Pacific Rim: An Adrenalized Tale of Giant Robots vs. Giant Monsters

Happy Hump Day Imaginarians!! I've been remiss this week so far, but today I'm bringing you a review of my favorite summer movie of them all so far, Pacific Rim.

I was strapped in for this one from the first frame. Guillermo Del Toro delivers a powerful, high octane anime come to life with terrific characters, a wonderful, yet cheesy script and fx that some of the best I've seen on film.

A dimensional rift has opened in the Pacific Ocean allowing giant monsters known as Kaiju to come through to earth. They attack Pacific Rim cities like San Francisco, Tokyo and Manila. To combat these beings, Earth has banded together and created the Jaegers, giant robots that require two pilots who are completely in sync with one another mentally. As the war drags on, the Jaegers become obsolete as Earth pins its hopes on continental walls to hold back the Kaiju. When the wall fails (and you knew it would) there are only 4 Jaegers left. Raleigh Becket, a former pilot, is called back into service when the remaining Jaegers are sent to Hong Kong.

Charlie Hunnam steals the show as Raleigh. He's vulnerable, smart, strong and has enormous chemistry with his badass co-star Rinko Kikuchi who is Mako Mori. Mako is the assistant to and adopted daughter of, the director of the Jaeger program, Stacker Pentecost. Idris Elba plays Stacker and he does a good job being leader, hardass and father figure. Charlie Day and Born Gorman are terrific as the dork scientists, Geiszler and Gottlieb, who are trying to figure out how to understand the Kaiju. Day is funny, silly, providing a certain comic relief that was great, but got on my nerves after a while. I was hoping he'd get eaten or squashed. Ron Perlman shows his villainous side as Hannibal Chau, a black market dealer in Kaiju parts and other things who helps Geiszler get his geeky hands on a Kaiju brain. There is great chemistry between Perlman and Day.

The fx are huge. Beyond huge. They are definitely what a summer blockbuster is all about. I found myself gasping for breath as the monsters attacked, just like I did as kid and first saw Godzilla. The Jaegers were ultra impressive and I so wanted to try my hand at driving one.

Guillermo Del Toro has created an adrenalized tale of giant robots vs. giant monsters that is an epic summer film you'll want to see again and again.

World War Z

Happy Monday, Imaginarians! Hope you all had a great weekend. I took my nephew to see one of my most highly anticipated films this year, World War Z. I was looking forward to this one because I was hoping they would liven up the book, which to me is very dry, being a series of interviews about the zombie apocalypse. Zombies must be active for me and happening right now, memories of the apocalypse are just passive and rather boring. So I was all geared up for this and was not disappointed.

The story moves fast, Brad and family are getting ready for the day and there are subtle hints that Brad has a past of some import. The little things said in the dialogue between him and his wife, played perfectly by Mirielle Enos, and the daughter questioning why his job is just to make breakfast. And the TV news in the background that he watches. Terrific, if brief character development for our hero. Soon all hell breaks loose while they just sitting in traffic. I really dug that as I've sat in rush hour traffic fantasizing about alien invasions, zombies, etc. and this movie went there. Hell to the yeah. The melee that ensues is spot on reaction by people.

From there it  relentless pace with some slow down time here and there so we can catch our breath. The action is stunning, using shaky cam effects to wonderful effect as it gives you the feeling of being right there in the midst of it all. We are creeping down the dim halls with Brad, there as the  zombies rush at him. The scenes in the apartment building as they are headed to the roof are chaotic and cool as hell. I thought it was brilliant that they taped magazines to their arms to help avoid bites.

I loved the CGI here, it was somewhat natural looking and not too cartoony as CGI can be. The scene where the horde envelops an Israeli city is amazing. And I thought the creepiest zombie ever was the woman in the glass cage at the World Health Organization lab. Yikes! Those snapping teeth and the unholy hissing along with her disturbing eyes was just ewww... I really dug the speed of the zombies and how they were drawn by noise. Forster created some wonderfully tense moments that had the audience in my theater gasping at every small sound.

There were some bad product placement, which I did not like, but I've seen worse. There was no swearing and no gore whatsoever, which are kind of important when dealing with the end of the world and zombies in my opinion. I think this movie was epic fun and you will enjoy it. I can't wait to own it.

