Black Hawk Down

 

I first watched this movie a decade ago and I distinctly remember the profound effect it had on me. 

So many fascinating elements behind it; the background behind the unrest  and conflict in Mogadishu, the  tense but moving field trauma scene where the medic was trying to save his team mate (trying to mend the femoral artery). It also highlighted the heroism of the snipers Randy Shugart and Gary Gordon and how their selfless actions were awarded by being bestowed the US Medal of Honor posthumously.  

When everything is said and done, there is only  one  reason as to why a dedicated soldier fights. I'll let "Hoot", probably the movie's most recognizable character,  tell it in the plainest way possible - 

Lastly, the glorious theme also at the end is from the old, traditional Irish folk tune called "The Minstrel Boy". The melancholy of the bagpipes is something I've always liked as well. It really is fitting to be put in this film. 

 

 

50th Anniversary of "To Kill A Mockingbird"

Scout and Atticus Finch from the movie

I just found out about this in the opinion column of Ramon J. Farolan (REVEILLE/We-could-use-a-Truth-Commission) from yesterday's copy of the Inquirer which was an excellent read BTW.

I admit I've never read the book considered as one of the greatest American classics delving into the themes of racism and justice, but I have seen the film many years ago. It deserves recognition as well (it won an Oscar for the brilliance of Gregory Peck in the lead role). It is told from the eyes of a precocious 6-year old, "Scout" and of how her courageous father, lawyer "Atticus Finch", was faced with having to defend a "negro" accused of raping a white woman. One has to consider the setting for all of this which was in the 1930's in a southern state of America. It was a bad time in a bad place to be a black man as mob lynchings was common. It was author Harper Lee's first and only book.

I found a Youtube vid with the powerful words of Finch's defense in the movie. It centers on the citizen's final refuge, the court of law, where justice supposedly resides and where we all are equal regardless of what we are.

Movie Review: Due Date

They say that the end of the world would be heralded by the coming of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. In return, I really think that Zach Gal . . .Galifin . . . Gallfinsiks (!?!!) or whatever that flabby, bearded, moronic source of insane humor with the Greek surname would herald theirs! Given enough time and with plenty of opportunities coming his way, that comedian (from hereon referred to as Zach G.) would surely conquer our hearts, minds and most probably our souls too if we let him. His comedic talent is so that it borders on being phenomenally world-altering!

I was really looking forward to this movie ever since I got wind of its previews some time back. Personally I haven’t really seen any fresh faces that have come along lately from American comedy films to have made such a splash on the public. This mind-mashing funny character who made me almost pee from laughing in last year’s smash hit The Hangover. I mean wow! I can practically still picture the scene where Mike Tyson gave him a mean swipe that knocked him out cold with Phil Collin’s song on the background.  

Following the hallowed tradition of the road-trip-cum-quarrelling-buddies genre, the comedic counter-point and other lead role falls on the chameleon-like yet always with a hint of neurosis acting of Robert Downey Jr. (recently starred in Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes) whose character plays an expectant father trying to hurry home from several states away to his wife (played by Michele Monaghan) who’s about to give birth. A brief series of teeth-clenching events gets him restricted from taking his flight or flying anywhere else for that matter, thanks in no small part to the aforementioned Zach G, who happens to be an aspiring Hollywood actor! Then the maddening misadventure starts when the two inconveniently start their semi-cross country travel together on the road to Los Angeles.

As expected, there’s plenty of laughs to be had, interspersed with marijuana, brawling with disabled citizens, some near-fatal accidents, an interlude with  Downey‘s long-time friend (Jamie Foxx in a brief role), more marijuana, Mexican law-enforcement, and something involving dead family members in powder form. The effect is like the taste from a concoction you get when you mix-in several different ingredients you casually find in your kitchen poured all at once in a blender and set in high-speed; a lumpy, slurpy, sometimes coarse, sweet, sour, a bit spicy, sometimes sickening but altogether indescribably unforgettable! And if all that hasn’t grabbed your attention yet, there’s a pet canine self-pleasuring act involved as well!

