A zebra can’t change its stripes, and in spite of the rumblings from the movie world, the Asylum will not stop making rip offs of bigger movies, because money talks and it also has no dignity or artistic merit. So, I’ve come to terms with the Asylum’s ridiculous practices, and set my sights on bigger fish with more importance in the film world, than some company making low budget rehashes with similar titles. “Transmorphers” was a pathetic concept the first I heard of it, because—well, look at the title. What robot movie does the title hearken to? Regardless, I approached this new effort with optimism because the cover art is just great; whoever works at the art department should be commended for constantly adding appeal to the turds the studio trots out to stores, and hell, the cover for “Transmorphers” is just beautiful.
Tag Archives: Science Fiction
A Very Sunny Morning (2006)
If I told you I knew what Eric Carter’s film “A Very Sunny Morning” was about, I’d be lying through my teeth. Carter’s surrealist comedy is probably one of the weirdest and unusual short films I’ve seen since Sundance, with a plot that’s almost nonsensical. I say nonsensical in the sense that I really couldn’t understand what the hell was going on in front of me. But surprisingly enough, Carter’s film is not completely meant to be understood. He goes for the more dream vs. reality, and our consciousness hook that folks like Charlie Kaufman have in their films. And Carter succeeds with his experiment. A couple sits down to breakfast, goofing around, and is suddenly called to attention by a floating head in an old television.
Ice Spiders (2007)
I’m not sure why, but the prospect of watching “Ice Spiders” was intriguing to me. Perhaps it’s because I just enjoy movies with giant monsters, or perhaps because many movies with giant spiders end up a barrel full of laughs, or maybe because I just enjoy cheesy monster movies. “Ice Spiders” really doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that’s a great thing considering the ridiculous plot we’re introduced to. But with all the horrible plot devices against it from minute one, “Ice Spiders” comes out ahead.
Mimic: Sentinel (2003)
What happens when you have a film franchise that’s lacking in almost everything required of a good film? You use a different approach. The “Mimic” series has been nothing but abysmal, and it was only a matter of time before we had a film in the series that tried it from a different perspective. Anyone who sees this will know this is a pure rip off of “Sisters,” front and back. The attempted psychoses, the plot twists, our nosy neighbor and his inevitable discovery. Petty rips shamelessly from the film, and while I came to accept it, it also works against the film’s quality in which the film’s attempted complexities come off as pure conceit and desperate. The film lacks anything nearing an esoteric framework, especially since it involves a giant bug.
Spider-Man 3 (2007)
I have this theory that “Spider-Man 3” is Sam Raimi’s revenge on Sony Pictures. What leads me to that theory? Well, Raimi was likely forced to make the second sequel on a speedy time slot, he was likely bored with making another Spider-Man film on such a hectic schedule, and was forced to include Venom, a character he swore off when he took on the Spider-Man franchise. What’s interesting is that “Spider-Man 3” seems to prove many of my points at every turn, and it’s painful that I may be right.
Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed
Star Wars. There’s really nothing I can say here that you probably haven’t already heard in a thousand other sites. And I can bet that those other folks have said it better and more poetically. Everything has been said about “Star Wars” by thousands of people all over the world.
But the real question I asked was, can “The Legacy Revealed” give us something new about Star Wars? Perhaps they’d divulge an unknown tidbit, or perhaps they’d share some insight that others haven’t caught yet? It’s possible. But also it’s pretty much impossible these days. Many documentaries just tread over the same old territory. “Star Wars: The Legacy” doesn’t really tell us anything new or groundbreaking.
Roger Corman: Metaphysics on a Shoestring [Paperback]
However the huge compendium of Roer Corman’s massive body of work, “Roger Corman: Metaphysics on a Shoestring” has steadily convinced me that I’ve missed out on someone of great importance. I understood Corman’s legacy, and importance, and his great influence on film since he began making films, but I was never one who followed him as a fan would. What Silver and Ursini have done is give folks like me a reason to gain interest into the body of the work of Roger Corman. Anyone who still has a stigma of him as a man who made bad films would be better off to read this book that’s an encyclopedia, an analyses of Corman’s work, and a biography all rolled into one. It’s the perfect tool for anyone seeking a new interest in Corman’s unique filmography.