It could be the age old question - what separates a good movie from a great movie? What's the difference between three stars and four to five stars? How do you bring a movie from "so-so" to having people rave about it to anybody who can stand to listen to them? I'm sure almost everyone has their own opinions on the what and the how. So...in my humble opinion...here are the top five things that I think take a good movie and make it a great one.
1) Character development. It sounds pretty simple. But it can make all the difference in the world. Every movie has characters in it. And granted, you can't learn everything about every single character...you just don't have enough time. But at least take the time to develop SOME of the characters. Character development works in two ways. One...it makes the characters more interesting...and it connects the audience to them more. It's easier to care about somebody you actually know something about. Two...it gives insight into some of their actions. One of the most powerful moments of "Saving Private Ryan" is where Tom Hanks' character tells the squad that he is an English teacher from Pennsylvania. It has absolutely nothing to do with the story...but it makes Hanks' character a little bit more human. You connect with him a little more. And yet so few movies take the time to do this.
2) Special effects in moderation. You've heard it your entire life. Everything in moderation. A little of something can be a wonderful thing. Too much can be horrible. The same goes for making movies. Special effects in the movies have come unbelievably far just in my lifetime. Compare the special effects from "Star Wars" to "Revenge Of The Sith". As I said in an earlier post, it's like comparing a Model T Ford to a Prius. They can do things in movies now that they wouldn't even have imagined doing twenty years ago...simply because there was no way on Earth that they could have done it. BUT...to paraphrase the immortal words of Ian Malcolm from "Jurassic Park"...moviemakers get so preoccupied with whether or not they can do something, they never stop to ask if they should. Special effects can add so much to a story. But too many just distract from the story itself. Good special effects are like sprinkles on a sundae. They shouldn't be the main attraction...they should make the end result that much more amazing.
3) Trying to do too much. Another point of moderation. I've said it before...and I'll say it again. Nothing drops a movie from great to good faster than trying to do too much. Whether it is too many new characters, too many sub-plots, too many twists...too much is NEVER a good thing. Especially in a medium where you only have two hours to tell your story, give or take. The two greatest examples on this point are "Spider-Man 3" and "X-Men: The Last Stand". Both are fine movies. But they could have been great movies...except for one minor detail: They tried to do too much.
4) Waiting for something good. I remember quite well when I went to see "The Hulk." I was so psyched about it. I had bought my ticket a week in advance. I went at eleven o'clock at night. And then...I waited an hour before I actually got to see the title character. I know...I timed it. I know that sometimes, patience is a virtue. When you have to wait sixty minutes out of a two hour and eighteen minute movie to see the main character...that's pushing it.
5) A flat ending. This has happened many times before. You have a great movie. It is astounding. It is incredible. And then...it ends. And the ending just ruins it. Suddenly, what should have been a great movie drops to an OK movie. Classic example - "Lord Of The Rings - Return Of The King." It was a great movie...and then the ending took half an hour. By the time the movie actually ended...I was glad that it had ended! I have seen movie endings where the audience stands and applauds. That is how you want a movie to end.
But, that's just my opinion...
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Friday, May 11, 2007
Review - Spider-Man 3
"Spider-Man 3" is the third installment on the classic Marvel Comics series.
Life is finally looking up for Peter Parker. His girlfriend, Mary Jane Parker, is a star on Broadway. He is planning on asking her to marry him. And Spider-Man is finally becoming popular. Little does he know how much trouble awaits him. Harry Osborn is still obsessed over the death of his father...and becomes the New Goblin to hunt down Spidey. Small-time criminal Flint Marko has an accident with a science experiment...turning into The Sandman, who is literally made of sand. Pesty photographer Eddie Brock is hounding both Spider-Man and Peter. And when Spider-Man finds himself covered in a mysterious black substance that augments his powers...but also starts to change him for the worse...can he find a way to make everything right again?
