Worf101
11-02-2009, 06:06 AM
Been hunkering down after some hectic weeks did a bit of movie watchin'.
"Aftro Samurai" - "B" - A manga offering from Gonzo tells the story of a black samurai in a post apocalyptic world where killers/martial artists vie for the coveted "Number One" head band. After his father is killed for it, the young Samurai goes on a life long quest to avenge his dad and claim the band. As simplistic as this sounds it is not, there are many questions raised and discussed about violence, death, life and murder that send this beyond the realm of the ordinary. Samuel L. Jackson is the voice of the Samurai and his "alter ego". Considering the difficulties in following Manga sometimes, the video was fine but not pristine. This blu-ray disc didn't knock my socks off but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
"The Counterfiters" - B - This "true" story tells the little known tale of Jewish counterfiters forced to help the Nazis create and reproduce perfect copies of the British Pound note and the U.S. Dollar. Karl Markovics is brilliant as Sally Sorowitsch, the "Europes finest counterfiter" and all around low dirt heel, who's captured by the Nazi fo the crime in 1938 and manages to survive in the camps by his wits, grit and will and by always giving the Nazis what they want, even when they don't know they want it.
His foil is not a Nazi but another prisoner named Burger who exhorts Markovics and the others to delay and sabatoge their work to help bring about the downfall of the Nazi. The biggest problem I found with this film was the Burger character, who after having lost his wife in Auswitz is now willing to sacrifice his life and the others in a vain attempt to halt the Nazis. Problem is, the REAL LIFE Burger advised the film and wrote the book, who's left alive to say what is role REALLY was and who was the hero and who was a scoundrel.
The film was beautifully shot and looks and sounds stunning, except that the hand held digital portions of the filming don't hold up well under BR scrutiny.
"The Watchmen" - A-Minus - A fan of the books I was underwhelmed by this film in the Theatres, I felt it was too short, failed to deliver on the character development necessary. After viewing this film in detail I feel, as others have said, that over time many will come to see this as the masterpiece it is. The finest "non-superhero" superhero movie ever made.
This film also has the distinction of being, the FIRST Blu-Ray disc I've ever seen that makes me think the format was worth the extra money. This film is visually stunning. I was mesmerized watching it and it will be the first, and maybe the last, Blu-Ray disc I'll ever purchase, but I'll until they release "The Director's Cut" before purchasing.
"Role Models"- C+ - Confession, I've NEVER seen any of the American Pie movies, I don't like sophmoric humor as a rule but sometimes it gets to me. I thought "Superbad" was interminable, however I found "Role Models" to be laugh out loud funny. Un-even and not always killer, but better than most. I measure a comedy by how many times I have to stop and rewind to hear more jokes cause we were laughing so hard we couldn't hear the film. By my count I stopped the film about 7 times. The scenes "Chipmunk Chucks" will have you howling on the floor and you'll NEVER be able to pass a Chuck E Cheese again without cracking up. Also takes a real look at role playing geeks who dress up and wield foam swords on the weekends, priceless. Picture quality was good but nothing to rate buying.
"Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"(1931) - A - This 1931 film starring Fredrich March in the title role is nothing less than a revelation to me. I've seen several film adapation of Robert Louis Stevenson's tale of a scientist who seeks to separate the "good" elements in man from the "evil" elements in man in an effort free man from his "id" or baser instincts. As you know the experiment goes horribly awry. What makes this version worth seeing is March's performance as Hyde. His transformation, is so complete, so startling that I was awestruck by watching it. I don't know if he used a stunt double or not, but when Hyde is on the loose, the man is literally a madman, snarling, hissing, threatening, killing and swinging from the rooftops with the agility of an ape. So amazing is this performance that March received the "Best Actor" Oscar in 1932. This is why I'll always say that Turner Classic Movies is the ONLY cable channel worth the money.
Da Worfster
"Aftro Samurai" - "B" - A manga offering from Gonzo tells the story of a black samurai in a post apocalyptic world where killers/martial artists vie for the coveted "Number One" head band. After his father is killed for it, the young Samurai goes on a life long quest to avenge his dad and claim the band. As simplistic as this sounds it is not, there are many questions raised and discussed about violence, death, life and murder that send this beyond the realm of the ordinary. Samuel L. Jackson is the voice of the Samurai and his "alter ego". Considering the difficulties in following Manga sometimes, the video was fine but not pristine. This blu-ray disc didn't knock my socks off but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
"The Counterfiters" - B - This "true" story tells the little known tale of Jewish counterfiters forced to help the Nazis create and reproduce perfect copies of the British Pound note and the U.S. Dollar. Karl Markovics is brilliant as Sally Sorowitsch, the "Europes finest counterfiter" and all around low dirt heel, who's captured by the Nazi fo the crime in 1938 and manages to survive in the camps by his wits, grit and will and by always giving the Nazis what they want, even when they don't know they want it.
His foil is not a Nazi but another prisoner named Burger who exhorts Markovics and the others to delay and sabatoge their work to help bring about the downfall of the Nazi. The biggest problem I found with this film was the Burger character, who after having lost his wife in Auswitz is now willing to sacrifice his life and the others in a vain attempt to halt the Nazis. Problem is, the REAL LIFE Burger advised the film and wrote the book, who's left alive to say what is role REALLY was and who was the hero and who was a scoundrel.
The film was beautifully shot and looks and sounds stunning, except that the hand held digital portions of the filming don't hold up well under BR scrutiny.
"The Watchmen" - A-Minus - A fan of the books I was underwhelmed by this film in the Theatres, I felt it was too short, failed to deliver on the character development necessary. After viewing this film in detail I feel, as others have said, that over time many will come to see this as the masterpiece it is. The finest "non-superhero" superhero movie ever made.
This film also has the distinction of being, the FIRST Blu-Ray disc I've ever seen that makes me think the format was worth the extra money. This film is visually stunning. I was mesmerized watching it and it will be the first, and maybe the last, Blu-Ray disc I'll ever purchase, but I'll until they release "The Director's Cut" before purchasing.
"Role Models"- C+ - Confession, I've NEVER seen any of the American Pie movies, I don't like sophmoric humor as a rule but sometimes it gets to me. I thought "Superbad" was interminable, however I found "Role Models" to be laugh out loud funny. Un-even and not always killer, but better than most. I measure a comedy by how many times I have to stop and rewind to hear more jokes cause we were laughing so hard we couldn't hear the film. By my count I stopped the film about 7 times. The scenes "Chipmunk Chucks" will have you howling on the floor and you'll NEVER be able to pass a Chuck E Cheese again without cracking up. Also takes a real look at role playing geeks who dress up and wield foam swords on the weekends, priceless. Picture quality was good but nothing to rate buying.
"Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"(1931) - A - This 1931 film starring Fredrich March in the title role is nothing less than a revelation to me. I've seen several film adapation of Robert Louis Stevenson's tale of a scientist who seeks to separate the "good" elements in man from the "evil" elements in man in an effort free man from his "id" or baser instincts. As you know the experiment goes horribly awry. What makes this version worth seeing is March's performance as Hyde. His transformation, is so complete, so startling that I was awestruck by watching it. I don't know if he used a stunt double or not, but when Hyde is on the loose, the man is literally a madman, snarling, hissing, threatening, killing and swinging from the rooftops with the agility of an ape. So amazing is this performance that March received the "Best Actor" Oscar in 1932. This is why I'll always say that Turner Classic Movies is the ONLY cable channel worth the money.
Da Worfster