Friday, October 30, 2009

This Is It (2009)

Just 'wow.'

This Is It is like your usual concert movie, except that it's all rehearsals. It has the songs, the behind-the-scenes footage, and as in the case of Michael Jackson concerts, the videos introducing or accompanying the songs.

The songs in the movie are his classics, although some of the more famous ones were missing, like We Are The World, Bad, and You Are Not Alone, though Heal The World was played over the end credits.

Based on the footage in the movie, and based on his energy, and his dancing all the frakin' time (and even keeping in time with his half-his-age background dancers), he didn't look sick and he didn't SEEM sick. We get to see the man behind the music, the man who can visualize what his fans want to see... and that man looked just fine. And that's why I teared up a few times during the movie. It's just so sad that he passed on when he did.

Although, if he hadn't died and I got an INSANELY REMOTELY UNLIKELY CHANCE to go, I'd be disappointed with Smooth Criminal. No leaning.

['Cuz if there were, it would've been in the movie.]

Watching This Is It reminds me of how Michael's music transcends generations and borders. Old and young alike love his music. You hardly see a teenager (or 'young adult') jamming to Elvis or The Beatles, because they're the Golden Oldies, with much emphasis on the 'Old'. But you do see fans of the Golden Oldies appreciating, and even loving Michael's music.

And when you think about it, when someone's death has that much impact on the world, that pretty much every major government in the world issued a statement about his death, you know that it's not a craze or an intense liking you have for that person, it is because that person himself has touched the world.
It's obvious who I'm referring to. I seriously doubt you can get that kind of effect with Britney or GaGa or even Madonna.
 
The movie ends with his performance of Man In The Mirror (which I think, is the song he intended to end his concerts), arms wide open, and the words,

"Michael Jackson
King of Pop
Love Lives Forever"

Simple words, yet beautiful and poignant. Just like how the man was.

At the end of the movie, a bunch of people at the front clapped, and then someone at the back said, "Gila ke?", which is, "[Are they] crazy?"

And his friend said, "Itu bukan gila, itu respek," which means, "That's not crazy, that's [out of] respect."

I salute you, companion of Stupid Idiot.

Think what you want about the man, judge him if you will, but you cannot deny that his music is genius.

10/10. This is my first and probably-last music-concert-documentary thingy I'll ever see in the theatres, because $10 on a movie without extensive CGI and/or a storyline isn't money's worth in my book.

R.I.P Michael Jackson

P.S. Apparently there's some audio at the end of the credits, so do stay on and check it out. And when you do, please tell me what it said, 'cuz I didn't stay back, and found out about the after-credits goodie through the Google and kicked myself.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Lobo casting rumor.



According to reports, the upcoming Guy Ritchie-directed movie centering around an intergalactic bounty hunter will ultimately have a lot of CG in it, irrespective of whether they use any on the main character. So the question is, "[D]o you need a celebrity? Do you need a name or do you just get someone who is good and who's gonna nail it?"

And the name that's been coming up in a lot in meetings? In a situation similar to that of Ron Perlman back during Hellboy, it's none other than Clancy Brown, an actor occasionally seen onscreen, and heard many, many times by kids, tweens and adults everywhere.


No, I am NOT joking. And yes, I did have a mild coronary when I found out. 


Clancy Brown is known for his roles in Highlander, Starship Troopers, Pet Sematary 2 and my personal favourite, Brother Justin in Carnivale, as well as his voice-acting as the aboveMr. Krabs in Spongebob Squarepants, and Lex Luthor in probably every animated incarnation of the DC character.

Brown is one of my favourite actors, and unfortunately one of the most underrated of all time, mostly relegated to supporting or villainous characters. If he gets this part (and I really hope he does, it'd be awesome to see him in a lead role that's not a villain), well, Lobo will actually have a spot on my must-watch list.


As of now, Lobo doesn't have a release date yet, but like every comic book movie about to come out, I'm guessing it'd be 2011 or 2012.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Dylan Baker in Spider-man 4!



At a post-screening Q & A for Trick 'r Treat, Baker confirmed that he will reprise his role as Dr. Curt Connors, Peter's one-armed physics professor in both Spideys 2 and 3, who eventually turns into the Lizard in the comics.


[Note how he has two arms in the above picture. His regeneration abilities is instrumental to his transformation. Or is it the other way around?]

Baker also mentioned that he will be in the background (as usual), but not sure whether 'background' meant the usual 10-15 minutes onscreen, or 'secondary villain'. Since production will be starting in March 2010, hopefully they'll have a few more press releases by then so we'd know where we stand when it comes to the villains.

Spider-man 4 is slated for a May 5th, 2011 release.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Justice League live-action movie on the horizon?



