Director Lars von Trier has created a truly pulverizing film with ANTICHRIST. It is full of dread, full of despair. It is a horror film, but it doesn’t rely on easy scares or the cheap theatrics of B movies. It is a distant cousin to the director’s previous work, DANCER IN THE DARK, in that it is a wholly original vision that also works as a razor sharp deconstruction of the genre it belongs to.

The story is simple. A man and a woman (played by Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg) make love, while their infant son accidentally falls to his death. They take their grief to a cabin in the woods where tensions build and slowly turn into horror. Taking into account that brief plot description, you can see the classic horror film scenario: Two lovers, a secluded location, and a sin that calls for bloody retribution. Yes, the trappings of the genre are there, but Trier does not cow down to narrative expectations.

Controversy surrounding this film is not unfounded, and this is certainly not a movie for the weak of heart or for people whose moods can significantly be affected by film. ANTICHRIST �is a horror picture, a dead serious one, about overwhelming guilt and despair. Like many films and many philosophies, nature is framed as an uncaring and violent spectre, but Trier takes the idea a little further and presents the idea that nature is inherently evil, because nature is Satan’s church. We are all unwilling worshippers of sin.

Then, there is the violence. It manifests itself as physical, psychological, sexual and sometimes a combination of it all. This movie does not shy away from the profane. It is explicit in its depictions of wanton sexuality and bodily harm. Some critics accuse Trier of having created a blisteringly misogynistic film, but I do not think they were paying close enough attention. It’s a polarizing film for sure, and it is not something that you idly watch. You must endure ANTICHRIST.

Despite its content, it is an unnaturally beautiful film. Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (2009 Oscar winner for Slumdog Millionaire) takes this psychosexual nightmare and makes it a work of moving art. For any cineaste that has forgotten that Trier is quite a brilliant technical craftsman, then ANTICHRIST is a great reminder.

ANTICHRIST �is in limited release Oct. 23

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

I was lucky enough to catch the midnight screening of ‘Paranormal Activity’ here in Los Angeles. I had my reservations going into the film, because this movie has been getting a lot of hype, but I went in with an open mind.

It must have been a little over halfway through the running time when I started to feel like I wanted to leave the theater, though not because the movie was bad… IT SCARED THE ABSOLUTE HELL OUT OF ME.

I made myself stay. I finished ‘Paranormal Activity’ with my hands covering my face. I had to will myself not to look away from the screen. This movie turned me into a cowering child.

It finally ended and the enthusiastic crowd began to mill their way out of the theater. I could hardly stand up. My legs were weak, I had a tension headache, I was physically exhausted from being scared. I had goosebumps on the way out of the theater and for most of my drive home. When I got to my apartment, I turned on my living room light and sat on the couch until the sun came up.

No movie has ever given me that much anxiety.

‘Paranormal Activity’ was apparently shot on a shoestring budget. The kind of horror on display is that which feeds on the power of suggestion, so don’t expect ‘Poltergeist’ special effects. In fact, the film’s best effect is its use of audio. If you’ve ever given yourself the shivers because you thought you heard a spooky sound in your house, then this movie will terrorize you.

The story is simple. A young couple thinks their house is haunted, so they set up a camera while they sleep to see if they can make sense of the phenomena. They soon discover that the house is, indeed, haunted. Very haunted. And none too friendly.

Technically, and despite the budgetary restrictions, ‘Paranormal Activity’ is firing on all cylinders. The cast performances are grounded in believability, and the camera work is what you would expect, given the cinéma vérité �style of the narrative.

This movie is for anyone that has ever been afraid of the dark within their own home. It’s for the people that have stayed up too late telling scary stories, or surfing Youtube for videos of ghosts.

To give away any more would be detrimental. Go into this movie cold.

TAKE NOTE:

‘Paranormal Activity’ will open in limited release, so only select cities will get the film. If your area is not currently playing the film, you can insist to have it screened there by going to ParanormalMovie.com or http://www.eventful.com/paranormalactivity and DEMAND IT. If the demand is high enough, the film will come to your area.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Park Chan-wook’s vampire drama, ‘Thirst,’ opens in St. Louis at the Tivoli on September 25. I suggest that you make plans to see it, because it is hands down one of the years best films.

‘Thirst’ is the latest film from Park Chan-wook, the acclaimed director of ‘Oldboy’ and ‘I’m a Cyborg, But That’s OK.’ This highly anticipated movie is already a big hit in Korea and it was an official selection at the 62^nd Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded the Jury Prize.

‘Thirst’ stars Korean favorite Song Kang-ho as a goodly priest that finds himself the victim of a horrible disease whose side effects include an extreme aversion to sunlight and the need to drink blood in order to survive. This affliction soon puts the priest on very intimate terms with all of the Seven Deadly Sins… especially when he begins to lust after the wife of a childhood friend.

Fans of Park Chan-wook’s ‘Vengeance Trilogy’ (Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, Sympathy for Lady Vengeance) will not be disappointed. ‘Thirst’ is a fine display of the beauty, violence and black humor that permeates Chan-wook’s best work.

Recently, the director took a moment to speak about his latest film and how he balanced the humor and seriousness:

“10 years ago I couldn’t dream I’d end with a film like this, because at the time I was determined to make a humorless film. I told myself I wanted to make the darkest, most serious film in the history of cinema,” says Park.

The film didn’t turn out that way, and Park offers up this explanation: �“A filmmaker’s tendencies or his personality isn’t something that can be changed by determination, because even though I decided to make this very serious film, I ended up with something like this.”

“With a character in a film,” he elaborates, “the more they struggle or the more they jump around full of rage, or whether they become subject to violence or they tremble in fear in anticipation of such violence – or when they are gripped with an extreme sorrow – in these situations, if you just shift the angle a little bit, if you change the point of view or if you change the size of a zoom, then you are able to capture humor in that situation.”

Park’s sensibilities lend themselves easily to a genre film like ‘Thirst,’ which he sees as a natural progression of his fantastical narratives.

“By decreasing the amount of supernaturalism contained in this film, I think I was able to meet a middle ground. I brought down the level of supernaturalism to meet the level of surrealism found in my previous films. If you think back, ever since JSA, fantastical elements in my films have been on the increase. Look at ‘Sympathy For Mr. Vengeance,’ ‘Oldboy,’ ‘Sympathy For Lady Vengeance’ �through to ‘I’m A Cyborg, But That’s OK.’ So, with this increasing of fantastic elements in one hand, you could almost say that this is a part of that progression, to reach ‘Thirst.’”

So, what piqued his interest in vampires?

“If you ask me what elements of vampirism I find interesting, unlike like other films, it’s not the vampires being immortal or having super powers or their being very beautiful, but it’s the fact that they can only consume blood and they can only move about during the night. This is a being that is very limited in what they can do. It is almost someone to be sympathized with, these poor creatures with all these limitations placed on them, these limitations that they did not seek.“

‘Thirst’ paints an intriguing portrait of sinful lust and sensual pleasure, an intelligent treat for discerning fans of world cinema.

Thirst opens at Tivoli Theater in St. Louis on September 25

(This article appears courtesy of Campus Circle)

‘Big Man Japan’ follows the exploits of a middle-aged man whose job entails being occasionally shocked with electricity that turns him into Dai Nipponjin, a several stories tall behemoth that defends Japan from a variety of giant monsters. Think of Ultraman as a blue-collar worker and you’re on the right track. Instead of being a revered hero of the people, Dai Nipponjin is reviled as a noisy and destructive oaf.

‘Big Man Japan’ is a clever satire, a deconstruction of the Japanese super hero but also a decidedly acute dissection of Japan itself, the influence of American culture and the relationship between Japan, the United States and North Korea. It’s a lot to pack into one movie, but creator/director/star Hitoshi Matsumoto pulls it off without a hitch. Admittedly, if you go into this film with little or no knowledge of the above, then prepare to be baffled at some points, but know that much of the comedy is born out of the characters.

