On Wednesday night, Universal Pictures held an early‚ secret screening of ROBIN HOOD at The Landmark in Los Angeles and friends of WAMG were invited to attend. What they reported back wasn’t promising….at all.

When I first heard that yet another version of a Robin Hood movie was in the works, I have to admit I winced. Didn’t you? I mean, really, this story been done numerous times already, resulting in much better movies, most notably THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938) with Errol Flynn; ROBIN AND MARIAN (1976) with Sean Connery and Audrey Hepburn; and ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES (1991) with Kevin Costner. But when I heard the names Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe, I thought maybe there was hope. The GLADIATOR (2000) comparison was obvious. Russell Crowe in period costume engaging in epic battle scenes. We’d have to wait and see.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t worth the wait. What I saw was a movie that really didn’t need to be made. Instead of the traditional “steal from the rich, give to the poor” story of an outlaw and his band of merry men, we got a convoluted back-story of where the famous character came from. As a child he saw his father killed and then was “put amongst men when I was 6 years old.” He grew up and joined the crusades of King Richard the Lionheart (Danny Huston) as an archer and here’s where the movie starts. Most everything after this point seems to happen to him by accident and really don’t feel the need to root for him for any reason.

Scott attempts to get off to a wild start with a battle scene in the first 10 minutes. And Crowe is his usual tough guy self, easily dispatching enemy soldiers, barely breaking a sweat. There are a few battle scenes throughout the movie that are mildly entertaining, but everything in between tends to drag. Keep in mind, he’s not even been declared the “outlaw Robin Hood” yet, he’s just working up to it. And along the way we are introduced to many of the familiar characters – Marian (Cate Blanchett, in a totally lackluster performance, not to mention having absolutely no chemistry with Crowe), Little John, and Friar Tuck (Mark Addy in one of the few bright performances, but can someone tell me if the friar was a beekeeper making moonshine?). Mark Strong’s attempt at a villain (Godfrey) is awkward at best. It almost seems like he is in a totally different movie than everybody else and nobody bothered to tell him. The character of Prince John is almost laughable. He wants to be such a bad-ass, and yet for most of the movie he is throwing out one-liners as if he were in a comedy club.

The biggest problem I had with the movie is what I went in fearing the most: the rip-offs. I guess I expected more from Ridley Scott. I know it’s tough to make a movie that has already been made so many times and try to keep it original. But the rip-offs are unnecessary and unforgivable. There is shot in the very beginning of an arrow flying through the air, in slow motion, directly at the camera. This was lifted straight out of ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES. Hell, it was probably stock footage. Second, there’s the part where the French are storming the beaches in a carbon-copy scene of the invasion of Normandy right out of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Spielberg’s gonna be pissed. Then the most egregious of all – a scene where after totally screwing over his subjects with taxes they can’t afford and burning their villages, King John asks the English farmers to help him fight against the invading French. They are all arguing – some for, some against, and up steps Robin to make a rousing speech to the men about fighting for liberty. I SAW THIS SCENE WHEN IT WAS CALLED SONS OF SCOTLAND!!!!! For godsakes, Scott really thought he could pass this off?? Unfortunately, this movie is gonna get clobbered when it is released on May 14th. IRON MAN 2 will most likely still be dominating the box office from the previous weekend and SHREK EVER AFTER will assuredly be #1 the following weekend. The evening, however, wasn’t a complete wash. We did see Harvey Weinstein in the lobby and Julia Louis-Dreyfus on the escalator. 

To think that Universal was really counting on this one…sounds like all the slams on the trailers were correct. For those who can’t wait to see the men of the Sherwood on May 14th, here’s a newly released clip from ROBIN HOOD….

I got an email from someone claiming to have seen ‘Wolverine’ already, and I had my doubts but after reading this, I was convinced. Enjoy!

OK, so I’m not a movie reviewer, so forgive me if this is not as concise as a professional review might be. Having said that, I also don’t know how much of the plot and “ohhhh, holy shit!!!†ť moments you want to know, possibly spoiling it. But feel free to edit and take out anything you don’t want to have spoiled.

The movie itself looks amazing. Lots of cool sets and special effects, it’s edited very well, the pacing is perfect and the running time is right on. It actually leaves you wanting more, and really, isn’t that the “nirvana†ť that most action movies hope to arrive at for the audience?

The back story of Logan (aka Wolverine) is set up pretty good. It’s not too much and it explains Logan’s motivation from childhood. As a young boy, something terrible happens, his “mutant†ť power is revealed, and he and his brother must flee.

