Who Watches the Watchmen? I do.

So, I saw Watchmen. And...I really liked it. I mean I REALLY liked it. The movie was visually stunning, well scripted, and accurate to the graphic novel.

In fact, I think it's the last point, it's accuracy, that sealed it for me. It wasn't completely identical, but what was changed/left out (aside from the ending - more later) would likely have been awkward and superfluous in the film version. Of course, this has been the major criticism of the critics that disliked the film. The movie, at times, is a film comic book: the actor dialoging while centered in the screen type things. To be honest, I liked this. It allowed the words to come through, and Watchmen has some powerful words.

The acting was also well done. By and large, all the characters were portrayed as I envisioned them while reading the comic. Best of all was Rorschach, who was sublimely portrayed by Moocher. Although, they left out the big bike race in Rorschach's back story.

The element that I was most pleasantly surprised with was the soundtrack. All the greatest hits of the early 80's in one 3 hour movie. Of course, what made the soundtrack work was the fact that it helped to ground the viewer in the fact that it was the 80s. So much of what's going on doesn't feel 80's. It's not campy. There's an alternative history going on. But the whole point of the story is this is supposed to be real. Outside of Dr. Manhattan, all the superheros are humans. They aren't really supposed to possess powers. Ozymandias has the whole "smartest man alive with more money than everyone else combined 5 times over" thing going on. But that's as 'super power' as it gets. The soundtrack dragged the audience back into this. When you expect some rock song to start playing, you get a pop hit. The soundtrack felt more like it belonged in an 80's version of "The Big Chill," and it worked.

As for the ending, and I recognize Alan Moore may hunt me down and kill me for saying this, but I liked it better in the movie than in the film. Yes, I said it. There's one basic reason for this, it didn't involve fake aliens. I love the conundrum created at the end of the comic. I love Veidt's line about the only success the Watchmen created was in succeeding in not preventing peace from happening. But the whole abducting a bunch of artists, having them create some fake alien, and sending that alien to New York thing felt overly cheesy. It felt lazy. Using Dr. Manhattan as the scapegoat felt more appealing for me.

In the end, I was very surprised with how much I enjoyed the movie. I went in with low expectations. Watchmen met them and kept going. I am happy.

Yo.

To whom it may concern:

(specifically, zack snyder, david hayter, alex tse, and the entire cast of watchmen)

thank you for not killing a story i love so much.  visually, the film seemed as though it came straight from the pages of the book.  the casting was dead on, as was the acting and emotions that the cast was able to portray.  the characters are complex and often not all that likeable, but i cared about their fates nonetheless.  the screenplay left out only parts of the book that would not transfer well from literature to screen (like the comic within the comic).  and yes, the ending was different.  i will not say it was better.  of course the book was better.  but it was a good strong ending.  the screenwriters should be proud.

and to alan moore, who is so resistent to his books being made into movies.  this was a good one.  get off of your crazy high horse and be proud of it.

again, thank you for giving life to something i love.  and for making it accessible to people who would otherwise have known nothing about it.  

i will watch the watchmen

i really don't think i can explain how excited i am about watchmen. i have been looking forward to this movie since it was announced something like 2 years ago. i have loved the book every time i have read it. i know that alan moore is a little more than crazy and maybe that's why i love his incredible body of work so much.  i appreciate his genius as well as his strange hermit-like tendencies.  as much as long movies are daunting to me, i am glad this one is nearly 3 hours. the book is so dense and full of incredible visual shots as well as fascinating character development and interaction that i hope and cross my fingers and knock on wood that none of that is lost in the process of translating this incredible piece of literature to film. i know that a lot of care and time went into making this film. there are too many fans, too many people completely devoted to the quality of such an important piece of art from our time to have it be a devastating embarrassment. i trust the director, zack snyder, based on his previous work.  i trust the amazingly put together cast.  but until i see the film, this fan of action will be holding her breath with fingers on both hands crossed.

please don't kill something i care about so much.

reasons why...

i love me some james bond.

1. unnecessary explosions


2. unnecessary sexism


3. lots of man-thigh


4. q


5. m


6. moneypenny


7. ninjas


8. rockets


9. fake space


10. unnecessary sexism

a mutha effin' promise

i will admit i have been bad about keeping on track with amt lately. i know how hard it is for everyone with work and life and other commitments. so i am promising to get back on track so that amt doesn't dissolve completely. i hope that if you are all free on any tuesdays, you'll participate, and if you can't, that's ok, but don't forget about the greatest club in the world.

The List

Here is a link to the list of James Bond movies in chronological order:
James Bond Films

[insert james bond theme music here]

there has been a call for a bond marathon, which i fully support. after we see the new bond (quantum of solace field trip on 11/18), we will start from the old beginning. more details to follow...

semi-amt

it may not be considered "real action," but i feel that watching the election night coverage next tuesday will be sufficiently exciting for yours truly.
everyone (even the republicans among you) is invited to my house on tuesday night for snacks and some lively (ideally respectful) discussion.
p.s. i am baking cookies as a bribe.