Matsumoto is a renowned Japanese comic and ‘Big Man Japan’ is his first feature film. Shot in the style of a documentary, Matsumoto litters the movie with a kind of dry, self-deprecating humor that reminds me very much of Brit comic, Ricky Gervais. Like Gervais, Matsumoto is most interested in the kind of sad, pathetic character that surrounds his self in denial, yearns for entitlement and skirts responsibility. The main character in ‘Big Man Japan,’ Daisato, is exactly that type of character, a pariah in the eyes of the people he has sworn to protect.

The film shifts style and focus from the understated moments with Daisato to highly absurd comic fantasy featuring giant CGI monsters. The creature designs never fail to amuse and the effects work in service of the story. Monsters range from giant demons to massive hoping legs topped with human heads to skyscraper-sized old men in diapers.

It is possible to come to this movie green and be entertained, though it is definitely skewed towards an audience that is familiar with daikaiju (giant monster) cinema.

‘Big Man Japan’ is the sixth and final film for Magnet Releasing’s Six Shooter Film Series, and it is a satisfying end to a remarkably successful slate of movies.

‘Big Man Japan’Â �opens in Los Angeles at Landmark’s Nuart Theatre and in New York on May 15

[Overall: 4 stars out of 5]

Want to see what went down last week here at WAMG?

Just check out the list of links below…

‘The Mighty Boosh’ Starts Tonight On Adult Swim

Movie Melting Pot†�’Bay of Blood’ (Italy, 1971)

A Number of Updates and Photos on ‘H2†�

‘Good Dick’ Out Now on DVD

March 27-29 Weekend Box Office Estimates

Video Revisit: ‘Hot Rod’

Early Review: ‘Official Rejection’

Rhys Ifans Set for ‘Deathly Hallows’

Gemma Arterton Cast in ‘Clash of the Titans’

Teaser Poster for Scorsese’s ‘Shutter Island’

Who wants to “Observe†� and “Report†� with the Movie Geeks?

SXSW Interview: ‘True Adolescents’

‘Sherlock Holmes’ Teaser Poster

‘Bruno’ lands an NC-17 rating the first time around

New ‘H2†� photos hit the web

Lost & Found†� ‘Four of the Apocalypse’ (1975)

Cronenberg Planning ‘Eastern Promises’ Sequel

Review: ‘The Path of Torment’

WAMG attends Horror Hound Weekend 2009

Jonathan Levine Jumps On ‘The Sitter’

‘Drag Me to Hell’ Gets a Poster With Flames†� Cool

Paul Bettany Starring as ‘Priest

Emily Browning takes the lead in ‘Sucker Punch’

ESPN brings on Top Names to Helm ‘30 for 30†� Docs

Rob Zombie blogs again†� young Michael Myers

Rob Zombie opens up about ‘Tyrannosaurus Rex �

First Pics from ‘Dark Country’

‘Toy Story 3D’ and ‘Toy Story 2 3D’ Double Feature on October 2^nd

Shannon and Arnett Join ‘Jonah Hex’

A New Day, a New ‘H2†� Blog from Rob Zombie

Is ‘Cronos’ coming to Criterion DVD?

Steve Carell Gets ‘Dumped’

Review: ‘Stiff Jobs’

Bruce Lee VS. Iron Man†� Action Figure Style

‘The Path of Torment’ Red Band Trailer, with a quote from us!

Watch Dan Fogler as Sam Kinison

Collector’s Edition of ‘No Country for Old Men’ is coming!

Checked Out ‘Japanese Spider-Man’ yet?

Full Trailer for ‘The Hangover’

Sony Prez confirms ‘Men in Black 3†�

Poster for Steven Soderbergh’s ‘The Girlfriend Experience’ hits

Potential ‘H2†� Poster Hits the Web

Magnolia hates movie bloggers, likes ‘Let the Right One In’ subtitles

Bill Hader Unveils a Few Details About ‘House of Joel’

Bond Villain Joins ‘Clash of the Titans’ Cast

New ‘Transformers 2†� Images

‘Inglourious Basterds’ new photos, will premier at Cannes

Furlong and Zane must be on ‘Janjaweed’

Fantasy Cast†� Who Should Play Captain America?

International Red Band Trailer for ‘Bruno’ Hits! Respek!

Fox to Present ‘World Without Us’

‘Scott Pilgrim’ Pics Galore

Comic Con NY 2009: Alien Trespass �

Review: ‘Fast & Furious’

Murphy, Cotillard and Page join ‘Inception’

New photo from ‘H2†�†� this time Laurie

Review: ‘Everlasting Moments’

Review: ‘Cherry Blossoms’

Trailer for ‘Fame’ Remake hits the web

Kidman and Eckhart leap into ‘Rabbit Hole’

‘Night of the Creeps’ Finally Getting DVD Release

Happy Birthday Eddie Murphy

Review: ‘Alien Trespass’

Review: ‘Gigantic’

Not What You Think†� ‘The Wild Bunch’ (2009)

Do your part to bring the World Premiere of ‘Wolverine’ to St. Louis

Heroes Time! Episode Review: “Into Asylum†�

Review: Reaper “I Want My Baby Back†�

Updates and Pics from ‘The Box’

Robert Downey Jr talks about ‘Iron Man 2†�

Paul Weitz in Talks to Direct ‘Little Fockers’

Classic Shit: ‘Stander’

WAMG Interview: Matt Aselton

Cool Pics from Indie Sci-Fi ‘Hunter Prey’

“Classic Shit!†� is a column dedicated to films that were maligned upon release, and it is for films that are as entertaining as they are terrible. It is a home for cinema’s underdog.

If I say something is a classic, then take it with a grain of salt. If I call it shit, then I do it with love-

Except this time, because ‘Stander’ is really awesome and deserves to be rediscovered. Right now.

 � �  �  �  �  �

‘Stander’ is a perfect example of quality cinema criminally ignored. This movie is top shelf all around: great score, great cast, great script and great director. I remember seeing a short trailer for this movie a long time ago and thinking to myself, “Hey, this movie looks like it might be pretty awesome.†�

Well, it was a sight better than “awesome.†� It’s fucking GREAT.

Thomas Jane plays Andre Stander, a South African police officer that grows increasingly tired of political and racial hypocrisy, then he decides to start bucking the system and begins robbing every bank he comes in contact with. Andre Stander goes on to rob at least 26 banks while employed as a Johannesburg police captain, but he gets caught and goes to jail. A minor inconvenience, Stander breaks out of prison and goes on to rob another 20 or so banks for a period of six months. Stander and his two accomplices, Lee McCall and Allan Heyl, were known as the “Stander Gang.†� Only one of them still lives.

‘Stander,’ it should be noted, is based on a true story.

Thomas Jane rules the roost in this movie. The guy is simply devoted to his craft and he completely commits himself to the character of Andre Stander. When he speaks, it is in a pitch perfect South African accent, which is a feat in and of its self. Speaking in an accent is hard enough (just ask Leonardo DiCaprio or Kevin Costner), but South African strikes me as especially difficult, with its myriad of dialects. Good for you, Mr. Jane, because I bought it for the duration of the running time.

And if Jane’s skills weren’t exemplary enough, he is matched in his commitment by a trio of supporting actors: Dexter Fletcher, David O’Hara and Deborah Kara Unger. Everyone seems to be doing overtime in the acting department.

Dexter Fletcher does what he always does, which is completely slip into character and vanish. He’s one of those actors that you see on screen and you know you recognize him, but what from? I’m telling you that ability is a godsend, nothing but pure talent. Fletcher is golden in whatever he’s in and it is no different with ‘Stander.’ Keep your eyes and ears open for Fletcher’s new movie, ‘Autumn,’ because it sounds awesome.

David O’Hara is probably best remembered as Stephen, the Irish, from ‘Braveheart.’ Since then, he’s been making his mark and landing substantial roles in any number of wide-release films, most recently in ‘Wanted,’ as the father of Mr. Tumnus. I like O’Hara, and he’s a great scene-stealer. There’s just something about him, the combo of distinctive features and a rather commanding voice. I can see this guy having a long career and I truly hope he gets to take the lead somewhere down the line. He turns in a really great performance in ‘Stander,’ one that matches Jane beat for beat in any scene they share.

