me, there would be more individuals like you, socially inept, hatin the world, prattlin off pompous ideas that no one wants to hear in the first place. Bob Howard, if you do not take some initiative you are going to end up a miserable old man, sittin at home with no friends and no life. And another thing! Don't you ever EVER imply that I do not know how to teach, because then you really are talking about something that you know nothing about. Now why don't you run on home, your momma's waitin for you."
The film, scored by Hans Zimmer and Harry Gregson-Williams, is really a slice of life in 1930’s Texas. Not long out of the Great Depression, this story of love and life vividly portrays the rural life. Vincent D’Onofrio’s portrayal of Robert E. Howard is filled with vibrancy and zeal. His descriptions of the character and stories of Conan, with a fantasy sounding score in the background (even including swords clashing) draw the viewer in to the point that Conan becomes a very real person. The contrast between the personalities of Conan and Howard himself are striking, and one can see why Howard loved to write so much, or “spin his yarns” as he liked to call them.
It was neat to see the story of a genre writer so elegantly and lovingly portrayed. All the great writers get their biographical movies, but, except to us pulp or fantasy genre fans, Robert E. Howard is really an unknown. If you are married, your wife will likely enjoy the love story between Novalyne and Robert, although it is a sad story and does not end well. (Howard committed suicide at the height of his career, probably because he believed that "To make life worth living a man or woman has to have a great love or a great cause... I have neither.")
For the fantasy lover, the descriptions of Howard’s writing process, the character of Conan, and his unashamed writing style make watching this movie very worthwhile. You will see a glimpse of the last year's of Howard's life, and understand the life and world that drove him to write the stories he did. The Whole Wide World is a surprising film, unexpected and enjoyable.
If you don't mind spoilers, watch these clips of the movie set to the music of The Decemberists' "Engine Driver".
Share:
