Inglorious Bastards Poster Analysis

Ok, I have said it once and I will say it again, I am a shameless Quentin Tarentino fangirl.

Like all other fans of Mr. Tarentino I am super excited to see Inglorious Bastards when it comes out in theaters in August. Not too long ago he released the Trailer for the film, and now he has begun releasing posers for the movie.

A good movie poster not only tells a story, it becomes more interesting the longer you look at it. Although several movie posters have been released I chose my two favorites for a deeper analysis of what to expect in Inglorious Bastards.


Now I show you exibit A



Once Upon a Time in Nazi occupied France...

Isn't that just a beautiful phrase. That automatically tells you that this movie is a piece of fantasy. A gritty, bloody, and undoubtedly sometimes disturbing fantasy but a fantasy none the less. Because lets face it, most of us would love to kick a bit of Nazi ass.

On the other end of things the poster tells you that it will not be a complete fantasy. Notice the weapon of choice, a knife. In most World War II movies the main focus is on guns and bombs, things that allow you to kill from a distance. There is one Inglorious Bastards poster that features a rifle. As you can see above this poster shows a knife and another one shows a blood soaked baseball bat. These are weapons that you have to get up close and personal to use. On the poster the mans arm is covered in blood, showing that the people in this movie are not afraid to get their hands dirty.

Put those two things together, in a genre already known for favoring gritty realism, with a director that is not afraid to show some violence and we are gearing up for one bloodbath of a film. But remember there is still the promise of "Once upon a time".

Quentin Tarentino will most likely mix very gritty violence, with more fantastical aspects. Think of it in terms of Kill Bill, there will be a lot of blood and guts but a lot of it will happen with an edge of humor or irony which will help it to transcend gritty realism into something else completely.

This is going to be an interesting blend of genres

I give to you now exhibit B



First let me acknowledge how cool it is that this poster is being honest. I'm not talking about Brad Pitt being a bastard, I don't know him and guessing from the amount of charity work he does he is most likely a good person. I'm talking about the fact that they use his real name, not the name of his character in this poster.
Let's face it a lot of times the Star sells the movie. Here they make no pretensions that his face and name are on the poster to do anything but that.

His expression and hairstyle give us a hint that he is going to be a real character. He isn't selling the movie by saying "look at me I'm pretty." No they have made some vague attempts at making him less attractive, like having him push his jaw out to the camera making it look larger then it is. He is selling this as a character, and perhaps he will be acting as more of a character actor in this movie as opposed to being a leading man. But that last bit is just my humble guess.

It's a bit hard to see on the small image I have posted above, but Brad Pit is sporting some serious scars around his neck. This tells us that the character has survived (or will survive) having his throat slit.

Meaning, Brad Pitt's character is most likely a Major hard-ass or a major bad-ass, most likely a bit of both.

I know I can't wait to find out if my predictions are right.

Trailer for True Blood Season 2

X-Men Origins: Wolverine Review

It's that time of the season. The world is getting greener, the birds are singing a little louder, and the sun is shining a little brighter.

It can only mean one thing, the season for big budget action films has almost arrived.

Wolverine seems to be the first of the big budget action flicks to arrive and it's a decent movie.

Now, Wolverine has everything you could hope for in terms of action. There are wonderfully redonkulous fight sequences, good special effects, and as you may have noticed in the trailer there is a scene where wolverine jumps at a Helicopter and takes the whole thing down.

If you walk into the theater expecting to see some really cool fights, stunts, and effects then it is a really fun enjoyable movie.

That being said, it kind of failed in it's other obligations as a film.

You see X-Men, even in comic book form was designed to function as an ensemble cast. Sure some characters like Wolverine have some real back story or emotional depth. Yet it doesn't work very well when you have a feature length film about just one character. Sure we get to see a bit about Sabretooth, Cyclops, and Gambit; but there were so many times in the movie when I was more interested in their back stories then I was with Wolverines.

