Hey folks, Bobert here. This week has started off a little slow for yours truly, best rest assured I’ll have reviews up for the awesome WALL-E and not-so-awesome WANTED real soon. I’m also working on a special Superhero-centric feature, commemorating the recent deluge of Comic Book inspired movies hitting the big screen lately. In the meantime, I wanted to share a couple of trailers I found recently that you may not have seen yet. Read on and enjoy!

It appears that Guy Ritchie is back to his old bag of tricks, as ROCKNROLLA looks to be in the same vein as LOCK, STOCK, AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS and SNATCH. Another one of his oh-so-charming British Crime Comedies, and I’m ready for it! I personally loved his last effort, the metaphysical Gangster flick REVOLVER, but ROCKNROLLA is sure to bring back fans of his earlier more comic work. Thanks to Empire Online we get our first look, so click on the pic above to see the trailer!

Next up, Twitchfilm.net brings us the trailer for the Korean Western: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE WEIRD! Fans of Korean films like THE HOST and SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE will immediately recognize the actor that plays “The Weird” of the trio. I haven’t seen the director’s previous films, but I’m a sucker for a Western and this looks like a doozy! With this, Thailand’s TEARS OF THE BLACK TIGER, and Takashi Miike’s SUKIYAKI WESTERN: DJANGO, it seems the Asian Film Industry is poised to usher in a new era of awesome Westerns! Click on the pic above to see the trailer!

That’s all for now folks! Until next time, see you at the movies!

This weekend has two films being released that I’m really excited about, kind of a rarity lately. What’s even better is that they’re so different from one another, providing two very distinct viewing experiences. Let’s talk about ‘em a bit…

In the early stages, WALL-E was being touted as the animated film that Pixar had always been working towards since embarking on their quest to dominate feature length animation with TOY STORY. All the films since that initial success have been in preparation for this. That’s pretty big talk considering that WALL-E, at least from the trailers that were released, appears to be another cutesy merchandising cash cow for Disney and the Computer Animation Studio. However, word from early screenings have leaked praise that the film may have a lot more going on than what we’ve been shown. I for one had pretty epic ideas about the film before the first trailer came out and seemingly dashed those expectations (Robot Love? Bah!), but these new rumblings renew my hope for a deeper Sci-Fi outing. We’ll all see for ourselves this Friday, it’ll be undoubtedly playing at a theater near you.

While I’ll certainly be the first to admit that NIGHT WATCH and DAY WATCH are severely flawed films in the narrative and plot department, they’re a visual rollercoaster ride that are a hell a lot of fun to watch. His new film, WANTED, looks to be more of the same. The Action flick stars Angelina Jolie, James McAvoy, and Mogan Freeman, and is supposedly adapted from the Mark Millar comic book mini-series of the same name. Aside from some superficial similarities the film version seems to be quite different from the comic book, replacing the story of a regular Joe that discovers he’s destined to be a Super-Villain with one of a regular Joe that learns he possesses the skills of a top-class assassin. For fans of the comic book and lovers of slick Action cinema, WANTED will be a must-see this weekend and the perfect antidote to the kid-friendly WALL-E. Check it out at a theater near you!

In limited release, GUNNIN’ FOR THE #1 SPOT documents the individual stories of eight of the top High School Basketball players in the country as they participate in a High School All-Star game at the legendary Rucker Park basketball court in New York City. Rucker Park was the place where the Legends of previous basketball players like Dr. J, Kareem Abdur Jabbar, and Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain were born, and now a new generation comes to play and possibly make new legends. Directed by Adam Yanuch, founding member of the Beastie Boys and director of numerous music videos and the concert film AWESOME, I FUCKIN’ SHOT THAT!, the film utilizes raw hip-hop, jazz, and break beats to augment the excitement of seeing the future All-Star players of the NBA. Definitely a must-see for NBA fans. Check your local listings for showings.

Well that’s all for now folks, stay tuned next week when Will Smith attempts to retake the Independence Day weekend with HANCOCK. Will it be a “Big Willie Weekend”? Find out on next week’s edition of Bobert@The Movies!

Hey Folks, Bobert here! I managed to wrestle up a few quick reviews for you. The first two flicks are undoubtedly fluff stuff that I decided to give a look-see, but the last one is the real deal. Read on below and enjoy!

JUMPER 

The Official Studio Line:

The Action Hit Of The Year Is A Global Phenomenon! From the director of The Bourne Identity and Mr. & Mrs. Smith comes the evolution of extreme – a high-powered shot of adrenaline that stretches the very limits of imagination. Next stop: Anywhere! David Rice is a young man who knows no boundaries – a Jumper, born with the uncanny ability to teleport instantly to any place on Earth. When he discovers others like himself, David is thrust into the midst of an ancient war while being hunted by a bloodthirsty band of zealots sworn to destroy all Jumpers. Now, David’s extraordinary gift may be his only hope for survival!