Deborah Kara Unger plays Stander’s wife, Bekkie. Her chemistry with Jane is at the root of ‘Stander’s’ dramatic core. Their emotional investment in one another carries over into scenes where either character is alone, yet Unger and Jane’s mastery of silent, physical expression tells the audience that their missing partner is very much on their minds. Unger is good at pained, tragic characters and she puts that strength to good use. Like Jane, her accent never falters, never seems forced.

I also want to make quick mention of the score by David Holmes. It is amazing and, unfortunately, not available for purchase in any way shape or form. A shame, really. Just check out the trailer for a sample of Holmes’s talent†�

Bronwen Hughes directed ‘Stander’. Or should I say, Bronwen Hughes directed the shit out ‘Stander.’ Seriously, what kind of massive talent is Bronwen Hughes? Will someone start funding this woman’s work on a consistent basis, please? Hughes turned out one of the best heist movies I’ve seen in a long time. None of that cheeky ‘Oceans 12’ nonsense, this is real and intense stuff, with actions that lead to serious consequences. Not to portray the movie as an exercise in doom and gloom, because there is certainly levity to be found among the brash exploits of the Stander Gang, but a tale like this does have an air of tragedy lingering throughout. It’s a hell of a ride to tragedy, though, that’s for sure.

Being based on real people and events and set against the backdrop of something as complicated as apartheid, I have to applaud the deft hand that went into crafting this story. The details necessary to truly grasp the enormity of Stander’s narrative, as well as the story of South Africa, are delivered with a precision that should be applauded by lovers of good cinema. A wonderful example of Hughes’s (and, in fairness, screenwriter Bima Stagg) concise storytelling is in the opening title sequence, which lays out the groundwork for not only the film’s setting but the socio-economic dynamics of Johannesburg.

The film opens with a bird’s eye view of the South African landscape, beginning with the desert and into the vast grasslands, the farms and the people, images that are most familiar to people foreign to the continent. Then the opening shifts to a far different vision, to Johannesburg, a vast metropolitan city. In the film’s commentary, Hughes compares it visually to Seattle and the comparison is fairly astute. The camera moves on from downtown and into the suburbs, over the grand homes with their swimming pools and tennis courts. Finally, we see the slums and the shacks inhabited by the poor. The economic gap is startling, especially because these slums and these mansions exist right across the road from one another. This opening sequence speaks volumes to the audience, and we haven’t even been introduced to the main characters. Bravo, Bronwen, bravo.

Hughes has had an interesting career up until ‘Stander’ and it is a diverse path, to say the least. For instance, Hughes directed the movie ‘Forces of Nature,’ but right before that she directed the Nickelodean picture ‘Harriet the Spy,’ and those two movies couldn’t be any further removed from one another in terms of story and content, however, the most surprising aspect of Hughes’s early career is her involvement with ‘The Kids in the Hall.’ She directed film segments of at least six different episodes in 1994. So it is a career that seems to have been born kicking and screaming to find its way, and ‘Stander’ definitely seems like the turning point, where years of natural ability collide with years of on-set experience and the end product is solid, confident and exciting cinema. Color me impressed with Miss Hughes. � �

So, what the hell happened? Why isn’t this considered one of the great crime movies of this generation? Who is to blame?

After careful consideration of the facts, I offer my verdict: I can’t really blame anyone.

‘Stander’ had North American distribution through Newmarket Films, a company – it seems – whose only interest is to help really cool independent films see the light of day. Just take a look at this sample of their releases from the past nine years:

Memento

Donnie Darko

Whale Rider

Monster

The Passion of the Christ

A Cock and Bull Story

The Prestige

Um, yeah, all those movies are pretty good and I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t own any of them. So, how did ‘Stander’ slip through the collective radar? What were we busy watching that year? Oh, wait, wasn’t that the year that ‘Van Helsing’ came rolling into the cinemas? Right. That must have been it. �

In all fairness, ‘Stander’ didn’t have a wide release in North America. If you did get to see it in a theater, then consider yourself one of the lucky ones. And take a moment to thank Newmarket Films, because they at least made sure that the opportunity existed.

Anyway, the movie is on DVD. Rent it, buy it, just do what you do. The important thing is that you see it, because it’s really good.

 �

 �

 �

Fans of offbeat comedy, please give this show a chance!

I’m reposting this announcement via Turner.com:

British Comedy The Mighty Boosh Debuts on Adult Swim

Innovative Televisions Series from Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding Begins March 29, 2009

The Mighty Boosh �will make its way to the U.S. on Sunday, March 29, at 1 a.m. (ET/PT), joining Adult Swim’s Sunday line-up. An idea originally created by Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding in a London pub as a sketch comedy has evolved from live theatre to radio and, finally, to a groundbreaking television series. All three seasons of �The Mighty Boosh �are slated to air on Adult Swim in 2009, beginning with the third season on March 29. �

U.S. television audiences will soon get the chance to experience the fantastical comedic universe written by, and starring, comedians Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding. Barratt and Fielding’s characters were first created for their comedy sketch series Unnatural Acts, which soon made its way to three stage productions �The Mighty Boosh, Arctic Boosh �and �Authoboosh.The live act was then commissioned by the BBC for a six-part radio series that eventually became the successful and award-winning U.K. television series on BBC3. In 2006, Barratt and Fielding launched their first nationwide tour �The Mighty Boosh �Live across the U.K. Their second tour Boosh Live sold out venues at 90 stops across the U.K. and Ireland and wrapped up earlier this year. �

In �The Mighty Boosh, �self-absorbed wannabe glam rocker Vince Noir (Fielding) and the intellectually vain and self-proclaimed genius and jazz aficionado Howard Moon (Barratt) are in a band looking to discover “the new sound†� and live alongside a freelance shaman, Naboo (Michael Fielding) and Bollo (David Brown), a talking Gorilla. Each season, �The Mighty Booshcreates its own unique environment, taking place in a vast array of locales, including the “Zooniverse†�, the Frozen Tundra and the Australian desert. All three seasons of �The Mighty Boosh �are set to be released on DVD this summer. �

“Classic Shit!†� is a column dedicated to films that were maligned upon release, and it is for films that are as entertaining as they are terrible. It is a home for cinema’s underdog.

I got a job at a bar this week. I offer this clip as a form of celebration.

Cheers!

Paul McCartney was in The Beatles, then Wings and finally went on to record and perform as plain ol’ Paul McCartney. Regardless of how you feel about the guy, he is a living legend.

And if you don’t know who he is, then you might be dead. Get that checked out.

But who in the hell is Matt Berry? And what is he doing with McCartney?

Matt Berry is many things: Actor, Comedian, Musician, Englishman. He may be more, but there is only so much awesome you can pack inside one man.

Berry is a familiar face to fans of the BBC and was a regular on ‘The IT Crowd,’ ‘Garth Marenghi’s Darkplace,’ ‘The Mighty Boosh’ and the funniest damn show to ever air on broadcast television, ‘Snuff Box.’

For music fans, Berry has contributed his pop sensibilities to numerous shows, most notably ‘Snuff Box,’ which features numerous tunes in every episode. Berry wrote the lot of ‘em.

Currently, Berry can be seen in the film ‘Moon,’ which we recently reviewed as a part of our SXSW coverage (check it out).

I imagine Matt Berry will eventually win over the hearts and minds of all children. Until that happens, he will continue being awesome.

So awesome, in fact, that even Sir Paul McCartney is getting in on the action. He and Berry recorded a song together, ‘Rain Came Down,’ which will be included on Berry’s forthcoming album, ‘Witchazel,’ his follow up to the sublime ‘Opium.’

For a limited time, you can download ‘Witchazel’ for free by clicking HERE.

And if you’d like a taste of the ‘Snuff Box‘…

“Classic Shit!†� is a column dedicated to films that were maligned upon release, and it is for films that are as entertaining as they are terrible. It is a home for cinema’s underdog.

If I say something is a classic, then take it with a grain of salt. If I call it shit, then I do it with love.

‘Punisher: War Zone’ is probably 2008s best and most violent guilty pleasure, as well as being the most ignored by general audiences.

It is a perfect bookend to ’08s other violent epic via Lionsgate – Rambo. I suggest watching them as a double feature. Have a beer or two. Watch it with friends, friends that like watching shit explode.

In 2004, ‘The Punisher’ (mit Thomas Jane & John Travolta) raked in a domestic gross of $33,810,189. Not too shabby, though nothing to write home about.