Man Of Steel

Hey there Imaginarians! Did you all have a great weekend? I did. I took my nephew to see Man of Steel and what an epic film. My nephew and I were clutching the arms of our seats for almost the whole film. Okay, before I go blathering off on a hundred different tangents, how about I just get into my review? LOL

We all know the story of Superman, he's been part of our group think for decades, but Zack Snyder (300, Dawn of the Dead) has given our favorite Kryptonian a slightly new polish and it works. There was lots of noise about this being too dark, too gritty, but in a word...Hell no. Superman is still the exact same square-jawed boy scout, however, he's been made a little more real and accessible. I never bought into this kid growing up with perfect acceptance of his powers, no feelings of isolation, no adjustments or anything. The comics have always glossed over that, at least the ones I remember reading. hell, even the Chris Reeve film, the standard bearer, whitewashed that part. This Superman is along the lines of the Smallville Clark Kent, an eminently more realistic and yes, believable, hero. I don't know about you, but I want to know that my hero has struggled, that he's had to overcome and still struggles. You can't have good without some bad, there is no perfection. Saints have their flaws and so should superheroes. Oh I can hear the protests now, "Mel, Superman's not human, he's from Krypton." Bull shit. He's humanoid and anything remotely human is flawed to the nth degree.

I digress.

Cavill brings this Superman to wondrous life. He struggles, he's isolated, hell, he's scruffy, something that Clark Kent never was before and I love it. Henry's turn is strong, quiet, yet there is a commanding air about him. He has humor, warmth and a deep love for those around him. He gets ticked off and there is one scene where he avoids a bar fight, but gets his own revenge and I pumped my fist. It was beautiful.

Amy Adams is terrific as Lois. Smart, strong and a take-no-prisoners attitude coupled with compassion and a huge heart. She risks herself for Clark because of who he is and what she finds out he has gone through. She's not awed by his looks. The chemistry between Adams and Cavill sizzles. They fairly smoked the screen. You could feel the depth of attraction and affection. I cannot wait for chapter 2 of this romance.

Now for the villain of the piece...Kneel before Zod, er Michael Shannon. Oh my God was he incredible. Zod is a warrior, sworn to protect Krypton and their way of life to the exclusion of all else and Shannon delivers that depth of duty and psychosis in a pure crazed, relentless performance. I could not take my eyes off of him when he was on screen. He even outshone Russell Crowe and the delicious Cavill in some cases.

The supporting cast was terrific as well. Diane Lane and Kevin Costner were so amazing as the Kents, a couple struggling to raise not only a child, but a being who will change our world. Their performances were honest and true. Laurence Fishburne did not get enough screen time as Perry White, but I hope he remained because he was not only a hard-nosed news man, but he had a softer side that made me love him. He and Amy had great rapport. Harry Lennix and Christopher Meloni struck a perfect balance between hard nosed soldier and decent fellow. They weren't flat, stock soldiers like Stephen Lang in Avatar.

I do have to make special mention of the badass bitch of the movie, Antje Traue as Zod's second, Faora Ul. She rocked it, kicking ass and taking names. Her fight scenes were hellagood and I hope she gets more action work ASAP.

The fx were bold, brilliant and just had my mouth agape almost the whole time. I could have caught Skittles in my trap. Zack Snyder knows how to do big action, yet keep human and real, unlike Michael Bay. Each fight, explosion, etc. has a purpose beyond "wouldn't that be cool."

There was really only one flaw for me and that was Krypton. I thought it was a little overdone, too much like Dune in some sort of medieval, opera style when it should have been more tech and smooth like Minority Report or Star Trek. For me people who have to fight with metal swords don't travel in space.

Overall this was one hellacious good time and I can't wait to strap in for another.

Any of you see this yet? What did you think? Talk to me.

Star Trek: Into Darkness A Review

Hey there! Happy Monday and wow, did I have great weekend. I took my mom and fellow Trekkie to see J.J.'s newest installment in the Trek series, Star Trek: Into Darkness. Holy cow, there are no words for what an incredible experience it was. I loved this movie from opening frame to the last and each nanosecond in between. As did the first film, it paid homage to both the series and the films with a deft touch that only a devout Trekkie could have.

Like the original Star Trek II, this is the film that breaks Kirk. It smashes him down and forces him to dig deep, to find just what he is willing to sacrifice in order to prove that he deserves the chair. He takes on an enemy that is more cunning and powerful than he ever thought possible. There is no re-writing the Kobayashi Maru. The script is pure genius, taking elements from the first Trek II and reworking them to fit the altered time line. The dialogue is sensational, never straying into over-emoting or taking the cast out of character.