Actor/Comedian Leslie Nielsen Dies

Leslie Nielsen, 84

I laughed a lot watching his movies. Though he's well known for his Naked Gun films, he was also in the comedy classic Airplane! and did his share of TV and drama as well. The sad news below -

RIP

Movie Review: Robin Hood

(Note: This was published in a local daily awhile back)

SOME pairings just plain work. They produce a spectrum of outcomes ranging anywhere from sufficient to astounding to legendary. Consider Rey and Carding, Pippen and Jordan, Procter and Gamble, Pacquiao and Roach, even Jack and Jill. I could go on though, but I think the point is made. After watching Robin Hood, I might be tempted to include Scott and Crowe into that category. Unfortunately, I feel the overall attempt falls short of its true potential.

To be sure though, this isn't the first work of Russell Crowe to be helmed by Ridley Scott. The very inspiring and acclaimed "Gladiator" is the most well-known. Then came the modestly-received "A Good Year" in 2006 from the best-selling novel. The pair then seemed to bounce back with some help from Denzel Washington in 2007's "American Gangster." There was also the barely noticed "Body of Lies" in 2008 with Leo "that guy from Titanic" DiCaprio. Like I said, it was barely noticed, this author included.

The life of the medieval English folk hero called Robin Hood and his "Merry Men" (they must've been quite a happy bunch) has also had its fair share of films to come out from Hollywood-land. There have been many in past decades, even a TV series. Remember the 1994 version with ummm, Kevin Costner? Ok, just make the sign of the cross and that dark, gloomy memory will pass. I kind of liked the fresh comedic twist of "Robin Hood: Men in Tights" with Carey Elwes in the lead in 1993. Being around for a very long time is a testament to the character's timeless romantic appeal: a heroic image of an outlaw who robs from the rich to give to the poor. That's got universal appeal whenever and wherever it is told.

One thing you have to get used to, though, is that when director Scott engages himself into these pseudo-historical forays, is that it's going to be a loooong engagement in trying to establish background and story arc. He did this in "Gladiator" which was well-crafted, in "Kingdom of Heaven" it was bearable. THIS time though, I felt I was being given a slow, hard massage in a spa by a masseur with a homely face while wearing construction gloves! If you just want to sit down and see bloody fights and wild skirmishes between men with "bloody thick" English accents, there will definitely be some of that, but only after a dragging narrative and the background story of the Franco-English conflict somewhat muddling the overall story. Having read some of his tales in my childhood, in my opinion, the folklore and traditional ballads attributed to Robin Hood have enough adventure and richness in them to fuel an engaging film. Trying to add other elements like a major conflict in the background in the hopes of trying to enrich the story was unnecessary in my opinion, as it complicates rather than complements. Or as a wise man once said: while "bistek" is certainly not imported angus beef, to a hungry man it can be just as good, right?

Crowe plays "Robin Longstride," a skilled archer and veteran of the Crusades in Palestine under Richard the Lion Heart. Upon the death of the king, disillusioned and war-weary, he and three other fellows escape to seek their own fortune. They then run into the central villain cum traitor of the story a bit briefly, ensuring that they are to meet again in final battle scene.

Being the lucky guys that they are, they run into circumstances which allow them to return to England disguised as nobility. We then see the beautiful English countryside in the region of Nottingham where the famous Sherwood forest is located. Necessity dictates that he lead the life of another man whose father in played by cinematic great Max Von Sydow and whose wife is "Lady Marion" (played with dignity by Cate Blanchett). The idyllic setting of this noble way of life is threatened by the most unstoppably certain thing in this world other than death: taxes. Specifically, unbearably high, rebellion-worthy taxes! Yep, it seems that this new king, while not much of a warrior unlike his fallen brother, has a bit of an oppressive streak and is vigorously wanting to fill the bankrupt government with whatever he can take from the people. The God-forsaken politicians really are the same wherever you are in the world! By the way, the medieval Catholic church (which was a kingdom/government all its own) didn't seem to be too kind to the people either. It did have a saving grace in the form of a monk who dabbled in apiculture (that's beekeeping to the less technical-minded). This was to be the famed "Friar Tuck" (refreshingly played by Mark Addy) who made a kind of liquor from honey and was not averse to fighting for the weak and meek. That's my kind of relevant ministry!

All of this complicated mix is happening while the French are secretly trying to sneak inside Britain for an invasion, taking advantage of the war between the lesser nobility fighting for their way of life and the king wanting internal revenue. My gosh! I do wonder though if all this sounds very familiar with the happenings in Juan dela Cruz's backyard?