Four years later, ‘Punisher: War Zone’ (sans Stander & Vincent Vega) rolls away from the megaplexes with a paltry $8,050,977. Okay, now make sure you do write home about this and make sure to quote Palmer:

“You gotta be fucking kidding.†�

‘War Zone’ is far and away the better of the two movies, but it isn’t hard to guess why it got killed at the box office. No marquee names, a woman director (you sexist pigs) and a release date uncomfortably close to the film that it is essentially remaking. Lest you forget, ‘The Punisher’ was lackluster at best and its stink was still pretty fresh. Sure, Warner Bros. reinvented the ‘Batman’ franchise, but they had the good sense to wait almost a decade. Lionsgate took a gamble with a 4-year difference. Also, releasing ‘War Zone’ in December seems kind of, oh, I don’t know†� dumb? Hindsight, however, is 20/20 and I’m not here to bemoan domestic grosses.

Director Lexi Alexander, who previously helmed ‘Green Street Hooligans,’ shows a considerable talent for wrangling carnage. She is the real deal, an obvious talent that displays total confidence in the execution of fisticuffs, gunfights and explosions. There is no over reliance on shaky camera work in this film. Alexander has everything framed so you can clearly see who is getting punished, and how. Bully for her. I was beginning to think that directors had forgotten how to do this. So, if you’re still on the fence regarding her strengths as a director, then I want you to know that she was also previously nominated for an Academy Award. For DIRECTING.

Trust me, Alexander has the chops, not to mention some extra help.

Her partner in crime, cinematographer Steve Gainer, employs a fantastic comic book lighting scheme that mimics the source material and uses a myriad of in-camera tricks, like manipulating the image with prism glass and setting hot butane beneath the lens for that sweltering “hot†� look. ‘War Zone’ benefits from the intense use of color and reminded me a great deal of the very similar lighting effects used in ‘Creepshow’ and ‘Suspiria.’ If you like the way those movies look, then give ‘War Zone’ a gander.

Gainer’s reliance of in-camera trickery is pretty telling of his background, i.e. low-budget productions. You make the most of what you have at your disposal. He cut his teeth on movies like ‘MP Da Last Don’ and a notable, early collaboration with Matthew Leutwyler, director of ‘Dead & Breakfast’ and the anticipated ‘The River Why’.

[Editor’s note: Leutwyler is currently writing ‘Creepshow 4’ for Vertigo Entertainment†� for those of you familiar with Vertigo, you concurrently realize that this new ‘Creepshow’ will be better than the third installment but also has a chance of still sucking. However, I think Leutwyler is a talented dude and can turn in a script that rises above Vertigo’s usual dreck.

Anyway, back to ‘War Zone’.]

Alexander and Gainer should work together again, because they churned out a stylish action film that delivers on the promise of the premise: Frank Castle, the Punisher, is a vigilante that kills criminals, with nary a hint of emotion or display of the social graces that connect ordinary humans to the world at large. He’s like Batman, except he doesn’t give a shit.

And that’s what the story boils down to, essentially, and you’ll either accept it or you won’t. This isn’t goddamn Shakespeare, people. It’s about a man that will explode parkour experts with rockets and cave your head in with his fist. What kind of demands can you make of this kind of material? Alexander and Gainer have delivered.

The rest of production rises to the occasion, too.

William Yeh, the editor, does a great job of putting together the pieces. He knows what shot goes where and what coverage to use when the action needs to be coherent. His skills sell every gunfight, which shouldn’t surprise anybody, since Yeh also served as editor on ‘Equilibrium,’ which had a couple of gunfights of its own.

Composer Michael Wandmacher (‘My Bloody Valentine 3-D’) puts his best foot forward. He employs a lot of the same tongue-in-cheek bombast used so effectively by Theodore Shapiro in ‘Tropic Thunder,’ both managed to compliment their respective films and comment on their own inherent absurdities. This is most notable in Wandmacher’s music cues for the parkour trio. It’s “extreme†� music for such “extreme†� dudes.

Andrew Neskoromny’s production design is another highlight. Neskoromny recently worked on ‘Dawn of the Dead’ (2004), ‘Slither’ and ‘White Noise 2: The Light,’ the later two being vehicles for new Kurt Russell: Nathan Fillion!

I demand a moment of silence – followed by applause – for Mr. Fillion, who is most awesome.

†�

Other reasons why Neskoromny is cooler than regular humans:

1) worked as an Art Director for Jean-Pierre Jeunet (‘Alien: Resuurrection’) and
2) was a Set Designer for ‘Coming to America.’

Speaking of ‘Coming to America,’ did you know that Arsenio Hall is still a badass? And do you realize that the man was the voice of Winston Zeddemore in DiC/Columbia Pictures Television’s cartoon, ‘The Real Ghostbusters?’

(Conversely, laughing at the title card for “DiC†� is one of the earliest examples of my inability to take things seriously.)

Julio Ferrario, Creative Director for ‘War Zones’ main title sequence – hats off to you, sir, for the faux-comic panels and texts, yet another amazing sequence to add to your all ready considerable reel of work. It’s little details like these that help to make Marvel’s film universe feel a little more cohesive.

The performances, too, are what you’d expect, maybe even better.

Ray Stevenson stars as the Punisher, aka Frank Castle, a character that doesn’t speak until 25 minutes into the movie, which I honestly didn’t notice, though not due to a lack of interest, but because Stevenson is so invested in his actions – his onscreen presence speaks volumes. Action speaks louder than words, and Castle speaks with weapons. Besides, the Punisher isn’t somebody that’s going to stand around running his mouth; he’s too busy killing people for that shit. From the moment the Punisher appears on screen, Stevenson owns the role.

Dominic West plays Jigsaw with relish, a nightmare-version of a greasy mobster. His make-up is another notch in the belt for a team of filmmakers wanting to deliver over-the-top madness.

Doug Hutchison is Loony Bin Jim, brother to West’s Jigsaw, and he plays the character as a speed-freak version of Hannibal Lecter, complete with mad musings on the human liver and a penchant for cannibalistic villainy.

Colin Salmon is in a supporting role as Special Agent Paul Budiansky. He has a nice presence and the camera loves the guy’s face, but his character gets the short end of the stick. He plays the stubborn hardass that plays by the book. No one interested in ‘War Zone’ is interested in “by the book,†� so his scenes are thankfully short. He’s a good contrast to Stevenson’s Punisher, but this movie shouldn’t even try to concern itself with that nonsense. Leave the moralizing to the Dark Knight, ‘cause we’re here for the slaughter.

Actually, this Budiansky/Punisher dichotomy is really a missed opportunity, and the one part of the film where this is really apparent is when they meet for the first time and duke it out. That fight should have been epic, like the Nada/Frank fight in “They Live†� but Punisher just owns Budiansky’s ass pretty quick. It’s nothing detrimental to the film, but a lost opportunity all the same.

Wayne Knight as Micro and Julie Benz as Angie Donatelli round out the notable cast members. Knight is good in the short amount of time he has on screen, though I must say it feels like an abbreviated performance and I imagine that he has scenes on the cutting room floor. Meanwhile, Benz gets more face time as the wife of a plot device (Romano Orzari) that gets murdered – accidentally(?) – by the Punisher early in the film. Orzari’s character has a name, but I prefer to call him by his function. It feels more appropriate.

Lastly, Nick Santora, Art Marcum and Matt Holloway are credited as the writers. Santora has mostly television credits to his name, while Marcum and Holloway did time on the ‘Iron Man’ script, so maybe Santora is the weak link in the script department? I don’t know. Of course, I can’t totally credit the success of ‘Iron Man’ to Marcum and Holloway, as that film also has work by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, both of which had a hand in writing the amazing ‘Children of Men.’ Of course, John Favreau and Robert Downey Jr. probably lent a considerable amount of “uncredited†� talent to that other Marvel property. Regardless, I must concede to the fact that Santora, Marcum and Holloway really delivered the best of the three ‘Punisher’ films. Not too hard when considering the competition, but kudos to the trio, anyway.

So, my suggestion is – since you failed to see this in the theater – to rent buy the DVD. Invite some friends over.