And speaking of the cast, the entire crew is back plus a cameo by the awesome Leonard Nimoy. The chemistry sparks between the characters, with Pine finding a deeper level with each actor. The scenes with Kirk and each of his fellow actors are alive with tension and amazing fluidity. Particularly with Quinto. The only weakness was the casting of Alice Eve as Carol Marcus. She was the only one who appeared to have no chemistry with Pine, she seemed distant, unsure, like the dialogue was troublesome and she could not project the right emotion.

The action sequences are mindblowingly huge, fast and furious. I was strapped into my seat on a wild rush. The fx overall were incredible and I did not need to see this in 3D to enjoy the brilliance. The other downer is I know that J.J. is going to be tied up doing Star Wars for the next few years, so Star Trek may go on the back burner, which is a shame as I am totally invested in this new crew.

So what did you all do this weekend? See Star Trek? Thoughts?

Checking In And I Finally Saw Brave

Thank you all for sticking with me while I am on deadline. I'm nearly finished so...Yay! Thanks, too, for all the wonderful comments you left last week on the awesome Girls Kick Ass Says So On the T-Shirt post from my super cool friend Mind of Mine. I appreciate your thoughts very much.

Funny enough, in keeping with that theme, I was taking a chill from my frantic writing/editing pace and had the opportunity to at long last see Brave. Now that all 5 billion of the rest you have, LOL.

Wow, was I ever disappointed. I was so disappointed that I could not concentrate on anything til I got this out. Not disappointed in the animation, that was spectacular. In fact, it blew me away, but just like with Avatar, it was glitter to try and distract me from the utter dreckitude that was the story.

On a side rant, what was with the butt cheeks and the extra bouncy breasts on the housekeeper? Not to mention Bear Cub Brother's swan dive into Cleavage Town... Yikes!

Back to my point. We finally, finally get a girl hero from Pixar and they make it into a stereotypical chick "adventure" and I use that term very loosely. There really was no adventure here. It all comes down to a witch's spell and Merida's bitchy 'tude with her mommy. All because of what essentially amounts to a boy problem. So she didn't want to get married, boo hoo... BFD. She still wore a dress, the central villain is still a witch and her problem is hardly the ultimate destruction of her way of life. Pixar really suckered me in with that "Change your fate" line. Thank God I only paid $1.30 at the Red Box but even so I want my money back.

Mulan had it all over Merida in the bravery department as far as I'm concerned. I wanted, nay expected a girl kicking ass just like the boys, saving her kingdom,  facing dragons, monsters and warlords hellbent on destruction. Not witches and curses. Or God help me, bears. Why is it we women always get to face evil forest creatures? Are you effing kidding me? Next thing you know there'll be a Brave Part Deux with Merida running up against an evil Bambi. Honestly, fellas, we women are your absolute equals in every way so quit giving us such weak stories when it's our turn to grab some glory. They're BORING. As to the women who had a part in this, shame on you for not representing.

I know some of you out there are like "Geez Mel, it's a cartoon, what's with the attitude? Can't you ever just turn off your feminist and enjoy something?" No, I can't. Pixar had an opportunity with Brave to break new ground and they didn't. They trod right over the same tired territory and spent more time making Merida's hair look great than they did on actual plot. I'm not encouraging my friends to buy their daughters a Brave anything from Disney. Merida is really a glass ceiling hero. We'll let you do some badass things like be an expert archer, but you still have to wear the dress and save yourself from a witch. No warlords for you, you're a girl. And of course we must always make sure that the theme of mother daughter relationships is front and center because we all know girls never have relationships with their fathers.

Okay rant over, I'm going to finish my story and enjoy some Bears football. LOL

Rounders

Welcome to the weekend! Yay, we made it. :) So this weekend is my big blog swap and taking over here at the Imaginarium is my great friend, Russell from the bad ass film site 1:37 Exactly. He and one of his most brilliant guest reviewers, Rainbow, are talking about one of their favorite films, Rounders. I will be over at Russell's site as soon as I see Avengers and write up a review. So without further ado...Enjoy their take on this Matt Damon/Edward Norton classic.

"Listen, here's the thing. If you can't spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you ARE the sucker" - Mike McDermott 

I can't tell you how many times I've watched Rounders over the years. I've simply lost count. It became the movie I would put on when I didn't know what else to watch. When no other title would jump out at me from the DVD shelf, it became my go-to movie. I could always rely on Rounders. If you haven't yet seen Rounders then you should stop reading this and go and watch it NOW. If you want a little more information, here's a brief overview.

Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) is a very talented poker player who turns his back on the game to focus on making his way through Law School but is slowly drawn back into the poker world when he must stand by a lifelong friend, Lester "Worm" Murphy (Edward Norton) whose gambling debts are reaching dangerous levels.

