Biggs' Zone

A Geek's Cogitations, Conjectures and other Cortical Experiences

Tag: Movies Page 29 of 32

Movie Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

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On June 11, 2013

In Movies, Reviews

film_reelMy [rating: 5]

Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Benedict Cumberbatch

Synopsis: As a result of Kirk’s decision to violate the prime directive to save Spock’s life, he is disciplined and demoted (in true James T Kirk fashion). However a vengeful “super soldier” seeks retribution against Star Fleet which throws the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise into a tumult of scandal that brings Star Fleet to the brink of war. Their actions and decisions will test their resolve, their friendships and the lengths they are willing to go for the “needs of the many”.

Biggs’ Review: I had to watch the first movie a couple times to get use to the alternate timeline. There are a couple concepts I’m still trying to become adjusted to (ex: the “love story” between Spock and Uhura). Now with that said, I thought this movie was amazing. I have to say that watching Karl Urban portray Bones (my favorite of the original crew) is worth it that in of itself. He is spot on, as if the soul of DeForest Kelley had been transferred into Urban’s body.

I was skeptical when Benedict Cumberbatch was cast as Kahn. He doesn’t exactly look anything like Ricardo Montalban (opposite body types in fact). I stand corrected. I almost like Cumberbatch better as a villain then I do as a hero (i.e. Sherlock Holmes – which is phenomenal). So I would say that if you don’t see it for Karl Urban, see it for Cumberbatch.

The music, as always, was superb. I love the subtle hints of music from the original television series. If you are a Trek fan, then you should have seen it by now! If you are a Sci-Fi fan, then you need to go see it now!

(to, lovingly, steal @TheRealNimoy‘s sign off, albeit fitting) LLAP

Biggs On: Sherlock, Sherlock & Sherlock

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On May 29, 2013

In Biggs On, Movies

BC_JLM_RDJ_SherlocksThough I have never read the books (a fault I intend on rectifying in the very near future), I’m still a fan of the Sherlock Holmes stories and lore. Now that the vampire fad has finally faded, the new media mania seems to be focused on more cerebral entertainment (and about bloody time, too!) There are currently three incarnations of Sherlock Holmes appearing in living rooms which, of course, raises the debate between the purists and the enthusiasts as to which Holmes is better. I’d definitely fall into the latter.

Those that are in the dark, the three incarnations are the BBC mini-series called Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes, the CBS show called Elementary starring Johnny Lee Miller as Holmes, and, of course, the movies starring Robert Downey Jr (RDJ). Cumberbatch and Miller portray Holmes in a modern setting, while the movies are more focused on the period in which the books were written.

So which Sherlock is better? It depends on who you ask.

The purists will say, and I definitely respect their point of view, that Cumberbatch is the quintessential Sherlock Holmes even in the context of the modern setting. I would have to say that I agree with them. He does encompass all the characteristics as defined by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and I do enjoy Martin Freeman as John Watson almost as much as I enjoy Jude Law’s portrayal. CBS definitely took a few liberties with their interpretation; such as moving the location from London to New York City and John Watson is actually Joan Watson played by Lucy Liu. I think Miller (and RDJ) still capture the aloof, sardonic, and brilliant behavior of Sherlock Holmes very well!

If you ask me, you can’t really compare the three of them. I think all three are brilliant in their own contexts. Personally I feel that even the liberties CBS took with Elementary are easily surpassed by the excellent writing and acting. I was skeptical of a female Dr. Watson and the casting of Lucy Liu, but after a full season I think she pulled it off extremely well. I’m really looking forward to the next season (and the same can be said for the BBC version).

I really like all three of them equally and separately. I have friends that prefer the BBC version and I think their reasons are perfectly valid but to each their own.

/cheers

(P.S. There are talks emerging of a third Sherlock Holmes film)

Movie Review: The Hobbit (Part I)

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On April 22, 2013

In Movies, Reviews

film_reelMy [rating: 3]

Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen

Synopsis: Based on the actual first book of the Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit tells the story of Bilbo Baggins’ fateful journey that took him across Middle Earth with a band of misplaced dwarves to retake The Lonely Mountain. This is the journey that explains how the One Ring came into Bilbo’s possession. The One Ring, that changed the face of Middle Earth 60 years later.