JUMPER feels like a Superhero movie made by a guy that hates Superheroes and the Superhero film genre. According to director Doug Liman (SWINGERS, BOURNE IDENTITY), he wanted to make a realistic Superhero movie. What does that mean? An unlikable and flatlined lead character, and an unexplained and overly convoluted backstory apparently. It seems to me that Liman was more concerned about setting up a universe for the sequels than making a cohesive and successful introductory film, which leaves me with no desire to see the further adventures of Captain a-hole and his infuriatingly annoying sidekick (played by Rachel Bilson of O.C. fame). Samuel L. Jackson and Jamie Bell provide their talents as the film’s antagonists, adding a much needed dash of spice to the proceedings, but it isn’t enough to save this mess. They somehow even managed to make the teleporting effects and action mundane and hard-to-follow. I understand that Liman decided he didn’t want to draw any attention to the effects in the film, but when you have uninteresting characters, uninspired action sequences, and a Dead-On-Arrival plot, you might want to think about juicing up the flick’s “money shots”. Maybe its Doug Liman’s unconventional approach at a Superhero flick. Perhaps it’s the whiny performance from Hayden Christensen (again). Or it could have been the utterly boring and sometimes confusing action set pieces — Whatever the reason might be, I’m no fan of JUMPER and I doubt anyone could be. I’d skip it if I were you.
Bobert’s Rating: – SKIP IT!

SEMI-PRO 

The Official Studio Line:

Will Ferrell (Blades of Glory), Woody Harrelson (No Country For Old Men) and Andre Benjamin (Four Brothers) star in this hilarious three-pointer of sports action, outrageous laughs and ’70s groove! It’s 1976 and the only thing sexier than Jackie Moon (Ferrell) is his incredible career. The owner, head coach and star player of the Flint Tropics – not to mention the smooth vocals behind the hit single “Love Me Sexy” – is at the top of his game. But when it appears the Tropics might not survive an NBA merger, Jackie vows to turn up the heat and lead his team to glory in the most hysterical comedy ever to put the funk back in the dunk!

SEMI-PRO is another one of Will Ferrell’s Comedies where you either get it or you don’t. His character, Singer/Owner/Coach/Player extraordinaire Jackie Moon, is just another variation on the same doofus he’s played in ANCHORMAN, TALLADEGA NIGHTS, and BLADES OF GLORY. He does an impressive job with his musical performance in the flick though; “Love Me Sexy” is one catchy tune. As always, the humor is consistently hit or miss. SEMI-PRO is lopsided in that its number of misses far outweighs its hits. And that’s pretty bad considering the misses feel so awkward and stop the movie dead in it’s tracks. But when a gag hits its mark, look out because laughter is sure to ensue. Another quirk is the film’s attempts at being a drama, focused primarily with the Woody Harrelson character and his road to redemption. It doesn’t completely work, but its inclusion shows a filmmaker (in this case, director Kent Alterman) that wants to bring something more to the table than just another Sports Movie farce. The reason the flick works at all is its period setting, taking place in the 70′s just as the American Basketball Association (or ABA) is absorbed into the National Basketball Association (NBA to you and me). Having this slice of reality helps the show stay grounded, making the weirder moments all the more discombobulating. And that’s a good thing. Summing it up, SEMI-PRO is another in a longline of Will Ferrell flicks that will leave viewers either rolling on the floor or scratching their heads. Find out which one you’ll be by giving this one a rental.
Bobert’s Rating: – RENT IT!

I’M NOT THERE 

The Official Studio Line:

Inspired by the life and songs of Bob Dylan, I’M NOT THERE is ‘a profoundly personal and passionate film’ (A.O. Scott, The New York Times) that captures the essence of this elusive genius. Six different actors – including Heath Ledger, Christian Bale, Richard Gere, and Oscar nominee Cate Blanchett in a ‘soon-to-be legendary performance’ (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone) – each embody part of the Dylan legend: from Greenwich Village folk singer to electric guitar trailblazer to born-again preacher. Directed by Academy Award nominated writer/director Todd Haynes (FAR FROM HEAVEN), I’M NOT THERE is ‘unquestionably the year’s most original American movie’ (Thelma Adams, US Weekly).

I’M NOT THERE is an interesting and unconventional BioPic about the stories (real and unreal) and music of Bob Dylan. In a time when Hollywood has decided to tell the story of every Musical Legend they can get their grubby hands on, director/writer Todd Haynes bucks the trends of recent BioPics like WALK THE LINE and RAY and approaches the material without the aid of a traditional narrative. Instead he adopts an abstract interpretation that more accurately explores the disjointed and fragmented life of the ever-changing forever-moving Bob Dylan than any “traditional” style ever could. The film is essentially poetry (or in this case, a Dylan song), with all of the fantastic analogies and imaginary imagery you would expect from a cinematic soliloquy. Even more accurately, the film is a duet between Haynes and Dylan. The use of several different actors to portray Dylan during various stages and phases of the troubadour’s life perfectly epitomizes Dylan’s refusal to remain in the same skin for too long.

Ben Whishaw, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, and Heath Ledger all offer up different interpretations of Dylan that include everything from a young rebel-come-poet and boxcar-jumping vagabond to an elder Billy The Kid-inspired vision and globe-trotting philanderer . But it is two performances in particular that leave the biggest impressions. Christian Bale brings us Jack Collins, the morose and prophetic Bob Dylan, as only Bale could with all the intensity we’ve come to expect from him. But most amazing of all is Cate Blanchett’s “Electric” Dylan, here referred to as Jude. Her complete immersion into the character is mesmerizing as she embodies the spirit of the Dylan of that era. Set during the height of his popularity and his transition from Folk singer to Rock & Roller, this is probably the most fun section of the film and one of the more interesting as the actors and filmmaker continue dissecting the many disguises of Dylan in hopes of getting even just a slight glimpse of the real man.

