Less of that and more of the other!

Apologies for the lack of posts my friends. Lots has happened since I waxed rhapsodic about Before Midnight back in July! Along with Life of Pi, it remains one of my favourite films of 2013. The only other film to bowl me over this year has been The Conjuring - James Wans superior, demonic-possession story. Be sure to check it out!

Speaking of horror, I'm now writing for the good people at Monster Pictures. Monster Pictures is the go-to site for any film fanatic or horror fan. As a chief distributor of horror movies, Monster Pictures offers some of the best contemporary tales currently available. The site has up-to-the-minute news and daily articles on every facet of the genre. My own weekly musings can be found here.

This blog will continue to play host to my illustration work. Again, lots has been happening - predominately comic-book related work. As 2013 comes to a close and the new year begins, more of these projects should be appearing, hot off the presses. Upon completion, I hope to post about each and every one.

Outside of comic-book work, I've been playing with design and colour. Below is one such example.

Copyright Alex Smith 2013

There be two designs here; the original black and white design and one with colour and (secondary) lettering. Originally I wanted the body parts to spell out the words, but the scratchy lettering was a commercial/necessary addition.
This design was inspired by the punk band of the same name. A terrific three-piece who play regularly around Melbourne, these raucous rockers are not to be missed! Check 'em out here!

Keep a look-out for more art-related posts soon. I'll be giving you my full round-up of the films which caught my attention this year also.

Cheers for now!

Before Midnight

Before Midnight is the third entry in a series of romantic tales, involving transatlantic couple, Jesse and Celine. Each movie in this trilogy has been made approximately nine years apart - and that real time has taken effect on-screen too. This new film and the first in the series took place over a full day and night, while the second was presented in real time - to emphasis the fleeting moments we all share, and the importance of grasping them.

For anyone who is not familiar with the Before series, Jesse and Celines' relationship has evolved thusly;

During a chance encounter on a train in Europe, the two meet. Jesse persuades Celine to leave the train to accompany the american on his last full day and night in Vienna. They fall in love and arrange to meet six months later.

Nine years later Jesse is touring his book, which recounts his and Celines' brief encounter. Celine meets him in Paris (her home town) during his tour - mush to Jesses' surprise! Jesse has two hours before he must depart Paris - giving the two a chance to catch up and reignite their romance. The second film ends on a cliffhanger of sorts, with the suggestion that Jesse is going to miss the departure of his plane by some margin!

Before Midnight sees the two in Greece, coming towards the end of a six-week vacation. They have twin girls and Jesse has a son (by his former wife). His son is returning home to America after enjoying the holidays with his dad and extended family. Jesse and Celine never married themselves, but are committed to one another and their children.

Before Midnight offers up a handful of secondary characters in the first half - a welcome addition to the formula. This could also be interpreted as growth - for both the couple and the series. As our own families grow and our relationships strengthen, shouldn't we be thinking outwardly and about others rather than ourselves?!

The first two films focused on the romanticism of the pair and their passion for one another, despite their brief encounter. This new entry discusses the maintenance of a love affair.

It's clear that Jesse made the move to Paris for Celine - at the expense of leaving his son behind. The movie begins with Celine considering a new job (in Paris still), while Jesse is emotionally unsettled at the prospect of saying goodbye to his son once again.

The pair have much to consider and their conversations are heated at times. No subject can jeopardize their relationship, but their inability to communicate could. Sexual politics is in the air, as the pair struggle to understand each others gender!

As anyone in a long-term relationship can attest, this is a frequent occurrence. This isn't to suggest that any such conversation needs to be malicious of course (they often are)!

Before Midnight is confronting as a result. Jesse and Celines' relationship has intentionally been presented as honest throughout this series - and this new entry is no exception.

Richard Linklater and his stars, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy have crafted one of the greatest trilogies of all time here. The Before series is an intimate and candid portrait of two people from different backgrounds meeting, falling in love and choosing to make a life together. We've seen a lot of Europe with this series also - an appropriate backdrop to a mixture of cultures and attitudes!

It's hard to imagine any independent film, romantic or otherwise, spawning two sequels. This series proves that character and script are king. Rather than anticipate another entry, it's been rewarding and somewhat comforting to catch up with these characters intermittently - just like any good friend!
It's been a joy to watch these three at work. To follow this couple over twenty-plus years and to be party to their thought-provoking conversations on love and life. I wonder what the next nine years will bring?!

5/5

Poster image courtesy: www.ropeofsilicon.com

Pacific Rim

Pacific Rim is one of three movies on my must-see list for 2013 - along with Elysium and Gravity. These three properties are all original tales within the sci-fi/ fantasy genre (being released against a host of adaptations and sequels). They also have the distinction of being made by some of the finest film-makers working today.

