The Wolfman (2010).

Review #2449: The Wolfman (2010).

Cast: 

Benicio del Toro (Lawrence Talbot / The Wolfman; Mario Marin-Borquez as Young Lawrence Talbot), Anthony Hopkins (Sir John Talbot / Wolfman), Emily Blunt (Gwen Conliffe), Hugo Weaving (Inspector Francis Aberline), Geraldine Chaplin (Maleva), Art Malik (Singh), Antony Sher (Dr. Hoenneger), David Schofield (Constable Nye), David Sterne (Kirk), and Simon Merrells (Ben Talbot; Asa Butterfield as Young Ben Talbot) Directed by Joe Johnston (#060 - Captain America: The First Avenger, #322 - Jumanji, #2023 - Jurassic Park III)

Review:

"We wanted to make it period but we didn’t want to go back to the period of the original, 1941. I wanted it to be very much a vision of Edward Gorey’s London, which is Victorian London. There’s nothing more gothic and shadowy and horrifying than that. They had already decided on that when I came on so it wasn’t my choice, but I thought it was the perfect period to go to. It’s all about the darkness. "

Well, the remake comes for every horror movie at some point. You might remember that George Waggner's The Wolf Man (1941) had been written by Curt Siodmak to a general success at the hands of Lon Chaney Jr as a star. Sure, the follow-ups with Chaney weren't so much direct sequels as basically shuffling chairs, but it did at least take a few decades to try and revamp the werewolf for a Universal horror movie, at least if one doesn't count stuff like The Monster Squad (1987) or Van Helsing (2004). Plans were first announced in 2006, and at least they got the star they wanted with Benicio del Toro from the jump. Mark Romanek was tapped to direct the movie by 2007 that saw him involved with pre-production (such as hiring Rick Heinrichs for production design to go along with location scouting)..he was out by 2008. Joe Johnston was hired to direct the film in February 2008, a couple of weeks before the film was to be shot in England, and he stated later that he took the job due to having a "cash flow problem"*. Rick Baker and makeup effects supervisor Dave Elsey won the film's only notch of mainstream praise for the makeup, although they were locked out of doing the transformation sequences, which was done in CG. While Andrew Kevin Walker wrote the initial screenplay, Johnston hired David Self to provide re-writes. The movie was delayed over and over again for release, going from late 2008 to early 2009 to, well February 2010. Made for a budget of over $100 million, the movie was not a success at the time, with the then-president of Universal Studios (Ronald Meyer) calling the movie "crappy" and among the worst movies they ever made (of course he thought Babe: Pig in the City (1998) belonged in the same category, so take those words with a grain of salt). For the DVD release, an "unrated director's cut" was included by Johnston, which added 17 minutes to the runtime that had been deleted so audiences "would get to the first Wolfman transformation sooner", which most notably had Max von Sydow and the origins of the silver cane-sword. 15 years later, Universal did a "reboot" with Wolf Man (2025). For the purposes of this review, I covered the uncut movie.

There are varying story beats in each film, as in both movies the Talbots are reunited to bury a newly deceased brother and both movies involve a climax of father and son confronting one another. Of course the older film used fortune tellers and even a spell to get to where it is, but there you go. Honestly, I get why some wouldn't be particularly big on the movie, but...I kind of liked it. Sure, you get the Gothic sensibilities of murky colors and period stuff (set in the final years of the 19th century in jolly ol' Victorian England) to go with CG effects, but it is a neat little romp that gave me what I was hoping for: a charmer. You can't exactly top John Landis' An American Werewolf in London (1981) or even Joe Dante's The Howling (1981), but you can still have a bit of fun anyway. It is a bit cut and dry with what to expect from a werewolf movie, what with the big thing about full moons, having one's clothes still wearable even after being a wolf (okay that was in the 1940s movie too), and naturally: not really going too hard about a woman falling for a man with big fur (okay I don't care about the last part, but maybe there are werewolf movies where people care about romance). But, really, how much "tension" do you need in a movie where you know there's going to be R-rated wolf-tearing? Johnson may have done the movie strictly for the money, but I think he did fine with the situation presented in making a useful thrill ride. Del Toro does a reasonable job with the material provided, managing to balance the tightrope of man and monster for decent tragedy that isn't making one just think back to Chaney. Hopkins chews the scenery up in hearty conviction to make the family drama of the food chain (and who merits being on top) a fashionable one to watch. Sure, they might overshadow Blunt, who tries her best to sell why anyone would in fact cling around to the situation presented that is sometimes believable (I suppose anyone can fall for those stuck in a situation they can't control). Weaving plays a character with a name inspired by the actual chief inspector Frederick Abberline, a prominent figure in the investigation of Jack the Ripper in 1888. He doesn't get much to really do but is at least fashionable for the eventual climax. In general, the movie rests on building to hairy mayhem and a few fashionable Gothic sensibilities that I was generally on board with. It never really kicks into high gear, but it satisfies most of the boxes one would hope to see in wolves and action, complete with finding a way to have two wolves face each other in good ol' fashioned hokum. Quality wise, it probably is a smidge about The Curse of the Werewolf (1961) for wolf movies and in general is about on par in the "amp up old monsters" category with The Mummy (1999). As a whole, The Wolfman is a fine remake, doing most of what you would hope to accomplish with taking a familiar focus and giving it some fresh air that may be worth looking into beyond calling it a missed opportunity.

