Sunday, April 18, 2004
KILL BILL VOL. 2
Okay, so I saw Kill Bill Vol. 2 today. Went in thinking this movie would blow me away, and it does, but in a different way than I expected. Ya' see, in martial arts, there are two sides - the hard and the soft. For example, sparring would be the hard. Kata or tai' chi would be the soft. But you need both. Without the katas, you wouldn't have a foundation to draw from when you're sparring, etc. Kill Bill is no different. Vol. 1 was the hard, an almost non-stop action ride with a cup overflowing with violence. Volume 2 is the soft.
In a way, that almost seems like a disappointment, but it's not. Everyone is saying that the two movies stand alone just fine, but I feel that they are two necessary halves that belong together, and I really can't wait until Volume 2 is out on DVD so I can sit down and watch this movie as it should be watched - as one film. Volume 1 was an shot of adrenaline to the heart. Volume 2 works more on the brain. It's got more drama to it, and more backstory (which should appease those people who thought Volume 1 was simplistic and lacked a real story - which is bullshit, by the way). We find out more about The Bride's history with Bill. Who Bill is. And why he tried to kill her. His reasons may not be acceptable, but they are understandable, if you "get" his character. And you do. Because David Carradine turns in an amazing performance here as Bill. Fucking amazing. It makes you wonder why this guy hasn't starred in any movies for the past couple of decades. It's not from lack of talent. A lot of guys from my generation remember him as Caine from the old TV show Kung Fu. That's become a cult show since, and it was pretty unique in the history of television. But I dare say that Carradine's performance here not only outdoes his stint as Caine. It's easily the best character he's ever played.
Bill is a murdering bastard, but he's honest about it. He doesn't pretend to be what he is not. If there's anything more to him than that, then Uma Thurman's Bride is probably the only person who ever got a glimpse of that other side of his personality. Their scenes together are intensely watchable and will keep you riveted to your seat. A speech Bill gives about Superman in particular is simply perfect. It's Tarantino's dialogue at its best. In fact, Bill has all the best lines in this movie.
Last time around, the Bride killed half the people on her "to do" list. This time she confronts the final two assassins, Michael Madsen's Budd (aka Sidewinder) and Darryl Hannah's Elle Driver (aka California Mountain Snake). The action isn't as amazing as Volume 1, but Uma's fight with Darryl is pretty damn good. Madsen on the other hand is sneakier. He left the killing business a long time ago and has become a shadow of his former self. He knows he probably won't win in a direct confrontation with the Bride. But he still has a few tricks up his sleeve.
While these last two killers are an important part of the story, and it is exciting to see what happens to them (how the Bride finally deals with Hannah's character is particularly poetic), they're secondary in comparison to the final showdown between the Bride and Bill. This really is their movie.
When they finally do have their showdown, there are some surprises in store, and some great speeches by Carradine. It's actually surprisingly simple for the Bride to find Bill, once she's crossed everyone else off the list. But then again, Bill doesn't avoid her. When she comes, he's waiting. And he certainly is not unprepared.
There are more homages to old Chinese, Japanese and American grindhouse movies of the 70's (as well as old TV shows) this time around. One flashblack to the Bride's training under Master Pai Mei is particularly enjoyable, featuring Gordon Lui (who also played the bald Crazy 88's leader Johnny Mo in Volume 1, as well as being a staple of tons of Chinese martial arts films of the 70's and 80's). His bearded master who seems to be an almost supernatural entity is fascinating as well as being pretty funny. There are some interesting uses of music and camera angles too. Some scenes are in black and white, others are in color. It's all affective. There isn't one false note in the entire movie. It's perfect. But I still maintain that Volume 1 was perfect, too. They're actually different movies in a lot of ways. And yet, the whole hard and soft thing applies. You may be able to watch one without seeing the other - but when you've seen them both, the riches are abundant.