Haynes mixes and matches many different cinematic styles and languages utilized in 60′s Cinema, including but not limited to documentary-like film stock and allusions to Federico Fellini’s 8½. Visually speaking, it’s an arresting experience and begs to be examined for all the details hidden within. The Dylan music prominently featured is definitely an attraction for fans of his work, and each piece’s unique composition and execution will keep the older and new fans intrigued. But even viewers with only a passing knowledge of his history will find themselves intrigued and glued. I’M NOT THERE is an abstract film that even the casual viewer will be able to sit through, simply because of how magnetizing the Bob Dylan mythos is. This BioPic offers a refreshing and atypical take on what could have been another traditional biographical narrative, and comes highly recommended from yours truly!
Bobert’s Rating: – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Wll that’s its for now folks! Until next time, keep those discs spinning!

Hey folks, Bobert here. And it looks like the return of another one of Flixnjoystix’s classic weekly features. Let’s see how I long I keep it up! This week features a lot of new releases in both the standard DVD format and a fair share of Blu-Ray titles to check out. Let’s take a look below…

Top DVD Picks for 06/24 –

A FERRIS BUELLER for a new and highly medicated generation, CHARLIE BARTLETT immediately recalls the Teen Comedies of the John Hughes era. What those films didn’t have though was Robert Downey, Jr. (IRONMAN) as an alcoholic Principal wanting so badly to be liked and newcomer Anton Yelchin (soon to be seen as the young Chekov in J.J. Abrams’ STAR TREK prequel). The film appears to take the material a little more seriously the aforementioned seminal 80’s Teen Comedy, but that could make for a film with more to say. Find out for yourself and give it a look-see… It’s a comforting thing to know that every few months, new FUTURAMA will be available for us rabid fans of the short-lived and underappreciated Sci-Fi Comedy. This week sees the release of their second Made-For-DVD movie, FUTURAMA: THE BEAST WITH A BILLION BACKS, and looks to be more of the same geeky hilarity we all look forward to. This time the crew deals with the Universe tearing open to reveal another Universe where a lonely planet-sized creature is looking for love, voiced by the-always hilarious David Cross (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, MR. SHOW). This one’s also packed with extras so be sure to beam yourself up a copy…After ROCKY BALBOA, could anyone make a Boxing film that could possibly add anything new to the genre? Adam Corolla apparently thought so, as he jumps into the ring with THE HAMMER. The story an average guy trying to make a better life for himself through the competitive world of Boxing, the flick has won accolades not only from the critics but other average Joe Schmoes that managed to see the little-marketed Comedy in theaters. I’m a fan of the guy, so I suppose I’ll be giving this one a rental myself…I love me a good old quirky Crime Comedy from across the pond, and IN BRUGES looks to be just that. After a job goes messily wrong, Two Irish gangster try to keep a low-profile by hiding out in the medieval Belgium town of Bruges. Throw in actors like Colin Farrell (MIAMI VICE), Ralph Fiennes (RED DRAGON), and Brendan Gleeson (BEOWULF) and you got yourself one sold customer!

Top Blu-Ray Releases for 06/24 –

The latest mind-numbing Blockbuster from Roland Emmerich (the lame-brain that brought us other cinematic delights such as DAY AFTER TOMORROW, THE PATRIOT, and INDEPENDENCE DAY), 10,000 B.C. looks to be dumbest of his flicks as we follow a caveman trying to rescue his mate from a group of mysterious four-legged demons. Along the way we’re treated to a prophesying narrator and battles with mean-looking ostriches, so I guess it’ll at least look good. Right? Guess we’ll find out…I actually had a hard time connecting with PERSEPOLIS, the coming-of-age story of a young Iranian girl dealing with life during the Islamic revolution. Perhaps it was the female perspective that threw me off, or maybe it was because the film is set in Iran, or more likely it’s the fact that the animated film features Iranians speaking French with English subtitles. Whatever the reason, I have to give the film another shot on Blu-Ray. You may want to give it a try as well…I never had any desire to see THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES, growing tired of the recent deluge of Fantasy Films aimed at kids. But as it turns out, the film was lauded as being one of the best adaptations in decades. So now I gots to check it out for myself, and there’s no better way than on Blu-Ray…Without any doubt, the Surfer Documentary STEP INTO LIQUID, is sure to look amazing on the Blu-Ray format. Any Videophile worth his salt will want to at least rent the flick to see just how amazing!

Well that’s it for this week folks. As always these were just the new releases that caught my eye, so be sure to search the New Release racks for more! Until next time, keep those discs spinning!

Steve Carell Vs. Mike Myers – who ya got? So were the theaters big enough this past weekend for two Summer Blockbuster Comedies? Uh, I don’t think so from the looks of it. So who were the big winners and losers this past weekend? Let’s find out below!

While critics may have only given the Steve Carell Spy Comdedy mixed reviews, GET SMART managed to put the most butts in theater seats this past weekend. The film’s penchant for physical comedy and an emphasis on action helped it draw in a younger audience that may not have even been aware that the movie was based on a TV show from the 1960’s.

The universally reviled LOVE GURU limped its way into the 4th spot. Everyone seems to agree that the decision to release two Comedies simultaneously was a bad one, especially as bad as this new one from Mike Meyers apparently is. Experts had earlier surmised the inevitable outcome would see one of the films faltering badly at the box office, and that was exactly the case here. It didn’t help that the LOVE GURU got reviews where critics declared the film “career suicide” for comedian Mike Myers (joining M. Night Shyamalan for last week’s THE HAPPENING, which sits in 5th place after this weekend); ensuring audiences would stay far far away.

