Coming Soon to the Summer of 2010

Oh the joys of summer. Some crave time in their gardens pulling weeds, some like to spend their time mowing and manicuring their lawns, some like to lay on a beach somewhere and soak in the rays of the sun. Me? What do I love about the summer? It’s movie time, baby; it’s the summer movie season and I like to experience the movies. What can I say? I am a movie geek. It’s what I do. Here are the films that I am looking forward to this coming blockbuster season and a few that are going to be showing up this winter. Whatever the case the multiplex just may be in better place to spend some time in air-conditioned comfort than I thought it would be. I’ll list the movie, it’s release date and why YOU may be interested.

1. Daybreakers – 1/8: There has been a large number of vampire movies hit the market these past few years. From what I’ve read, “Daybreakers” gets it right. You will not see anything that resembles a sparkling vampire here. If you do you are in the wrong theater. The vampires outnumber the humans who are now housed like cattle on blood farms and the supply is running out.
2. The Book of Eli – 1/15: Denzel Washington in a post-apocalyptic tale with Gary Oldman along as the villain? That may be worth a look-see at the multiplex. Denzel has a book that can save humanity Oldman wants it. Mayhem ensues. We shall see…
3. The Wolfman – 2/12: There has always been a soft spot in my heart for this story. Lon Chaney Jr. really delivered in the role in the 1941 version and now Benicio del Toro is the bitten and cursed man. This is one of Stan Winston’s (http://evilchickenscratch.blogspot.com/2008/06/stan-winston.html) last films and the effects truly show how much innovation he created from winning his first Oscar for Makeup and Effects for “An American Werewolf in London”. I hope this one nails the dismount.
4. Percy Jackson and the Olympians: the Lightning Thief – 2/12: I don’t know too much about this one save that Christopher Columbus is directing. Columbus has the power to tell a good story and this looks interesting. The jury is still out if I’ll see this in the theater.
5. Cop Out – 2/26: A buddy cop movie with Tracy Morgan and Bruce Willis that’s directed by Kevin Smith. This will be entertaining. I’d like to see it play out on the big screen but I don’t know if the kids can come yet. I may have to wait to rent it, which is a shame since I’d like to support the project as it comes out so that there is a sequel. The trailer made me giggle like a schoolgirl with the “Knock Knock” scene. We shall see.
6. Alice in Wonderland – 3/5: Of all the movies on this list this is one of the ones that I am looking forward to the most. Tim Burton + Johnny Depp = when can I buy a ticket? Burton creates worlds that I love to visit and Depp can bring them to life. Depp is the Mad Hatter and a 19 year-old Alice (Mia Wasikowska – aka – Ms. Very Hard to Spell) is returning to the place of her childhood adventure; Wonderland. Opening night for me, if not sooner.
7. Clash of the Titans – 3/26: Usually I am not one to be too excited about remakes and “re-imaginations”. In this case I am. Sam Worthington is on a roll with “Terminator Salvation” and “Avatar” under his belt and now he has a chance to deliver as Perseus, slayer of Gorgons, rider of winged horses and Kraken spanker. I remember seeing Ray Harryhausen’s stop motion work on the big screen in the 1981 version and loving every moment. I wonder what his reaction would be to seeing the seamless CGI of the giant scorpions attack would be. Yeah, I’m taking the kids and seeing this one on the big screen.
8. Kick Ass – 4/16: This is based on a comic series that I have never read. Still the trailers that I have seen make it look interesting. It’s about a group of kids who become self-made superheroes. Nicholas Cage is in this too. This summer expect to see a lot from Mr. Cage that is a good thing since when he is in the right role he can make it really happen. He’ll be in “Kick Ass”, “The Season of the Witch” and “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”; IMDB says that he is working on two other films this year alone. Busy man. I still don’t know if I’ll be seeing this on the big screen yet; we shall see…
9. A Nightmare on Elm Street – 4/30: Well, they’ve gone and done it; they’ve remade one of the movies that gave me a fright as a teen. I never got into Jason and the whole “Friday the 13th” series but Freddy Kruger? Yeah, I was there. Freddy became, in some strange and humorous twist, the guy I started to root for. Yeah, that’s pretty weird but Robert Englund made the character his own by injecting humor into the horror. Perhaps this is the reason that Mr. Robert Englund is not Freddy in this incarnation. That sentence right there should have me miles away from the theater on its own merits alone. But Jackie Earle Haley is in as the new serial killing man of our dreams and this promises to be a return to a scary trip down Elm Street. Haley hit it out of the park as Rorschach in “The Watchmen” and I am very curious to see what he will do with Frederick Kruger.
10. Iron Man 2 – 5/7: For my money “Iron Man” was one of the best comic book adaptations to ever hit the silver screen. There is a lot riding on number II but Marvel seems to be strumming all the right chords these days. Jon Favreau is back in the director’s chair and Robert Downey Jr. is back as Tony Stark. The supporting cast is superb including Samuel L. Jackson as Sgt. Nick Fury, Mickey Rourke as Whiplash, and Don Cheadle as War Machine. This is another of the films that I am really and truly looking forward to. Opening night, no doubt.
11. Robin Hood – 5/14: Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe of “Gladiator” fame are re-teaming to tell one of my favorite tales. I hope that they hit the mark with this particular archer. We shall see.
12. Prince of Persia the Sands of Time – 5/28: This one has a curse to overcome. To date there has never been a decent adaptation of a video game (“Silent Hill” was about the best) to the big screen. Who knows, perhaps this one will stand on it’s own merits with story and spectacle?
13. The A-Team – 6/11: Den Da Da Da, Den Da Da! Oh yes, you know the theme don’t pretend you don’t. This is The A-Team revamp that looks like it will be a lot of fun. Liam Neeson is Hannibal, Bradley Cooper is Face, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is B.A. Baracus and Sharlto Copley is Howlin’ Mad Murdock. They are now a group of Iraq war veterans who are framed for a crime that they did not commit. I loved the TV show and I have high hopes that I’ll do the same with the movie.
14. Toy Story 3 – 6/18: I love Pixar. They are on a list of companies that I would love to work for as one of their writers. They put magic and heart into everything that I have seen them do. With “Toy Story 3” they are returning to some of the first characters that made the company a household name. It will be in 3D too. My family and I are so there opening day I can already taste the popcorn.
15. Jonah Hex – 6/18: Cowboys and Zombies? Based off of the comic series? Sounds like fun but the release date is going to really sack the box office out of this one. They should hold it for October and Halloween instead of going up against Pixar. You already know which theater I’ll be sitting in on the 18th.
16. The Last Airbender – 7/2: For those of you who understand that this movie should have been called “Avatar – The Last Airbender”, take heart Aang and company are hitting the big screen too. M. Night Shymalan is looking to make his way out of a slump. I have a sneaky suspicion this is the movie that will do it for him. The teaser trailer is wonderful. If you have seen any of the Nickelodeon series then you know how good the storytelling and action can be. If you have not and if Mr. Shymalan has done what I think he has then you are in for a treat.
17. Predators – 7/7: This has the chance of being more than expected. The cast is interesting for a re-visitation to the world of all things Predator. I enjoyed the first Predator movie for what it was. This one brings along a pretty impressive cast including Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace and Danny Trejo. Who knows, it might be worth a look-see.