Fast forward to 1970-something Viet Nam. Logan and his brother Victor (aka Sabretooth) are soldiers and Victor has become an irrational bully who has no problem killing anyone that gets in his way. This leads to both of them being locked up in the brig for a very long time. Enter a higher up military officer (Stryker) who offers to get them out of there if they agree to join his special ops team. This elite team is made up of other mutants, all with various different, really cool “powers.†ť Mission after mission goes by, with Victor really taking a liking to the violence and developing an appetite for killing. Logan, on the other hand, draws the line at being ordered to kill innocent people and decides to walk away. Off he goes to live a quiet life in the Canadian wilderness with his girlfriend/wife/whoever

Cut to various former members of the special ops team being killed. No reason is apparent. The former leader of the group (Stryker) finds Logan in his now lumberjack career and tells him about this. Logan says thanks for the warning but I can take care of myself. As he returns to his work, he senses something is not right and then notices bloody claw marks on a tree. He runs to find his girlfriend/wife/whoever lying dead with gashes across her throat. Victor has killed her. Now its personal and Logan flies into a rage. He finds Victor and a battle ensues. But they basically have the same “powers†ť so it’s impossible for one to beat the other. Victor flees and Logan agrees to let Stryker help him become more powerful, and therefore able to go kill Victor. Cut to the “lab†ť scene from the trailer, new steel blades ready to do some serious damage. I don’t want to give it away, but one of my favorite parts of the movie is when we find out where the name “Wolverine†ť comes from†¦ oooh I just got goosebumps thinking about it†¦ haha. HUGE SPOILER: “the crazy mad scientist, Stryker, is kidnapping them all (mutants) and keeping them prisoners because he is takin their DNA to make a Super Mutant…one guy with ALL the powers…IT’S RYAN REYNOLD’S CHARACTER, Wade Wilson / Deadpool….its so creepy when you see him at the end!!”

This is where I will just say that the movie gets more awesome than it already is. The fight sequences are great, the story takes twists and turns, and the “holy shit!†ť moments make you want to cheer. I will see this movie again on opening weekend with a full audience of fans. It is THAT kind of movie. Loved it, loved it, loved it.

And one more thing…there are things after the credits..so stick around, for those of you who jump up right at the fade out.

UPDATE:

I got another email from my source and he wants to add more stuff to this so that everyone knows he really has seen the movie..this DOES INCLUDE SPOILERS!

“for anyone doubting my review:(highlight the text below to read:)

Tom O’Neil over at Gold Derby has posted the early reviews fromĂ‚  Saturday’s screening of ‘The Curious Case of Benjamin Button’ at the Paramount Theatre in LA.

Among the Oscar bloggers, Dave Karger of Entertainment Weekly says, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is “an Oscar movie with a capital O…”

Kris Tapley of In Contention says, “Nominations for Picture, Director, Actress, Adapted Screenplay, Art Direction, Cinematography, Film Editing, Makeup, Original Score and Visual Effects are virtually assured.”

Sasha Stone of Awards Daily says flat out “if I had to name the film that would probably have the best shot at winning Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Costumes, Art Direction it would be this one.”

Click here for The Hollywood Reporter’s rave, And Variety’s reviews here and here.

One things for sure…the clock is ticking and the studios need to get their movies out. The National Board of Review, the Globes, and the BFCA are just around the corner. Definitely one of the weirdest Oscar seasons ever. Does ‘Doubt’ have a better chance at a nom over ‘Revolutionary Road’? Is ‘Australia’ a better contender than ‘The Dark Knight’? Ă‚  The sure locks in the Oscar race right now? Benjamin Button and Slumdog Millionaire. This year’sĂ‚  most chilling aspect for us awards kooks is whatĂ‚  the LA Times reported Sunday,Ă‚  ”Guild leaders are expected to time any walkout to disrupt the Golden Globe Awards and Academy Awards — in January and February, respectively.” What?!?!?! Again?!!?!? Oh the agony!!

What an absolutely wonderful film!

This animated feature is composed of several different story lines by some of the world’s most renowned graphic artists. Each of the stories is a different meditation on fear; what scares you in a darkened room might not scare me, so the filmmakers try to cover their bases and they hit a horror equivalent to a home run.

So often a horror film relies on the easy scares, the “jump†ť scares or the threat of violent gore, so it is a relief to see a film that relies on something different: mood and atmosphere. Like a Val Lewton classic, this film is drenched in shadows and existential dread.