I waited a long time for this movie. And it was entertaining...don't get me wrong. But...I found myself drawing the unfortunate comparison to "Star Wars Episode III". Essentially, they tried to do too much. Too many characters...too many sub-plots...too much in too little time. You have Spider-Man battling both the New Goblin, Sandman, and towards the end of the movie, Venom (who deserved an entire movie all to himself). You have sub-plots involving Mary Jane's acting career, a possible second love interest in Gwen Stacy, the rivalry and animosity between Peter/Spidey and Harry/Goblin, the distraction of Eddie Brock. By the end of the movie, you almost need a scorecard to keep it all straight.
The inevitable comic book geek nitpick - Topher Grace as Venom?????? In the comics, Eddie Brock is a weight-lifter of near Olympic levels. Grace is only two and a half inches taller than Tobey Maguire...and let's face it, folks...he doesn't look like a weight-lifter to me. While he does capture Brock's trademark arrogance...he just doesn't have the physique to make it convincing.
All in all...an entertaining movie...but it should have been so much better. "Spider-Man 3"...we can only hope "Spider-Man 4" is better.
Starring - Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Topher Grace, Thomas Haden Church, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, James Cromwell, and Theresa Russell. Directed by Sam Raimi.
Time - 2 hours, 20 minutes. Rated - PG-13 (Comic book violence, some language)
Life is finally looking up for Peter Parker. His girlfriend, Mary Jane Parker, is a star on Broadway. He is planning on asking her to marry him. And Spider-Man is finally becoming popular. Little does he know how much trouble awaits him. Harry Osborn is still obsessed over the death of his father...and becomes the New Goblin to hunt down Spidey. Small-time criminal Flint Marko has an accident with a science experiment...turning into The Sandman, who is literally made of sand. Pesty photographer Eddie Brock is hounding both Spider-Man and Peter. And when Spider-Man finds himself covered in a mysterious black substance that augments his powers...but also starts to change him for the worse...can he find a way to make everything right again?
I waited a long time for this movie. And it was entertaining...don't get me wrong. But...I found myself drawing the unfortunate comparison to "Star Wars Episode III". Essentially, they tried to do too much. Too many characters...too many sub-plots...too much in too little time. You have Spider-Man battling both the New Goblin, Sandman, and towards the end of the movie, Venom (who deserved an entire movie all to himself). You have sub-plots involving Mary Jane's acting career, a possible second love interest in Gwen Stacy, the rivalry and animosity between Peter/Spidey and Harry/Goblin, the distraction of Eddie Brock. By the end of the movie, you almost need a scorecard to keep it all straight.
The inevitable comic book geek nitpick - Topher Grace as Venom?????? In the comics, Eddie Brock is a weight-lifter of near Olympic levels. Grace is only two and a half inches taller than Tobey Maguire...and let's face it, folks...he doesn't look like a weight-lifter to me. While he does capture Brock's trademark arrogance...he just doesn't have the physique to make it convincing.
All in all...an entertaining movie...but it should have been so much better. "Spider-Man 3"...we can only hope "Spider-Man 4" is better.
Starring - Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Topher Grace, Thomas Haden Church, Bryce Dallas Howard, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, James Cromwell, and Theresa Russell. Directed by Sam Raimi.
Time - 2 hours, 20 minutes. Rated - PG-13 (Comic book violence, some language)
Review - The Condemned
"The Condemned" is an action-thriller brought to us courtesy of World Wrestling Entertainment.
Ian Breckel is a television producer with a revolutionary new concept: He will take ten death row inmates from various Third World countries. He places them all on an island covered in cameras. The sole survivor after thirty hours leaves the island with their freedom and a million dollars. Among his "contestants" are a husband and wife, a monstrous Russian, a martial artist, a psychotic ex-British Special Forces soldier...and Jack Conrad, who was sitting on death row in Central America. But Conrad isn't what he appears...and neither is the contest. Who will survive? And how many people will tune in?
In the right hands, this could have been a very interesting movie. The concept alone is unique, a commentary on our lust for violence...and the willingness to pay to watch it. In that aspect, it is ironic that the WWE produced this movie, seeing as they charge $35 for people to watch men beat each other up as "sport". And that becomes the movie's biggest problem...because it plays out almost like a WWE pay-per-view.