Go see this movie in theaters. Rent or buy Volume 1 on DVD or video. But just fucking see them. With both parts together as one, Kill Bill is one of the greatest movies ever made. And it deserves to be seen.
So what the fuck are you waiting for?
Saturday, April 17, 2004
PUNISHER - STRIKE TWO!
Well, I went to see The Punisher tonight. Went in with very low expectations, and while I'll admit it isn't the worst movie I've ever seen, it definitely could have used some improvements.
When we first see Frank Castle, he's got blonde hair and a fake German accent. Turns out Frank is an undercover cop. (This shit wasn't in the comics!) When he wraps up his latest assignment, catching some bad guys out to buy guns, we find out this is his last day on the job. Frank is retiring. He then takes his family to Puerto Rico for some big family reunion get-together which includes family partiarch Roy Scheider. But it turns out that during Castle's last bust, some bullets were flying and one of the casualties was the son of Howard Saint (John Travolta), a big crime kingpin in Tampa. Saint then finds out Castle was responsible and sends a cadre of hitmen to Puerto Rico to wipe out the whole Castle family - mom, dad, cousins, etc., as well as Frank's wife and son. When everyone is wiped out except ol' Frank, he lives only for revenge.
What the fuck?? Y'see when they made the last Punisher movie with Dolph Lungren in the role, they did a good job of fucking up his origin then too. That time he was a cop whose partner got killed by a car bomb and then he went out for revenge. The thing that bugs me is that Frank Castle has one of the most dramatic origins in comics. It doesn't need tweaking or any of that bullshit. You could film it as is and it would work just fine.
In the comics, recently returned Viet Nam vet Frank Castle is in Central Park with his wife and kids having a picnic. At one point, his kids (and I remember it being a son AND a daughter) are playing and stumble upon a gangland slaying. The gangsters kill them to shut them up, and then kill Frank's wife when she stumbles upon them too. This drives Frank Castle bugfuck and he becomes intent on killing every criminal he comes upon, figuring that if he wipes them all out, he's bound to get the fucks who killed his family.
No undercover cops. No murdered partners. No big family reunions in Puerto Rico. None of that shit. Just a pure, straightforward, tragic origin story. Why the fuck can't anyone just leave it the fuck alone?
Another aspect that bugged me about his origin in the new movie is after Saint's minions kill off Frank's family, they shoot him in the chest and blow up the dock he's on. With a chest wound at point blank range, there's a slim chance he'd make it. But the explosion throws him into the sea and he's found by a guy who is suggested to be some kind of voodoo witch doctor or something who says "I'll nurse you back to health." Since Castle should have died at this point, and he doesn't, it is very subtley implied that there's some kind of magic at work here. Castle is a resurrected man. And that's just mystical bullshit that has nothing to do with the comics.
Speaking of the comics. Some brief history. The Punisher started out as a Spider-Man villain in the 70's. Then a landmark miniseries by writer Steven Grant and artist Mike Zeck. which mostly revolved around Frank Castle in prison, solidified the character and set the stage for the anti-hero we know today. The reason why Castle was so controversial in comics was that he was part of the Marvel Universe, yet he had no superpowers. He only had two things. Lots and lots of guns. And a psychotic obsession to kill every criminal he comes across. In a genre where most heroes had moral codes that prevented them from taking a life, Castle chucked all that shit and sought justice with guns blazing. In comics, this was a big deal and was the dawn of the "gray area" of the anti-hero, after decades of clear cut good guys and bad guys. (Note: the Punisher wasn't the only hero at the time to stir up debate. Another character who courted controversy was Wolverine, who early on didn't hesitate to kill with those claws of his - but the more popular he and the X-Men became over the years, the less lethal he became, until he was neutered enough to refer to himself as "the ol' Canucklehead."). However, when you bring Castle to the big screen, the comics baggage doesn't translate, and he's just another action-movie vigilante character. What this movie needed was more of the mercilessness and gallows humor of the comics. There are a few scenes where the violence gets graphic, but they're too few and far between. And I'm talking one-on-one, messy violence. Explosions and car crashes just don't cut it anymore.