There is a good chance that I am going to talk about some detailed aspects of the film so I do suggest that you watch it first before reading any further.

The first time I came across Rounders was when I was working in Blockbuster Video and I'm pretty sure that I watched it because it had Matt Damon in it and I liked what he did in Good Will Hunting and The Rainmaker but I don't believe I really knew Edward Norton at that time, although I did go back and watch Primal Fear as a result of his performance in this movie (that's a discussion for another day though).

Watching Rounders is akin to reading a Shakespearean play, not because it's set 400 years ago but because of the themes discussed; Man vs Human Nature, Lust, Betrayal, Friendship, Romance, Loyalty, and because it is about a man's struggle "to thine own self be true".

My favourite theme of Rounders is that of Man's (or Mike's) struggle against his own Inner-Nature and how he must not only accept but embrace who he is in order to move on with his life. A man is only able to fool himself so long before he ultimately realises who he is no matter how hard he tries to fight it.

Mike McDermott is a man who is a poker player at heart and a damn good one at that. When he let his own grandiose visions of living large in Las Vegas blind him at the table at Teddy KGB's place, the ensuing fall to reality is a hard one that results in Mike turning his back on who he is. However no matter how hard he tries to be someone else and pretend that the card table means nothing to him, the desire to be back in the chair with chips in his hands is only just beneath the surface. Just like a siren's song it doesn't take much for the desire to come back...

After trying to go "straight" for nine months with no poker tables and fulfilling a promise to his girlfriend to steer clear of his previous lifestyle, things get bumpy as Mike begins to realise that he is fighting his natural instinct. There are various situations and characters that fan the flames of desire and reawaken his natural (poker) instinct; sitting in on the judge's poker table, helping Worm get set up in various games, walking into venues where he previously used to command a presence, and seeing old acquaintances makes Mike realise who is.

Once Mike embraces who he is and steps back into the world of high aces, river cards, and straight flushes, he carries himself with more caution and direction than earlier in the film. This change in attitude not only results in a positive outcome with Teddy KGB but Mike has fully realised what he wants in life and nothing will stop him from going after it. Johnny Chan, look out! 

Mike's journey in Rounders is mirrored by Professor Abe Petrovsky (Martin Landau) who in some of the film's best scenes explains that when he was a young boy he was to become a Rabbi but after studying the Talmud he never truly saw God. Despite the crushing disappointment felt by his parents, Abe knew he needed to be honest with himself and follow his path towards his destiny. Unlike Mike, Abe did not try to fool himself (or anyone else) by being anything other than honest with himself and who he was.

My two favourite quotes delivered during McDermott's and Petrovsky's conversations that sum up the themes of Man vs Human Nature are;

Professor Petrovsky: We can't run from who we are. Our destiny chooses us

Mike McDermott:  If you had it to do all over again, knowing what would happen, would you make the same choice? 

Professor Petrovsky: What choice?

The characters of Mike McDermott and Lester "Worm" Murphy are mirror images of each other, at the same time both similar and opposite. When the film begins, the two characters are representative of opposite sides of the spectrum - McDermott has turned his back on his desire for card playing and is fighting his natural instinct, while Worm has embraced his inner instinct to the extreme where he plays to only win, generally involving "shady" techniques.

Worm is a man who is motivated by the need to make as much money as possible in order to prevent his legs from being broken, or worse. It's this motivation which causes him to use whatever edge he can to attain victory. However you get the impression that even if he wasn't in need of the money that he would still be employing various techniques to win each hand. 

"You always think you can beat the game straight up. That's not me. I told you, I'm always gonna look for that edge. Always"

In the end, Worm is the one who runs away from his problems and Mike (having grown over the course of the film) stays and faces Teddy KGB head on. 

Rounders is a film of multiple layers, complex themes, and involving characters, all set against the legal and illegal world of poker. Directed by John Dahl (Californication) and written by David Levien and Brian Koppelman, Rounders is a film that easily makes my Top 10 Films of all time.

My Final Thoughts; Know who you are. Don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise. Live your life. Go chase your dreams.

"First prize at the World Series of Poker is a million bucks. Does it have my name on it? I don't know. But, I'm gonna find out."

Rainbow's View

Rounders has a bit of a Good Will Hunting feel to it. A troubled guy faces his issues head on and may or may not come out on top and all the while revolving around a girl. Now ‘how do you like them apples?’ So, did the movie speak to me? Oh absolutely. I get cards. I’m that girl that goes to the casino with her man, but rather than sit at the back and watch it all unfold, I’m the girl at the table, taking my mans money – along with everyone else’s... and loving every second of it. 

