Geek Mutiny, Episode One: Stuff and Thangs
Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends
It’s just been announced that Spider-Man will be involved with the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It seems that Sony is not happy with the current state of the franchise and will reboot it yet again in 2017 in a joint movie with Marvel Studios/Disney. Sony will still have the final say creatively, but surely Disney will have a major influence. With this new development, it’s probably a good time to evaluate the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole and consider what might happen in years to come.
The Phantom Of The Opera (1989) [Blu-ray]
The Robert Englund starring “Phantom of the Opera” is a mix between “Darkman,” the original “Phantom of the Opera,” with a hint of “Nightmare on Elm Street.” Like the aforementioned film, Englund’s character thrives in dreams, and sports a nasty pizza face that is only slightly darker than Krueger. It’s almost as if Krueger was pulled in to our world, and found a way to live among the mortals through various false faces. Christine Day is an opera singer trying out for a brand new musical, and decides to sing a mythical piece of music called “Don Juan Triumphant.” While performing, she’s knocked unconscious by a falling light that drops her like a bag of rice, and she awakens in ancient times.
Groundhog Day (1993)
I didn’t really get “Groundhog Day” when it first came to video. Surely, it’s not the most impossible dramedy out there, but it’s definitely so much more complex than audiences usually think of it. When it comes to existential drama comedies about self realizations in a fantastic setting, “Groundhog Day” is right up there with films like “Her” and “Eternal Sunshine.”
Annabelle (2014) [Blu-Ray/Digital]
It seemed like such a sure thing. Take one of the scarier aspects from one of the best horror movies of the decade, and give it its own origin movie. Except, the end results of “Annabelle” are about as boring as its origin. I would rather have seen the original story about the rag doll than this sequel, spin off, or whatever the studios are calling it. I’m not entirely sure what the studios are painting these movies with the Warren ghost hunting duo as some sort of avengers team, but “Annabelle” is a step in the wrong direction with a movie that goes absolutely nowhere.
Boyhood (2014)
Director Richard Linklater is the kind of filmmaker I admire. He takes risks, and is still willing to experiment in a movie world where very few of his contemporaries are anymore. You can make the argument that “Boyhood” is gimmicky, but I prefer to think of it as ambititious and an absolutely excellent endeavor. Director Linklater followed his cast of four for twelve years, filming them through various stages of adolescnnce in order to completely fulfill his tale of growth and coming of age with a boy who blossoms in to adulthood.
Gone Girl (2014)
It’s great that such a polished film like “Gone Girl” doesn’t opt for a more safe and Hollywood bound climax where we’ve seen a labyrinth of lies unfold in to a new bow. By the time “Gone Girl” has ended, director David Fincher has written his characters in to a corner, and they’re not at any point going to squirm out of it. I loved “Gone Girl” mainly because it’s a murder mystery without the kind of surprises you’d expect. Our characters are amoral and unlikable, and director Fincher has a keen sense of cynicism toward marriage and how it can be a fiasco that devolves in to a play.