KUNG FU PANDA’s kung fu continues to prove stronger than anyone had expected as the film remained at #2. THE INCREDIBLE HULK fell to 3rd but hints that it may have longer legs than its predecessor. Despite still lagging behind THE HULK in the same time frame (the underappreciated Ang Lee film had earned over 100 Million by the end of its second weekend), its daily totals have begun to surpass the original’s.

Well that’s it for last week’s bare-knuckled brawl. Stay tuned for next week’s edition of Bobert’s Box-Office Space, when Pixar’s answer to Johnny-5, WALL-E, faces off against Timur Bekmambetov’s super-powered assassins in WANTED! Until then, see you at the movies!

The Official Studio Line:

‘The Happening’ is a lightning-paced, heart-pounding paranoid thriller about a family on the run from an inexplicable and unstoppable event that threatens not only humankind, but the most basic human instinct of them all–survival.

Just–bad. So very bad. It’s a great tragedy to witness the devolution of a filmmaker you once respected and whose latest work you waited for with bated breath. I’m very sad to say that M. Night Shyamalan has become one of those tragic examples. Starting with SIGNS and all they way through LADY IN THE WATER, viewers have questioned the inconsistencies, plot holes, plot twists, and self-indulgences that have riddled his scripts. I, for the most part, have paid little to no heed to those complaints. SIGNS’ twisty finale, water-allergic extraterrestrial and all, was emotionally potent and superseded any and all uproar over an “illogical” resolution. THE VILLAGE, while it’s twist-ending was predictable and forced, still managed to have a compelling tale to tell all the way through. And LADY IN THE WATER? As long as you allow the film to be the living breathing bedtime story it was always intended to be, the fantastical elements will sweep you away. But with THE HAPPENING, Shyamalan has allowed himself to fall into the one place no filmmaker should tread: Self-Parody. Gone is the requisite cameo, there’s no twist ending to fall back on, and everything is set in the pseudo-real world that only Hollywood can dream up. All done in an attempt to address all of the critiques he’s been subjected to as of late, or simply as a subverted “fuck you” to all of his critics and wishy-washy fans. Its like he’s saying, “You didn’t like all that stuff before huh? Well see how you like it if I take it all out and give you something unbearably boring instead!”

Ludicrous plot developments (plants have congregated and decided to take out the human race by simultaneously emitting a toxin that makes people freeze, walk backwards, spout off gibberish, and kill themselves…fuckin’ plants) , ridiculously stupid characters (the hippie plant guy that loves hotdogs and the crazy old lady that thinks everyone is trying to steal her cold lemony beverage), cringe-inducing attempts at humor (watch the hilarity ensue as Mark Wahlberg tries to reason with a…plastic plant), and terribly lame line deliveries (“Oh..no?”) plague this movie incessantly. And worst of all, Shyamalan breaks the biggest cardinal rule of filmmaking: Don’t make a boring movie. Well he does, and even though this film is barely over 90 minutes, it feels like an excruciatingly long ordeal.

There are three, count ‘em three, moments that genuinely work and bring a chill to your spine. They pack an emotional wallop and are the only times when the good old Night comes out of hiding. Believe me; you’ll know ‘em when you see ‘em. Unfortunately, most moments of supposed horror are played straight but come off comical. One moment in particular has a group of folks watching a video on an iPhone (nice product placement Night) that features a Zoo keeper being ripped limb from limb by lions. The crowd watching this is horrified and gasps in terror. I’m sitting in my seat in the theater laughing my ass off at the sheer ridiculousness of the moment and how poorly executed it is. I’m sure that scene worked great conceptually, but in the hands of someone who has never had a full grasp on scenes involving Action/Violence/Gore in the first place, it comes off amateurish.

Another hit against the film is the characterzations. Characters we’re supposed to be invested in we can hardly take seriously. The scene where John Leguizamo (the only actor that actually gives a passable performance in the piece) snaps at Zooey Deschanel (the prettiest zombie I ever did see) is awkward and almost funny. And it’s like Mark Wahlberg purposely sabotaged this movie with his B-Movie performance and Shyamalan let him. The aforementioned scene where he comes to the realization that another group of survivors in his party are offing themselves, and utters the lamest exclamation of “Oh no” I have ever heard almost had me on the floor. I won’t even get into how almost immediately after that he urges everyone to literally run from the wind. I know all of this sounds like it could prove to be a hilarious experience, but these scenes are separated by boring and stale attempts at emotion and drama. Maybe if you got drunk with a bunch of friends and MST3K’d the hell out of the flick, that might work. I’ve heard somewhere that Shyamalan came out after the horrible reviews started pouring in and said it was always his intent to make a B-movie. First off, you’re not allowed to come out after the fact and say, “No, no, it was supposed to be that bad. I did that on purpose.” Also, if that truly was the concept you were working under, you gotta jump in full-tilt or not at all, lest you risk coming off as simply incompetent. As ridiculous as it may sound, you can’t half-ass a B-movie dude.

THE HAPPENING is like watching the last 15 minutes of THE VILLAGE extended for 1 hour and 30 mins. Ya know what, scratch that. Even THE VILLAGE’s finale wasn’t this bad. THE HAPPENING is a mostly boring and sometimes painful viewing experience. But most of all, its sad to see Shyamalan stoop to this. Don’t even bother with this one folks, nothing worth seeing “happens”. Until next time, see you at the movies!
Bobert’s Rating: – SKIP IT!