Overall, I give it 7 out of 10 stars.

*Apparently it was four/three weeks of prep time. Cinematographer Shelly Johnson stated that he had two weeks of prep time here: The American Society of Cinematographers | Bad Moon Rising: The…

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Review #2417: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Cast: 

Terence Stamp (Bernadette Bassenger), Hugo Weaving (Anthony "Tick" Belrose / Mitzi Del Bra), Guy Pearce (Adam Whitely / Felicia Jollygoodfellow), Bill Hunter (Robert "Bob" Spart), Sarah Chadwick (Marion Barber), Mark Holmes (Benjamin "Benji" Barber), Julia Cortez (Cynthia), Alan Dargin (Alan), and Ken Radley (Frank) Written and Directed by Stephan Elliott.

Review: 

“We didn't back down from the Australian-ness of it; we said, ‘This is us. Take us or leave us.’ And the world chose to take it....I think the heart and soul of the film Priscilla, Queen of the Desert that works is that in the midst of all the glitz and glamour and showing off and bitchy lines and great songs, there was a really simple story about a man trying to come out to his son."

Sure, why not. Stephan Elliott (born in Sydney in New South Wales, Australia) had made his debut as a filmmaker with Frauds (1993), having apparently been a filmmaker...of weddings, for several years. Apparently, the wait in getting that film made led to what eventually became Priscilla, specifically a Mardi Gras that he saw a plume of feathers rolling up a street like a tumbleweed. The movie was inspired by three actual drag queens that were intended to be in the movie: Cindy Pastel (Ritchie Finger), Strykermyer (Mark Fitzhugh) and Lady Bump (Stuart Garske). Of course, when Elliott managed to attract interest for a considerable production (millions of Australian dollars, which I'm sure has its own currency stature), it was instead decided to go with "bankable" actors. Various people from Tony Curtis (the Some Like It Hot star was apparently talked out of it by his wife) to David Bowie were floated around. At any rate, Elliot suggested to his friend Andrew Saw to do a documentary on the original trio, which ended up happening with Ladies Please in 1995.* The Australian production, to put it mildly, wound up as an international sensation, even winning Academy Awards for its costume design by Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner (one example was a dress made with "rubber thongs", so here is a visual of that). In 2006, a stage musical premiered in Sydney, with Elliott co-writing the book that has had various productions come around all the world. Elliott has continued to direct over the years, ranging from Easy Virtue (2008) to his latest one with Swinging Safari (2017); he actually announced plans to do a sequel to this film in recent years. Terence Stamp died just a few weeks ago at the age of 87.

Hell, I don't know drag queens that well. I understand it as merely a way for people to express themselves in a world filled with vulnerability all around. Some people do karaoke to the poor drunks at the bar, others put on costumes to play to the lyrics of an ABBA song, the important thing is to be free, at least that is how I would view it. I don't know the bohemian, but it doesn't mean there isn't something that can be gleamed from it with some degree of humor or heart, and this works out pretty well for what you might call a road movie fit for all the misfits. Specifically, it is a movie for people trying to figure out what they really are in the proverbial closet of responsibilities. You've got a person in grief doubting they can find love, one who has a son and a wife he drifted from, and, well, a young man in the flaming arrogancy of youth all trying to make due on the road that isn't necessarily going to be a straight-edge path (hell, you've got folks fainting at one particular sight twice). The darndest thing is that the costumes really are pretty neat, they manage to fit the character in a strangely graceful way, where you could just accept it right then and there that someone will wear a getup filled with shoes in the same way that you'd expect a couple of ping-pong balls could make a creature costume for a sci-fi movie (ironically, the three main actors learned that when in full drag, nobody knew who they were). So yes, it isn't so much an act for the performer as it is a way to just express themselves, and that actually is pretty funny in the hands of a terrific ensemble. Stamp in particular is exquisite, rising above what could've merely been fodder for just delivering zingers and actually making it quite enjoyable to see the plight on screen for the easiest dilemma facing old folk: too many memories and not nearly enough time to see it all through. Simply put, Stamp (initially reluctant but gradually got into it) just sinks right into a performance that is wholly believable in all of the quibbles and charm necessary because damn it, who else could just be Bernadette? Weaving does sell the dilemma that comes with trying to face who they really are beyond hang-ups and see things as they should be, which does eventually work out for its climax when bringing the folks together. Of course, it is Pearce (known at the time for his television work in Neighbours, which had Elliott with some doubts) and his devilishly bold energy that steals the show, whether that involves the sequence with him on top of the bus or just the snappy barbs that come around with Stamp for obvious campy enjoyment, at least to a point. Hunter (a good friend of Stamp) is the last key to the puzzle, and there is something quite infectious about his charm that rolls right alongside the others when he gets involved. In general, the movie is quite infectious in what probably counts as a form of "camp", but I just like seeing the dedication it takes to put on garish stuff and just do it in front of people, flamboyance be damned. The 103 minutes pass on by with little hitches, managing quickly to have you rolling along with these folks, whether that involves their bus being defaced or the sobering sequence where Adam gets beaten up and has a talk with the one who ends up saving him from the harrowing reality that can come with people who look and talk a little different from "the norm", as they say. By the end, you've got a few folks that have become a bit wiser from their journey and had a little bit of fun along the way, and that's a pretty good thing to accomplish. As a whole, it is a nice little road movie that shows the perils of the road in each and every shade alongside the warmth that comes with finding who one really is beyond the mask, which is a pretty funny and sobering accomplishment that nobody really could just see coming from Australia.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