Enjoy.

If you have the inclination, listen to the director/cinematographer commentary. Lots of good stuff for filmmakers that need some helpful hints on how to make things look pretty cool without blowing a bunch of cash on special FX.

BTW – this is a shout out to Vertigo Entertainment: Let Steve Gainer and David Crone shoot ‘Creepshow 4!’ And seriously consider Lexi Alexander. These people “get it.†�

I have a Hotmail account. When I log out of Hotmail, I am redirected to MSN.com and I always take a moment to see what masquerades as “news.”

Well, as we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, MSN informs the world that cursing is on the rise – and that it is directly related to our ailing economy.

And so, I bring you this clip, which illustrates both the holiday we are currently enjoying and the kind of language that is on the rise in our time of economic stress…

BTW – this is NSFW

Slà �n go foill!

Fans of ‘Oldboy’ should take note. Writer and director Park Chan-wook is set to unleash a heap of awesome upon your fragile eyeballs with ‘Thirst,’ the filmmaker’s take on the vampire genre.

Travis first covered this film here, so check out his article for details. Below the break is the trailer and, even though it is all in Korean, it still commands your undivided attention.

This may be a great companion piece to last year’s ‘Let The Right One In.’

The movie is still listed as being in “post production” on IMDb, but WAMG will keep you posted on the inevitable (and most likely limited) North American release date.

poster source: Daum

Are you aware of ‘The Mighty Boosh,’Â �one of the GREATEST shows ever broadcast on the BBC?

Well, ‘Boosh’ is about to hit airwaves in the U.S.A., courtesy of Cartoon Network and Adult Swim.

The show is set to premiere at 1:00 AM on March 29, 2009. WATCH IT.

It is hard to describe what ‘The Mighty Boosh’ is all about, except to say that it is delightful and absurd. It is near the zenith for surreal comedy. If you haven’t heard anyone talk about Old Gregg, well, just wait. You will.

The show surrounds the exploits of Howard Moon (Julian Barratt)Â �and Vince Noir (Noel Fielding), two music enthusiasts and general naifs that encounter any number of incredibly eccentric, bizarre and roundly bent individuals on a daily basis.

If you’re looking for that “next big thing,” then look no further. The ‘Boosh’ is coming.

Crimpity crimpity now now!

So, Jonah Hill is working with Sony Pictures to write and executive produce a feature film based on the old Fox program (and Johnny Depp career starter) ’21 Jump Street.’

That show blew major ass, so Hill’s involvement will probably be for the best, as he will most likely take the source material and turn it into an intentional comedy.

I must be honest, this news neither interests or excites me. Another P.O.S. television show is being made into a comedy. Why not make a feature film of ’24,’ starring �Leslie Nielsen as �Agent Jack Bauer. Or a live-action ‘Simpson’s’ movie directed by Martin �Scorsese, starring the cast of ‘Sopranos.’ Everything is genius on Opposites Day.

 �

In other news, a cat was found inside a $27 used couch. Adorable and sad, because if there is one thing that the internet has more of than porn, it’s junk about cats. Sad, though, because this is the kind of news that makes it to MSNs main page.

 �

source: Entertainment Weekly

“Classic Shit!†� is a column dedicated to films that were maligned upon release, and it is for films that are as entertaining as they are terrible. It is a home for cinema’s underdog.

If you’ve ever wondered if a faceless columnist on the internet loves you, then look no further for proof.

Please, enjoy.

SPOILERS AHEAD. Consider yourself warned.

By all means, please go see this movie. The fact that it exists is a cause for celebration. The ambition it takes to make something like ‘Watchmen’ is admirable, indeed, and it begs to be seen on the big screen. Bravo to those involved with this production, especially director Zack Snyder and producer Lawrence Gordon. This wouldn’t exist without their involvement.

If you are tired of the same old, same old and yearn for something new, well†� here it is.

It has been said that the comic could never be made into a film. Let me assure you that blanket statements are almost always unfounded. I would argue, especially with the advent of digital technology and computer graphic effects, that if you can imagine something, then it can be filmed.

There are great moments in this film that are examples of filmmakers at the top of their craft.

So, having gotten pure adoration out of the way…

‘Watchmen’ is a good – but not great – movie.

Don’t get caught up in the hyperbole, this is not cinema’s heir to ‘Citizen Kane,’ though that is not to say that the film is in any way a dud. Quite the opposite.

Besides, when did “good†� become not good enough?

Let me quote one of the producers, Deborah Snyder, in regards to the strengths of this particular version of the ‘Watchmen’ story:

“Our hope is that whoever sees the film discovers or rediscovers the graphic novel because there’s so much more than we can possibly get on the screen.†�

That’s my sentiments exactly and it is spot on for how I felt when I left the theater. I wanted nothing more than to read the comic again.

Snyder’s film is an ambitious adaptation, for sure, and when it succeeds it does so with aplomb.

When it stumbles, and it does, it is heartbreaking because it is so close to greatness.

The film’s biggest triumph is in the execution of Dr. Manhattan’s origin story, told simultaneously with his excursion to Mars and the building of his massive, crystal palace. Everything works here, especially the sublime acting and voice-over by Billy Crudup. The editing is effortless, marrying nostalgia, melancholy, fear and awe to an otherworldly soundtrack. The whole experience is set to Philip Glass’s ‘Pruit Igoe & Prophecies,’ which is as perfect an accompaniment as one could hope. The sequence is the crowning achievement of Snyder’s adaptation and little else in the film comes close to its sense of wonderment.

The film has a flawless visual aesthetic. The world it inhabits is completely realized from top to bottom. Every detail you can find in the comic book can be found within the frames of the film. Production designer Alex McDowell has consistently delivered on every film he has been a part of and ‘Watchmen’ is another film to add to his considerable list of achievements. He pulls Dave Gibbon’s imagination from the page and gives it flesh and blood.

Likewise, costume design by Michael Wilkinson is impeccable. Using Gibbon’s illustrations, Wilkinson finds a way to stay true to the comic and at the same time find a way to integrate his own design flourishes so that the costumed heroes look natural in the real world. His greatest contribution may be that of Dan Dreiberg’s Nite Owl II costume. It never deviates from the source so much that it becomes unrecognizable but Wilkinson imbues his take with design elements that recall the later ‘Batman’ costumes. It looks like something that might stop bullets, as opposed to the typical spandex look so popular among comic’s superheroes.

Then there is the matter of visual effects. John “DJ†� DesJardin was the VFX supervisor on ‘Watchmen’ and the work done under his watch is truly remarkable. Dr. Manhattan’s character immediately comes to mind. He could very well have been nothing more than a blue man with an ethereal glow. Instead, his body is pulsing with life and light just beneath the skin. His eyes look like they may contain small, bursting universes. It is a mesmerizing trick.

DP Larry Fong, who was Snyder’s collaborator on the successful ’300,’ wonderfully captures all of this. Fong utilizes much of the comic’s color palette in his lighting schemes. It is a vivid, colorful comic book world and it is lit like a film noir, Mario Bava colors shadowed like an old RKO picture.

I cannot imagine another adaptation of ‘Watchmen’ looking any better.

Then there is the matter of performance. I have previously mentioned Billy Crudup and stand by my assertion that his rendition of Dr. Manhattan is utterly flawless, but how do the other cast members fair?

The real star of the show is Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Edward Blake, aka The Comedian. Morgan is magnetic as the destructive Blake and he commands the screen every time he shows up. Every movement, his vocal intonations and the way he carries himself all point to a total commitment to the role. As flawless as Crudup’s performance as Dr. Manhattan may be, it still lacks the tragic immediacy of Morgan’s Comedian. Unfortunately, his character has limited screen time.

Thankfully, Jackie Earle Haley’s rendition of Walter Kovacs, aka Rorschach, is there to fill the void. Although ‘Watchmen’ is an ensemble piece, it is Rorschach that supplies much of the narrative drive and Haley really nails the character. His performance is all the more remarkable considering for how much of the film his character’s face is hidden by a mask. Haley’s growling voice is very akin to Christian Bale’s vocal work as the ‘Batman’ character, yet Haley’s tone and diction sounds more natural, comfortable than Bale’s forced delivery. It could be the difference between someone who plays a part and someone who lives it. Rorschach is most certainly a living, breathing sociopath.

