Doug Liman’s “Jumper” is the type of action fare that you come to see for the dazzling effects and interesting battles, and then… nothing more, after that. The common complaint is that the film doesn’t fully touch on the concept of jumping, and while that’s true, it does indeed explore how this power would be every man’s fantasy. To be able to jump everywhere, to be able to be anywhere you want without restrictions, and to be able to do whatever you want is something “Jumper” pulls off in emphasizing. And the character of David personifies this idea by often working on motives that are never clear. A firm anti-hero, David is that very wealthy young man that everyone worships and wants to be, and he’s turned into someone working for a cause by accident once he gets the psychotic Paladins on his tail.
Author Archives: Felix Vasquez
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008)
The original “Harold and Kumar” became one of my favorite comedies of all time after an attempt at giving it a fair chance while on cable television one night. Since then it’s been a constant favorite, and on a replay whenever boredom strikes. Even though it was a prime example of product placement, the stoner classic is utterly hilarious and serves as a testament to the talents of John Cho and Kal Penn. “Guantamo Bay,” though, inadvertently serves as an argument against sequels to any and all films. If some director had attempted to mimic the success of “Harold and Kumar” with less comedic punch, and much more forced social overtones, “Guantanamo Bay” would be pointed at, almost immediately. Because frankly, the only thing offensive about this sequel is that every race joke is horribly unfunny, while so blatantly setting up part three, that it’s almost insulting.
Iron Man (2008)
Director John Favreau commits a fantastic feat with “Iron Man”: He makes the character interesting. Iron Man has always been a second tier character of the Marvel Comic Universe who was never taken too seriously by avid comic fans. He was boring, and more often than not, lame. Stark was always a very unsympathetic figure of the Marvel mythos, and his ability to be taken down by almost anyone who ripped through his armor to get to the man, rendered him rather forgettable and often satirized. So what does Favreau do? He takes the character and turns him into a hero we want to see. Every adaptation of the character has been bland. Until now that is, where with pitch perfect casting and sharp writing, the character of Iron Man becomes an amazing presence on screen, and even better, Tony Stark becomes an alter ego we can care about, laugh with, and root for.
Southland Tales (2006)
Acting off the pretense that it’s smarter than we all think, for approximately two and a half hours, Richard Kelly’s “Southland Tales” is proof positive that “Donnie Darko” was a fluke and he is a one trick pony, and an insufferable one to boot. And alas, Kelly will always ride on the reputation that precedes this rancid pile of garbage and anything else on the way out of his mind. Here, Kelly taps the “Donnie Darko” well again. There are chapters, spirituality, a disjointed series of sub-plots, visual flourishes all with a touch of self-awareness that kicks us in the face every single second. And in the process, Kelly also manages to beat us over the head with political commentary that is warranted but so clumsily delivered he often seems to try too hard.
The Walking Dead: Special Edition #1
Do you know that “The Walking Dead” was originally supposed to be titled “Night of the Living Dead”?
Kirkman was so desperate for interest in his idea, that he named the series after the Romero movie. And since Romero’s masterpiece is in the public domain, he could have done such a thing without suffering legal scorn, but he’d have sported plenty of fan scorn. But Kirkman admits it and seems pretty apologetic about it when he discusses the origins of the fantastic horror series from Image Comics. We can relate, can’t we? It’s tough being in any artistic medium, and some of us will do anything to become a success.
Teeth (2007) (DVD)
Director Mitchell Lichenstein’s controversial dark comedy is a strong contender for one of the best of 2008 featuring one of the most twisted comedies I’ve ever seen. Though it’s heavily steeped in the horror genre, writer Lichtenstein doesn’t just pose a concept that’s potentially ridiculous, but he takes it and turns it into a rather surprising and brilliant allegory on sex, and evolution. “Teeth” is the antithesis of every coming of age romance you’ve ever seen with a twist of Tim Burton, and John Waters thrown in for good measure. Dawn is the next step of evolution with her infliction of Vagina Dentata, and she doesn’t even know it. In a town with a radioactive plant always present in the backdrop in every shot of the film, Dawn has taken the next step of evolution for women and doesn’t quite know how to deal with it.
Hacking at the Bone: Interview with Tim Seeley
Creator Tim Seeley, a confessed horror geek with a talent for satisfying the horror geeks who flock to Devil’s Due currently announced a pact with the fantastic alt model website Suicide Girls, pairing the eponymous Cassie Hack, with the gorgeous Suicide Goth’s and punks. Seeley, still reeling from the New York Comic Con was kind enough to talk with “Rot Your Brain” and yours truly (a Seeley and Hack/Slash fan) about upcoming issue developments, and what this pact will bring fans of old and new.
So, firstly, thank you very much for agreeing to this interview, Mr. Seeley. “Hack/Slash” is one of my favorite horror comics.
Thanks, no problem!
How did the New York Comic Con go?
Heh, I actually had a pretty miserable time! I had some kind of hellish space virus or something, so I was sick the whole time I was there. Man, nothing is lamer than sitting in a hotel room in Times Square watching AMC. Not to mention that my nose started running like crazy during a video interview! But, I’m feelin’ better now.