Shiny, Sayest Thou?

Comic book lovers, sci-fi nerds, and fans of short-form musicals about supervillains all know who Joss Whedon is.  He, does, after all, have one of the most anticipated films of the next year, The Avengers, coming out soon, which based on the trailer will kick some serious keester.

Now add to his fan base...Shakespeare geeks?

Yes, unbeknownst to apparently 99.99% of the world, Joss Whedon has done a Shakespeare play.  Or more accurately, a film adaptation of a Shakepeare play - even more accurately, Much Ado About Nothing.  Huffington Post reports:

“Nathan Fillion, the current "Castle" star who reached Geek God status by playing Captain Malcolm Reynolds in Whedon's sci-fi series "Firefly," tweeted late Sunday night a link to muchadothemovie.com. That leads to a marquee poster of sorts that reads at top, "Bellwether Pictures is proud to announce the completion of principal photography," and at bottom, "A Film By Joss Whedon, Based On A Play."

Also apparently involved are a lot of Whedon alumni, including Sean Maher (“Firefly”), Amy Acker (“Angel” and “Dollhouse”), Reed Diamond and Fran Kranz (“Dollhouse”).  Little else is known about it - the website has few other details, no release date, and no other links, but it does note that this is “Based on a Play.”  Which ought to clear up any misconceptions that, yes, it’s THAT “Much Ado About Nothing.”  Then again, he said A play.  Not THE play.  Hmm.  Maybe it’s based off of Hamlet.

This may seem like a strange move for the guy who created a series featuring cowboys and Chinese curse words - often at the same time - but as it turns out, Whedon is apparently a Shakespeare fan of his own.  As Tom Hiddleston, who will be starring in The Avengers, pointed out, “Joss is a huge Shakespeare buff.”  See?  You really do learn new stuff every day.

It sure sounds like Whedon is adapting the play and not just taking it verbatim, based on the fact that it’s only based on a play.  This also looks to be an indie film, since Bellwether Studios, the outfit that is putting this out, doesn’t appear to have a website.  And Whedon certainly has experience with that sort of thing - speaking of which, where’s Neil Patrick Harris in all of this?

More details will likely be forthcoming.  The whole effort seems to have been done mostly in secret, with the project just really being announced to the world over the past few days.  But if this proves anything, it’s that Joss Whedon is a Jedi master.  I mean, doing a big-budget flick filled to the gills with A-listers AND cobbling together an indie production of a popular and revered play?

Yep.  Jedi master.

Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/24/joss-whedons-much-ado-about-nothing_n_1028070.html

Cesar and Morris

The Ides of March was a movie dripping politics. From the subject matter, to the dress code, to the way all of the actors conducted themselves; there wasn't a hair out of place, and in the political world that is how you need to look.

**Note: This review is coming from someone who worked for three summers on Capitol Hill for the Senate SAA**

George Clooney is dreamy. The ladies want him, men want to be him. That's just the way it is. Clooney starring as Gov. Mike Morris plays the part very naturally. It might be because he wrote, directed, and produced the movie, that's he's a really good actor, or some combination of the above options.

Ryan Gosling, the lead role as Gov. Morris' head campaign manager at the start of the movie, plays a staff member to a tee. Being around senators and their staff showed me more then one or two interactions between the two. Gosling must have really done his homework. His portrayal of a staffer was spot on, not only as a singular character, but in all his interactions with Evan Rachel Wood's character (a lowly intern) and with Clooney (his boss).

The movie it's self is decent, and has an interesting story, but it felt like Clooney didn't quite know how to end the movie. There is some drama that forces the movie down certain story lines that don't move the overall story along, but that are essential so the audience realizes the kind of stress and pressure these people deal with on the campaign trail.

IMDB.com gives the movie a 7.5 of 10 rating. I feel that's .5 too generous. The movie will not win best picture, but there are some wonderful moments from wonderful actors. Phillip Seymour Hoffman (my favorite actor) plays his part very well, as does Wood, and Paul Giamatti is (like he always is) fabulous in a serious role.

I give Ides of March a 7.0. I would give it a 6.5 but Gov. Morris is running as a Democrat, so I must show respect where it is due.