After that, however, the performances fail to mesmerize. Matthew Goode looks fantastic in the Ozymandias costume but is mostly ineffectual in the role. He exudes cold, calculating logic but fails to ever feel menacing or engaging.

Patrick Wilson is serviceable as Dan Dreiberg, aka Nite Owl II, but he suffers in much of the same way as Goode. Both men look the part but they don’t really “own†� the part. It is not hard to imagine the roles being played the same way by any number of actors. They are neither remarkable nor unremarkable. They simply exist as nothing more than actors reciting dialogue, which is boring to watch regardless of how wonderful everything around them looks.

My feelings toward Malin Akerman’s portrayal of Laurie Jupiter are slightly better. Her character has an interesting arc and her relationship with Dr. Manhattan is engaging. She’s a mortal woman clinging to the vestiges of an intimate relationship with the omnipotent Manhattan, a man that is slowly forgetting what it is to be a member of the human race. Their moments together are emotional highlights of the film.

One of the biggest problems in ‘Watchmen’ is the soundtrack. Some of it works, like ‘Pruit Igo & Prophecies.’ A large majority of it does not. Bob Dylan’s ‘Desolation Row’ works well in conjunction with the opening credits, while stuff like Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ and Jimi Hendrix’s ‘All Along The Watchtower’ just feel like they are shoehorned in. The most heinous example I can remember is the use of ’99 Luftballoons’ by Nena. It simply dominates the scene it plays against, though it shouldn’t, and it completely takes you out of the movie. And yes, I know that ‘All Along The Watchtower’ is referenced in the comic but I also know that not everything that works on the page will work on the screen.

Concurrently, the score for this movie is horrible. Tyler Bates is more capable than what is on display throughout ‘Watchmen’ and the movie deserves something better, something epic. What passes for a film score in this movie is utterly forgettable. For people that are sensitive to music, a bad score can ruin a movie. Bates score does little to bolster ‘Watchmen’ for me. If you are a fan of film scores, then get ready to be underwhelmed.

Then there is the third act†�

“Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing ever ends.”

That line of dialogue is monumentally important to the end of the graphic novel. It encapsulates so much of the driving theme and it is a searing admonishment for Adrian Veidt, aka Ozymandias, a man that is looking to Dr. Manhattan for some kind of vindication. You see, this “Watchman†� has done something horrific in the name of peace, something unthinkable. Ozymandias wants to know if this horrific act was a just course of action, he wants to know that his decision was not made in vain. He wants to know that he did the right thing.

“Nothing ends, Adrian. Nothing ever ends,†� Dr. Manhattan tells him.

Ozymandias is left with no justification for his Machiavellian ways. His actions are mired in ambiguity. Even worse, his solution is told to him to be nothing more than temporary.

It is one of the most damning and integral exchanges in the whole ‘Watchmen’ comic.

It does not appear in the film.

The visual notifiers, clocks and smiling faces, are littered throughout the movie. Deeper meanings, whose philosophical importance exists between the frames of the comic, those have a tendency to get lost. Not entirely, mind you, because the screenwriters have made sure to supplant whole chunks of dialogue from the page to the screen.

There are people that would argue that the importance is the line of dialogue itself, not who says it or how it is delivered. How very little a person must understand of the nature of drama to make a statement like that.

Instead of the exchange as depicted in the comic, Dr. Manhattan’s line is merely alluded to in a conversation during the film’s epilogue and is delivered by Laurie Jupiter, aka Silk Spectre II, in an exchange with Dan Dreiberg, aka Nite Owl. It is a complete throwaway moment when it should be anything but.

How strange†� the people responsible for this motion picture adaptation had been so faithful to the source material, slavishly even. In any multitude of interviews and behind the scenes media, allusions to the importance of remaining true to the original comic are hammered upon again and again. What were they remaining true to, I wonder? I suppose that they must have meant that they were being true to what could be physically seen on the page: text, symbolist imagery and the framing of particular scenes.

This is not being “nitpicky†� as much as I feel like I am voicing a very serious flaw concerning the film’s narrative. Also, the fact that this line is excised from the film doesn’t mean that the movie is terrible, though I do feel as if it weakens the emotional impact of the climax, itself all ready hampered by choices in “translation†�.

The ending of this film has been a point of contention amongst fans of the comic since the film was in production.

At the comic’s climax, Ozymandias orchestrates the death of millions of New Yorkers to look like an alien attack. It is a catastrophic event that brings about world peace. The Watchmen decide to keep mum about the whole thing in the hopes that peace will continue unabated. End of story.

In the film’s climax, Ozymandias orchestrates the deaths of millions of people around the world to look like an attack by Dr. Manhattan. It is a catastrophic event that brings about world peace. The Watchmen decide to keep mum about the whole thing in the hopes†� you get the idea.

So, the “MacGuffin†� is completely different, though the action and the outcome are pretty much the same from comic to film. Still, it is a change that doesn’t sit well with many fans and those people will probably not like this movie.

Snider and Co. not only found a way to make their ending work but also managed to tie it closer to the characters. Bravo. Good for them. I am sure that was: A) not easy to do, and B) not an easy choice to make.

Changing the MacGuffin from squid to Dr. Manhattan works in regards to the language of film’s narrative structure, which should always be tied to your central characters in some way, shape or form. Please note, I am not saying that the ending to the comic is somehow lesser or cheaper. I am saying, per respect to the two different mediums, that both endings work.

I do not, however, concede to believe that the film’s ending is more satisfying than Moore and Gibbon’s original. Within the confines of a script, the ending works, but on the screen it has almost no emotional impact. There is an explosion seen from afar, a bright light, some faceless people disintegrate into nothing. Something that should be an emotional punch to the gut has been turned into a serviceable special effect.

Where is the aftermath? The carnage? The dead, familiar faces? We see the ruins of a city, only ruins, and then it is off to the third act confrontation. All this horrible death is treated as a footnote. And as for the comic’s familiar ancillary characters, they have nearly been cut completely from the film. I suppose this was done in the hopes of releasing a film with a manageable running time. I can understand that, to a point. Watchmen cost a reported $120 million. Money has to be made. Too bad it is at the expense of an emotional payoff. Veidt’s holocaust is rendered painless to the audience, when it should be devastating, a guileless choice to have made in a film full of such bold storytelling. It flatlines the movie.

Watchmen is so good on so many levels but I must admit that I do not believe that this is the definitive masterpiece we were hoping for.

It’s good, but not great.

Maybe next time.

[Overall: 3.5 stars out of 5]

‘Classic Shit!’ � is a column dedicated to films that were maligned upon release, and it is for films that are as entertaining as they are terrible. It is a home for cinema’s underdog.

If I say something is a classic, then take it with a grain of salt. If I call it shit, then I do it with love.

Wow.

Remember in ‘Boogie Nights’ how all those people were swearing up and down that they were making honest-to-god movies and not just cheap nudie pictures? This is one of those little gems. No kidding.

Knowing that, let me assure you that this movie will definitely NOT be everyone’s cup o’ tea. This is very much an “art house” � horror film but it is also pornographic in its depiction of sex, though sex therein is treated as an extension of the psychological horror as opposed to the regular “wank” � material associated with the genre. Also, the sex, albeit explicit, does not feel as unwarranted as, say, the insert scenes included in ‘Caligula.’

One could – if they had the fortitude – make the argument that the hardcore sex is not pornographic but merely explicit. After all, pornographic material exists with the sole intention of sexually exciting the viewer. The sex in ‘Through The Looking Glass’ is nothing if not disturbing and it is completely integral to the plot, as well as to understanding the psychological state of its main character, Catherine.

‘Through The Looking Glass’ also has the distinction of being one of the few hardcore films to be re-edited for mainstream release. It screened at New York’s World Theater, the same cinema where ‘Deep Throat’ had its premiere. Unfortunately, World Theater fell victim to the rising costs of land in the Big City and was torn down in 1987 to make way for a hotel. Another landmark destroyed in the name of gentrification. C’est la vie.