*Incidentally, that was the same year the movie To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995) came out involving three actors as drag queens on the road. The crew of the Priscilla film heard about the production of that movie but were not too worried about it being a ripoff when they read the script.

The Matrix.

Review #1272: The Matrix.

Cast: 
Keanu Reeves (Thomas A. Anderson / Neo), Laurence Fishburne (Morpheus), Carrie-Anne Moss (Trinity), Hugo Weaving (Agent Smith), Joe Pantoliano (Cypher), Marcus Chong (Tank), Anthony Ray Parker (Dozer), Julian Arahanga (Apoc), Matt Doran (Mouse), Gloria Foster (The Oracle), and Belinda McClory (Switch) Directed by The Wachowskis.

Review: 
One wonders how a film likes this has endured for two decades. The answers may differ slightly from person to person, but it is likely the entertainment value alongside a fairly developed philosophical core that stays on a steady path for most of its 136 minute run-time. How many directors have their main cast read works such as "Simulacra and Simulation" by Jean Baudrillard? One can't fault the Wachowskis for being ambitious with their story ideas, but credit also must go to others such as Yuen Woo-ping for coordinating the fight scenes or the visual effects headlined by John Gaeta (most notably with the bullet time parts). It has plenty of style and just enough substance to not collapse under its own weight, which would've happened under lesser hands or interference over the intended vision of a sci-fi action film that has its own voice involving a dystopia. Looking at the rooftop sequence for the beginning is certainly interesting, one for the way it grabs the viewer but also because the scene is one that uses sets from Dark City (1998) - bad movies sometimes makes you want to pick other movies instead, but sometimes good ones help inspire interest for additional ones too, I suppose. Maybe it isn't as great as something like Blade Runner (1982) or The Terminator (1984), but it belongs up there as something worthy to be watched alongside those kind of films without needing to defend it so heavily, where expectations for a first time viewer can be moderately high without being obnoxious.

The characters don't seem as developed as they likely should be (name one defining characteristic of the supporting cast-mates), but at least the actors don't squander their time by looking completely vacant. One can barely even see the seeds of a romance between Reeves and Moss (maybe they just bond over blank stares over "lunch" or something). For all that can be made fun of the film with its philosophy at times, at least one can give credit to Fishburne for keeping to his convictions and selling this whole-handily. Reeves generally goes through the motions with an oddball plot, but at least he seems ready to engage with the film without being too dull or too quippy with what is meant to be an interesting journey. The what-ifs for this film certainly are interesting - Will Smith was a potential choice for Neo before he turned it down (for Wild Wild West, but also because he didn't feel he was mature enough for it), but one noted choice for Morpheus was Val Kilmer. Moss does fine with handling herself when it comes to the action (such as the noted beginning, although the second half doesn't leave her too much to go with, for better or worse. Weaving is pretty involving as the non-generic AI program adversary, seeming like a mirror to Reeves that works out pretty well. Pantoliano does pretty good with a slick role that always proves watchable when needed. The film sure knows when to have an action sequence, or show off an interesting effect or two, and while it may take over the film for its climax to where the philosophy it taking a break, at least things do not end up crashing down by the time it reaches its endgame. One retains interest in seeing more from this interesting world and what can happen next, which did happen with two sequels released four years later. It may prove to be an experience for the viewer in more ways than one if it reaches its high points, but even when it seems like it wants to collapse, there is enough conviction and craftsmanship to make the whole thing worth it.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Happy Feet.

Review #392: Happy Feet.