In short, Crowe's version of Robin Hood isn't just a bandit with a golden heart following socialist ideals, he's also a rebel with an anarchic streak in defiance of oppressive authority and fighting for liberty, or so Ridley Scott would want us to believe. Really? That's again too much bistek trying to taste like angus beef. I'm really hoping though that the next time Sott and Crowe collaborate again for a film, it'll transcend the lackluster impact this film had on me. On the whole, it was too long, too much, too unappealing for me.

I'm suddenly taken a liking for archery though, which might turn out to be a bad thing I'm afraid.

Movie Review: Devil

I watched this film a couple of days ago since I happen to like M. Night Shyamalan. As a director, producer and more so as a writer, I’ve been a fan of this US-born Indian storyteller since his 1999 breakout hit “The Sixth Sense”. It’s great to hear the story of this relatively young turk who rose to become part of the top names in the tough and very demanding American movie scene. He’s got this sometimes pleasant, sometimes head-scratching signature in the films he’s written: that of an “unconventional unraveling which suddenly permeates the denouement of the narrative”. . . OUCH! . . .Ok, a 3-pound Webster’s dictionary fell from the shelf and hit me squarely on the head. What that simply meant was that there’s often a surprise twist in the climax of his films!

However, ever since 2004’s “The Village”, it seems he’s caught in a bit of a downturn. He made “Lady in the Water” in 2006 which apparently came from a collection of fanciful bedtime stories he told his own daughter. Personally, the idea sounded good but the translation into actual film? Its no “Lord of the Rings” I can tell you that. Ominously, 2008’s “The Happening” passed by unremarkably since I believe the death-inducing- epidemic-wind projected on the film isn’t as menacing as it should have been. Recently his version of “The Last Airbender” left a lot of the fan boys feeling underwhelmed, as if the mythos of this popular Nickelodeon cartoon had been rendered bland, in spite of the ending which seems to indicate that there’s definitely more to come.

Don’t get me wrong though. Like I said, I’m a fan of his style and writing. It’s sometimes the execution of his more recent works that fall short of what they could have been. Afterall, as the old saying goes: “the devil is in the details”.

Admittedly he didn’t write the film, yet “Devil” was a story by Shyamalan that’s also supposed to be the first installment of a planned trilogy called “The Night Chronicles”. It revolves around a simple plot with loads of potential: five people get trapped inside an elevator with the chances of repair or rescue getting to be very challenging. The main cast of unwilling captives inside the steel box is a businessman with no sense of how annoying he really is, a seemingly sweet old lady, a guy who looks like the one you bump into the street everyday, a charming and privileged-looking woman and a temp security guard who seems to have a very large chip on his shoulder and just wants to make it thru the day. There are plenty of possibilities for claustrophobia (which one of them conveniently had), paranoia, psychotic breakdowns and bladder-control failures. Sounds fun! And to top it all of, one of them could be the devil himself in disguise! Interested? I know I am. Their only link to the outside and normalcy is via a one-way close circuit camera linked to two clueless security guards. I also haven’t mentioned another character, that of a traumatized and jaded police detective who suffered a painful loss sometime back who may just be the possible hero figure, or is he?

The ambiance for the supernatural is set when a story is explored of how the devil comes into this world in human form and walks among us. What is his sinister purpose in doing so? Wreak havoc on the innocent? To torment and to tempt? Get what is due him? Well, I might give something away and spoil it for you but obviously, if you’re going to be stuck for many hours inside a cramped, enclosed space with total strangers suspended many floors up, you’re bound to get just a little edgy. The lights turning off and the sudden jolt from occasional falling descent from many heights up add to the “bite your nails” factor as well. Of course you won’t be disappointed if you’re expecting some tense moments coupled with the occasional blood, murder and carnage literally a few inches from you and you can’t escape being captive along side with it. Don’t forget the surprise twist somewhere in there too.

Overall, I think the movie was entertaining enough to spend the afternoon on, though certainly not something you tell your friends excitedly about. Here’s looking forward to the rest of the Night Chronicles which could prove to be the great turnaround for Shyamalan.