Plot

The basis for the plot for Rounders is based around Mike. Mike is a law student by day and professional poker player by night.  His skill is to read his competition and bet accordingly. Mike meets a girl, Jo. Jo bails him out from a rather large Poker debt in exchange for him to quit. Basically he chooses the girl over the game. Until his friend Worm is released from jail, and the games begin...

Characters

Mike

The lead role of Mike is played by Matt Damon. Ever since I saw Good Will Hunting I’ve had a soft spot for Damon; and again seeing him on the big screen as Jason Bourne. So to go back in time and watch Rounders was quite a vintage delight. Damon embodies Mike with elements that make you believe that he really is Mike. The screen time he shares with Martin Landau as Abe Petrovsky is like watching a nephew and his favourite uncle, endearingly emotive yet with a distinct hierarchy and strong element of mutual respect.

Jo -The Girlfriend

Gretchen Mol plays Mike’s girlfriend, Jo.  Mol’s role is an interesting one.  While I want to understand her place and why she says/does things, at the same time, I dislike her presence on screen.  There seems to be a little disconnect of chemistry between Mol and Damon.  It just doesn’t seem to click. This is perhaps an error in casting as opposed to the character itself.  

Worm

Edward Norton plays Worm. An old school friend of Mike’s, who Mike feel he was indebted to.  Norton plays the role well as a gambling junkie always in need of a win, a hit, a score. Mike, like all of us, must go through the motions of what to do when an old friend leaches off your success and your reputation.  This alone hit a little close to home for me, so I related to the affiliation between Mike and Worm. I think everyone can relate to this one way or another, whether you’ve been the leach or the leached.I think the name says it all.  

KGB

Noone named KGB can be a good-guy right?  Well you’d be correct.  KGB, played by John Malkovich is the dodgy Russian kingpin that has a very strong affiliation for his Oreos.  Some of the best lines of the movie are delivered by Malkovich. Just don’t touch his Oreos.  

Summary

All the while you want Mike to come out on top you hope he does it with copious wads of dollars in his pocket.  Don’t we always want the struggling student to make it in the end? Overall the movie was just one of those that’s easy to watch. It doesn’t have you on the end of your seat but, like some of the other movies of its time, just speak to you. 

What do you all think? Agree with Russell and Rainbow? A bit meh? Haven't seen it in years? Or abhor the very essence of this film? Speak your mind below, Imaginarians. Tell us what you think.

I will be at 1:37 Exactly a bit later as I will be discussing The Avengers and I have yet to see it. Sold out! Insert Yosemite Sam curses here. 

Friday!!! Time To Get Your Groove On

Yes! It is finally, finally, Friday. Yesterday was a horrible grind and I really do believe some people come with a built-in Suck Factor of 100. However, I'm not about to go on a sarcastic rant because I want to kick off the weekend in a fun way. So I'm going to share nothing but good things today.

I have two film reviews up. The first is for the awesomely creepy Woman in Black. This is truly one of the best horror films I've seen. The second is for Mulberry Child, a powerful documentary about a woman recounting her tragic childhood during Mao's Cultural Revolution. Jian Ping's story is powerful, poignant and a testament to the strength of the human will.

Since it's Friday, that also means it's time for another edition of You Should Know. I just met this blogger recently and he's already made a huge impression on me. Jay Noel has a mindblowing site called Jay Noel: Writer on Fire. Writer on fire, I just love that name, it's so exciting and passionate. His bio says he loves science fiction, fantasy, literary fiction, biographies and chocolate chip cookies. I could get on board with that. His first book, The Dragonfly Warrior, will be out this summer. Yay! It is the first in a series called The Mechanica Wars.

And now to help you get your groove on, I am spinning Come Dancing by The Kinks. This was my introduction to this legendary band and I still love this song. It puts me in a happy mood whenever I hear it. Enjoy and have a kick ass weekend.

The Thursday Rundown

It's Thursday and there are some exciting things coming up here at Ye Olde Imaginarium. First, Jesse aka Copyboy over at Not Worth Mentioning, made Melissa's Imaginarium his Hot New Blog of The Day, yesterday. Awesome! Thank you, Jesse!

Next, hot author Xavier Axelson will be here tomorrow. He is an amazing writer with an edge, whose stories are simply unforgettable. I've read his newest, Lily, got totally hooked and am now in the process of scooping up his other titles. I can't wait for tomorrow.