The Official Studio Line:

The explosive, action-packed adventure in one of the all-time most popular superhero sagas unfolds with a cure in reach for the world’s most primal force of fury: THE INCREDIBLE HULK. We find scientist Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) living in shadows, scouring the planet for an antidote. But the warmongers who dream of abusing his powers won’t leave him alone, nor will his need to be with the only woman he has ever loved, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler). Upon returning to civilization, our brilliant doctor is ruthlessly pursued by The Abomination (Tim Roth)–a nightmarish beast of pure adrenaline and aggression whose powers match The Hulk’s own. A fight of comic-book proportions ensues as Banner must call upon the hero within to rescue New York City from total destruction. Now one scientist must make an agonizing final choice–accept a peaceful life as Bruce Banner or the creature he could permanently become: THE INCREDIBLE HULK.

I’ll admit it right away. I liked THE INCREDIBLE HULK. Quite a bit actually. But if you frequent this site, you know I’m an unabashed fan of Ang Lee’s HULK. I believe its one of the best Superhero films ever realized on the big screen, right up there with SPIDER-MAN 2, X2, BATMAN BEGINS, and UNBREAKABLE. Most of the complaints I see leveled against it are of the superficial variety, and lends insight on a common viewpoint among the general viewing public. Ultimately, audiences believe their Superhero movies should be silly excursions into the impossible. While I can appreciate this viewpoint, I certainly do not have to accept it. I equate the Superhero genre with Science Fiction and Horror, genres filmmakers use to explore serious themes and ideas within the guise of Fantasy. In the case of the HULK, Lee examined the consequences of society’s propensity towards regression and suppression. In most cases people simply have nervous breakdowns, in Bruce Banner’s case it’s turning into a green hulking mass of destructive power. Yes a bit exaggerated, but it gets the message across. Essentially, in Lee’s film, The Hulk is not a Superhero. He’s a misunderstood monster. And that is probably the biggest and most fundamental difference between his execution and the INCREDIBLE HULK’s. Marvel Studio’s second attempt (and don’t let anyone tell you ain’t a remake, cause it is. They even inserted a new origin for chrissakes!) at bringing the Green Goliath to the big screen makes sure you know the Hulk is a good guy, ensuring that this flick is a genuine Superhero flick in the most basic sense.

And it succeeds in that regard. By the end of the movie you know The Everlovin’ Hulk is there help out whenever another gamma irradiated “abomination” comes smashing along. So in that regard, The Hulk in this film is definitely different from Ang Lee’s earlier interpretation. There differences as well. Some are superficial variances, while others also go to the core of the character. No longer does the Green Goliath launch into the air, traveling miles with a single leap. He still leaps, but they only cover mere feet this time around. Leterrier’s Hulk actually manages to string a few words together to mutter a sentence, whereas Lee’s Hulk only appeared to be capable of this during a dream sequence and the abstract finale. Finally and most drastically, the two versions approach the psychology of the hulk differently as well. Lee’s film interpreted Hulk and Banner as being two distinct personalities at war with one another. Hulk despises Banner because he sees him as a weakling, and Banner hates the mindless brute for obvious reasons. In this new film Hulk is very much apart of Banner, with allusions made that at some point Banner may be able to control the raging beast. I prefer the former over the latter, as it had more potential for an interesting exploration of Banner’s internal conflict. But who knows, this new interpretation may in fact be laying down the groundwork for future appearances of Mr. Fix-It (The smart Gray Hulk) or an intelligent green Hulk. And speaking of setting up stuff for possible sequels…

Leterrier seems to be going for a record with the amount of foreshadowing he inserts into THE INCREDIBLE HULK. Not only do we have the expected setup for the upcoming AVENGERS film (seemingly a requisite for any Marvel Studio films now), but we get hints at a “smart” Hulk for future installments and what appears to be the origin of one of the Hulk’s main villains, The Leader. Rumors have also circulated recently that a scene deleted from the theatrical release featured the appearance of none other than Captain America. In terms of the Hulk’s look, they get it right. Not as realistic as Ang Lee’s version (which, in my opinion, is still the best looking the hulk has ever been), but perfectly riding that line that separates reality and comic book fantasy. Setting all that aside, Leterrier gets the main reason for the existence of this HULK film right. Action. It’s exciting, choreographed well, and there’s plenty of it. Oh and it’s easily comprehensible, unlike last year’s TRANSFORMERS where audiences had to struggle to figure who was hitting who most of the time. And it’s not only the action scenes that are structured well, the quieter moments in-between and the overall narrative moves at a brisk and straightforward pace.