Go see it and enjoy.

p.s. I tried to avoid Julius Caesar references, it would have been FAR to cliche, I hope you understand.

A Comedy With Braaaaaaaaaaains

(Courtesy Continue With Me Today Blogspot)

ZOMBIELAND (2009)

Starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin

You’ll like this movie if: You think a zombie apocalypse could actually be fun.

One thing I can’t quite figure out is why zombies - that’s the slow-moving, Dawn of the Dead kind of zombies - are particularly frightening.  What, is America really in the kind of shape that we can’t just outrun the slowest horror villains known to cinema?  And have we not figured out how to deal with zombies by now?

So a good zombie-based comedy, like Zombieland, is always fun to watch, even if the zombies are the sprinting, 28 Days Later kind.  For one thing, they treat the idea of a zombie outbreak the way it probably deserves - with a little bit of humor.  The people in this sort of movie end up having a lot of fun taking zombies out in particularly imaginative ways.

Case in point: Woody Harrelson’s character in this movie, “Tallahassee,” who really seems to enjoy it a bit too much, if that is even possible.  (Watching Zombieland, it’s easy to make the argument that it isn’t.)

But a lot of the movie actually doesn’t involve zombie killing.  The focus of the story is that age-old question: Is it possible to make friends during a zombie apocalypse?  Hey, we’ve all thought about it, and rightly so.  Really, if you haven’t at least considered what your zombie plan might be, you’re making a mistake.  There is no such thing as too early, folks.  And for those who say it can’t happen...it’s still a great conversation starter.  (Mine?  Armored RV up to Alaska.  Always a classic, and I hear the scenery is beautiful.)

To the characters in Zombieland, the answer to the above question is definitely no, to the point where they each avoid calling each other by their actual names.  It sounds excessive, yes, but in a world where most humans would sooner take a bite out of your arm than shake your hand, it also makes a small amount of sense.  And of course, it makes for a very nice message about the value of friendship, family, etc. etc.  (I put it to anyone reading this: Do we really, really need a message like that in every movie we see?)

The best parts of Zombieland are the parts where the characters come up with imaginative ways to kill the undead.  And there are some pretty good ones.  But this movie is a good one because it doesn’t limit itself to cheap zombie-based humor - and how easy would that have been?  There are a lot of good zombie-less jokes to be had, and one very funny cameo (which I won’t give away but which you probably know about).  Really, the single biggest criticism I have about Zombieland is that it’s just too durn short.  Seriously, not even an hour and a half?  You telling me there couldn’t have been a few more profanity-laced jokes or creative zombie destructions in there?  Some movies are too long for their own good - this one is too short.

But that’s a minor gripe on the long list of all-time gripes, and considering the film was fairly successful, the laws of Hollywood basically requires a sequel (or seven, why not?).  So it isn’t like we won’t have more chances to guffaw or cringe in the future.  And Zombieland, for a zombie movie, is quite light-hearted and doesn’t take itself particularly seriously.  And it might just give you some ideas for your zombie plan.

Show me the Moneyball!!

Take me out to the ball game!

Moneyball is a movie about how Oakland A's General Manager Billy Beane changed the way we look at baseball. The method of scouting, what to look for in a player, and what to expect from them when you put them on the field. This is a movie about baseball, but it isn't only for people who love baseball.

As a baseball fan it is easy for me to become engrossed in the story of the 2002 Oakland Athletics. While 2002 wasn't all to long ago, for some who do not follow baseball, it can seem like a lifetime ago.

In 2002, there was no such thing as a smartphone, LeBron James was a junior in high school, Bernie Madoff was still stealing our money, and the Dixie Chicks were still making music. And while all that was happening baseball scouting was getting a facelift.

Beane (Brad Pitt) gave the sport world a brand new way of looking at baseball players. This movie gives the viewer a look into how the A's followed up a playoff run in 2001 using "misfit" players while losing three All-Star caliber players in Jason Giambi, Johnny Damen, and Jason Isringhausen.