Hopefully!

MTV.com reports that next year's Green Lantern will be the first in a trilogy of films that will lead up to a Justice League movie. The other two movies planned will be on the Flash and Wonder Woman, and obviously, all three superheroes will join up with Superman, Batman and Aquaman in the JL movie.

[What, no J'onn and Hawkgirl?]

No word on the release date / year of the other movies yet.

Rather than making two or three movies on the same superhero/es (which seems to be the trend nowadays), DC seems to be taking the fast track in competing with Marvel. Personally, I'm stoked, and it's good to see DC finally being proactive with its other heroes (besides Batman, that is).

Imagine if the JL movie is released in the same summer as the Avengers movie.
Damn you, wishful thinking!

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Rorschach = Freddy Krueger = Sinestro??



Talk about iconic characters all the way!

Ain't It Cool is reporting that Jackie Earle Haley is in the lead to land the part of villain Sinestro in the upcoming Green Lantern movie. Sinestro was Hal Jordans' (Ryan Reynolds) mentor, before he went rogue and became the Lantern Corp's arch-nemesis (because he uses yellow, and for some reason, green can't pwnbeat that).

Initially I was thinking on passing on GL (or at least till the trailer comes out), but JEH was Rorschach personified in Watchmen, and he's basically the ONLY reason I'm considering checking out the Nightmare on Elm Street remake.

Hope this turns out in his favour. Can't wait :)


Green Lantern is set for release in 2011.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Roland Emmerich wants ID4 2!!



Emmerich already has the script done, but still lacks a deal, as the studios still haven't figured out how a deal that would make himself, ID4 writer Dean Devlin, and Will Smith happy. Emmerich also says that it'll most likely be with Fox, but apparently, Fox has even suggested that they LEAVE Smith out of this one, since he'll be quite expensive.

Luckily Emmerich refused to budge. There's nothing worse than a spin-off.

I have no idea how the story for the sequel will turn out, although it'd be extremely lame if aliens attacked Earth on a holiday that ONLY America gets to enjoy. Maybe the Brits will get it this time, and Smith and Jeff Goldblum will go and save them and stuff, on account of having prior experience.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Toy Story 3 TRAILER!!

Embedding's disabled, so I can only provide the link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhmdsXBq6-Q

The quality isn't very good, either, so when a proper one comes along, I'll update and embed ^^

Friday, October 9, 2009

Megan Fox to be offed in Transformers 3??



HollyScoop.com is reporting that Michael Bay may be writing off Megan Fox's character, since it seems that production crew doesn't get on well with her, and she had started shooting her mouth off on lousy working conditions with Bay.

So with this rumor, we have our main character death, as promised by Shia LaBeouf that the third movie will be darker than the previous two.

The question is, if it turns out to be true, who will replace Fox as "Hot Female Lead"?

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Spider-man 4 writer to helm Venom spin-off!



RopeOfSilicon.com states that the Venom movie will be directed by Spider-man 4 cowriter Gary Ross, with Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (Zombieland) working on the screenplay.

Initially intended to be a prequelspin-off from Spider-man 3, the Venom movie will ignore that crapfest and most likely recast Venom, effectively making it a stand-alone Marvel movie. ROS also reports that Venom "will be transformed into an anti-hero who becomes a defender of the innocent," which would kind of work so long as Spider-man doesn't come into the picture.

[For a little extra reading, try Venom: Sinners Take All. It actually doesn't suck.]

As much as I like Topher Grace, Venom is supposed to be HUGE, and even though he bulked up considerably for the part, physically, that's still a 'no'. I hope they don't cast a wrestler as Brock for this. That'd be so lame.

It'd be pretty cool if Ross could tie Spidey 4 with Venom. Then...
 ...it will lead to CARNAGE!!

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)



Fantastical creatures abound, and the CGI and cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, especially the scene Prince Nuada visits his father, reminding me that I have yet to see Pan's Labyrinth. Other than that, the storyline is okay (although, the fact that Hellboy's eventual destiny as our destroyer is reiterated makes me hope that a massive ton of excrement will hit the propeller in the third movie, that is if the Trilogy Curse does not strike), the villain is leaning towards the anti-hero line, making him not much of a villain, and possibly, one of the best lines in movie history.

I'd embed aforementioned line, but the users on YouTube prevent me from doing so. Link is here, if you like :)

6.5/10.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Transformers 3 = 2011!


Despite saying that he'll be quitting the Transformers franchise, Michael Bay will be returning to direct the next Transformers movie, set for release on July 1st, 2011.

With the death of a main character and definite mayhem on the way, here's to hoping that third time's the charm for him with the critics.
and that he doesn't insert a ching-chong chinaman joke in this one.