Solo Thoughts Episode 1

Some late night thoughts on "The Dark Knight Rises". Hey - be glad I chose not to do a videocast...

Expect more episodes on a regular basis. Feel free to leave me some thoughts/comments either here or on twitter.

Review: "I Need A Hero"

 "There are no gay characters in the Marvel Universe." - Jim Shooter

The above quote punctuates a story about one of the first appearances of gay characters in a major comic; two stereotypical gay men raping Bruce Banner in a YMCA. Such a statement would be enough to make anyone go green with rage.

"I Need A Hero" - a short documentary now touring the festival circuit - offers a glimpse into the culture of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi sexual and transgender) comics and its representation in popular issues. When I say (or write) glimpse, I really mean just that. Clocking in at under 14 minutes, the short is made up mostly of interviews with comic book writers, featuring amusing anecdotes, interesting stories and frustrations about releasing "queer comics". While it's been a while since I bought a comic, these guys show an enthusiasm for their work that makes me want to read again. Though, I can't say that I was ever an Archie fan...

There are breaks in the documentary that feature super hero quotes that, in the context of the subject, are quite inspiring, and work as a rallying cry for progression within the industry. This is where the short shines; showing us the irony of forward thinking characters that are published and exploited by stubborn organizations.

The only thing holding this back is the length. So much to cover, with not enough time. And what it does cover is stuck in modern times - not much info about past comics. But, it does work really well as a teaser for a future feature length doc, which, if I understand correctly, is the goal. That will be something to catch once completed.

I'd like to think that America has moved forward when it comes to representing LGBT themes and characters in pop culture, but I know that there's still an uphill battle in fighting ignorance and horrible stereotypes (same when it comes to people with disabilities). We could certainly use a hero to help out. Good thing for us, the (Marvel) Universe is an awfully big place. Right, Mr. Shooter?

3/5 *'s

He Said, I Said Review: "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"

Part of my blog's new design and new domain name is also a new commitment to posting more content on a weekly, then perhaps daily, basis. To do this, I have to come up with new things to write about, and in interesting ways.

In June, I finally got to meet the Times Picayune film critic Mike Scott during the recording of the first #TeamNOLAFilm podcast. He's a real cool guy, with his own take on movies. A few weeks ago, he posted a fairly negative review of "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" - a movie which I actually kinda enjoyed.

The following review will be the first in a series called 'He Said, I Said', where I take quotes from another criticism, and offer a counter (or similar) opinion. Yes, this does mean that I will be somewhat defending a story about an axe wielding, vampire killing American President. Enjoy:

This is a movie that re-imagines our 16th president as a secret, ax-wielding slayer of bloodsuckers. It isn't meant to be a documentary. It's not intended to be scholarly... Rather, it's meant to be bloody, butt-kicking fun, as the Great Emancipator becomes the Great Decapitator.

I couldn't agree more. AL:VH is supposed to be historical revisionism at its most fun. And, with a title so ridiculous, it HAS to deliver on what it advertises. Much like "Snakes on a Plane" before it, this film is, indeed, about what its title says - Abraham Lincoln killing vampires. Nuff said.

But here's the thing about movies rooted in such a fantastical premise as this one: While it's OK for a filmmaker to ask that we suspend our disbelief, that filmmaker has to help us do it. In "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," Bekmambetov doesn't come even close to keeping up his end of the bargain.

 Could you give an example?

In a later scene, a particularly nasty vampire -- being pursued by Walker's Lincoln, who has been hell-bent on ridding the world of bloodsuckers since his mother was killed by one when he was but a boy -- throws a horse at the future president. Lincoln catches it. And then rides it.

Thanks. Well, yes, that sequence was pretty hard to swallow. To be fair, the color, lighting and cg made it hard to tell what was going on in the first place... Lincoln showing agile super powers outside of swinging an axe was definitely a misstep, but not that big of one. In the grand scheme of this movie, it was more of a nitpicky oversight; like the use of parsecs in "Star Wars: A New Hope" (though, AL:VH is no SW). My disbelief - and keep in mind that I too can be easily annoyed - was suspended from the opening titles. All notions of reality were thrown out a moving car.

That said (or written), there are some problems with the film, like the pace. Abe learns to kill with an axe in ONE SCENE! He swings, hits a tree a few times, and is able to destroy it moments later. In "Kill Bill Volume 2", when The Bride is training to punch a hole through a block of wood. We see her struggling to accomplish this over an extended montage, before finally doing it in the present time. Lincoln gets maybe a minute before he heads out for the hunt. Let us see his training! Let us get to know him better! We go from angry young man to idealist to President in no time.

Another casualty, and an unforgivable one, is the central metaphor from the Seth Grahame-Smith book on which it's based, in which Lincoln's fight against the parasitism of vampires is equated with his fight against the parasitism of slavery...

...those who had read the book knew that - aside from the whole vampire-hunting thing - it was a surprisingly well-researched Lincoln biography. You could revel in the guilty-pleasure aspect of it, but you could also learn a thing or two about our 16th president. That added a satisfying weight to Grahame-Smith's yarn. For Bekmambetov -- who co-wrote the screenplay with Grahame-Smith -- all that goes out the window.