This is a movie for people who love baseball and people who don't know anything about baseball. Any screenplay that has Aaron Sorkin's name attached to it will make sure everyone understands what is going on, even in confusing scenarios (like the infamous MLB trade deadline). For those who love baseball like I do, you will appreciate the intricate details of the statistics, the players that played in certain situations in certain games, and the pitching motion of Chad Bradford. For those who aren't baseball fans, nobody could expect the events in the movie to actually unfold the way they do. But because the movie was based on real events, the story is that much more intriguing.

I loved this movie because of the detail that was used while writing, directing, and acting throughout the movie. Brad Pitt and Jonah Hill's chemistry on screen is wonderful, Pitt's performance as Billy Beane is remarkable, even down to the slight twang in his voice. The movie reminded me how magical the game of baseball can be, the drama, the excitement, and the unpredictability of the 9th inning.

I highly recommend you go see this movie. It isn't in 3D so you don't have to pay an arm and a leg to see it. It has a dynamite cast, a great script, and wonderful cinematography.

In short, it's a Home Run.

Stay Shiny

SERENITY (2005)
Starring Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk, Chiwetel Ejiofor

You’ll like this movie if: You know that Joss Whedon is one of the most underrated people in show business.

If you could bring back one TV show canceled way before its time, what would it be?  (Star Trek doesn’t count, since a show that spawns that many spin-offs clearly lives on.  Forever.  And ever.)

If you said the original Battlestar Galactica, fair enough, but we all know the new one is a lot better.  If you said Family Guy, they clearly did bring it back.  Twice, actually.  If you said Heil Honey I’m Home, you obviously have, shall we say, unusual taste.  (Yes, that was a real TV show.  Look it up on YouTube if you don’t believe me.  It’s exactly what it sounds like.  Guess why it didn't last.)

Me, I’d pick Joss Whedon’s short-lived series Firefly, which ran for three months in 2002.  If you’ve seen it, it’s very hard to argue it’s not one of the most fascinating TV shows of the last several years, especially since it doesn’t have much competition in the sci-fi/western crossover category.  It’s a mix that appears to not make a huge amount of sense - see: Cowboys and Aliens - but it worked here.  I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like it.  Well, actually, I used to.  We don’t talk anymore.

Sadly, it got canceled after only one season.  But it says a lot about the show’s rabid fan following that they actually got a movie made out of it a few years later.  That would be Serenity.

It’s a continuation of the TV show’s story, which means the same cast, full of names you’d probably never heard of but who work so well together that you wonder why these folks don’t get more consistent work.  (Some actually have in recent years - one, Nathan Fillion, got a TV show, Castle, and parts in a few Halo games.)

One of them, a young girl named River Tam (Summer Glau, an incredibly underrated kicker of keesters), is on the run from the authoritarian regime that turned her into...you know what, I’ll skip it.  Fans of the show will know the whole story, and people who haven’t seen it yet really should.  Not only is it fantastic viewing, it also makes a lot more sense to watch it all in order.  I made the mistake of not doing that.  You can probably get away with it, but it works a lot better if you watch the show first.

Firefly had a certain light-heartedness, managing to balance the comedy and drama and action fairly well from episode to episode.  Serenity doesn’t quite feel like a longer episode - it’s darker and features a bit less witty banter between the cast.  If you do watch Firefly first, be prepared for a bit of a letdown when you pop Serenity into your DVD player.

But don’t expect to be incredibly disappointed.  Serenity is a quite well-made film, with a very nice cast and a quite underrated man behind the camera.  (You can catch Joss Whedon directing The Avengers pretty soon, which seems like a pretty decent career move.)  Serenity isn’t a thriller, per se, but it has its moments.  If one of the groups of bad guys, the Reavers, look like they’re basically zombies with a bad case of road rage, it’s still easy to see why the crew isn’t too happy about running into them.

Just promise me something.  When you watch this stuff and get wowed by it - and you will, trust me - tell your friends about it so they’ll spring for the DVDs.  Us fans want another one made.

Four and a half stars out of five.

One Seriously Close Encounter

PAUL (2011)
Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kristen Wiig, Seth Rogen

You’ll like this movie if: You dug Shawn of the Dead and/or Hot Fuzz but wondered why there weren’t more tongue-in-cheek references to sci-fi classics in either of them.