Now to the nuts and bolts. First off - Thomas Jane. He'd been in a few movies before this but this is his first big starring role. I thought the guy was a wimp and totally wrong for the role. Well, he's not that bad. Obviously he bulked up for the role, and he's got the stoic thing down. Thing is, while he's kinda convincing as a tough guy, he lacks the scary quality that Frank Castle should have. This guy should scare the shit out of the bad guys. He's a big, intimidating guy. Thomas Jane lacks these qualities. But tough and stoic will have to do. I still think Chris Meloni would have been perfect for the role. He was scary as fuck as Keller on the HBO show OZ, and could easily have translated that into Frank Castle. Jane's acting is okay, although some of his lines are kinda hokey, and elicit inintentional laughs. You can tell they want the Punisher to be the next Terminator franchise, and they try to give him some catch phrases. But it seems forced.
I was actually dreading Travolta's performance - he does have a tendency to be a ham at times - but he underplays it here, which is kind of interesting. The thing is, though, his character is pretty dull. You don't give a fuck about him, and he's not menacing enough to be a worthy adversary for the Punisher. He just isn't a scary bad guy in this movie. The rest of the cast is so-so. There's Rebecca Romaijn-Stamos (soon to be sans Stamos) as a woman who lives in Castle's apartment building (at one point an abusive boyfriend comes calling and Castle teaches him some manners). Her role isn't very big though. And there's two comic relief characters who also live in the building, a fat guy who loves to cook and sing opera and a computer geek who has tons of piercings. I was hoping one of them would turn out to be Micro, a hacker sidekick of Castle's in the comics, but no such luck. The two of them aren't much help at all in fact. These three become Castle's surrogate family of sorts. They're mildly interesting, but not enough to justify why they're in the script.
Which brings us to the script. The weakest link in the movie. This script is just lame. Mediocre tripe. Thomas Jane tries to give it his all as the Punisher, but he's undermined by bad dialogue, manipulative orchestral music on the soundtrack that just plain sucks, and the lack of a credible villain. The only scene in the movie at all that lived up to the comics is when Travolta's character hires "The Russian" to do Frank in. "The Russian" is actually a character from the comics and is basically a huge guy who is nearly indestructible. When he shows up, he mops up the place with Frank, even smashing them both through the walls, etc. Only in this scene do we get a glimpse of how good the movie could have been with better writers and some insight into why the Punisher is such an interesting comics character. (Another unrelated scene concerning torture using a popsicle and a burning steak was also kinda funny).
If I had to grade this thing, I'd give it a C. Maybe a C+ for the Russian. And Thomas Jane does a (barely) passable imitation of the most merciless man in comics. Too bad he wasn't a little more vicious and unrelenting. But he's floundering in a sea of weak script here, and I can't say this is much of an improvement over the last Punisher movie. Hollywood just can't get it right. If someone like Quentin Tarantino was given the chance to make a movie of the Punisher - it would probably knock you out of your seat. But instead, its given to amateurs who don't know what they're doing. Typical.
Speaking of Tarantino, I hope to rinse the taste of this misfire out of my mouth soon when I go see Kill Bill Vol. 2. Now that sounds like the kind of violent, exciting action movie that the Punisher should have strived more to be like.
Oh, and before the Punisher movie, they showed the trailer for Spider-Man 2. I've got to admit, it looks pretty decent. That's because it's got a well-cast star (Tobey Maguire is perfect as Peter Parker) and a director who likes comics and knows what the fuck he's doing (Sam Raimi). Of particular note is Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus. I always thought Doc Ock was kind of a hokey villain in the comics - like a nerd with robot arms attached to him - but Molina actually looks pretty cool, and the metallic arms are almost scary-looking, like high-tech surgery implements. I'm actually looking forward to seeing this. But when the fuck is Venom going to be the bad guy in one of these sequels?