The acting is almost non-existant. There is a weak subplot involving Conrad and his ex-girlfriend...and even the fight scenes aren't that spectacular. In several of them, you can barely make out what is happening. One of the few highlights of the movie is Vinnie Jones, playing Ewan McStarley...and he delivers his parts with venomous relish. Unfortunately, that's about all you can really say about this movie.
"The Condemned" should be just that...to a video store bargain bin near you with all speed.
Starring - "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Vinnie Jones, Rick Hoffman, and Dasi Ruz. Directed by Scott Wiper.
Time - 1 hour, 53 minutes. Rated - R (Language, extreme violence, a scene of suggested rape)
Ian Breckel is a television producer with a revolutionary new concept: He will take ten death row inmates from various Third World countries. He places them all on an island covered in cameras. The sole survivor after thirty hours leaves the island with their freedom and a million dollars. Among his "contestants" are a husband and wife, a monstrous Russian, a martial artist, a psychotic ex-British Special Forces soldier...and Jack Conrad, who was sitting on death row in Central America. But Conrad isn't what he appears...and neither is the contest. Who will survive? And how many people will tune in?
In the right hands, this could have been a very interesting movie. The concept alone is unique, a commentary on our lust for violence...and the willingness to pay to watch it. In that aspect, it is ironic that the WWE produced this movie, seeing as they charge $35 for people to watch men beat each other up as "sport". And that becomes the movie's biggest problem...because it plays out almost like a WWE pay-per-view.
The acting is almost non-existant. There is a weak subplot involving Conrad and his ex-girlfriend...and even the fight scenes aren't that spectacular. In several of them, you can barely make out what is happening. One of the few highlights of the movie is Vinnie Jones, playing Ewan McStarley...and he delivers his parts with venomous relish. Unfortunately, that's about all you can really say about this movie.
"The Condemned" should be just that...to a video store bargain bin near you with all speed.
Starring - "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Vinnie Jones, Rick Hoffman, and Dasi Ruz. Directed by Scott Wiper.
Time - 1 hour, 53 minutes. Rated - R (Language, extreme violence, a scene of suggested rape)
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Review - Spider-Man 2
"Spider-Man 2" is the sequel to the popular comic book movie, "Spider-Man."
We once again join up with our old friend Peter Parker...who now struggles through his complicated double life. He tries the usual things...holding down a job, taking care of his Aunt May, making time for Mary Jane Watson...but when you're also trying to save the world as Spider-Man...it gets a little hectic. Peter gets a chance to meet one of the great scientists of the world, Doctor Otto Octavius. Dr. Octavius is about to experiment with a highly unstable element...and has four metallic arms to assist him. Unfortunately, an accident leaves his wife dead...and the arms permanently fused to his body. Going mad from the input from the arms, Octavius transforms into the evil Dr. Octopus. As if that isn't enough for Spider-Man to deal with...he must also contend with Harry Osborn, his best friend who blames Spider-Man for the death of his father (who we all know was the Green Goblin...except Harry does not know this). It all becomes too much for Spider-Man...who hangs up his costume and turns his back on his life as a super-hero. Will he unretire in time to save the city from Dr. Octopus?
Many people consider "Spider-Man 2" to be better than the original. There is a deeper storyline, which focuses on Peter's dual existance...and the toll it takes on his life. One can only imagine what that must be like...to live with such amazing abilities...but to have to pay such a high price for having them. Tobey Maguire gives an outstanding performance as the ever-conflicted Peter/Spider-Man...to the point where you can feel for him wanting to go back to his "normal life" as a college science geek. Alfred Molina also gives a great performance as Octavius/Doc Ock...a classic case of a man who isn't truly a bad guy...but extraordinary circumstances have driven him to do things he ordinarily would not do.
As with the first movie, the special effects are fantastic and the action sequences are top-notch. But again, it is the performances that set this one apart from the original.
For a web-slinging good time, "Spider-Man 2" is second to none.