Cast
Elijah Wood (Mumble), Brittany Murphy (Gloria), Robin Williams (Ramón and Lovelace), Hugh Jackman (Memphis), Nicole Kidman (Norma Jean), Hugo Weaving (Noah the Elder), and Carlos Alazraqui (Nestor) Directed by George Miller (#380 - Mad Max)

Review
Happy Feet to me is a bit of an odd shell compared to other animated films. But hey, I have a soft spot for weirdness as long as it works out well and manages overcome awkwardness. Does this do that, or not is the underlying question. And it...mostly does. It starts out okay, even if it contains my least favorite cliche of the moment where "the character different from everyone else" is embarrassed which goes slowly and annoys me, but that could just be a matter of opinion. The film gets better as it goes on, skipping over speed bumps, and having an entertaining value to it, with some good dancing, which was done by motion capture, which isn't creepy, as it shows that motion capture does have some benefits. Elijah Wood does good, certainly a million times better from his last performance reviewed here (#363 - North), and Murphy does well. Robin Williams does stand out, even more given he plays two characters, and he does an alright job, not annoying, just fine. The animation is good, as it does a good job being a centerpiece, but no the whole thing to, a developed animated film that works well, and it can be entertaining, with some fine song choices all in all. Countdown to 400 Reviews: 10, 9, 8...

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Captain America: The First Avenger.

Review #060: Captain America: The First Avenger.

Cast
Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America), Tommy Lee Jones (Colonel Chester Phillips), Hugo Weaving (Red Skull/Johann Schmidt), Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes), Dominic Cooper (Howard Stark), Neal McDonough (Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan), Derek Luke (Gabe Jones), and Stanley Tucci (Dr. Abraham Erskine) Directed by Joe Johnston.

Review
So with all the people who said good things about this film, I went with high hopes. I was not dissapointed. Evans does a great job as Rogers/Captain America, doing better then what he did playing the Human Torch. The rest of the cast, especially from Weaving do a great job. The special effects look allright, and I liked the effects for when Steve was weak (beginning part) The film's plot is straightforward and the film sets everything up for The Avengers (It being the final one before it)

Overall, I give it 9 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Review #058: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Cast
Shia LaBeouf (Sam Witwicky), Megan Fox (Mikaela Banes), Josh Duhamel (William Lennox), Tyrese Gibson (Rob Epps), John Turturro (Seymour Simmons), Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime), Mark Ryan (Jetfire), Reno Wilson (Mudflap), Jess Harnell (Ironhide), Robert Foxworth (Ratchet), André Sogliuzzo as Sideswipe), Grey DeLisle (Arcee), Hugo Weaving (Megatron), Tony Todd (The Fallen), Charlie Adler (Starscream), Frank Welker (Soundwave/Devastator/Reedman), and Tom Kenny (Wheelie/Skids) Directed by Michael Bay.

Review
This film is the last of "Movies in Oregon", which lasted for 16 reviews (#043-#058), with this being the climax. Or the disappointment. Anyway, this film is actually less enjoyable then the first, as this film tries to have even more close ups of robots (and one's...balls?), explosions, and acting that still doesn't work out. The film tries with the script plagued by a strike that makes Cybertron symbols happen to our Sam, with our transportation to the desert random with robots attacking again. It's a popcorn movie where the popcorn is injected with Powerade while overflowed with Red Bull. Skids and Mudflap makes you want to watch Jar-Jar Binks and appreciate how there weren't two of him. This film tries and fails hard. Thank goodness I've never watched the third film (EDIT: Or the fourth one. EDIT: Or the fifth one).

Overall, I give it 3 out of 10 stars.

Movie Night: Transformers (2007)

Review #057: Transformers.

Cast
Shia LaBeouf (Sam Witwicky), Josh Duhamel (Captain William Lennox), Tyrese Gibson (Robert Epps), John Turturro (Agent Reggie Simmons), Rachael Taylor (Maggie Madsen), Megan Fox (Mikaela Banes), Anthony Anderson (Glen Whitmann), Kevin Dunn (Ron Witwicky), Julie White (Julie Witwicky), and Jon Voight (John Keller) Directed by Michael Bay.

Review
Yes, this film is actually liked by people (Such as my nephew), though I can't blame him. I, however, am not one of those such. I think this film is average at best with humans that dont really matter to us who just want to see their toys be on screen. Again, anyway. Bay conveys little with the film other then showing to us youngsters (unless of course you can't stop thinking about the little things) that explosions carry the film and outrageous idea such as a giant energy cube in the Hoover Dam found by glasses. The film does not make you interested to watch the classic 80's show (I should watch it though), it makes you want more...explosions. The only thing that saves the film a bit is because the robots (who are supposed to be the focus, as they're you know, Transformers) are the best part.

Overall, I give it 5 out of 10 stars.