I saw two films recently, both utterly engrossing for very different reasons. The first is the new Soderbergh thriller, Haywire. What a badass bitch Mallory Kane is. Hell to the yeah, my peeps, we finally, FINALLY have an action heroine worthy of the title. Click here to go to The Movie 411 for the whole review.

The next is The Whistleblower, a Canadian indie flick about Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska police officer who volunteered for a U.N. peace-keeping mission in Bosnia and uncovered a brutal sex trafficking ring run by her fellow Americans and others. It is a very harsh film about a violent and gruesome subject. There are scenes that made me white-knuckle my chair, so if you have any squeamishness at all, do not watch. Rachel Weisz is astounding as Kathryn, but it is Roxana Condurache in her debut performance as Raya, a young Ukrainian girl sold into slavery by her uncle, that rivets. She broke my heart. My review is here.

I'll also be participating in DL Hammons Origins Blogfest on Monday, February 13th. You'll all be able to find out where my writing dreams began. "Once upon a time in a land far away..."

Also, just four more days until more new eps of my newest obsession, The Walking Dead. Whoo Hoo!

My week has been relatively quiet so far with these movies plus a little more rest and relaxation. I'm feeling better and better as each day passes. I cannot thank you all enough for the amazing well wishes. I'm still a bit out of it, so please feel free to share your news and linkage with me. Tell me how you all are. :)

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Okay, so when I first heard about this movie, I laughed uproariously. I mean I was straight up choking on my sugar free Gummi Bears in the theater. There was no way I was going to sit through this. Well, my Movie Roundtable gang worked on me and got me to reconsider. So last night,without handcuffs, a knock on the head or other restraints, I watched Rise of the Planet of the Apes. And to my shock, I was entertained.

Now, lest you think I did a complete Pod Person role reversal, I also had some huge problems with it. But, another surprise, these were not of the CGI variety. I thought the apes looked magnificent and Andy Serkis had me believing he really was a chimp with a revved up brain. The way Caesar evolved from boyish chimp to someone who doesn't fit in, and finally to the leader of a revolution, was nothing short of brilliant.

I drank the Kool-Aid for the most part and found myself very involved in Caesar's story, getting excited when he plotted his revenge and led his fellow apes on a dare I say it, heroic uprising. I hate cruelty to animals and loved how the director brought us into Caesar's POV. It was wrenching at times. Made more so because Caesar would not let his apes kill the humans. The best scene in the whole movie was when his abilities increased enough so that he was able to utter the word "No" in defiance of his captors. It was a powerful, pivotal moment that stayed with me.

The action sequences were incredible and the way Rupert Wyatt seemlessly blended the apes into the shots was stunning. Nothing appeared CGI. Take note Peter Jackson and James Cameron, you may have developed the tech, but you do NOT know how to use it wisely without having any character appear like cartoons.

I digress.

Here's where my problems started. You knew this was coming. ;) The characters all appeared to fall into 2 categories: Douchebag and Not Douchebag. A bit too simplistic, if you ask me. Party of the first: Brian Cox and Tom Felton run an ape "sanctuary" which is a completely over-the-top, sadistic prison where they gleefully torture the inmates. They're so awful, they're caricatures rather than believable characters. Cruella Deville times 2 with no motivation. At least she wanted a puppy coat. This primate Big House was so San Quentin-esque that I half-expected Johnny Cash to come out and lead the apes in a rousing rendition of Folsom Prison Blues. Uh, ASPCA anyone? PETA?

The D-Bag category also includes David Oyelowo as the hard-nosed greedy corporate suit who cares about nothing, but money and image. Very stock and uninteresting, delegating every little thing, even the wiping of his ass. Then he completely steps out of character to climb into a helicopter, grab a gun and hunt those apes. Wall Street turned Big Game Hunter. I've seen this exact character in a million cheap SyFy channel flicks. Then we have the inexplicable, in-dire-need-of-anger-management neighbor. The littlest thing sets this guy to beating things with baseballs bats and slamming people up against walls. He might as well have been wearing a tee shirt that read "I am the Angry Asshole."

Non D-Bags are of course, James Franco, John Lithgow and Freida Pinto. Franco's Rodman goes to great lengths to keep his rapidly crumbling world together. I can identify with that. However, I found Franco's overall performance a bit uneven. He seemed to roll along in disconnect, then plug back in at certain times. Not to mention all the larceny he was so easily getting away with. I mean where was security every time he walked out with vials of drugs? Taking lunch?

Oh Freida, it's no wonder Danny Boyle didn't let you really speak in Slum Dog. While her Caroline helps Will to understand the grown-up Caesar, she really has no chemistry with Franco and their whole romance seems forced.Plus, she's pretty much useless after Caesar is gone. I like her, but she needs lessons on delivering more emotion in her performances.