Biggs’ Review: I didn’t venture out into the theaters to see this movie mainly because I couldn’t fathom how Peter Jackson managed to turn one book into three movies. I suspected (and still do) that he is just trying to squeeze out every last dime he can from The Lord of the Rings franchise. Be that as it may, I am glad that I got around to seeing The Hobbit. Overall, it was still a pretty good movie. I did feel like it didn’t quite have the same “epic” quality the other movies had. Granted it could be that its been close to 20 years since I have read the book.

The music, as always, was fantastic, which is what I have always enjoyed about the movie versions of this franchise. Obviously, the books are always better so I would recommend reading the book if you haven’t already. I’m not sure if I will actually buy this movie (or movies when the final two are available) but I’d say its worth checking out if you want something LOTR-esque.

Biggs’ Cinema Scoop: First!

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On March 6, 2013

In Cinema Scoop, Movies

at_the_movies(New category of Biggs cortical cogitations – in these posts I am going to talk about some of the latest noteworthy minutiae in cinema. Movies are my second favorite pastime. I love the movie making process from acting to lighting, special effects, soundtrack and cinematography. If you like movies, I hope you find these tidbits interesting as well.)

First!

This is going to be the most difficult post I think because there is so much movie news I’ve been reading that I don’t know what I want to talk about. I know that if I try to cram it all into a post I will bore you all to tears! I don’t want to do that, I want you to be interested enough to read everything and to come back and read future posts. I will try to limit it to only the most recent movie news I’ve heard.

Angelina Jolie Probably Not Lara Croft in Reboot – The rumor mill has churned out another tidbit; there is going to be a Tomb Raider reboot and it doesn’t look like Lara Croft will be reprized by Angelina Jolie. The producers want a younger Lara Croft and while I thought Jolie fit the profile, I think if they pick the right person I don’t see a problem. Many didn’t like the original movies so perhaps a reboot will be better, it worked a little bit for the Hulk movie (the one starring Eric Bana).

Christian Bale reprising Batman – No, this isn’t going to be another movie in the Dark Knight series. I believe its been confirmed that he will be playing Batman in the upcoming Justice League movie opposite Henry Cavill as Superman. Of all the actor’s that portrayed Batman (excluding Adam West because he’s in a class all his own) I’d say Christian Bale is probably my favorite if not tied with Michael Keaton. As long as the Justice League movie is done right, this will be awesome.

Hamill, Ford & Fisher Confirmed for Next Star Wars Film – Don’t get your Star Wars dungarees in a bunch, they won’t be the main characters of the next film. While nobody has officially confirmed anything, my belief is that they will play secondary roles. In fact the story of Episode VII will probably be focused on Han and Leia’s kids and, in my opinion, it makes sense that Fisher and Ford return to portray the parents, and Hamill as the Obi-Wan-like uncle to provide continuity with the previous films.

Harrison Ford Is Kind of a Big Deal! – Speaking of Harrison Ford, it looks like he has been cast to appear in the Anchorman sequel. I. Think. That’s. Awesome! I wonder if he is going to play the rival anchorman, which I heard was the plot of the sequel. I may be risking my man-card here, but I really liked him in the movie Morning Glory as the gruff, hard-nosed and washed-up news anchor forced to pander to a more lighthearted audience. “A hot pan makes the eggs fluffy.”

All right, folks, I’m going to stop there. Again I don’t want to overwhelm you with too much movie gossip. I hope to be able to keep doing this post so I would really appreciate some feedback.

Biggs On: The Oscars

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On February 26, 2013

In Biggs On, Movies

film_reelI didn’t watch the Oscars this year, honestly it’s been several years since I have actually sat down and watched them like I use to. I wanted to watch some of my favorite movies potentially win the most prestigious award in the movie industry; I don’t want to hear George Clooney or some documentary troglodyte use their acceptance speech to soapbox some political agenda. When it became about politics, it stopped being interesting. We all know the primadonnas in Hollywood have their skewed and obscene opinions about certain political issues. Oscar night is not the forum for that because I. Don’t. Care.