Starring - Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Alfred Molina, James Franco, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, and Donna Murphy. Directed by Sam Raimi.
Time - 2 hours, 7 minutes. Rated - PG-13 (Action movie violence, some language)
We once again join up with our old friend Peter Parker...who now struggles through his complicated double life. He tries the usual things...holding down a job, taking care of his Aunt May, making time for Mary Jane Watson...but when you're also trying to save the world as Spider-Man...it gets a little hectic. Peter gets a chance to meet one of the great scientists of the world, Doctor Otto Octavius. Dr. Octavius is about to experiment with a highly unstable element...and has four metallic arms to assist him. Unfortunately, an accident leaves his wife dead...and the arms permanently fused to his body. Going mad from the input from the arms, Octavius transforms into the evil Dr. Octopus. As if that isn't enough for Spider-Man to deal with...he must also contend with Harry Osborn, his best friend who blames Spider-Man for the death of his father (who we all know was the Green Goblin...except Harry does not know this). It all becomes too much for Spider-Man...who hangs up his costume and turns his back on his life as a super-hero. Will he unretire in time to save the city from Dr. Octopus?
Many people consider "Spider-Man 2" to be better than the original. There is a deeper storyline, which focuses on Peter's dual existance...and the toll it takes on his life. One can only imagine what that must be like...to live with such amazing abilities...but to have to pay such a high price for having them. Tobey Maguire gives an outstanding performance as the ever-conflicted Peter/Spider-Man...to the point where you can feel for him wanting to go back to his "normal life" as a college science geek. Alfred Molina also gives a great performance as Octavius/Doc Ock...a classic case of a man who isn't truly a bad guy...but extraordinary circumstances have driven him to do things he ordinarily would not do.
As with the first movie, the special effects are fantastic and the action sequences are top-notch. But again, it is the performances that set this one apart from the original.
For a web-slinging good time, "Spider-Man 2" is second to none.
Starring - Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Alfred Molina, James Franco, Rosemary Harris, J.K. Simmons, and Donna Murphy. Directed by Sam Raimi.
Time - 2 hours, 7 minutes. Rated - PG-13 (Action movie violence, some language)
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
My Two Cents - What To Look Forward To In Theaters This Year
Ah, it approaches. The summer movies. I don't know about any of you...but in my opinion, last summer was one of the worst for movies in I can't remember when. But isn't that how it always works? You get your hopes built up...and then, they get dashed into the rocks by the promise of a great movie that should have been, but wasn't. Well...get your hopes up, true believers, because here are the movies I'm getting ready for this summer.
1) "Spider-Man 3". FINALLY...we get Venom! Three bad guys (we also get Sandman and the New Goblin), and we get not only Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane...but we also get Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy. The rumor mill claims that this will be Tobey Maguire's final turn as Spidey...or will money talk?
2) "Live Free Or Die Hard". Yippi-ki-yay, mother...well, you know. Bruce Willis rides again in his most famous movie role, this time battling Internet terrorists. We also get John McClane's daughter, Kevin Smith, and what looks to be some incredible action sequences.
3) "Transformers". One of the great cartoons of the 1980's gets the big-movie, live action treatment. Big-budget CGI and Michael Bay (who made a career out of blowing stuff up)...so, will this be "Armageddon" or "Bad Boys"...or "The Island"?
4) "Pirates Of The Carribean - At World's End". OK, I'll be the one who says it. I did not think "Dead Man's Chest" was that good of a movie. It certainly wasn't better than the first one. So, can they make up for it with the final installment? The previews look promising...but, they did for "DMC" as well.
5) "The Bourne Ultimatum". Matt Damon lucked out by latching onto this series...and if "Ultimatum" is even half as good as the first two, then this will be an entertaining film.
6) "Fantastic 4: Rise Of The Silver Surfer". Wow...Marvel sure has a lot of characters. The Silver Surfer gets his turn on the big-screen in the sequel to one of the more under-rated Marvel adaptations.
7) "28 Weeks Later". "28 Days Later" was a horror classic. The trailer for the sequel looked good...can lightning strike twice?