Without a doubt, THE INCREDIBLE HULK is more closely modeled after the TV show from the 70’s rather than the comic books. Observant viewers will notice Bill Bixby, the man that originally played Bruce Banner in the TV show, even makes a surprising cameo (especially considering the fact that he’s been dead for a few years). Not to mention Lou Ferrigno (who played the 70′s show Hulk) who shows up again as a security guard at Banner’s former lab, even the show’s “Lonely Man” theme shows up from time to time. So not exactly an adaptation but certainly an ode to the show that we all grew up seeing at least once, marveling at a bodybuilder in green paint running around. Most of all it’s a satisfying and fun action flick, immensely helped along by a great cast that brings gravitas and realism to their roles. I’m looking at Edward Norton, William Hurt, and Tim Roth specifically. Their contributions are so intrinsic to the overall success of the film that there’s no telling what would have happened had they not been involved. Not to say that Liv Tyler and Tim Blake Nelson didn’t do their parts because they certainly took care of business (even if Tyler is a bit of lightweight and Nelson went a little overboard with the cheese factor), it’s just that Norton really is the glue that keeps the whole piece together. Leterrier and Marvel Studios better hope Norton isn’t too butt hurt over that editing debacle, because not having him in subsequent films in the series will be a real loss.

With THE INCREDIBLE HULK Marvel Studios has succeeded in creating an action-packed Hulk film that doesn’t just settle for big and dumb, satisfying both casual Movie-goers as well as the judgmental comic book fans (myself being one of ‘em). Thanks in no small part to director Leterrier and thespians such as Norton, Hurt, and Roth; the film’s admittedly silly premise is elevated to a higher plain of sophistication. Oh, and the big guy says “HULK SMASH!” How can you go wrong with that? And to all you fanboys that loved Ang Lee’s HULK, don’t worry, it’s ok to like THE INCREDIBLE HULK too. Your Geek Card won’t be revoked if you see it and admit you enjoyed yourself. So go see it before you make the Hulk angry. And believe me, you wouldn’t like him — angry (Sorry, I had to do it). Until next time, see you at the movies!
Bobert’s Rating: – RECOMMENDED!

Hey folks, Bobert here. You may have noticed that I haven’t posted in a couple of days. Well my friends once again I have been stricken with the plague, only mere weeks after recovering from my last bout with another vile disease. Needless to say, I’m not operating at 100%. I’ll try to post a review of THE INCREDIBLE HULK and THE HAPPENING before the week is out, but I ain’t making no promises. Let’s hope I get over this virus sooner rather than later. To help tide you over till then, I got a couple of interesting trailers for you to check out…

First up is ONG BAK 2, Tony Jaa’s sequel to the film that put him on the Martial Arts Badass map. It seems the new flick will also be Tony’s directorial debut. While the ONG BAK 2 shares no direct correlation with the previous ONG BAK, it looks to feature the same kind of jaw-dropping ass-kickery we’ve now come to expect from the Muay Thai fighter extraordinaire. This time with a lot more weapons (and Elephants) thrown in. Thanks to Twitch.net, we’ve got the promo reel that’s been prepared to play at this year’s Cannes Film festival. Click on the pic above to get a taste of Tony’s elbow in yo face!

Next is, if you can believe it, the French teaser for THE TRANSPORTER 3! The first TRANSPORTER equaled awesome. The second TRANSPORTER equaled suck. Where will the third installment fall under? Time will tell. This one was hard to get a hold of; I had to end up using a link I found on Collegehumor.com. Click the above link to have a quick look at Jason Statham milking another one of his cash cows to death!

That’s it for now folks. Stay tuned for more updates!

This weekend features two big hitters both returning to the ring after major and very public defeats. One’s a not-so-jolly green giant that’s out to prove that he can “smash” the cinemas just as well as last year’s giant robots, and the other is a much shorter filmmaker trying to shake off the stink of back-to-back flops. Now, I want a fair and clean fight gentlemen. Let’s Get It On!

I guess I’m one of the rare few that really dug Ang Lee’s HULK from a few years back. The psychological exploration of Bruce Banner and the attempt to understand the Hulk creature at a intellectual level was an ambitious endeavor for Lee and the Comic Book Film genre, and not everyone appreciated what it tried to accomplish. Haters complained the film was slow and there wasn’t enough “Hulk Smash!”, but the build-up and eventual moments of Hulkmania were accentuated and intensified by this deliberate pace. People always complain that Comic Book movies are silly and immature, but the moment you get a sophisticated approach that dares to take the material seriously, all you hear is folks clamoring for another big dumb movie in the vein of TRANSFORMERS or FANTASTIC FOUR. Well Marvel Studios is taking another crack at everyone’s favorite Green Goliath with THE INCREDIBLE HULK, hoping to give the finicky public what they want. Director Louis Leterrier ( the French director of UNLEASHED and the TRANSPORTER series) and Ed Norton (FIGHT CLUB, THE ILLUSIONIST) have gone with the original 70′s TV show approach, with Bruce Banner on-the-run from the law while trying to rid himself of his gamma-irradiated curse. Certainly this new effort will be more action-oriented and in keeping with a simpler comic book aesthetic, but will audiences accept a new HULK film with a completely different cast and style so soon after Lee’s failed original? Check it out for yourself this weekend.

Poor M. Night, once touted as the next Steven Spielberg by the film industry, has now become one of the most ridiculed and mocked filmmakers in Hollywood. The hate is especially vitriol on the net, where nothing is held back. His downward spiral began with the oft-maligned and under-achieving THE VILLAGE, and I fall into the category of people that really disliked that flick. LADY IN THE WATER, which I in fact really enjoyed and praised at the time of release, further infuriated audiences and was Shyamalan’s first actual flop. So now the guy has something to prove again. Sure, he’s slated to direct a trilogy of live-action films based on the AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER animated tv series, but that’s an sure thing adaptation of family-friendly material. Maybe that’s why his new film, THE HAPPENING, is his first foray into R-rated material (a fact that the advertisements during the NBA Finals made sure you were aware of). Early word has not been good, with special attention being paid to Mark Wahlberg‘s apparently atrocious performance. I’m rooting for Night to finally hit another home run, but I guess we’ll all see for ourselves this Friday the 13th!