Feature filmmakers dabbling in live-action horror would be wise to watch and learn from this powerfully suggestive horror film. This is real horror, real terror… the suggestive stuff. The kind of stuff that stays with you long after you’ve left the theater and gives you a slight shiver.

I’d like to make special mention of the film score by Laurent Perez. It’s perfect, just like the film it accompanies.

Fear(s) of the Dark opens in limited release starting Oct. 24 in NYC & Oct. 31 in L.A.

[Rating: 5/5]

Cast & Crew

Shea Whigham… Dennis Farell
Paulo Costanzo… Seth Belzer
Jill Wagner… Polly Watt

Written by Kai Barry, Ian Shorr & Toby Wilkins
Directed by Toby Wilkins

‘Splinter’ has a really innovative monster, something that exists between ‘The Thing’ and ‘The Body Snatchers.’ You’ve seen this kind of monster before but never quite like this, and what it does to your body is very, very unpleasant.Ă‚  The film’s story, however, is never as innovative as the antagonist creature: A handful of people are trapped within an enclosed space, fighting to survive. It’s a perfect example of formula storytelling, but it works because in a movie like this the story should service the monster. Dispense with the trappings of a laborious story and let’s get down to the mayhem. ‘Splinter’ has mayhem to spare.

I’m not in the habit of spoiling a movie, so I can’t really go into much detail regarding the monster. I will say that it doesn’t really dissolve you like The Blob or assimilate you like The Thing, nor is replacing you like a Body Snatcher. When this critter gets a hold on you, then you are in it for the long haul… unless you are a fan of severe emergency amputation, but even after that, what do you do with the pieces you cut off?

Movies like ‘Splinter,’ because they are light on story and heavy on monster, have a tendency to also be light on acting and rely on their thespians to simply react instead of act. You have a lot of reacting here, but ‘Splinter’ has a lot of honest to goodness acting, too. My initial draw to this film was Paulo Costanzo, the Canadian actor whom I first noticed in the comedy ‘Road Trip’ and much more recently headlined ‘Everything’s Gone Green.’ He’s a talented guy that exudes an immediate affable charm and that talent is put to good use in ‘Splinter,’ where Paulo plays a PhD student whose character traits hew much closer to the damsel in distress than anything recognizable as a hero. He doesn’t know how to put up a tent, can’t drive stick and the guy even breaks down and cries. He’s likable and believable as a hero despite this and I really attribute that to Costanzo as well as the films trio of screenwriters; they imbue the hero with an equal amount of brains and balls. Yes, ‘Splinter’ may be light on story, but it is strong in character.

Jill Wagner plays Costanzo’s girlfriend and she displays all the alpha male traits that are missing from the hero. She’s take charge and very strong. Early in the film, it is Wagner’s character that is the strongest. When the couple finds themselves the victims of a kidnapping, it is Wagner’s character that keeps the two of them in the criminal’s good graces, because she is the take charge alpha male that her boyfriend is not. It isn’t until her survival instincts turn to morally ambiguous desperation that Costanzo steps up to the challenge of the hero. That he saves them with brains and not brawn is another welcome change of pace.

The actor that surprised me the most isĂ‚  Shea Whigham. He plays the human antagonist turned reluctant savior. So very often a film like this makes the human antagonist an insufferable ass, the kind of person that you want to see get decimated by the monster. Shea’s character definitely starts that way, but his arc makes him a person that the audience can and will feel closer and closer to, so when decimation rears its ugly head, then you really feel for the guy. No one wants to go through what this guy goes through. Shea is not your typical leading man andĂ‚  his distinct featuresĂ‚  remind me of a strange mix of Robert Carlyle and Steve Buscemi. His character reveals quite a lot during the course of the film and because of that he sticks with you after the whole things said and done. It was such a disarming performance that I immediately thought to look him up on IMDB and was happy to see that he is a very busy actor: eight projects in 2008 and another three already in post for 2009. I expect to see this guy turn out some great performances.

This is a first feature for the director,Ă‚  Toby Wilkins, and he shows a lot of promise. His next feature is a sequel in ‘The Grudge’ franchise, so let’s hope he can rise above the material at hand. I have faith in him, though, and so does Sam Raimi because Raimi picked him for the project based on nothing more than a short film that Wilkins made.Ă‚  

Support this film when it comes out, it’s the kind of original horror the big screen doesn’t see enough of.

‘Splinter’ is being released this fall through Magnet Films, the genre arm of Magnolia Pictures.