8) "Ocean's Thirteen". See "Pirates Of The Carribean". The last one wasn't that good, after a spectacular first movie. Can the third installment make up for it, or just make us wish we had stayed away?
9) "Resident Evil: Extinction". I am of the opinion that the "Resident Evil" series has been an under-rated gem. Can "Extinction" continue to keep it rolling?
10) "1408". Anything based off of Stephen King's work has a 50/50 chance of being great or a disaster. The trailers for "1408" give it promise...and anything with John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson can't be all bad. Right?
But that's just my opinion...
1) "Spider-Man 3". FINALLY...we get Venom! Three bad guys (we also get Sandman and the New Goblin), and we get not only Kirsten Dunst as Mary Jane...but we also get Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Stacy. The rumor mill claims that this will be Tobey Maguire's final turn as Spidey...or will money talk?
2) "Live Free Or Die Hard". Yippi-ki-yay, mother...well, you know. Bruce Willis rides again in his most famous movie role, this time battling Internet terrorists. We also get John McClane's daughter, Kevin Smith, and what looks to be some incredible action sequences.
3) "Transformers". One of the great cartoons of the 1980's gets the big-movie, live action treatment. Big-budget CGI and Michael Bay (who made a career out of blowing stuff up)...so, will this be "Armageddon" or "Bad Boys"...or "The Island"?
4) "Pirates Of The Carribean - At World's End". OK, I'll be the one who says it. I did not think "Dead Man's Chest" was that good of a movie. It certainly wasn't better than the first one. So, can they make up for it with the final installment? The previews look promising...but, they did for "DMC" as well.
5) "The Bourne Ultimatum". Matt Damon lucked out by latching onto this series...and if "Ultimatum" is even half as good as the first two, then this will be an entertaining film.
6) "Fantastic 4: Rise Of The Silver Surfer". Wow...Marvel sure has a lot of characters. The Silver Surfer gets his turn on the big-screen in the sequel to one of the more under-rated Marvel adaptations.
7) "28 Weeks Later". "28 Days Later" was a horror classic. The trailer for the sequel looked good...can lightning strike twice?
8) "Ocean's Thirteen". See "Pirates Of The Carribean". The last one wasn't that good, after a spectacular first movie. Can the third installment make up for it, or just make us wish we had stayed away?
9) "Resident Evil: Extinction". I am of the opinion that the "Resident Evil" series has been an under-rated gem. Can "Extinction" continue to keep it rolling?
10) "1408". Anything based off of Stephen King's work has a 50/50 chance of being great or a disaster. The trailers for "1408" give it promise...and anything with John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson can't be all bad. Right?
But that's just my opinion...
My Two Cents - Great Questions Of The Movies
Throughout movie history...we have been left with many questions. Some have been easy, some have been hard, some have been downright unanswerable. I'm not here to provide answers...I'd have a much better paying job if I was that smart. Instead, I will just leave you with them...and let you have as much fun pondering them as I have.
1) What is in the briefcase in "Pulp Fiction"?
2) What happened to Charlie Sheen and Patrick Swayze in the end of "Red Dawn"?
3) What happened to MacReady and Childs in "The Thing"?
4) Why was Lex Luthor the bad guy in almost every single "Superman" movie?
5) Why did Clint Eastwood throw his badge away at the end of "Dirty Harry"?
6) Whose bright idea is it to keep making sequels to movies that should have been stopped after the first one?
7) Why did the ending change from the 1956 version of "Invasion Of The Body Snatchers" to the 1978 version?
8) Why did Blondie let Tuco live in the end of "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly"?
9) How many people actually believed that "The Blair Witch Project" was a real movie?
10) Does it make any sense to buy a movie with a surprise ending, after you've seen it?
But that's just my two cents...
1) What is in the briefcase in "Pulp Fiction"?
2) What happened to Charlie Sheen and Patrick Swayze in the end of "Red Dawn"?
3) What happened to MacReady and Childs in "The Thing"?
4) Why was Lex Luthor the bad guy in almost every single "Superman" movie?