John Lithgow was my favorite here. His performance is heartbreaking and yet, a joy to behold. He shines as Will's stricken father and his relationship with Caesar is so touching. I think he deserves Oscar consideration for this right along with Serkis.

There were also some other things that I found hard to digest. For instance, how a chimp could be pregnant and give birth to the complete ignorance of the scientists who work with her every day, including the on-site animal expert. Even a five year old knows that a round belly on girl dog probably means she's gonna have a baby. And apes smell. Big. Time. So why would you bring your potential piece of ass to the monkey prison, Tom Felton? Not gonna score if they fling poo at her. And as a huge fan of the original, I did not appreciate the co-opting of certain lines. Felton was NOT coming from the same place as Heston.

Overall, I enjoyed Rise and am glad my cohorts encouraged me to see it. I do think that between this and the other Apes films, this franchise has been played out. There are no new stories to tell, only reboots so I hope there won't be a sequel. I probably won't be as kind next time.

Bridesmaids: A Hellagood Laugh Riot

Hey Imaginarians, before we go any further, Russell, formerly of Chaos N Mayhem, has now started his own new film blog called 1:37 Exactly. It rocks. He talks about anything and everything film, his posts are witty, thought-provoking and brilliant. His style is friendly and engaging, encouraging some really great discussions. Go on and check him out. You'll love him as much as I do.

Now, before I get into my review, I have a confession. No nothing really salacious, although...Just kidding. I'm not about to confess to THAT unless serious money changes hands. ;) Anyway, I have a side of me that is a terminal 12 year old. I laugh and laugh at things like bodily functions and other really low brow stuff. Much to the chagrin of my mother. I can't help it. It's this sense of humor that brings me to Bridemaids, one of the most hysterical movies I have ever seen.

The script is wicked funny and smart for the most part with a few scenes that were really chick flick and not in the comedy vibe. But, hells to the yeah, the ladies went down and dirty and bought the freakin' tee shirt up in here. I laughed til I choked in certain parts, especially the bridal shop food poisoning debacle. I admit, my bestie Nancy and I rewound that scene more than a few times. I had a headache from laughing so hard. Maya Rudolph frog-walking across the street then finally shitting herself is bar none one of the most hysterical things I have ever seen. I can sympathize with her pain. Almost. All I can say is Girl's Night Out, too much beer and El Taco Burrito Palace #2, the mortal enemy of stomachs and intestines everywhere.

As if Maya weren't enough, Melissa McCarthy just blew me away. My sweet Sookie has transformed into comedic blockbuster ala Chevy Chase. She was the most brilliant part of this movie. I watched her scenes again and again. The rest of the cast was terrific. I loved Rose Byrne as the snobby boss's wife and Kristen Wiig as Annie, the bride's childhood best friend. Their constant need to upstage each other is psychotic and great fun to watch.

Bridesmaids, like Bad Teacher, shows off the dirtier side of female humor. That we can be just as raunchy, low-brow and in-your-face as the guys. I hope H-wood takes notice because I want to see more movies like these.

Triple H Monday: Hot Story, Hot Men and Hotter Cars

Well, I had a rotten weekend, spending four excruciating hours at the dentist. Ugh! To make myself feel better, I am bringing the hotness this Monday morning.

First, I got a pretty terrific review for my sizzling erotic tale Nathan's Angel.
Pixie from MM Good Book Reviews gave Nathan's Angel 3 and a half hearts. Whoo Hoo! My first official review for my first ever M/M story. Check it out here.

Second, in my quest to catch up with what the rest of the planet has already seen, I watched Fast Five. This really perked me up Saturday night. All I can say is hot men, hotter cars and no plot required. They had me at The Rock. Yes, I have a HUGE crush on Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Along with Tyrese, Sung Kang, Paul Walker and Vin Diesel. Then there were the cars...Holla! Oh man, I've got Auto Show fever, now, and it's only November. There are still three more long months til Chitown's cargasm extravaganza.

I digress. Now where was I? Oh yeah, my Fast Five review. Not much to tell, I freakin' loved it. The action sequences were an incredible rush and the car chases high-octane. Director Justin Lin brought the goods and then some. The characters united from all the other Fast and Furious films and they had chemistry in spades, adding to this hellagood ride. Vin makes an awesome big bro, I just adored the brother-sister moments he had with Jordana, reprising her role of Mia.

