Reviews

Rogue One was quite awesome, and quite different from the movies that came before. It was frightening, tense, very dark, VERY dirty (literally: maybe Mon Mothma was the only character without a layer of filth make-upped onto her face. And she looked so much like Mothma from ROTJ!) Some differences were somewhat striking, but overall it absolutely felt like a Star Wars movie should feel. Lots of familiar faces to see, super tense and exciting and beautiful. I was SO fortunate to be able to attend the premiere at the Pantages Saturday night, and can't wait to see it again Thursday night! There's never been a better time to be a Star Wars fan!

I find it difficult to fathom what fan as fanatical as I am of the original, er, 1982 John Carpenter film wouldn't have a blast with this update/remake/prequel. I hereby coin the term "premake." You're welcome. From this reviewers estimation, and I estimate quite a bit, there are so many well-conceived details at work within this picture that hearken back to the OBVIOUSLY admittedly superior Carpenter version; they tie the two films together so well that, if deciding to watch this one first, one can seamlessly branch its sequel (the one from 1982 not from 1951, let's forget that one for now; DO try and keep up!) and by the conclusion of Kurt Russel's adventure all of your questions and curiosities will be satisfied. The really only knock against this risk- taking (in that its risky to mess with what is so seemingly "beloved" a property as John Carpenter's ultimate paranoiarctic classic of a movie) picture is that's it's unavoidably unnecessary. That's a substantial knock, as being a film that ONLY entertains, in this case within a familiar-yet-alien world (more familiar to those who have seen Carpenter's a few dozen times, I'm sure) should surely not be enough, should it? I will answer my own question with an answer: it most certainly should. Interesting leaps are taken, unknowns are explained, though not to the detriment of the suspense from 1982, and the audience is treated to as satisfying a "Who Goes There?" yarn as anything horror's had to offer in years. Comparisons are unavoidable but of course they are; this movie exists to evoke memories of the original (there I finally called it that), pay it homage, and take audiences on a similar-but-different ride. Just because we know how it ends doesn't mean we can't enjoy the thrills! Recommended, and most especially to those of us who love John Carpenter's The Thing.

Exactly what it (should have) set out to be, nothing more and nothing less. Probably the highest "explosion to line of dialogue" ratio in the history of movies. Channing Tatum is terrible, apparently as always, but I believe this was my first (in)opportunity to see him in action. Dennis Quaid is very Quaidy, I think I saw Brendan Fraser in there for about 14 seconds doing absolutely nothing (his best role ever!), Marlon Wayans was OK enough considering the nonsensical excuses for "jokes" he was enlisted to deliver.

With the exception of way too many close-to-derailing-the-movie flashback sequences intended to flesh out the back-story but mostly amounting to nothing, the movie is nonstop EXTREMELY loud ridiculous action from start to finish. I venture this is a lot more akin to a live-action cartoon, closer in spirit to the original after-school animated series than the Transformers movies were to their respective source material. The real negative amounts to that very same, in fact, that the movie is ultimately devoid of any personality, which Michael Bay (at least attempted) to give the Transformers in monstrous, offensive spades. Stephen Sommers can pull off ridiculous nonsense well enough, but failed to inject it with enough personality to make it memorable. Transformers at least did that, though I suppose I'd rather a movie be unremarkable and straightforward than over the top, embarrassing, offensive nonsense. GI Joe is certainly the former. Is it "GO JOE" or "YO JOE," I have a hard time remembering?

As much as I enjoyed "Kill Bill" the first time I saw it, I enjoyed it exponentially more on second viewing. This is a movie that shows us the road to revenge in its most straightforward, but it's never been brought to the screen more effectively than in this film. Every single aspect of filmmaking has come together under the genius direction of Mr. Tarantino to create a unique, compelling, stylish vision of this world. It's a world I'm glad I'm not in (I can't even wield a sword in a videogame without cutting myself on the controller) but one that nonetheless draws you (and quarters, dices and minces you) into "pulpy" submission. This is more pulp fiction than "Pulp Fiction," more doggish and rugged than "Reservoir Dogs," and, well, more Brown than Ms. Jackie (sorry, i hadn't one for that). It's the most thoroughly enjoyable film (if you've a somewhat strong stomach) of Mr. T's four and I imagine will go down in the annals of "cool movie" history. Whew what it'd be like to hack the limbs off of 88 people at the same time, all the while sporting a playful yellow jumpsuit, perfect for showing off blood and entrail stains. It's utter craziness but regardless a collection of incredibly cool scenes that set the tone perfectly for the next film. If that weren't the case I might well have ranked this to be my favorite film of the year, but I still feel somewhat cheated by the "sliced in half" concept of Volumes 1 and 2. Can't wait for February, though.