Don't get me wrong Hugh Jackman is a very competent leading man, I blame this on the scrip and how the writer decided to portray Wolverine.

Wolverine is the ultimate anti-hero. He is rough around the edges, doesn't really play by the rules, and often times he can be a real jerk; and that is what makes it so amazing when you see those few moments where he shows a softer side of Wolverine so special.

Naturally in this movie we are seeing Wolverine before a very major event happened to him in his life, so it is understandable that he his personality may be a bit different and perhaps more mild then usual. We get to see an understandably emo lovey-dovey Wolverine, and I just don't like it. I like Wolverine to be mostly grumpy but humorous, and although we did get some good comebacks from Wolverine there could have been more.

I felt like this movie would have been so much better if they occasionally veered away from the whole Wolverine Angst storyline, and took a break to tell us more about some of the other mutants. Some of the scenes felt forced, as if they had been written very quickly and not very well thought out. There were some plot holes, some places where emotions felt very forced, and some places where things just felt over the

The Bottom Line

This is a very fun entertaining movie to watch, but don't expect to be exactly blown away by Wolverines back story. I recommend watching it with your mind turned off, just enjoy the awesome fight scenes and you will will walk out of the theater a happy camper.

Vampires are the new Black: The Anita Blake TV Show

Since epic force known as Twilight his the main stream every company has been trying to match or rival it's success. HBO came up with True Blood and had an instant hit. Now the IFC has gotten the rights to turn another popular supernatural book series onto the small screen.

That's right folks the Anita Blake books are coming to the Independent Film Channel sometime in 2010. Honestly I'm surprised the rites to produce this show didn't go to a larger network with more experience making fictional television series. All and all it's a very smart move for IFC. The Anita Blake series has a huge following.

The Anita Blake series is about a woman who lives in an alternate version of earth where all creatures of myths and legends are true, and Vampires have just been made full fledged citizens. Anita is an Animator, a person with the natural ability to raise the dead. She also does side work helping out the cops with supernatural cases and she is also a licensed vampire executioner. Naturally she ends up getting mixed up in all sorts of supernatural politics.

I think a lot of fans are going to be excited about this series. Mainly because it will be starting at the very beginning of the Anita Blake books, way back when they were still kickass supernatural mysteries and not sleezy supernatural romance novels. A lot of fans (including myself) gave up on the series after the content got too racy. I think all of the fans would be happy to return and see the old hardass wise-cracking Anita Blake.

The first few books of the Anita Blake series are really well done enjoyable stories, and I think they will translate very well to TV. I am predicting that this will be a real hit.

The only foreseeable problem (for the first season or two) is that it will be hell trying to do casting for men as good looking as the ones described in the novels. But that's a small problem.

Anyway here is the address to the official press release.

http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/Anita/AnitaBlakeRelease.htm

A Clip from Season 2 of True Blood

I can't say it surprises me, but that's probably because I've read all the books. Never the less looks like we are in for another good season.

Knowing 1/2 review

A friend asked me to review Knowing, largely because he had watched it and was so utterly disappointed by it that he wanted me to seek verbal revenge on the evil creature known as Nicholas Cage. In some ways I have failed, you see I didn't make it all the way through the movie. I took a bathroom break and never came back "Knowing" that there was no way for the movie to ever redeem itself. A good film critic would have walked back in there and finished their job, but I just didn't feel like it.

Let me start out by saying that I'm biased. I hate Nicholas Cage with a passion. In his very prolific career he has done two good movies (Moon Struck and Raising Arizona)a few decent ones, and many many bad movies. I know that somewhere out there he actually has fans but I just don't get it. He is a mediocre actor at best, his voice is annoying as hell, and honestly if it weren't for the fact that he is a Coppela I don't think he would have a career.

Now if you told me nothing about the movie Knowing and just showed me the first five minutes or so I would be really excited to see this. It starts out in the 50's with a very creepy little girl who frantically writes a series of numbers on a piece of paper due for a time capsule, and ends up disappearing in a basement where she is found with her hands covered in blood (presumably from trying to scratch away at the walls) begging for someone to make it stop.