Who you gonna call? Me.

I know I said we'd go see Eagle Eye, but it's the end of the month and the paycheck is wearing thin. Also, I just don't feel like it. Ghostbusters. My house. 7:30ish. Think popcorn and ectoplasm. But not together.

The Transporter

Every Which Way But Loose, your day will come. And it will be a glorious day.

As for you, The Transporter, I am sorry that I fell asleep. I was really tired. For what it's worth, I liked you all right. You were pretty much an excuse for an action movie, and that is fine. The acting wasn't great, but the action was, and that's really what counts.

I don't know what the ruckus about Jason Statham is, but I guess I am not attracted to him and that is a big part of it. I liked his accent. He is pretty badass. I also liked his inspector friend.

erin statham

i know the movie was supposed to be every which way but loose. unfortunately, it appears that there are no suburbs in oregon that carry that movie, which was a serious blow to yours truly. we chose the transporter instead, which proved to be a wise choice.
jason statham is unfailingly badass, hot, and manly. and hot.
but seriously, this movie was very enjoyable for me. there was the right mix of actual plot, really bad bad guys, a fairly obnoxious screamy female character, and pretty good explosions.
i am really looking forward to watching the sequel next week.
related sidenote: transporter 3 is in post-production!
semi-related sidenote: don't forget to vote for our next amt's!
very loosely related sidenote: how do we feel about death race as a field trip sometime soon?

an explanation

hello fellow action movie lovers,
i have been out of town lately more than any human should be, and, as a result, have been neglecting our dear blog. but no longer! i am back and ready to find the perfect mix of awesome and awesomely bad action movies for our viewing pleasure.
there's a new poll up, and keep an eye out for more!

Jason Bourne Is One Helluva Hairdresser

I don't have a whole lot to say regarding this week's flick, except...I can't wait until next week!

I hadn't seen this particular piece of the trilogy in a few years, and am now overcome with exuberance for the next chapter. Nothing beats spies, amnesia, silencers, explosions, knife fights, pen fights, knife and pen fights, and of course, chase scenes featuring an original Mini. Plus, is there anything cuter than Franka Potente after one Mr. Jason Bourne gets his hands (and scissors) on her hair? Adorable!

Anywho, I just wanted to put my two cents in that this week was (and the next two will be) glorious!

was it "killing zoe" or "killing zoe"?

...with an emphasis on different words in the title?
overall, i liked this movie. a touch too bloody for me at parts, but it definitley had absolutely fascinating, and at times, terrifying characters. i especially appreciated the fact that the film took place in a less than 24 hour time period. that kind of snapshot of someone's life can often be most interesting taken out of context, as it was in this movie.
the drug use was a bit overwhelming, as was the lack of logic involved in the thieves' plan. the ending was an interesting choice as well. it seems as though there should have been more shock experienced on the part of the only survivors. or maybe someone should have asked them a few questions. just a thought.

INDYINDYINDYINDY

Anyone who might have an even slightly negative thing to say about indiana jones should think twice, less i SMASH YOUR FACE. Unless it's about temple of doom. that one sucked. but other than that, indiana jones kicks everything's ass. everything. sliced bread, pancakes... everything.

Erich von Daniken Was Right!!!!

Well, it was nice to see Indy in a new movie, and it didn't disappoint. Well, mostly. I found the whole secret of the crystal skull a little hokie (ok, a LOT hokie). I was a little disappointed with how the 'archeology' of the film entered the realm of the extraterrestrial. Also, there was a distinct lack of Nazis.

But enough of that, to the good things. First, it was action packed. The chase scene where Indy goes from bike to car to bike was awesome. Also, the punch sound effect didn't change. I was very happy about this. Mutt was a greaser (the Socs surely wanted to rumble over this). And the only 'Kate' in this film was Cate Blanchett.

Question: Was I the only one who felt that, at some point during the wedding scene, there was supposed to be a cut to C3PO and a rebuilt R2D2?

Perhaps the most exciting news around the release of Indy 4 is the talk about an Indy 5. Well, guess what? I did some investigating, and I was able to get an overview of the plot line. I present it here for you (WARNING: Spoiler Alert)

1. Indy gets into some trouble that causes his hat to fall off.
2. Indy gets dragged into a larger adventure that threatens the well-being of his hat.
3. Indy gets into a fist fight and nearly loses his hat.
4. Indy dodges a booby-trap and barely rescues his hat.
5. Indy saves the day with his hat gloriously sitting upon his head.

There you go. And what about Indy 6? Well, the budding dark side of the force within Indy's hat grows stronger, creating an alienation between him and his wife, Queen Amidala. The hat becomes the protege of the burgeoning galactic emperor and goes on a rampage, killing all the other hats. Eventually, Indy's hat is confronted by his mentor, Obi -Wan Kenobi, on a volcanic planet. There, the hat loses its brim and is placed inside a robotic suit. It goes on to become the most feared enforcer within the Galactic Empire. (Don't worry, Queen Amidala is pregnant with the hat's babies. There will be a new hope.)