But I digress…

‘Through The Looking Glass’ was written, produced and directed by Jonas (aka Joseph) Middleton. His film is dead serious in its intentions and it is really ahead of its time. It is also a handsome production that is well shot, with impressive locations, sets and even has an effective special effect. How many “adult” � films from yesteryear can attest to that?

The film’s opening image is of a woman whose face is covered entirely by a white cosmetic mask, accompanied by a discordant score indicative of the film’s horrific intentions. The mask is slowly peeled off to reveal the face of our protagonist, Catherine (Catherine Burgess), a well-to-do and beautiful woman. Catherine’s peers openly chastise her for being cold and ineffectual. Her marriage, too, is coolly emotionless and certainly sexless. Even her young daughter is victim to her detached sensibilities.

Catherine regularly retreats to the attic of her opulent home, the same stately mansion she spent her youth, and here we have one of the film’s most important metaphors: Catherine is trapped, you see. She is a victim of incest, an act perpetrated by her father. Now, as an adult, she has refurnished her childhood home but she keeps the old furniture in an arrangement in the attic, specifically the ornate mirror that she associates with her deceased father.

The offense inflicted upon her in the past has robbed her of achieving pleasure in the present. She goes to the attic to be amongst her childhood things because she never really left her childhood. She is essentially retreating into herself, becoming insular, vain, a pitiful narcissist. Masturbating in front of the ornate mirror in the attic is the only physical release she is capable of. It is here, in this spider’s web of psychological damage, that the ghost – or demon – of her father manifests itself.

Her father, never given a proper name, is played by the prolific Jamie Gillis, of ‘Water Power’ fame/infamy. His first appearance is powerfully disturbing and it is foreshadowed by the sound of his voice intermixing with that of Catherine’s as she intones his sexual provocations towards her own reflection. He has literally tainted everything within her, as well as around her. When he appears inside of the mirror’s reflective surface, it is with an inhuman grunt of diabolical lust. He is visibly sweaty, nude and lit in a way as to suggest a terrifying sexual oppression. This is a mere glimpse of the sexual hell that awaits Catherine.

During that first appearance of Catherine’s father you’ll witness the most talked about camera trick in the entire film: a POV of Catherine’s father’s finger passing through the labia and into the vagina. Achieved, most likely, with a fiber optic camera, the shot is a jaw-dropper.

From there, the film dives headlong into Catherine’s damaged state of mind. There are several scenes depicting any number of sexual hang-ups, most of which are staged as brazenly disturbing and not the least bit arousing. After all, this is a film using sex to depict the deep emotional scars of incest. Nothing herein is depicted as straight copulation as much as it seems like the sex is consuming Catherine, causing her to turn inward, like a snake eating its own tail, a kind psychological cannibalism.

The ending is not positive, bordering on nihilistic, as Catherine gives into her fantasies and enters the looking glass with her “father.” � She emerges on the other side in a carnal wasteland, doomed to degradation and sexual ravishing with no pleasure and no reprieve. Worst of all, the closing scenes depict Catherine’s maligned daughter posing in front of the very same mirror, suggesting that the cycle of incest will continue.

A horror film, through and through.

Special mention should be made of the film’s effective and atmospheric score, which boasts two widely known composers: Arlon Ober and Harry Manfredini.

Ober’s last credit as composer was in 1994. Before that, he contributed to the ‘Robotech’ television series and subsequent 1986 feature, as well as Paul Bartel’s excellent black comedy ‘Eating Raoul.’ Alas, Ober died in 2004.

Manfredini is still kicking and still a very popular composer amongst fans of film scores. His signature theme for ‘Friday the 13^th’ �is now as instantly recognizable as Hermann’s ‘Psycho’ violins or William’s creeping tuba in ‘Jaws.’ Likewise, his score for ‘House’ remains a fan favorite.

Together, Ober and Manfredini combine their strengths and influences to infuse ‘Through The Looking Glass’ with impressive, foreboding music. It is another flourish of the production that takes the film and raises it above and beyond its contemporaries. One memorable piece sets the backdrop for a warped, orgiastic dinner party – wherein Catherine discovers she is the main course – one of many memorable fusions of avant-garde sensibilities and adult film promiscuity. The score reflects the audacious absurdities on display with a demented reworking of Strauss’s ‘Blue Danube’ waltz. Appropriately, the music helps define the tone of the scene and accentuate the vulgar incongruity of pretentious aristocracy and debased carnality.

Jonas Middleton shows a ridiculous amount of promise with this film and it is worrisome that ‘…Looking Glass’ is his last directorial effort. He also served as producer on the film, which was supposedly at a budget near two hundred fifty thousand dollars, a considerable amount for that type of production and the era in which it was made. Unfortunately, there just aren’t a whole lot of people that are able to escape the XXX world and go on to mainstream success, not to imply that Middleton hasn’t tried. Hell, the guy even had a feature make it as a quarter-finalist in a screenplay competition as late as 2007. Hollywood is a fickle beast, regardless of talent and skill.

His last stab at a career in features resulted in another cult classic, 1981′s ‘Just Before Dawn,’ an early take on the backwoods “slasher” � film. Middleton’s involvement, however, was limited to story development and producing. The film was largely overlooked in the glut of early 80′s horror, though a recent DVD release rekindled interest in the movie.

Jonas Middleton… I can only hope the creative bug bites him hard enough to revisit feature filmmaking.

His work in ‘Through The Looking Glass’ feels like a distant cousin to the works of Alejandro Jodorowsky or Federico Fellini and one or both of those auteurs undoubtedly inform the experience. Any faults within the film are slight and almost totally forgivable on the grounds of its own wild ambition. This isn’t Shakespeare, but for discerning fans of adult cinema, this motion picture is most certainly the zenith.

Who watches the ‘Watchmen’?

If you’re a Warner Bros. executive, then you hope everyone watches the ‘Watchmen’. It is an expensive, bold endeavor, an adaptation that strives for nothing short of epic. Even the marketing hints at something extraordinary.

The graphic novel transcended its contemporaries. Will the film do the same?

I have seen the movie but my review is embargoed until the film’s release. I can tell you only one thing for certain: You should see this movie.

For the uninitiated, ‘Watchmen’ was originally a twelve-issue comic book series published by DC Comics in 1986 and 1987 and it was created by the legendary collaboration of writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons. The comic has since been reprinted in multiple collections, has won several awards and is considered by many literary critics to be a modern classic.

Like many successful books before it, Hollywood quickly set its sights on the property as a viable product.

As a film property, ‘Watchmen’ was in and out of development as early as 1986, most notably associated with Terry Gilliam. No stranger to difficult properties, he was once attached to direct. Creative differences, however, have seen the project drift in and out of every major studio in Tinseltown.

Producer Lawrence Gordon has been with the project since the beginning, and twenty-three years later he is about to reap the benefits of patience.

This March, after starts and stops and every creative snag imaginable, ‘Watchmen’ will finally be hitting the big screen.

“It’s pretty amazing. And exciting,†� Gordon says and adds, “it’s a bit unbelievable.†�

And when asked whether or not the film lives up to his expectations, Gordon answers without hesitation. �

“It’s better,†� he says, and you can hear the satisfaction in his voice.

It is most likely a virtue that the film took so long to reach the big screen. Larger than life superheroes, their flying machines and a crystal castle floating across the face of Mars, these are the kinds of images that undoubtedly benefit from modern movie magic.

“Now is the time for it,†� assures illustrator Dave Gibbons. “The effects have got to a level were if you can imagine it you can make it real. And, also, you can integrate them with the real world.†�

‘Watchmen’ exists in its own very realistic universe, but it is a universe that borrows liberally from our own. Though the original comic was set in modern times upon its publication, almost thirty years have passed, which makes a literal adaptation of ‘Watchmen’ one part fantasy and one part period piece.

“I think one of the masterstrokes of the movie is that it is set in the 1980s,†� says Gibbons. “And it then becomes a period piece and it kind of becomes timeless in a way. It’s turned into a universal story.†�

So, what exactly is the story of ‘Watchmen’? At its core, the narrative is a mystery surrounding the murder of a costumed hero, though the plot thickens by way of intricate conspiracies that may have dire consequences for all of humanity. Like Chinatown before it, it is at once a deconstruction of the genre and a multi-faceted drama.