[rating: 4/5]

Removed at the request of The Studios. There are plenty of other reviews available online.

The review is very positive, here is a snippit … read the whole thing here however there are spoilers at the end.

“With The Incredible Hulk Marvel has done it again. Like the recent Iron Man, Incredible Hulk is a definite Saturday matinee crowd-pleaser. Kids – and their parents – will love it. Unfortunately the only thing standing in the way of Incredible Hulk becoming the summer hit it deserves to be will be audiences’ negative memories of the 2003 original. Well, forget about all that: The Incredible Hulk may ultimately be as brainless as its main character, but it really is “incredible†ť this time around. And Hulk smashes stuff too…”

Ain’t it Cool scored an early review from the Toronto Film Fest here is a snippit:

“One of the things that I liked is that the two main characters aren’t
your typical horror movie leads. They don’t make bad decisions
(except for splitting apart once) and everything that I thought they
should try to survive, they did try, to varying degrees of success or
failure. They put up a fight and plan as best they can, but are never
given enough time to relax and figure out what to do. They are cut
off from the world, they are in the middle of nowhere. The bad guys
are hiding in the woods, coming and going from the house, and they
don’t want you to survive. If you can get into the movie enough and
put yourself in their shoes, you’ll get the scares you’re after. It’s
a movie about sick people doing sick things to people just for the
hell of it, so don’t expect anything else.”

If you want to read the whole review, click the link above..there aren’t really any spoilers either.

I am going to see this tonight, and from the sounds of this review its going to scare the crap out of me, to which I wont be able to sleep for a week … Score.

I stumbled across a movie review from Yahoo for the latest Uwe Boll flick ‘Postal’. Needless to say, it wasn’t good.

The review starts off with “How does Uwe Boll keep getting work? Seriously, this is not a rhetorical question — someone, somewhere surely must know the answer.”. When you open it with that sort of statement, you know what to expect.

“All this action takes place in the fictional town of Paradise, which is essentially one big trailer park. This gives Boll the opportunity to make fun of morbidly obese women and toothless, scrawny men. Also in his cross hairs are Asian drivers, abusive cops, self-important TV reporters and people who take too long to order their coffee. It’s like shooting fish in a barrel, and there’s zero innovation or brains behind his observations.”

Read the full review here. You can also check it out with a 25% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Our own Ram Man has seen the movie and loved it, however not everyone is on board with this revival. Check out snippets of other reviews below:

“This is the Indiana Movie that you were dreading,” wrote a user who calls himself ShogunMaster. “I remember seeing the two trailers and though I was excited to see the old man in action again, I was kind of worried that they seemed to be missing ‘something’. That something was tension. During the whole of the movie, there was not a single moment that I thought our hero Mr. Jones (actually Colonel Jones as he was a hero in WWII now) was in any sort of peril or even significant inconvenience. In most cases, you were so many steps ahead of the characters that it was really just an arduous wait for them to get through it.”

from Aint It Cool News.

”After about an hour, the film abandons any pretense of story for a rush through fights, chases, machine gun fire, scorpions, quicksand, monkeys, huge snakes, and finally a secret city — part Mayan, part Aztec, certain to become both a video game and amusement park attraction…. The actors are asked to do little more than look reasonably alert.”

from Hollywood Reporter.

“Once you get past the initial reintroduction, though, it’s obvious that this fourth film in the Indy series really has no idea where to go. Except for the opening — which literally starts the film off with a bang — and a couple of dazzling chase sequences, “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” is about as unfocused and meandering as the title itself.”

from The Associated Press.

Ouch..kinda stings a little.

Collider.com scored an early review of M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘The Happening’ and it doesnt fair well.

““The Happening” is a terrible, terrible movie. I mean, it’s bad on an epic scale. It’s so bad that I can’t possibly tell you how bad it is without understating the point or making it sound like I’m picking on the film. But let me stress: this is not pent-up Shyamalan aggression or a desire to see him fail. This is bad in a jaw-dropping “they can’t really be serious, can they?” kind of way. The closest comparison I can draw is to Neil LaBute’s “Wicker Man” and, like that film, the only consolation I can offer potential theater-goers is that you might want to see it just to be in on the ground floor when the film gets its ass handed back to it.”

That is a direct quote from the review..and if thats not bad enough, a couple of people told them the same thing. I cant say that I am surprised, but sorry all you crazy, insane M. Night fans, he just isnt that bankable after ‘The Village’ and ‘Lady in the Water’.

Go read the rest of it, but be warned, it doesnt get any better.