Thursday, April 15, 2004
COMING SOON
Well, two new movies of interest coming out this week. Kill Bill Volume 2 and The Punisher. I'm going to avoid reading any reviews beforehand for these two - for totally different reasons.
Since I totally loved Kill Bill Vol. 1, it's probably a pretty safe bet that I'm going to love Vol. 2 as well, but I don't care what any critics say about it, and I don't want to read any potential spoilers. This movie is a big enough deal that I don't want to be tainted before I go in. I don't want to know what's going to happen before I see it. I want to go in there fresh and just enjoy the fucking thing.
As for The Punisher - I've been a fan of this Marvel Comics character for at least 20 years now. Might just be my favorite comics character. But I don't have really high hopes for the movie. I still am not sold on Thomas Jane - even in the commercial for it he still looks kinda wimpy for my tastes - and the idea that John Travolta might ham it up as the villain just totally bums me out. So I'm going in there with low expecations. And if it's a decent movie, I'll be happily surprised. I plan to give it a fair shake, though. But they made a movie about Ol' Pun before with Dolph Lungren and got it all wrong. Let's hope this new one is at least more faithful to the comics. Besides, unless a critic is a comic book fan who digs the Punisher - his or her opinion won't mean much to me.
Needless to say, when I see these flicks, I'll write about them here. In the meantime...
Infernally Yours,
LLS
Monday, April 12, 2004
I saw Lars von Trier's new flick, Dogville, this weekend, and I loved it. Pretty amazing considering that it is 3 hours long and takes place on a weird sound stage meant to signify a small town in the mountains. Instead of houses and scenery, it's a blank stage with words and lines stenciled onto it signifying each family's residence. While this is a little disconcerting at first, you get used to it as the story unfolds. Dogville is a poor, isolated town of maybe two dozen people, pretty much isolated from the outside world. Into this place comes Nicole Kidman as a woman on the run from gangsters. The townspeople are hesitant to help her, but a young local guy who considers himself the town philosopher talks them into giving her sanctuary (he obviously has motives of his own involving the gorgeous refugee). In exchange for their help, the woman agrees to help everyone out with chores. At first the people tell her there's nothing for her to do, but as the days go on, they accept her offer of help, and then demand more and more from her in payment for her protection from the outside world.
The people's demands get more vicious, until Kidman's character is little more than a slave. It's an interesting illustration of how even a little power can corrupt, and I absolutely dug the ending. Although this is not going be to a movie everyone would love. It's ballsy and more than a little disturbing. But I really dig movies that make you think - and this is one you'll be talking (and thinking) about long after it's over.
Despite the length, I really didn't find it boring, and there wasn't much in it that was unnecessary. In many ways it was like going to see a play. Albeit a very controversial one. There are a lot of people who will hate this movie. But if you've seen von Trier's other movies, you'll know what to expect. He's one of the few subversive filmmakers working today, and his point of view is a breath of fresh air. So if you're into more challenging cinema, Dogville might be worth your time.
Sunday, April 11, 2004
TV ROUND-UP PART 2
Continuing my analysis of TV shows worth checking out, another good show on Showtime is The L-Word. It's about a group of friends who just happen to be lesbians, and it’s got a really strong cast. The first few episodes I had a mixed reaction to it, but it definitely grew on me as it went along. These are characters that you care about and who you want to tune in for each week. They include a busy museum curator (Jennifer Beals) who wants to show a controversial exhibit; her lover Tina, who is trying to have a baby; Shane, the androgynous female James Dean of the group (who might just be my favorite for some odd reason), and a closeted tennis pro who just came out of the closet. Even Pam Grier is here as Jennifer Beals’ sister Kitt.
The first season just came to an end tonight, but it will be back again next season. In the meantime, Showtime will probably be showing reruns.