That right there seems like the beginning to a really cool horror flick. Already I knew that everything from this point on is going to get worse.

Nicholas Cage plays a total loser. To be fair the hero of the story is a mathematician. So right off the bat you kind of expect them to be a bit boring and absent minded. To give him a bit of an edge they decided to make the character a functioning alcoholic, but it doesn't add much flavor to the text. A good actor would be able to make this character somehow relateable or worthy of pity, Nicholas Cage succeeds in neither. His acting for the entire movie has three speeds mumbling with the charisma of a tree stump, overreacting, he can also give a blank stare. A surprising amount of the movie is dedicated to showing Nicholas Cage staring.

One of my major problems with Nicholas Cage movies is that his character always managed to end up as the main character, even if this is not the best perspective to tell the story from. In "Windtalkers", which should have been about the Navajo code talkers who played a crucial role in WWII, they turned it into a movie about Nicholas Cage the white dude who just so happened to be a leader of their unit. Similarly in this movie the story would be a lot better if the movie was more about his son.

There is one scene were there are tons of creepy noises and the kid gets out of bed to see his front yard and a bunch of woodland creatures on fire.

Side note who though of that? They are sick. Sometimes in horror films a lot of fear comes from seeing disturbing images, but a flaming moose was just over the top.

So anyway instead of having the kid scream, or seeing the heart to heart where he tells his Dad that he is seeing and hearing some creepy stuff. They cut to Nicholas Cage in the front yard (which is not on fire) yelling for people to stay away from his house and angrily hitting a tree with a flashlight.

Really doesn't that about say it all. This is not a well thought out movie.

As much as I would like to I can't blame this all on Cage giving a crappy acting performance. The script is terrible, and the general plot idea just seems old and predictable. Nicholas Cages character should come off as being somewhat tortured but heroic, instead he comes off as being insane. Here he is trying to save people, but I still don't like him.

Honestly this piece of overblown garbage is just not worth watching. I mean there exists the possibility that I am wrong and that the movie somehow redeems itself in the end, but I really doubt that.

There are a few random hints of something more then the numbers going on in the background. Shadowey figures in the background, weird noises, and guys randomly pulling over and giving Nicholas Cages kid a black pebble. All of the numbers seem to perfectly correspond with bad things that are happening. But there is no possible way to resolve this movie and not have it be completely lame.

My gut instinct tells me that the writer of this saw "Signs" and read The Bible Code and thought he would blend them in some sort of unholy manner. I am betting that Nicholas Cage ends the movie believing in some sort of fate of higher power, and that all of this scary conspiracy stuff has been leading up to one big statement about spirituality or something like that.

Again I could be wrong. But honestly the movie has dug itself so deep into the reals of crappiness that it can not be saved. Apparently I walked out just before a scene in the subway which is supposed to very well done, but I feel satisfied having seen it in the movie trailer.

Witches, and Vampires, and Goths oh my: A completly inapropriate post for Easter Sunday

Lets face it for some reason or another vampires are really in right now. The youngins seem to quite entranced by the twilight series and any similar stories. If you are not a teenage girl then your probably not too into the whole vampire thing, and if you are you certainly have better taste then to watch twilight.

Many fans of the vampire genre have turned to HBO's hit series "True Blood." Sadly the second season won't be out till June 14th. Yet have no fear there are plenty of vampire or supernatural series to keep your inner goth tided over till then.

Show:"Buffy The Vampire Slayer"

People of Note: Almost all major characters have gone on to star in popular tv or movie projects, the show is written by Joss Whedon aka that genius behind "Firefly", "Dollhouse", and "Dr. Horribles Sing Along Blog"

Supernatural Stuff: Over it's many seasons just about every supernatural creature you can think of appears, but the show mainly focuses on Vampires although expect a fair deal of witches and demons as well.