I found myself missing the snap and sass of Letty, though. Michelle Rodriguez is a complete badass bitch. However, that did not mean that this flick lacked for strong women. Oh no. Gal Gadot rocked it as Gisele, blazing in on her Ducati street racer (I have a thing motorcycles, too) and Elsa Pataky was aces as badass cop Elena Neves. Elena stood her ground with The Rock's Luke Hobbs, faced down machine gun fire and rocket launchers, too. The men were more balanced out this time around by these kick-butt women and I really dug that. I hope to see more of this as they continue the franchise.

Now, for a couple of my fave cars, cuz a post about Fast Five would not be complete without them...

Dom Toretto's signature 1970 Dodge Charger

1972 Pantera Detomaso

1966 Ford GT 40

Did you all see any good movies this weekend? Who or what do you consider drool-worthy? Talk to me.

Fireworks, Food and Movie Review

Happy Fourth of July to all my fellow Americanos out there. Hope you all are having a great holiday. Be safe! I am off to my sister's for a cook out and fireworks show. The food is spectacular with a huge variety of pig, cow and chicken on the fire and lots of homemade sides and desserts. I don't eat at all until I get there, then it's grazing time.

I love being able to sit in a comfortable chair in her backyard to watch the town's fireworks show. Her house is just over the hill from the river park where they launch the extravaganza so we don't have to deal with crowds and port-o-potties. Yay! The only thing better is being out on a boat in Lake Michigan like in this picture. Now that is the way to watch the fireworks around my city.

Check out my review for Transformers: Dark of the Moon over at The Movie411. I had a blast watching it in spite of the huge flaws. Chi Town goes all post-apocalyptic. It's awesome!

Battle Los Angeles: I Finally Saw It!

Yep, I finally saw Battle Los Angeles last night and felt liked I needed to share my opinion. I know, I can hear all the comments right now."It's about time, Mel. Jeez you're only a million years behind the rest of the planet. What kind of film blogger are you?" All right already, here we go...

I liked this. The dialogue was certainly cheestastic and oh hell yeah some of the situations were totally cliche to the core. I mean seriously, how many times have we seen the background guy pull a rifle at the last second and shoot the enemy/monster only to be fatally wounded? About a billion. And how many times have we seen the hero no one trusts have the troops go into hell with him at the last because he's finally earned their respect? So many times it could be a drinking game. But it worked here for me. Maybe I was feeling a little nostalgic for ID4, my favorite alien invasion movie of all time, but this was a fun ride from start to finish.

The movie opens kind of slow with trying to fit in a brief background of as many characters as possible. I've always wondered why directors are allowed to do this in movies. I mean, I've always been told as a writer that the background story stays out of the book unless it's germane to the plot. It's not important here either. I really didn't need to know that this guy's wife is pregnant and that guy's getting married and blah, blah,blah...Just get to the fucking aliens.

Once the invasion commences the ride begins. I love how they all came crashing down in big ships that looked like meteors. The battle sequences with the extraterrestrial forces were pretty cool. The shaky camera work made me think of Saving Private Ryan. I felt like I was right there fighting with those soldiers. The impact of the rapid fire shots and explosions went right through me. Even the scenes where the troops are readying for battle are pretty cool.

One of my very favorite things about this movie is Michelle Rodriguez. She is a total badass, rockin' the fatigues and rifle. I loved her character. I found her smart, tough and completely believable. And there was no overt sexual tension with the other guys. Thank God. Roles like this are what young girls need to see. Her fellow soldiers here were all kind of cliched, but they managed to balance out those cliches with some unexpected reactions. No one was a complete dick, no one was a complete frightened rabbit.

Then there's Aaron Eckhart. His character was a bit stock, but he pulled it off. He was good at not just saying "Fuck it!" then taking over like some John Wayne asshole. He was very conscious of the chain of command and the importance of having one leader on the field. I found myself a bit frustrated that he didn't just haul off and bitch slap the panicking lieutenant. But that's just me.

And, and...I am so goddamned happy the civilians to be rescued were not too-stupid-to-live party girls and frat rats like those vapid morons in Cloverfield. These people were kids, kind of cliche, but okay, a vet and a young father. They reacted like normal people under attack, but they did not freak out and do something stupid to endanger the lives of everyone else. Bonus.

Yeah, I wish I could have known more about the aliens and the script had a few plot holes that needed tweaking. Plus, I wish they would have had a more concrete ending. I want to know that we win for sure, I need closure. I mean I never get it in real life so why can't I have it in my movies? Overall I had a hellagood time and if you want a great popcorn flick for a weekend this is it.