Comedy Central has also been turning out some good shows lately. South Park's newest season began a few weeks ago, and the new episodes have been especially good so far, including one where they take on Mel Gibson’s Passion. Never ones to shy away from controversy, Matt and Trey show they still have what it takes. South Park hasn’t lost any of its edge or relevancy, whether or not it’s the big hit it once was.
My only regret is that a new South Park "season" usually amounts to no more than 9 new episodes every blue moon. I sure wish they'd churn out more episodes than that. As soon as it starts getting good, it comes to an end.
Another terrific Comedy Central show is Chappelle’s Show. This is Dave Chappelle’s second season, and so far it’s even better than the first. This might just be my favorite comedy show on television these days. It’s everything most tv comedy isn’t – edgy, gutsy, and funny as hell. Chappelle reminds me of Richard Pryor at his prime, and he isn’t afraid to push the envelope to the breaking point. There used to be a wave of great comedy like this, the original Saturday Night Live comes to mind, as does the short-lived Richard Pryor Show that NBC yanked after only 11 episodes in the 70’s. TV comedies, aside from anomalies like South Park, have been very safe for a long time now. Chappelle is one comic who isn’t afraid to take risks, and it’s been paying off big time this season with lots of laughs.
Over at the Sci-Fi Channel, there’s one more show I want to mention. It’s a reality show called Mad, Mad House. Now normally I wouldn’t be pushing reality shows, on the whole they are pretty crappy (although I’ve got to admit, I always get suckered in Survivor each season – I guess it's a guilty pleasure of mine - but it's also the cream of the reality crop). Mad, Mad House is about a group of people who have to share a house with "The Alts," a group of “alternative lifestyle” types which includes a wiccan, a “modern primitive”, a guy who thinks he’s a vampire, a voodoo priestess and a naturist (who seems to be a cross between a nudist and a conservationist). The Alts are an interesting group and it’s up to them who leaves the house and who stays in the running for a $100,000 prize. So far it’s been extremely watchable, partly because the contestants for the most part are complete idiots, but also because the Alts are just so damn interesting. My favorites are the modern primitive, Art, who is the most sincere and gentle person of the bunch, but who looks the most extreme since he covered in tattoos and piercings. And Don, the vampire, who is just so out there even his fellow Alts have a problem with him. And witch Fiona is pretty damn nice to look at. Heh heh. It’s one of the better reality shows on right now.
So that ends our journey around the remote for now. I wonder if next season will bring anything worth talking about...
Saturday, April 03, 2004
TV ROUND-UP - PART 1
Haven’t talked about television in awhile, so I figured I’d do an update on interesting stuff around the remote.
The Networks
Not a lot worth talking about here. This is Angel’s last season, yet the show hasn’t been on for more than a month to make way for Smallville reruns (what the fuck is that about?), and NYPD Blue ends next season. That means I won’t be watching much network tv anymore, unless they come out with any really good new shows next season, which is doubtful. I still think Scrubs is one of the most underrated shows on tv though, but I guess it’s doing well enough to come back for another season. John C. McGinley (who was also amazing as the psycho in the tv miniseries of Dean Koontz’s Intensity) totally rocks as Dr. Cox. And so does the rest of the cast.
And, while not a network show, FX’s The Shield is finally back. The season just started, but it’s always a treat to watch the exploits of Vic Mackie and his strike team.
CABLE
The latest HBO show of interest is Deadwood, a western by NYPD Blue creator David Milch. Since NYPD always pushes the boundaries on network TV, it only seems natural that Milch would come to HBO, where there are fewer restrictions and he can really cut loose. Deadwood is the west as it was: gritty, lawless, and merciless. Deadwood is a town on Indian land, so it is not under the jurisdiction of the US government. So they can do whatever the fuck they want. And they do. Murders happen just about daily. All of the women in town (except for one, as far as I can tell) seem to be working in the brothel. And the bullets and the “fucks” fly with wild abandon. Only saw two episodes so far, and it’s starting out a little slow, but this show has a lot of promise. I’m really partial to gritty westerns, so I’ll keep watching. I hear it just gets better and better as it goes along. Standouts include the always reliable Keith Carradine (probably the most talented of the Carradine boys) as "Wild Bill" Hicock, down on his luck in this frontier town, and Ian McShane as the town’s boss and all around villain, Mr. Swearagan. I’ll probably write more about this show when it’s been on awhile longer.
