On June 16, 1959, George Reeves committed suicide; which was then later thought to be and is still heavily debated as a murder. This death was important to many people for the simple fact that it was the end of a beloved icon, and one of the earliest people to bring Superman to life. Reeves is also one of the earliest to help fuel the alleged Superman Curse, a series of coincidences later touted and tagged as a black mark on the folks who played Superman, for the sake of selling books. Is it a curse that brought about such bad ends to these men who played Superman? I say no. It was merely a bunch of coincidences that lent credence to the term “Shit happens.”
Twelve and Holding (2005)
This, ladies and gentlemen, are children. Or preteens. They’re nasty, violent, swear like truckers, and make horrible mistakes. Cuesta creates possibly one of the most exceptional, down to Earth portrayals of childhood and adolescence in the face of tragedy I’ve ever seen, next to “Mean Creek” and “Stand by Me.” Void of clichés, void of any false pretensions and completely void of any fictional happy endings, “Twelve and Holding” is a wonderful depiction of actual children, and that’s a rarity in modern cinema.
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
“The Devil Wears Prada” is yet another film around Oscar time that was just insanely over blown for having some talent on its side, because I can’t see any other reason. As a dramedy it’s just the formula story of a girl who finds her self reaching stardom and abandons her roots. All the while writer Mckenna doesn’t make much of a case to convince us that this relationship Hathaway’s character Andy experiences is worth saving or pivotal enough to cause us to tear up at the prospect of this base tearing down. Adrien Grenier has literally nothing to do here but mope around and bitch about his girlfriend’s career, while Andy is really just a dumb tart really not worth fretting over. She’s a character who never quite reveals any bolder shades of complex emotions beyond superficial issues, which is probably the intent, and when she reaches down into her true roots once again, she’s still just a one note sap.
Ghost Rider (2007)
I tell you. I tell you. “Ghost Rider” had potential, friends. “Ghost Rider” under the right set of creators, competent direction, and writers it could have been one hell of a violent horror thriller with Ghost Rider not only serving as a horrifying anti-hero, but also a potential villain if not careful. With someone like maybe Clive Barker, along with a hard R and zero camp, “Ghost Rider” would have been a horror fan’s wet dream, but alas, we’re left with this. One of the most brutal crimes from Johnson’s screenplay is that he shamelessly cribs from the “Spawn” film. And if you’ve ever seen it, you’ll know that it’s hardly the source material capable for a competent film to begin with.
The Killer (Dip huet seung hung) (1989)
Chow Yun Fat is probably one of the best action stars I’ve ever come across, and the thing I love about John Woo is his utter ability to bring the best out of Fat, regardless of the film. Woo’s crime drama “Hard Boiled” is similar in many ways. It’s about a hardened killer with demons outrunning a rebellious cop, but that’s not a caveat in any sense. Because at the end of the day “The Killer” is a rather fantastic piece of crime cinema that really warrants its place as a masterpiece. I’m sad to say I never gave Yun Fat too much of my attention in the past, but thanks to a friend passing along “Hard Boiled,” I’m suddenly very interested to see what else this man has up his sleeves.
Azumi (2003)
Even though “Azumi” was clearly adapted from a quite visual fantasy comic book, that doesn’t mean it lacks any of the emotion or complexities it attempts to inject within its epic scale. “Azumi” is quite possibly one of the most visually amazing samurai epics I’ve ever seen. From sweeping landscapes, to rather fantastic battle sequences, Kitamura’s film is a pure gem to watch, and the long run time makes it all the more rewarding experience, because it will be difficult to turn away from and watch end. Filled with colorful characters, memorable villains (Saru is my favorite: played well by Minoru Matsumoto), and a wonderful heroine, “Azumi” is the tale of a young girl discovered by the side of her mother’s body. Taken in by a sympathetic wanderer and his three sons, she grows to be a powerful samurai warrior in a dojo led by her master.
Scary Movie 4 (2006)
“Scary Movie 4,” and the franchise the bred it, is one of the worst examples of this sub-genre. It’s a lazy, hackneyed, and utterly irritating mess that relies on different movies references for laughs without spinning it into comedy. Feature someone who looks like Napoleon Dynamite, spoof some recent current event, perhaps have a pop culture figure spoof themselves and expect laughs; and that’s just the first five minutes alone. But that’s just not how it works.