And then there’s August. For all intents and purposes the major studios have already fired their big guns. Still one never knows. Then there are the possible dark horses in the race. ...Ah the quest for decent storytelling.

See you at the multiplex!

Blu-Ray Dossier

Welcome, Gentle Reader, to a new feature here at Chicken Scratch – the Blu-Ray Dossier. It is no secret. I love movies. I love the way stories are told. I love to hear how they came to fruition and I like to see them realized correctly – how the storyteller’s (hopefully) intended. Friends, let me just say that, if you enjoy movies, especially blockbuster, tent pole productions, then you need to get an HDTV (LCD, 1080p, with at least a 128 megahertz refresh rate for the video games), a Blu-Ray player and a surround sound system.

“Why?” you may ask. “Why should I spend the money on such equipment?”

I could explain that HD is now the broadcast standard, I could tell you that a 5.1 surround sound experience is a wonderful way to enjoy a movie, broadcast, or videogame and I could say that Blu-Ray justifiably deserves to be at the top of the heap when it comes to watching film and/or movies BUT until you see and hear it for yourself you would be a fool not to ask and, Gentle Reader, you are no fool. What can I tell you? Bite the bullet and make the jump. You will not be disappointed.

That being said, I have been watching a lot of Blu-ray movies recently. They are crisp, clean, 1080p (that is how movies are filmed) transfers of the films from the original footage. The picture is startling. The sound is astonishing. The movies are, now, taking on a life of their own, even more so than before. Please don’t get me wrong nothing can replace the theater experience, nor should it, but the joy (and yes this is the correct word here); the joy is that it removes the human element. There is no one answering their cell phone, talking, texting or getting up to pee or get more popcorn in your living room (unless that is what you want). NO it is a flawless transfer of a story from the filmmaker to you on your terms. It is worth its weight in gold.

“All right, so what’s this Blu-Ray Dossier that you keep talking about?”

I am so glad that you asked, Gentle Reader. The Blu-Ray Dossier will be not only a review of the film/movie (there is a difference), but it will also be a critique of how good the Blu-Ray Disc delivers. I will be looking for cinematography that makes my jaw drop and when I see it I will let you know about it.

So here is how it works; there will be two star ratings on a sliding scale from 1 to 5, the more stars the better. The first star is a rating for the movie and the second is for the sheer, jaw dropping, awesomeness of the quality of the film in question. With the Blu-Ray Dossier it will be possible for a 1 star movie to have a 5 star rating for the jaw dropping, crystal clear cinematography. The reverse is true too. Since I’m a geek I may ruminate a bit about the film/movie in question and I might recommend it for purchase, rental or to bypass it completely. All right, that’s enough of that; here we go with Volume I…

“The Dark Knight” Rating: 5 Stars / 4.5 Stars. What can you say that has not already been said? This is a great film. The sweeping shots of Hong Kong and Gotham will take your breath away. This is one for your library.