And The Sopranos are back after over a year! It’s too early to tell if this is going to be a killer season (last season, while still the same high quality product, had some ups and downs), but there are some really interesting additions to the cast this year. First off is Steve Buscemi, who is just a great fucking actor. The guy’s been in everything from Reservoir Dogs (where he played Mr. Pink) to Ghost World and he’s become something of an icon in independent movies. Also check out the movies he directed: Trees Lounge and the prison drama, The Animal Factory. Buscemi is one of my faves, and to see him join the cast really gave me hope that this season might be one of the best. Buscemi plays Tony’s cousin. As boys they were the best of friends, then Buscemi’s character (also named Tony) went to prison for awhile. He just got out and Tony wants him to come back into the “family business.” But Buscemi just wants to go straight and become a massage therapist. This creates for some funny conflicts.
Also aboard this season is Robert Loggia as Feech, another old-time gangster recently released from prison. You might remember him from gangster roles in movies like Innocent Blood or David Lynch’s Lost Highway. He seems like a natural for The Sopranos and right away he’s causing trouble, getting in beefs with Paulie Walnuts. You can tell this storyline is going to end in a messy way. But he sure is fun to watch.
Speaking of “family business,” one of my favorite shows on cable these days is Showtime’s Family Business, a reality show about the life of Adam Glasser, who also happens to be known as Seymour Butts, adult film director, producer and sometimes star. The workings of the porn industry are always fascinating, and Seymour gives us an insiders view of it all. Also along for the ride are his mother Lila (who runs the financial part of the business) and perennial fuck-up Cousin Stevie, who manages the other internal operations I guess. It’s hard to tell since Stevie seems to avoid work as much as he can and prefers to get manicures and lap dances when he’s supposed to be working.
We also get a glimpse of Glasser’s personal life, including time he spends with his son Brady, and his search for a soul-mate, which is difficult given his x-rated profession.
This show works because the people are so likeable. Glasser/Butts seems like a down-to-earth, personable, totally likeable guy who you relate to right away. He’s not some sleazy old guy drooling as he watches porn tapes. He just seems like an average guy, who just happens to have an interesting line of work. Lila is also likeable, constantly trying to set Adam up on blind dates, and she’s pretty much a free spirit, not only accepting what her son does for a living, but actually being part of the business as well.
Cousin Stevie, on the other hand, comes off at times like an idiot and a fuck-up. But that also makes him the most interesting character, and you can’t wait to see what he’s going to do next. Stevie is very likeable too, but he’s very lazy and impatient, and that makes him the comedy relief of the show. Man is this guy fun to watch.
We also get visits from various “adult film stars,” from Nikki Nova to to Herschel Savage (who also wants to be a stand-up comic, who knew?).
All in all, a fascinating and funny show about the porn industry. If you can, check this show out. It’s on Friday nights at 11pm.
Another funny Showtime show is Penn & Teller’s BULLSHIT. I’ve been a P&T fan for many years now (if you’ve never seen the movie Penn & Teller Get Killed, you should rent it sometime. It’s a dark, weird little flick that’s probably become a cult film by now). The premise of this show is, like magician/debunker Harry Houdini before them, Penn & Teller take on some organization or popular trend and rip them a new asshole. "Victims" of their wit have included PETA, radical Environmentalists and psychic healers. They always have all their facts ready, do plenty of research, and often leave their subjects stammering to answer tough questions. It’s smart and it’s funny. Who knew you could combine the two? Haha.
TO BE CONTINUED