Be that as it may, I am considering watching them again. This year was perhaps the first year where all the nominees for Best Picture were all movies I had seen or heard of and were actually good movies. I do wish I had watched them this year because of the brouhaha and alleged calamity of having Seth MacFarlane as the host. As I’ve been saying the past couple of days, if you have the creator of Family Guy host your show then you shouldn’t be shocked by lewd and crass commentary. Everything that I have heard about his comments and antics I thought sounded pretty damn funny.

The movies have always fascinated me. How they’re made from sound to cinematography; blending reality with computer animation; watching new actors and actresses come out of their comfort zone and blow us all away. I’m honestly still holding out hope that the Academy will pick Mila Kunis for a nomination. Her performance in Black Swan alone should have been worth a nod.

If the Oscars start to become more about glamour and goofs; honor and tributes; a night to be remembered not only for who won but also about who was honored (ex: 50 years of Bond) and having the humility to laugh at ourselves (ex: Side Boob!), then I will start watching again. I use to participate in the prediction contests every year, and a couple years I came pretty close to winning. I’d like to be able to do that again and its all because of Seth MacFarlane 🙂

/cheers

Biggs On: Disney’s Acquisition of LucasFilm [UPDATE]

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On October 31, 2012

In Biggs On, Movies, Star Wars

In 1977 the production budget for Star Wars Episode 4 was $11 million (which is approximately $45 million today). It made $460 million in the U.S. alone which, after adjusting for inflation, makes it the second highest grossing film in the U.S. and Canada. The amazing world that George Lucas created has permeated over three decades. What is a legacy like that worth?

Apparently $4.05 billion (that’s $4,050,000,000).

George Lucas has been under quite a bit of scrutiny over the past 10-15 years so whether his motivation was to create some separation from Star Wars completely, or he needed that extra $4 billion, the purchase by Disney has left me with mixed emotions. On one hand perhaps its time for a new perspective since most of the decisions Lucas has made since he announced Phantom Menace have been bombarded by scathing criticism by “fans” that “obviously know better then he does”. Disney, as a conglomerate, isn’t popular among many in today’s society, but as a film producer they are extremely successful and have made quite a few really great movies.

On the other hand it does feel a bit like he has now completely sold out. He has abandoned his legacy for some “extra cash”. Granted he will be kept around as a “creative consultant” but Disney producers will have the final say. It’s hard to predict what will happen to the franchise now. Disney has already said the 7th film will be out in 2015 and they intend to make 8 and 9 (Star Wars was originally intended to be 9 movies). The Star Wars movies and universe have been such a large part of my life and the core of what defines me as a geek.

What really makes this more strange and difficult is usually when I blog about these kinds of things (either under the Biggs On category or the Soapbox category) I always seem to reach a conclusion or some level of personal understanding with the topic. That simply isn’t the case here. I know, without even looking on the social media sites, that a line has been drawn in the sand. There will be the purist on one side nerd raging over this event and there will be the optimistic group (usually the ones I call the “true fans of Star Wars”) on the other side. I feel caught in the middle but leaning toward optimistic.

I don’t hate Disney, even Disney the Conglomerate, but I do fear that they could ruin the franchise, more then many have “claimed” Lucas has, if they don’t proceed carefully. I guess we will know in 2-3 years.

UPDATE:

Shortly after publishing this post I happened to be reading the recent post of The Queue over at WoW Insider and, coincidentally, someone asked a question about this very topic. Despite the fact that it wasn’t WoW related the author responded and there was a very excellent point.

The Avengers is probably one of this summer’s biggest blockbuster movies, and it is a Disney movie. In fact Disney owns Marvel Entertainment so every Marvel movie produced since 2009 is a Disney movie. That helps quell my fears because it does show that Disney does care about the fan perspective of cult classics and cult genres. Perhaps Star Wars is in better hands now. Perhaps it is something to be excited about.

/Cheers

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