"nostalgic is not one of them"

let me be clear about a couple of things.  i love gadgets.  i love superheroes (and heroes without superpowers), and i love guys with cocky bastard attitudes.

did i find all of these things in iron man?  hell yes i did.

in all honesty, i feel like robert downy jr. was a great choice for the character of iron man.  he had the right attitude, certainly the right look, and was able to keep from taking himself too seriously.  however, i feel that the character of pepper potts could have been more developed.  whether this was the fault of gwyneth paltrow as an actress, mark fergus as the screenplay writer, or jack kirby and stan lee as the originators of the story, i'm not sure.  maybe it's all 3.  

additionally, in general, i dislike it when "the man" in the movie industry assumes it'd be a good idea to make a sequel without some serious thought and evaluation.  however.  samuel l. jackson as nick fury?  who can beat that?!  i do think the iron man story line has more to give us as hero lovers, as long as they stay true to the comics and don't turn him into a truly "upstanding citizen."

on a final note, i would like to mention that i really really really strongly disagree with this "most american superhero" bullshit that someone thought would be a good marketing plan for the movie.  in terms of selfishness, obsession with money, arrogance, womanizing, and merchant of death-ing, yes, it is an american flick.  however, i seriously doubt that was what jack kirby and stan lee were going for with this one.  a scathing commentary on american ways, maybe.  but a celebration of "true patriotism" iron man is not.

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It's an Iron Maiden. It's an Iron Butterfly. No, It's Iron Man!

First, the baddie in this movie was a baldy, beardy named Obadiah Stane. To quote the hype-up line of every early '90's Marvel comic, "'Nuff said."

More than anything, this movie reinforced a number of beliefs I've held for a long time.

1. Hungary is the dangerously excluded member of the Axis of Evil.

2. Women with even the smallest politically left-leaning inclinations have an uncontrollable sexual urge for men who make their money via the Military-Industrial Complex.

3. A superhero's servant is useless unless he possesses an English accent (For further evidence, see: Batman, the Avengers, and the Fresh Prince of Bel Air)


While I enjoyed this movie, it definitely ranked among the better of the superhero movies to come out recently, there was one thing glaringly absent from this film: Vince Vaughn. Yes, this was Jon Favreau's best foray into the world of superhero movies; he previously appeared in Batman Forever and Daredevil. However, it must be said, Jon Favreau is at his best when paired with the indomitable Vince Vaughn. A supporting role for Vaughn would have turned this film from enjoyable to Favreautastic.

Now, some parting words. Superhero movies are very much a matter of hit and miss. Some are good (X-Men 1, X-Men 2) and some are bad (X-Men 3). But there is one thing that will always make a bad superhero movie more palette-able: the video game based on the bad superhero movies. While the movies are a crap-shoot, the video games are universally aweful. In fact, they are so bad, they often rank among the worst video games ever made. So, if you find yourself facing the daunting task of having to sit through Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, just play the video game version of it first, it will make the task all the more easy.

A Short Round of Applause

Temple of Doom is an exciting film for me, in large part because I can never decide if it edges out A.I. for the fifth worst Steven Spielberg film. If you’re keeping score at home, the list goes like this:

1. War of the Worlds
2. Always
3. The Sugarland Express
4. Terminal
5. A.I./Temple of Doom

After watching it again, I’m struck by the strength of Jonathan Ke Quan’s performance as Short Round. This is truly a talented young man and rather than dwell on the things that drag down Temple of Doom, I’ll focus on 3 things that make other Jonathan Ke Quan features worth watching.

Breathing Fire
1.
2. The break dancing martial arts sequence… words fail here and I can’t find a clip.
3. Martial arts star Bolo Yeung in drag.


Encino Man
1.
2. Three words: weezing the juice.
3. The earthquake that reunites Link with his Neolithic love: perhaps the most contrived plot point in cinema history.

Goonies
1.
2. Two words: booby traps.
3. The Truffle Shuffle.

"Hey, Dr. Jones, no time for love."

i love indiana jones. and i love harrison ford even more. however, if spielberg admits this movie isn't very good...well, he's just right. it isn't. but indy's still dreamy throughout the whole movie.
i feel like temple of doom is a film best served with a group of people who all have good senses of humor. thankfully, this was the case last night during which we covered many topics including the lack of tap dance numbers in modern films, multiple forms of apocalypses (apocalypti?), the saint jeff peden memorial death fest's view on "brown people," and research into jonathan ke huy quan's more recent film experiences.
as far as action movies go, this one definitely had all the requirements; fist fights (including one between children), explosions, nearly complete inaccuracy, gun fights, a funny sidekick, and the near death of an obnoxious female character.
additionally, i would like to mention the fact that john williams' epic music really makes the indy films what they are (as is evidenced by the fact that madgyver and i were singing along to the end credits).
ultimately, even though i love indy and enjoyed watching temple of doom, i really missed karen allen.

i would also like to give myself a little room to be excited for our first field trip next week! plans tba!