The next group of movies I have for you are much smaller than the ones above and are getting limited releases, so check your local listings to see if they are playing nearby. KICKING IT is a film that documents the World Cup — but not the professional one. This World Cup is for a special group of players. Namely, the homeless. Bums from across the world are brought together to compete for the prize, and along the way we learn a little bit about their individual stories. A film that examines the power of sports from the angle of people we typical try to ignore in our daily lives. Could make for an eye-opening experience. Next is BAGHEAD, an Indie Thriller that follows a group of yuppie-looking hipsters trying to write the next great scary movie. Holed up in a remote cabin in the woods, they’re soon terrorized by some dude wearing a bag over his head. Yeah, doesn’t sound very scary, but the premise has me intrigued. Finally, Nick Stahl (BULLY, TERMINATOR 3) and Vera Farmiga (THE DEPARTED, JOSHUA) star in QUID PRO QUO, a drama about a wheelchair-bound reporter that investigates a story about a man who bribed a doctor into amputating his healthy limbs. The film, which explores a real and pretty disturbing subculture, has been compared to a modern day Film Noir. That’s good enough reason for me to be curious about it. Look for all of these flicks and more at a theater near you!

That’s it for today folks. Stay tuned for next’s edition of Bobert@The Movies when Mike Meyer’s LOVE GURU takes on Steve Carrell as he tries to GET SMART. Until then, see you at the Movies!

Hey folks, Bobert here. I’ve seen quite a few new horror flicks over the past week, so I wanted to bring you my impressions while they’re still fresh in my head. I figured I’d just give you all of ‘em in one big dose since I only wrote a little about each. I’ll start from my least-liked and make my way to my favorite of the batch. So read on and enjoy!

TEETH

The Official Studio Line:

High school student Dawn works hard at suppressing her budding sexuality by being the local chastity group’s most active participant. Her task is made even more difficult by her bad boy stepbrother Brad’s increasingly provocative behavior at home. A stranger to her own body, innocent Dawn discovers she has a toothed vagina when she becomes the object of violence. As she struggles to comprehend her anatomical uniqueness, Dawn experiences both the pitfalls and the power of being a living example of the vagina dentata myth.

A coming-of-age story about an Abstinence-Promoting Teen girl that discovers she’s got a little something extra downstairs. Yeah this is a weird one, with a very limited audience I imagine. There’s nothing scarier to an adolescent guy (the main demographic for Horror flicks it would seem) than a teenage girl’s Vagina right? And yes, this is one of those Arty Horror flicks that relies more on ideas and metaphors, so prepare to get “enlightened”. The film tries to draw parallels between the fairly mundane discovery of a young girl’s sexuality and the rather “toothy” realization that she’s suffering from a bad case of Vagina Dentate. We also get the sense there are cinematic metaphors in play when she begins using sex as a weapon, both figuratively and literally. The Gore-hound in me couldn’t help but giggle at the sound of chomping teeth coupled with the blood-curdling screams of adolescent men, followed up by an appropriately matter-of-fact shot of the dismembered –uh member. But the constant posturing and indecisive path the narrative takes between each penis-chomping segment drags the entire affair down. So while TEETH definitely has some interesting ideas going on, the annoyingly authentic teen angst was just too off-putting for this viewer. Maybe others will be able to grit their teeth through it a little easier, but I’m still weary to recommend it. Best to go with a rental first says I.
Bobert’s Rating: - Rent It!

P2

The Official Studio Line:

It’s Christmas Eve, Angela Bridges, an ambitious young executive, works late before she leaves for her family’s holiday party. When she gets down to the parking garage, she discovers that her car won’t start. Her garage is deserted and her cell phone doesn’t get a signal underground. When Thomas, a friendly security guard, comes along and offers to help, Angela nervously accepts his gesture of good will. Soon after a failed attempt to start her car, he invites her to stay and share a small Christmas dinner he’s preparing in the parking office, but she laughs it off. Angela doesn’t realize this is no laughing matter. Thomas has been watching her closely–for months. His dinner invitation is not optional. If Angela wants to live to see Christmas morning, she must find a way to escape from level P2 of the parking garage.

An empty parking garage at night can be a pretty spooky place. Random sounds echoing off endless walls of concrete. Sudden flashes of light from wandering cars. And then there’s always that faint sensation that someone is just a few steps behind you, ready to pounce. French Horror filmmaker Alexandre Aja, who previously brought us HIGH TENSION and THE HILLS HAVE EYES, attempts to channel that basic fear and punch it up 100% with P2. Once again Aja infuses his horror film with plenty of tension, supplied by a villain that engages in physical and psychological torment. So let’s go over the two basic must-haves in any Slasher-type horror flick. Is it gory? Definitely yes (even if it’s only for one scene). Ok, check one. Number 2 must-have: Is the flick scary? Eh, not really. He and director Franck Khalfoun (a co-developer with Aja since HIGH TENSION and THE HILLS HAVE EYES) achieve a modicum of success, but there’s just not enough here to get very excited about (aside from numerous lingering shots of Rachel Nichols and her glorious cleavage). The film is short and quick to the point, which is welcome but may have contributed to the ultimately forgettable nature of the film. Give it a rental if you’re so inclined.
Bobert’s Rating: - Rent It!