This is the second main problem. We do get historical figures in cameo wink wink appearances, and, with the revisionist tone, major events in Lincolns life are closely tied to vampires (like the death of his son). But, for me at least, a certain amount of weight was missing. For example, the civil war battles. We see Union soldiers violently stabbing Confederates and vampires (one even gets a knife crowned on the top of his head) with Lincoln giving a speech in a voice over. This made me chuckle, when it shouldn't have. The schlocky nature of the story suddenly turned against itself.

Ridiculous is OK -- but this is beyond ridiculous. Rather, it is a schlocky, poorly made, B-movie mess.

Beyond ridiculous is just as good, if not better at times. Problems acknowledged, this still works as a fun goof of a film. Just be sure you at least use wikipedia in your essay on the Civil War.

3/5 *'s

Feel free to offer suggestions and comments regarding this new series.

Review: "Hot Cakes"

Cross posted from InvadeNola, where this will be appearing on June 16:

On the first episode of the #TeamNOLAFilmpodcast, we discussed the need for a real investment in local filmmakers and their projects. We have so many out of town productions coming IN to the area which is great, but not enough local projects coming OUT. Do producers need a good example of what New Orleans talent can make?

"I have been waiting all morning for a man with half a heart."

Marty, fresh out of prison, visits his regular post jail release diner.  His body language says he's yearning for a calmer future, but the scars on his face suggest something different; something deeper. Two other ex cons see this as well, and soon the three men are conversing over plates of pancakes. But there is more to their encounter than just short stacks...

Described as a sort of neo noir / urban western, "Hot Cakes" has a surreal nature to it; at times like Lynch, other times like Aronofsky. The appropriately timed music, the cryptic at times dialogue, the interesting framing (there is a Knight suit behind Marty in some shots) and even the setting - which comes off like a purgatory type meeting place for these characters - all makes the audience ask "what's this all leading to?" and "what does this all mean?".

Well, what DOES it all mean? What IS it leading to? A fortune teller in the diner is drawn to Marty, and makes a startling prediction for him; will it turn out to be correct? Will Marty be forced into a compromising position? His new friends certainly wish to pull him back into his harsh past. Will they succeed? The film's aesthetic gives everything - including eating breakfast - a sense of impending doom. And by the time the end credits roll, this sense still lingers; things just don't look good for Marty, in OR out of the diner. Is he in trouble no matter what? I absolutely loved this.

"No one should ever come here. I had teeth when I came here."

My only complaint is that it ended. I would like to see what the director Jo Custer could do with a feature length script. She's an example of the kind of local talent who deserve a shot. For Hollywood South to move forward, out of town producers bringing projects to the area need to make a meaningful investment in local filmmakers. Is an example of good local work needed? I just provided one.

4/5 *'s

Contributions Part 2

Hello! My Name is Bill...

On May 10th the first ever Tugg event was held in New Orleans. Hosted by The Theatres at Canal Place, the screening was a sold out blast featuring a Sergio Leone classic and fellow film enthusiasts.

Man, I wish I knew any of them. Read more...

Fleur De Flicks - June 2012

Tired of watching “The Avengers” these past few weeks? Don’t worry; with a new month, comes a new slate of movies. These are some of  my ticket buying suggestions for June. Read more...

A Spaghetti Superhero Flick?

After seeing The Avengers I wondered if we’ve seen the best that comic book movies have to offer. To clarify, I think that comic book movies are different from superhero movies. This is just my opinion, and I could be wrong, but it has to do with how the movie treats the subject. For example; Spiderman 2 is a superhero movie, Captain America: The First Avenger is a comic book movie. One deals more with the main characters’ plight and conflict, while the other is just about telling a fun story. I’m not trying to suggest that one is better than the other – it’s just how I feel.

So, let me change my original question up; have we seen the best that superhero movies have to offer? Read more...

Trailer: 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'

Being Mr. Obvious over here, I say that high school sucks. But, what sucks even more is finding a good high school movie. Read more...

Review: 'The Avengers'

I used to collect comic books. Yes, I admit it. I got swept up in the fantasy of characters with unique abilities beyond those of normal people, fighting over exaggerated villains in an effort to save their hometown, and in some cases, the world. I mostly focused on the Superman comics – during the period of time when he became pure energy (I was probably one of the few that liked that story arc) – but I certainly hadn’t chosen a side in the DC vs. Marvel fight. Why pigeonhole yourself to just one brand? Read more...

NOLA's First Tugg Event

Read more about the event

 Movie buff wants to give The Joy a Tugg

After registering with the site, I was asked by a representative what theater in my area I was interested in. I thought of a few: The Prytania, Chalmette Movies, Zeitgeist, even The Alamo Underground. I feel pretty confident that any of these venues could play host. Shortly after responding to the rep, however, I realized I had forgotten one very important location – The Joy. Read more...

#TeamNOLAFilm Podcast - Episode 1

Hosted by local bloggers (myself and Chris Henson), local filmmakers (Chris Brown and Ashley Charbonnet), local crewmen (Casey Moore), local critics (Mike Scott), and open to any/all others who are involved in local film, this project has one main goal; to provide insight into the Hollywood South community FROM the Hollywood South community. Any suggestions, questions, comments or concerns are greatly appreciated. Feel free to embed and share this. And, if you download or listen to this, you too are part of #TeamNOLAFilm:

 Music courtesy of Tuba Skinny.