Let me start this review off by saying that, if you can’t tell the difference between a phaser and Darth Vader, you maybe shouldn’t bother checking Paul out.  (Actually, if you can’t, you really need to ask the next person you see what the difference is, because you may be the only person alive who doesn’t know that for some reason.  Seriously, how could you not know that?  That’s ridiculous.)

After all, much of the film is done in homage to the sci-fi genre, which means you’ll see abundant references to - and this is by no means a comprehensive list - Star Wars, Star Trek, Aliens, Indiana Jones, and for some odd reason, a 1992 drama called Lorenzo’s Oil.  Those who have never heard of that last one will see one joke going right over their heads, as it did mine at first viewing.

Thankfully, those without the requisite nerd cred will find at least one thing in this film they’ll enjoy, namely the title character (voiced by Seth Rogen).  Paul is incredibly vulgar and crude, if that’s not disrespectful to vulgar and crude people.  Yet he’s generally friendly, and gradually wins over the two incredibly nerdy Brits (Pegg and Frost, frequent collaborators) traveling cross-country in an RV.

Yes, the premise might seem a little thin, but it’s so easy to have fun watching this movie that you won’t even remember or care why these guys were in an RV to begin with.  For those who aren’t afraid to watch a movie filled with completely inappropriate jokes, that is.  Paul is like a road-trip movie...with aliens.  This, of course, coming from two of the guys who put together Shaun of the Dead, described on the posters as “A Romantic Comedy.  With Zombies.”  So if anybody knows good genre crossovers, it’s Simon Pegg and Nick Frost.

Oh, did I mention Kristen Wiig plays a Christian fundamentalist?  Yeah, it threw me for a loop too.  That’s another thing - if you believe in creationism, you may want to avoid this film.  It probably isn’t a massive spoiler alert to tell you that, in a movie about an alien, it doesn’t come out looking too good.

Otherwise, it’s a pretty riotous film, even if the large amount of casual profanity starts to get a little less funny towards the end and the love story feels a bit like it’s there to just be there.  If you are in on the jokes, or at least some of them, it’ll be more funny than if you’re just going for the wisecracking alien.  That would probably be enough, mind you, but start brushing up on the nerd universe anyway if you’re a little behind.  You’ll be very glad you did.

Four and a half stars out of five.

Star Wars Released...Again...

As many of you know Star Wars came out on Blu Ray September 16. There were some changes, some upgrades, and some cosmetic touch ups.

At the end of Episode III we see Darth Vader for the first time, hear his first breath underneath his famous mask and headgear. However we also hear him wail a ridiculous "Lucas Line:" 'NNNOOOOOOOOOooooooooo!' Not only did George Lucas bless us with that great piece of script writing recently, he decided to re-incorporate the same line into Episode VI. (I won't tell you where, you'll have to wait, watch and see.) Might as well get the negative out of the way first so we can get to the good stuff.

There is an astounding amount of never before seen footage the disk set gives the viewer. There are deleted scenes, behind the scenes footage, and even MORE about creating the world of Star Wars. The extra features alone are worth the money, and as an added bonus you can watch the movies as well.

Episode I: This movie is slightly redeemed by being on Blu Ray because the high definition quality makes the scenery and other CGI effects look amazing. The wide shots of planets and space in all first three movies are mesmerizing. Other than that Episode I is as bad as it was when it was released back in 1999.

Episodes II and III are also spectacularly touched up. The scene on the Mustafar (lava planet) in the Episode III is breathtaking.

Finally the original three movies: IV, V, and VI.

There is no way to make an old film look like a new film. New special effects in old movies ruin the classic nature of old movies. That said, Lucas Films did a great job maintaining the classic nature of the original three movies while giving them all simple facelifts. Thankfully they didn't change Yoda, or the ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi, nor did they change the space battle scenes to incorporate modern CGI effects. The movies remain relatively unchanged, minus another gem from Darth Vader.

If you don't want to buy the set ($140, $80 on Amazon.com) I understand. But at least mooch off your friend's copy, watch, and enjoy.

May the force be with you.