When I tell you that I had zero expectations for “Wanted,” let me emphasize it. I had zero expectations for “Wanted.” None. Nada. Bottom of the barrel, ground zero expectations. So again, let me explain how surprising it was to sit through “Wanted” and realize it is one of the better action movies I’ve seen in years. Is it over the top? Yes, but so was the comic book. Is it absurd? Yes, but so was the comic book. And director Timur Bekmambetov manages to take the source material and turn it in to a slick action thriller that mixes gore and dark comedy with a respective ensemble cast that give absolutely fantastic performances in what could be described as a vicious hybrid of “The Matrix,” and “La Femme Nikita” with a dash of “Fight Club.”
Tag Archives: Fantasy
The Dark (1979)
Fortunate for me that I was born from parents who bought literally every VHS movie they could get their hands on in the heyday of the eighties. Fortunate for me that I was born from a woman who loves every horror movie ever made, and continues to love every horror movie ever made. Which is where my meeting with “The Dark” enters. Available on DVD and still pretty rare, “The Dark” is one of the most confusing hybrids of blaxploitation, science fiction, and horror I’ve ever seen with ambiguous plot devices, horrific performances, and the odd association with Dick Clark. Watching this on the same grainy discount VHS from Media Home Entertainment I first viewed it on fourteen years ago, “The Dark” has lost plenty of the oompf and suspense I remember it holding.
Sidekick (2005) (DVD)
Blake Van de graaf’s superhero opus is a cult film sadly without a cult, and that’s a pure crime of cosmic proportions. While his movie is very critically acclaimed, Van de graaf’s entry just doesn’t get enough love. Or more so, the love I think it warrants. Perhaps it’s just that audiences are burned out on superhero epics, but “Sidekick” really isn’t one of them. Most people will be quick to judge this movie on the cover, a one sheet that makes this look like a superhero comedy about a geek dressing in costumes to fight crime.
Re-Animator (1985)
Rake me over the coals all you want, but up until today, I have never seen “Re-Animator.” Shocked? You probably are. But the legendary horror film that’s managed to spawn comic books, video games, sequels, fan fiction, and even cross overs with other horror icons (Cassie Hack, baby!) has just evaded me all of my life. When I was a kid I was not allowed to see this, and as a young adult I found it difficult to track it down. It’s just one of those film classics that I could never really get a hold of and watch. Watching “Re-Animator,” I can see what every horror geek raves about because even at over twenty years old, Stuart Gordon’s gory sickening classic hasn’t aged much at all.
Jumper (2008)
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.
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.
The Dragon Painter (1919)
While I would have loved to adore “The Dragon Painter” and the story that unfolds, I can’t say that I did. For a movie made in 1919, Sessue Hayakawa’s film is a wonderful epic with some rather incredible splashes of stark color and sweeping landscapes. Even for a print that’s aged and was nearly lost the picture transfer for “The Dragon Painter” is awfully fantastic with crystal clarity, and an incredible score. Even those who dislike the movie will find some value in the backdrops and set pieces, including Hayakawa’s eagerness to break all stereotypes of the Asian culture.