“Because ‘Watchmen’ the graphic novel was a comment on superhero comic books at the time,†� reasons Gibbons, “I think this stands as a comment on superhero movies at this time.†�

Is it possible to successfully translate such a seminal piece of work in way that not only satisfies the fanbase, but can also appeal to someone that has never read the comic?

“It’s not the comic book,†� says Gibbons. “The pure ‘Watchmen’ is the comic book, clearly. That’s how it was conceived, that’s how it was executed. This is a translation of it, but I think it’s a very, very faithful translation.†�

So, if you are familiar with the source material, then you can expect a movie that is every bit as intelligent – and brutal – as last years ‘The Dark Knight’. These heroes are in every way as fallible as you and I. They are compassionate and violent, idealists and nihilists. These masked men and women are a mirror for all of the things that is at once great and terrible in our society.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan portrays The Comedian, a member of ‘Watchmen’ that embodies the darker side of the American Dream. His performance is a scene-stealer, frightfully realized and certainly a high point of the film.

“It’s hard to make excuses as an actor for that brutality, and everything the Comedian does is†� †� Morgan pauses, then says, “He talks about staring off into the abyss. The Comedian was the abyss.†�

Adding to the dramatic heft of the film, Oscar-nominated Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children) plays the character Rorschach, an idealistic sociopath vigilante. His performance is at the core of the story and much of what the audience experiences is through his character.

“I think it’s literally kind of affected the way I see the world.†� Haley says of his performance. “I’m a little bit more cynical.†�

Of course, this being the digital age and all, you can expect a DVD that will try and outdo the theatrical release.

“You want to always put up the best version of the movie on the screen,†� says producer Deborah Snyder. “I do have to say that the three hour director’s cut version gives you that much more. A little bit more story, a little bit more development, a little bit more of the violence, a little bit more of everything.†�

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Watchmen opens March 6 in theaters nationwide.

“Classic Shit!†� is a column dedicated to films that were maligned upon release, and it is for films that are as entertaining as they are terrible. It is a home for cinema’s underdog.

Show how much you appreciate fine cinema by enjoying the film in the clip below…

“Classic Shit!†� is a column dedicated to films that were maligned upon release and it is for films that are as entertaining as they are terrible. It is a home for cinema’s underdog.

If I say something is a classic, then take it with a grain of salt. If I call it shit, then I do it with love.

Where to begin?

‘Puppet Master vs. Demonic Toys’ is the ninth film in the ‘Puppet Master’ franchise and the third for ‘Demonic Toys,’ both of which where at one time flagship titles of Charles Band’s Full Moon Entertainment, however, this particular installment is the creation of the Sci-Fi Channel. Band’s involvement was limited to nothing more than the selling of rights to the screenplay.

The story goes a little something like this: An evil toy company plans to unleash its demonic toys on unsuspecting children during Christmas morning, but Robert Toulon, great grandson of the original puppet master, uses his own living dolls to save the world.

That’s the story in theory.

In reality, the film is mostly people running through meaningless dialogue until cheese special effects or awful editing interrupt. There is more dialogue in this film than in the whole oeuvre of French New Wave cinema. Anything resembling action is kept to a minimum, because that stuff costs money. �

On a scale of one to shit, ‘Puppet Master vs. Demonic Toys’ is definitely shit. It ranks among the worst films I have ever seen.

It was also thoroughly entertaining†� in that special way that only a true piece of crap can be. In the right frame of mind and with fellow crappy-movie enthusiasts, this fetid piece of cinema is worth a laugh or two. Or three or four. It all depends on your threshold for junk.

What makes it so special, you ask? Well, before ‘Puppet Master vs. Demonic Toys’ even begins, you know that there is no way in hell that the movie will be any good. And in that respect the film doesn’t disappoint. Laughable “special†� effects, dialogue with all the finesse of a man on fire, Corey Feldman†�

You have an idea where this stands in the cinematic canon. Let us take a moment to reflect on the people that made this dream a reality.

The director is Ted Nicolaou. Ted has been at the forefront of questionable cinema since the late 1970s, directing – and sometimes writing – a plethora of genre films. He was a regular over at Full Moon Entertainment and is largely responsible for helming their popular DTV vampire franchise, ‘Subspecies.’ Other notable credits include ‘The St. Francisville Experiment’ and ‘TerrorVision,’ both of which deserve the title “Classic Shit.†�

As a side note, I would like to commend Ted for his work on the ‘Subspecies’ franchise. Despite being the product of Full Moon Entertainment, the films look great and – dare I say it – are quite ambitious. But I digress†�

“Ambitious†� is not a word one thinks of as they watch ‘Puppet Master vs. Demonic Toys,’ though the pedigree of talent attached to the project may trick you into thinking otherwise.

I know, I know. Who could possibly be attached to this project that would make it seem worth your time and money? How about-

David S. Goyer?

Yes, the man that gave us ‘Batman Begins’ and my personal favorite, ‘Dark City,’ has his name on this. He even gets top credit on IMDb, though my recollection is murky when it comes to where his name falls in the actual title credits. It is really inconsequential because all that matters is that his name is on there. Don’t fret, though, it is in name only.

Goyer did not offer his writing services on this particular project. He did, however, write the original ‘Demonic Toys,’ so his credit here is more along the lines of the “Characters created by†� variety. Still, it must suck to see this packed right between ‘Blade: Trinity’ and ‘Batman Begins’ on his IMDb resume. Maybe it is just his penance for ‘Blade: Trinity’? Karma can be a bitch.

The film was actually written by C. Courtney Joyner, another crony of Charles Band and his Full Moon Entertainment. Joyner’s other credits include several ‘Puppet Master’ sequels, a couple of ‘Trancers’ sequels (Tim Thomerson lives!) and some stuff that ranges from appalling to not exactly terrible. The last thing – incidentally – that Joyner is credited with writing is, wait for it†� ‘Puppet Master vs. Demonic Toys.’ That was in 2004. For those keeping count, it is currently 2009 and nary a new C. Courtney Joyner project in sight. Well, if you’re going to go out, then go out on top.

The real feather in the cap for this film has to be the casting of Corey Feldman. He plays the role of Robert Toulon, heir to the puppets once controlled by his great grandfather, Andre Toulon. William Hickey played Andre in the original ‘Puppet Master’. Hickey was always a reliable character actor whose career stretches back well into the 1950s. He had a knack for creating memorable and-

Damn, wasn’t I supposed to be talking about Corey Feldman?

Feldman wears his hair high (literally) as the character Robert Toulon, with a dash of salt-and-pepper color to add age. Accompanying his bouffant hairdo is a raspy over-the-top voice. It’s sounds like a mix of mad scientist and grumpy old man. Actually, he sounds a lot like Christian Bale doing his Batman voice (maybe Goyer was involved†�). Anyway, Feldman’s characterization really never amounts to much more than goofy hair and a silly voice and, honestly, that’s all that the role calls for. He has some fun with a thankless role in a ridiculous movie. As a protagonist, the character of Robert Toulon is given only the most threadbare development. He has an outer motivation – in that he wants to save the lives of innocent children – but any character arc involving inner motivations or personal obstacles is completely missing.

His performance is matched tit for tat by the television equivalent of Kelly LeBrock, Vanessa Angel. She lends her services here in the portrayal of the central antagonist, Erica Sharpe. Dialogue slides from her mouth, ponderously, like an old man taking a dump. She exists because there was a paycheck involved and I suppose that’s not terrible, really, because getting paid is the name of the game.

Getting paid.

Say what you will about this movie but everybody involved got paid. And what do I get? What do you get? Do we get paid? If you watch it, then yes, you will get paid what you deserve. If you hate it and troll the internet boards and bitch, then you have been paid what you deserve. If you watch it and laugh, laugh at people making a buck and laugh at special effects executed by visible strings, then god damn it you got paid.

If you watch this movie and you love it, then you got paid. Handsomely.

‘Puppet Master vs. Demonic Toys’ is a force of nature. It will go on forever, much longer than you, dear reader, and much longer than I. It will live on in DVD, on TV, in electric code and the arrangement of ones and zeros until this anthropomorphic world blazes into the void.

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