FRONTIER(S)

The Official Studio Line:

Alone in a Paris plagued by deadly race riots, the young and beautiful Yasmine is looking for a way out. In her desperation, she turns to her shady ex-boyfriend. Together with his two thug friends, they pull off a bold heist and head for the border. With the police close behind, they hide out in a seemingly peaceful inn. But the mysterious innkeeper is hiding a secret more terrifying than anything they could ever imagine. Trapped in an endless maze of tunnels crawling with hungry subhuman cannibals, they must fight to survive their bloody initiation into the innkeeper’s evil family cult.

So what did you think of that HITMAN movie and first-time director Xavier Gens? If you’re one of those folks that thought the flick excelled in style where it failed in substance, then you might wanna know about the director’s latest flick. Even if you hated that turd of a Video Game-Movie Adaptation (reportedly, Gens was ousted from the Editing room after submitting an ultra-violet cut and was replaced with another director, so maybe he wasn’t completely to blame for HITMAN’s failure), you should still pay attention if you’re a fan of Foreign Horror. I’m talking about a French horror movie called FRONTIER(S), and it tries so desperately to be TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE that I can’t help but give it a recommendation. The spirit of the original TCM is here, plus all the graphic Blood and Guts that was missing. But instead of a family of inbred hicks, we get a family of inbred French Nazis. Yeah, weird doesn’t even come close to describing this thing. While this family of yahoos is missing the showy flamboyance of a chainsaw-wielding Leatherface facsimile, they do throw in an underground compound filled to the brim with deformed and carnivorous discarded offspring. A pretty ok substitute I guess. Things get started slowly, but once we begin the descent into madness, it’s a pretty fun ride and well worth seeing!
Bobert’s Rating: ½ - Check It Out!

THEM (ILS)

The Official Studio Line:

Clémentine teaches at the French Lycée in Bucharest. Lucas is a novelist. The young couple lives happily in a large house tucked away in the middle of a forest. But tonight, their lives will be turned upside down. They don’t know it yet but they’re being spied upon, they’re being surrounded. When night falls, Clémentine and Lucas will come up against THEM. They are there, they are everywhere, they are even in their home…Who are they? What do they want? The answers will take them to the very limits of fear itself.

Without a doubt, THEM is one of the most reserved French Horror flicks in a while. But what THEM lacks in typical French Horror extremity, it makes up for in pure tension and subdued style. It’s also probably the most accessible of all the horror flicks I’ve seen lately, without being any less effective. This is an Old School horror film that relies much more on what you don’t see rather than trying to shock you with repeated scenes of gloriously gory blood and guts. So while sensitive viewers may still twitch and squint through most of the flick, they can relax and know that any kind of irreversible visual trauma will be avoided. Once again, the theme of “invasion” on a smaller scale is explored here. With films like this and others like INSIDE, FUNNY GAMES, and THE STRANGERS, it’s a motif that seems to be very popular in modern Horror these days. And really why shouldn’t it be? In a world of overwhelming and abstruse global issues like War and the Environment, not to mention national problems like the Economy (fucking ridiculous gas prices!), horror brought down to a personal scale like this can be far more disturbing and identifiable. So while this little French Horror flick wasn’t as intense as I’m used to or prefer, thanks to it’s surprisingly short running time (77mins!), THEM is definitely a quick and easily digestible excursion into terror.
Bobert’s Rating: – Recommended!

INSIDE

The Official Studio Line:

Still grieving over her recently deceased husband, a pregnant woman, alone on the eve of her delivery, is terrorized by a raging psychopathic woman who is determined to retrieve the baby from her womb…by any means necessary.

Ah those crazy crazy French, how I adore you. In every interview I listen to (or read since I need the English subtitles), French filmmakers claim that the Horror genre is rarely explored in the French film industry. I’m not surprised, considering how bat-shit crazy 90% of their horror films are. Any self-respecting director would be inclined to shy away from indulging in such a schlocky endeavor. Thank god there exists a breed of ballsy Frenchmen (yeah I know, sounds like an oxymoron huh?) that jump head-first into Extreme Cinema. Otherwise, we would not be blessed with such films as INSIDE. What’s scarier than the unbridled miracle of pregnancy? I certainly can’t think of a more terrifying premise to jump off from. Directors Alexandre Bustillo and Julien Maury take the premise and juxtapose it to the terror of a Home Invasion, making this horror flick one of those arty metaphorical deals. Ok, maybe not. Any allusions of deeper meaning are completely superficial, with the main focus being to scare, shock, and disgust. And boy do these guys hit a homerun. A lone pregnant woman fending off intruders might have made for compelling cinema alone, but that’s not good enough for these sick fucks. When the intruder finally makes her true intentions known you discover she’s not looking to take anything from inside the house, but rather take the bundle of joy residing inside the mother’s womb. And she aint got any qualms about using a pair of scissors to perform a little impromptu C-section if needed. This is probably one of the most fucked up pieces of cinema I’ve seen in some time. From the lone dark figure sinking into and out of the shadows of an empty house, to the final brutal 30 minutes where a brain splattered cop goes into berserker mode, this flick exudes a creepiness factor that had me going “WoweWow”. And that is a rare occurrence indeed. I should’ve known a French flick would’ve been the one to do it.
Bobert’s Rating: – Highly Recommended!