Overall Review: In the off chance you have never heard of the show allow me to explain. Buffy is a high school student (at the start of the series anyway) who has the power to kick serious ass. Although her role as a slayer is supposed to be secret a few close friends find out and end up helping her. The show is a wonderful blend of comedy, drama, and action. The characters are so well developed that you will most likely end up wishing you were part of the scooby gang. If you have not seen it already you should do so now.

Downsides: Like most sci-fi shows the plot gets a bit more crazy and out there as the seasons wear on.

Bonuses: More funny pop culture references then you can shake a stick at, and there is a musical episode.



Show: Hex

People of Note: There are no big name actors in this show, but don't let that turn you away. The cast does a great job ... for the most part. Actually Michael Fassbender may be a household name in the future he has been in "300", has a role in "Inglorious Bastards", and a few other large projects.

Supernatural Stuff: Witches, Ghosts, and Demons (Nephilim to be exact)

Overall Review: The show is very gothic in nature. There is a witch at a boarding school, although she is pretty she just doesn't fit in with the rich kids at her school. Everything changes when she discovers that she is a witch, the leader of the nephilim wants to be her baby daddy, and wannabe baby daddy ritualistically sacrifices the witches best (and only) friend. The show is suspenseful but has a lot of really funny moments. By far the best and funniest character in the show is Thelma the lesbian ghost, she is what keeps the show running when things get a bit dark.

Downsides: There are a few hilariously bad transformation sequences. Also, you can tell the exact moment in season two where the producers were informed that the show was getting canceled and they decided to make the show as crazy as possible.

Bonuses: Great soundtrack, some hilarious moments thanks to Thelma, and for the gentlemen out there and naturally certain ladies there are some lesbian make out scenes.



Show: Blood Ties

People of Note: No one even remotely famous, but they do a good job.

Supernatural Stuff: Vampires, Demons, and Witches although all sorts of other supernatural characters appear in small roles.

Overall Review: Blood ties is a supernatural cop show, a somewhat cheesy combination I know but it's very enjoyable. Vicki Nelson was a cop who got kicked off the force because she is going blind. Vicki decides to open up her own detective agency and somehow manages to dive headfirst into a supernatural case that ends with her being marked by a demon. The mark gives her some powers, but mostly seems to attract trouble. She meets up with a witch for her secretary, and her partner in crime is Henry Fitzroy the bastard son of Henry the 8th who just happened to be turned into a vampire. The show is just fun to watch. There are a lot of good one liners and great character dynamics. The show is kind of cheesy but it totally embraces that fact so you don't end up minding.

Downsides: There are some historical innacuracies involving the age of Henry Fitzroy that bother me, they talk about how bad Vicki's eyes are getting but her poor vision doesn't seem to effect her, the special effects are kinda lame, and some of the stories aren't very compelling.

Upsides: Some of the dialogue is hilarious, and of the shows mentioned this is easily the least angsty or dark. If you want a slightly cuter and lighter sort of vampire story this is the one for you.



Show: Being Human

People of Note: There is a possibility that the actors in this are big in the UK but I have never seen them before.

Supernatural Stuff: Vampires, Ghosts, and Werewolves

Overall Review: I'll admit it, I've only seen the first three episodes. So far the story is about a ghost, a vampire, and a werewolf that all share an apartment together. Despite such a cute premise the show is pretty dark. It shows how difficult life is when your an outsider, and how much torment you go through when your different. Despite all of the darkness the stories are somewhat compelling and you find yourself wanting to know more about the characters and what is going to happen to them.

Downsides: When I say this show is dark I mean it. The angst level is right up their with an emo kid listening to Dashboard Confessional cutting himself with the shattered pieces of his broken dreams. It's a little depressing. Oh and the way the Werewolf dude screams like a girl every time he transforms is really annoying.

Upsides: Nice production values, fantastic soundtrack, and werewolf transformations aside pretty well acted.

I hope this helps you cope till True Blood returns.