“Batman/Superman, Public Enemies” Rating: 4 Stars / 4 Stars. This is the first animated Blu-ray movie that I have seen and it did not disappoint on story (which is based on Jeff Lobe’s graphic novel) and clarity of picture. One of the best things about this Blu-ray is the special features which include a dinner conversation with the producers, writers and Mr. Kevin Conroy – the voice of the Batman. Just great stuff. Comic geeks may consider adding this to your collection and interested muggles will enjoy the rental.

“Casino Royale” Rating: 5 Stars / 5 Stars. Daniel Craig is the best James Bond since Sean Connery and probably the closest thing to the original intent of Ian Fleming’s books as we will ever see. This is a great Blu-ray Disc and, to date, the finest I have seen. The cinematography is unbelievably beautiful and the exotic locations have never looked so detailed and clear. This is a must see.

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” Rating: 4 Stars / 4.5 Stars. I love keeping up with the Jones’s. It is great to see Indiana Jones back in action. It’s not “Raiders of the Lost Ark” but, then again, what is? The Blu-ray action is a crisp, clean transference and worth the rental. It is in my library but you may feel different.

“Quantum of Solace” Rating: 4 Stars / 4.5 Stars. This one takes up right where “Casino Royale” ends. It’s a good one – not as good as “Casino Royale” but certainly worth the rental. If you’re a Bond fan you may want to make it part of your collection.

“Drag Me to Hell” Rating: 4 Stars / 3.5 Stars. I love Sam Rami. He has taken the art form of making movies to another level with his camera angles, sweeps and close ups. He is an exciting filmmaker and always worth a look-see.

“Land of the Lost” Rating: 3 Stars / 3.5 Stars. I liked this much more than I thought I would. As a child of the seventies the idea of Sleestacks on the big screen makes my inner geek smile. Worth the rental for nostalgia’s sake but be prepared to explain a couple of sexual themes to little ones if they happen to be watching.

“Nightmare Before Christmas” Rating 4.5 Stars / 5 Stars. This is an animated, stop motion, masterpiece. Tim Burton’s vision is realized through Henry Selick’s stop motion, directorial, art. Amazing film and it has never looked so crisp and clean. This is one that you should have in your collection.

“The Prestige” Rating: 4.5 Stars / 4 Stars. What a wonderful story. This is one that could stand up to repeated viewings. This is a genre-bending tale that is so incredibly well realized that you will have to watch it more than once. The direction and acting are superb. David Bowie as Tesla! Please. You just may want to make this one part of your collection too.

“Transformers – Rise of the Fallen” Rating: 2 Stars / 4 Stars. Story wise there is not too much that meets the eye. Megan Fox eases it up from a 1.5 to a 2 star rating. It’s pretty awful; it is not designed to be, no, this movie was made to highlight the brilliant computerized special effects laced throughout. Note I only give the Blu-ray factor a 4 star rating. That is because the movie, while in jaw dropping, Blu-ray only highlights a jumbled mess of action on the screen that is pretty hard to decipher. It is a beautiful jumbled mess but a mess, nonetheless. Rent it if you have to.

There’s volume one; volume two will not be far behind. See you at the Blockbuster – I’ll be the one with the worn ID care, the coupons and the box of Raisinettes.

See ya next time.

Blu-Ray Worthy

I am a movie geek a title which has its privileges and its responsibilities. Oh yes, it’s true. A little known fact is that it is no easy burden to be a movie geek there are pitfalls and the calling requires a certain degree of commitment. Some of these pitfalls include; the poor, lost souls who talk, text or send / receive cell phone calls during a movie (Dante envisioned a special ring in Hell for these folk), sold out opening night showings, Blockbuster not sending you “home happy” for one reason or another, and collecting a large amount of DVDs that really are not the Grade A movies that you hoped they would be. Ah, Gentle Reader, the path of the Movie Geek Warrior is beset with many a trap.

“Where are you going with this?” you may ask.

Hear me out (Good question BTW). Blu-Ray won the war between formats when industries chose it over HD-DVD. Disney, Warner and porn went with Blu-Ray and the rest is history… or at least history that is right now being written. So, I got to thinking, now that Blu-Ray is the new gold standard what films are worth purchasing and which are just rentals?

I compiled a short list of movies that I think would be deemed Blu-Ray Worthy…

1. Jaws
2. Hellboy I & II
3. The Forbidden Kingdom
4. Blade Runner
5. Star Trek (2009)
6. Sleepy Hollow
7. Nightmare Before Christmas
8. Iron Man
9. Superman (1978)
10. Godfather I & II
11. John Carpenter's The Thing
12. Big Trouble in little China
13. Shaun of the Dead

And that's only the beginning.

So I ask YOU, Gentle Reader, what movies are worthy of a Blu-Ray Disc purchase?