5) Why did Clint Eastwood throw his badge away at the end of "Dirty Harry"?
6) Whose bright idea is it to keep making sequels to movies that should have been stopped after the first one?
7) Why did the ending change from the 1956 version of "Invasion Of The Body Snatchers" to the 1978 version?
8) Why did Blondie let Tuco live in the end of "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly"?
9) How many people actually believed that "The Blair Witch Project" was a real movie?
10) Does it make any sense to buy a movie with a surprise ending, after you've seen it?
But that's just my two cents...
Three Best Of - Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks is quite possibly one of the most well-known and well-liked actors around today. He has done just about every kind of movie imaginable...from historical dramas to screwball comedies. He has been nominated for Best Actor at the Academy Awards five times, and has won twice (1994 for Philadelphia, 1995 for Forrest Gump). The last time an actor won back-to-back Oscars for Best Actor...the late 1930's, when Spencer Tracy did it for "Captains Courageous" and "Boys Town". Hanks himself was quoted as saying, "I've made over twenty movies and five of them are good." Well, I think he's done a little better than that. Here now, I give you in no particular order, my three picks for Tom Hanks' best movies.
1) "A League Of Their Own" (1992). While the female cast members were the main stars of the movie, it was Hanks' performance as an alcoholic ex-baseball player that was one of the highlights of this movie. His initial reluctance, which slowly turned into begrudging respect for the women he was (more or less) forced to manage, plays wonderfully...and his on-screen relationship with Geena Davis swings from touching to hilarious.
2) "Philadelphia" (1993). The movie that won Hanks his first Academy Award, and considered by many to be one of Hanks' best movies ever. Hanks brings both sympathy and strength to Andrew Beckett, a lawyer who is fired from a law firm after his employers learn that he is HIV positive. Watching as Hanks seems to waste away on screen before your eyes is moving and powerful...Hanks himself lost almost thirty pounds on the film. Even more impressive is that AIDS was still a very misunderstood ailment at the time of this movie...and Hanks' performance helped to bring a lot of awareness to it.
3) "Saving Private Ryan" (1998). On Veterans Day in 1999, Hanks received the Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor the United States Navy can bestow onto a civilian, for his work on this movie. It also earned Hanks his fourth Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. His portrayal of a war-wearied Captain leading his unit on a mission to find a single man, and his underlying animosity towards him lends a great deal of power to an already incredible film. Hanks has made a career out of playing ordinary men and turning them into something more. This movie is a great example of that.
Honorable Mention - "Forrest Gump" (1994), "Apollo 13" (1995), and "Road To Perdition" (2002).
1) "A League Of Their Own" (1992). While the female cast members were the main stars of the movie, it was Hanks' performance as an alcoholic ex-baseball player that was one of the highlights of this movie. His initial reluctance, which slowly turned into begrudging respect for the women he was (more or less) forced to manage, plays wonderfully...and his on-screen relationship with Geena Davis swings from touching to hilarious.
2) "Philadelphia" (1993). The movie that won Hanks his first Academy Award, and considered by many to be one of Hanks' best movies ever. Hanks brings both sympathy and strength to Andrew Beckett, a lawyer who is fired from a law firm after his employers learn that he is HIV positive. Watching as Hanks seems to waste away on screen before your eyes is moving and powerful...Hanks himself lost almost thirty pounds on the film. Even more impressive is that AIDS was still a very misunderstood ailment at the time of this movie...and Hanks' performance helped to bring a lot of awareness to it.
3) "Saving Private Ryan" (1998). On Veterans Day in 1999, Hanks received the Distinguished Public Service Award, the highest honor the United States Navy can bestow onto a civilian, for his work on this movie. It also earned Hanks his fourth Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. His portrayal of a war-wearied Captain leading his unit on a mission to find a single man, and his underlying animosity towards him lends a great deal of power to an already incredible film. Hanks has made a career out of playing ordinary men and turning them into something more. This movie is a great example of that.
Honorable Mention - "Forrest Gump" (1994), "Apollo 13" (1995), and "Road To Perdition" (2002).
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