Movie Review: The Losers

(Note: This was published in a local daily awhile back)

HAVING heard of this latest action flick, I was -- how shall I describe it -- piqued? That's putting it rather mildly though. I hunkered down to my seat in the cinema without trying to scream bloody murder about how it apparently was a blatant rip-off of one of the 80's and my childhood's favorite series: The A-Team (which a re-make has been made and will be shown later this year). Can you blame me? A motley crew of ex-special forces soldiers who defy their orders from up-above? Check.

As a consequence of said defiance, they are now running from the government with the law now chasing them. Check. They find themselves in an adventure that necessitates in excessive firefights, humongous explosions while showcasing their individual skill sets that dovetail with their ultimate request for redemption? Check again. See a pattern developing?

After some digging though, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that The Losers was actually from a DC Comics series which ran from 2003-2006. Admittedly, I did not know the title but I did grow-up with American comics and know the genre. Not being familiar with the source material was probably a good thing on my part since more often than not, I find the attempt to translate from colored-pages to feature film a poor attempt to earn money. It's the utter lack of respect for the media and the story's integrity interspersed with the "creative" injections of writers, producers or directors that, well-meaning they maybe, often spoil the pristine beauty of the original comic's storyline. There are of course some notable exceptions: Rodriguez/Miller-helmed Sin City or Chris Nolan's Batman or for example stand out in my mind.

The story begins with the team of five led by the seasoned "Clay" (Jeffrey Dean Morgan also from a recent comics translation, Watchmen) in the middle of an operation to assassinate a nefarious South-American crime boss in his lair in the Bolivian jungle. The group is then shown as a tight bunch of elite soldiers with the know-how ranging from technical computer hacking, to sniping, to butchering someone with large blades and to make things blow-up as loud as possible. Sanctioned by a mysterious "voice" of a CIA operative "Max" (ably played by Jason Patric whose brilliance is somewhat undervalued considering his performances in Narc, The Alamo, and The Beast), here is where the soldier-can't-accomplish-an-unconscionable-order-from-his-superior plot formula happens (like in Tears of the Sun with Bruce Willis) and while I can't actually reveal anything and spoil it, it is indeed something cruel and also winds up making them look very bad. So it is like The A-Team right? Up until this point, yes. This film though has some variations on the theme with just enough spice to keep you interested.

First, it has the babe factor: Zoe Saldana (recently of Avatar and Star Trek) as "Aisha." "Hannibal" et al in The A-Team back in the day didn't have a muse did they? Her character manages to impose herself into the group by providing salvation from their fugitive status and a chance to get back at their nefarious ex-CIA handler (of course there's the obligatory romantic angle but also an interesting twist which will be revealed later on). Without disputing her being pretty and with a bright future in movies, I honestly think her body could use a bit of protein though.

Secondly, in an apparent attempt to add to the gravity to the conflict, a certain James Bond-esque element is added: Max the villain has megalomaniacal tendencies and wants to acquire an interesting next generation WMD (Weapon of Mass Destruction). Again not wanting to reveal much, Aisha says that as an effect of Max's ambitions, "world maps get redrawn." Intrigued yet? It seems that employing this plot device was an attempt to re-introduce the "awesome" factor from its comics heritage. Frankly, you need to do that nowadays in Hollywood with all the fancy CGI and big-budget special effects going on. To me though, the execution was rather weak.

The last counter-point this film manages to establish for itself is its own group dynamic. The Losers provided more yang to The A-Team's yin. Sure The A-Team had the colorful B.A. Baracus and Murdock, but on the whole, you get the feel of the laid-back, "officer's club" with a knack for MacGyver-like ingenuity for escaping hairy situations for the older set. Not so these newer guys. The Losers have this "shoot/slice/blow them up and have a beer afterwards" grit. These guys are the like those angry grunts who have been shouted at all day long and have a ticking, deep-seated, frustration deep down inside which painfully express with delight in the battlefield. Meanwhile you could just imagine Hannibal enjoying a cigar and Faceman with a bubbly, fizzy drink somewhere.

So what do I really think of The Losers? Does it have enough "caliber" to earn a place as lofty enough as my childhood admiration for the The A-Team? Hardly, but I'll be charitable; it was an hour and a half plus of light afternoon fun for me. As is typical of most action fares, don't strain yourself thinking too much. It wasn't made for that. Just a couple of hours of manly "bang" "bang" and "boom" "boom".

If There Is ONE Film I Urge You To See. . .

this would be it: Zeitgeist, the Movie.

