Tag Archives: Movie

Jun 9 2012

A Spella for Bella; Snow White & the Huntsman a review

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Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble….
I shall cast my spell

And into my cauldron I will first toss in betrayal

Then seduction, regicide, a princess on the lam, sword wielding dwarfs in a magical land, a brother, a sister that are uncomfortably close,

don’t always lead to a show better than most.

Snow White & the Huntsman is a classic tale,

Brought to books and screen as an enchanting story to never fail,

A Bella Principessa is our less than charming heroine,

A smile is to her somehow foreign,

The Queen is a true Monster, a witch

And I think a succubus,

Draining young girls for their beauty,

She even schemes with poison and magic for her own glory.

A mirror that talks and no one can see

Let’s you think she even might be a little crazy.

A charming rouge with axes in battle is never a bore,

I just keep thinking he was better as Thor,

Special effects that are modern and digital,

Do work seamless with in camera and practical.

A fine film for young audiences with no boobs, blood, or whores,

Will be great for young audiences when they finish their chores,

Safe you will feel when tweens flock from their homes,

I on the other hand will be happier watching the next Game of Thrones.

Jan 22 2012

UNDERWORLD: AWAKENING


Underworld Awakening-

I was amazed at the strong comeback for the fourth showing in the Underworld series.  The third film, the prequel Rise of the Lycans” was weak compared to the first two installments, much of that I feel had to do with the lack of the amazing Kate Beckinsale as the ass kicking lead.   The most recent adventure has the return of the gun toting death dealer Selene.  She, without giving away too much, awakes after 12 years in cryogenic suspension in a world where Vampires and Lycans are being hunted to extinction by humans. The pace of the movie is fast, as action films should be, and is filled with great gun play.  The 3-D was also not overdone.  I feel some movies that are shot in 3-D are gratuitous. You see the camera angle and are like “Oh here’s the explosion flying in my face shot.”  If I wanted to have things predictably fly in my face I’d be a hockey goalie. The 3-D seams natural.  It gives the viewer a natural depth.

One of the main pieces missing from the original is Scott Speedman aka Michael Corvin the Vampire/Lycan hybrid and the last living descendent of the original Corvinos, the progenitor of both species.  .  I don’t think that I’m giving away too much in stating that Selene spends a large portion of the picture looking for Michael since you hear her in the trailer asking “Where’s Michael?”.

The world has changed during Selene’s slumber and rather visually too.  The unnamed city and country that had a distinct old world feel due to its shooting location in Budapest, Hungry looks distinctly modern now because of the filming location of every ones generic city Vancouver, Canada.  I have nothing against filming in Vancouver it’s just the locations are becoming very too familiar.  A key location in the film, I immediately recognized as a location from Stargate and Battlestar Galactia.  I wish that directors would think of this when using a signature location like that.  The main reason Vancouver is a great location is it is generic; its joked Vancouver doesn’t even look like Vancouver.

I give it Underworld Awakening my wholesale recommendation.  The film is a fast paced action flick that doesn’t sit on the laurels of the previous three.  I would even say it “breathed new life” into the undead franchise. I’m even thrilled that there is obvious room for a fifth installment.