From the German meaning "the spirit of the age". Extremely controversial and assailed by the mainstream. As someone who's been a sort of outsider (sometimes even an outcast) for most of my life, I'm not afraid to consider some of the things the film tries to present.

Fair warning though, if you're a devout Christian, Part 1 might be extremely offensive. IMHO despite being thought-provoking indeed, I do not believe it entirely. By the fruits of his efforts, Christ had a profound effect in this world and I'm not just saying that because I was born a Christian. I've also done my own pursuit and research into history and I thank God he sent him to us. You can take refuge in your faith.

A link to the full video below and if you can spend two hours with a very open mind about the roots of the long-established ways of doing things and what's happening to the world around us -

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=zeitgeist&emb=0&aq=f#

I honestly don't know how it would affect this blog. Might be accused of being a conspiracy nut or worse. Amen (from the Hebrew meaning "so be it") then to whatever.

EDIT - I just watched the film's continuation, just released last October: Zeitgeist: Addendum -

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=zeitgeist+addendum&emb=0&aq=1&oq=zeit#

Coincidentally, John Perkins whom I heard about some time back, is featured in the film. He wrote the book: Confessions of An Economic Hitman (that title alone seems ominous already).

Looking Foward To This One: The Spirit

I grew up with American comics (my icon is actually DC Comics' Zauriel, [*UPDATE - See below] a guardian angel turned super hero from the Eagle Host, one of the 4 main groups of heaven's army ). As a kid growing up, they were a major influence in my learning English, things about the USA as well as a myriad of topics from pop-culture to history to science. Not only are they entertaining, they're intellectually engaging too. Admittedly I moved on to other interests and haven't been keeping abreast with them for the past decade or so. This interest later on made me delve into classical mythology.

Those that have been made into movies, IMHO, fall into several translations; classic (Superman - Christopher Reeve era), decent (Spawn), well-made (300, Iron Man and Batman - Christian Bale lead/Christopher Nolan directed) and just flat-out laughable and a disgusting waste of your time and money making you wish a slow and painful death to director Joel Schumacher (Batman and Robin)!

There are two upcoming ones though that's really making me go nuts with excitement: Watchmen sometime early 2009 which I'll tackle later and The Spirit this Christmas!

The Spirit's first trailer -



Then the second "babe" trailer -


Sweet huh? It's gonna have a Sin City and 300 graphic-genre feel to it!

The Spirit was created by the late Will Eisner in 1940. He was known to have introduced certain innovations in comics - i.e. drawing figures outside or without "the box" format making the characters and overall theme more organic - and was one of those that evolved the medium as a graphic novel through the seminal work A Contract with God and Other Tenement Stories.


*As of 11/10/08, an icon change in effect.

Great TV Series: Millenium

"This is who we are"

Boy am I stoked! Just visited my suki DVD seller after a long spell and what did I stumble upon? Not just one but the entire three seasons of one of my fave shows on TV: Millennium!

Back in 1996, the same creator of "X-Files" (another fave which I also happen to have) Chris Carter, introduced this dark and brooding series led by Lance Henriksen as Frank Black, an investigator and forensic psychologist/profiler who has this "gift" of being able to psychically put himself into the mind a killer which aids him to get the bad guy. He was then tapped as a consultant by the "Millenium Group", a mysterious group of fellow ex-law enforcement professionals that's also supposed to be centuries-old. It touches on the paranormal as well since Frank and the rest of the group not only tackle regular criminals but supernatural forces as well. They believe their battle with evil is also preparation for the "end times" of the Apocalypse too.

If you wanna know more, here's a Wikipedia entry with some links below -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_(TV_series)

Lance Henriksen also had an adventurous and hard life growing-up. You could see and feel this by how intense he is on screen. IMHO, he is one of those under-appreciated actors whose artistic talents also include painting and pottery making in real life.

BTW, the "Millenium Group" in the series was modeled after a real forensic behavioral science firm, The Academy Group, Inc. made up of former law-enforcement professionals who provide consulting, research and training services in the area of criminal behavior. Among their staff is well-known former FBI Special Agent and the pioneer of profiling sexual predators Robert R. Hazelwood.

Given my psychology background, I would've liked to have worked for such a company. Here's a link to their site -

http://www.academy-group.com/

Ok enough. Gotta go watch!