Pacific Rim is first out the gate and boasts a fine pedigree in Guillermo del Toro. A native of Mexico, del Toro has moved back and forth from directing independent spanish language features to studio-backed english speaking fare. His movies include; The Devils Backbone, Blade 2 (arguably the best in the series), Pans Labyrinth and the Hellboy movies. Having firmly established himself in Hollywood, del Toro continues to pursue a career in directing - while championing a host of up-and-coming film-makers, as a producer.

When a dimensional portal opens on the pacific ocean floor, giant monsters (Kaijus) enter our world. Laying waste to whatever crosses their path, the monsters are more than just a menace - potentially threatening our very existence.

The world is unable to offer a deterrent until a plan is formulated to create giant mechanical monsters of our own (Jaegers) to combat the threat.

Each continent has a Jaeger and collectively they prove effective at keeping these inter-dimensional behemoths at bay!

As each new interloper comes through the portal however, the stronger they appear to be. Our scientists predict their numbers will increase exponentially - with each Kaiju gaining in strength and ferocity.

The audience are thrust in to the action after this comprehensive back-story. Several Jaegers have been destroyed in battle and the powers that be are now funnelling money in to a giant wall, which is being erected around the pacific coast.

The threat proves to powerful of course. What's left of the Yeager force pool their efforts (despite being cut off financially) and decide to put an end to the Kaijus once and for all.

Despite the originality of this particular venture, those familiar with japanese anime and pop culture will no doubt be familiar with human-piloted mechanoids and giant reptilian monsters - be they ocean dwelling or otherwise!

Each Yeager is piloted by a team of two. Both pilots need to be of a compatible nature, as piloting a Yeager requires the two to meld minds ("drift").

This is where the human drama comes in to play. As testosterone bounces off the walls of the Shatterdome (Jaeger HQ), there is much camaraderie and competition to be mined. The dialogue and interplay between characters is somewhat uneven and cheesy however - a comparison to Top Gun would not be unjustified! As laughable as that film was, it also delivered thrills-a-plenty!
I'm happy to report Pacific Rim does just the same - and then some! It's certainly a film to be seen (and heard) at the cinema. Even some of the bigger LCD screens will struggle to do the film justice when it's released on DVD.

The action is plentiful and is absolutely stunning to look at! Not only has it been shot wonderfully, it's incredibly well lit (despite many a night-time scene). More importantly, one can see what's going on! The immense detail (throughout the film) is not lost through ADD editing or man-on-the-ground-cam! Long-time collaborator Guillermo Navarro is to be commended for his cinematography here - as is del Toro and his team of artisans!

Despite the slightly dubious human element, this movie really delivers - and comes highly recommended! In a funny kind of way it goes some way to emphasising what I already feared - giant robots will likely be better off without us!

4/5

Poster image courtesy: www.collider.com

Man of Steel

Super-spoilers!

Man of Steel is brought to us by director, Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen) and co-writer/producer, Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight trilogy) - a formidable pairing if ever there was one. Joining these two is chief ideas-man (and writer of Man of Steel), David S. Goyer (Batman Begins). Collectively they have chosen to ground Superman in reality, just as they did with Batman - no easy task when you consider his alien origins and super powers. Despite the trappings of the character, each fantastic element has been reworked to fit the modern age and our ever fearful society. Inventive alternatives to the likes of the Fortress of Solitude, now form essential cogs in propelling the machinations of the character.

The film starts incredibly well! Beginning on a superbly conceived Krypton, we are firstly introduced to Jor-El (Russell Crowe, on great form). The planet is dying. Its resources have been depleted and the powers that be are ignorant to the fact that they've pillaged and poisoned their home. There are obvious comparisons to be made with our own planet here. It's a nice touch to comment on such a pertinent issue. Whether the comparisons have been made before or not is unclear - it certainly doesn't go unheard!
Just as he did with Master and Commander, Crowe exudes confidence in the role of Jor-El - an intelligent natural leader, making difficult decisions in the face of adversity. Jor-El's instincts tell him that the end is closer than the politicians and military (led by Michael Shannons Zod) would care to admit.
With time a factor, Jor-El readies his new-born - the only natural birth on Krypton, amongst the genetically engineered majority. Having convinced his wife that Kryptons time is at an end, they prepare a ship for their sons ongoing journey. Jor-El comes up against Zod of course - who plainly disagrees with his plans. Particularly as Jor-El has placed the Codex within his sons ship (an artefact which contains the Kryptonian genetic make-up).

The rest of the film takes place presently, with Clark/Kal-El (Henry Cavill) a grown man. His youth is told in flashback, as he considers the man he's become through the lessons he's learnt. Clark has yet to discover where he originally came from and is doing his very best to lead a good life - helping others whenever possible. Clarks adopted father, Jonathan (Kevin Costner - superb) was adamant that the world would fear and ostracise his son if they new of his powers. Like any sensible guardian, Jonathan has endeavoured to instil in his son a sense of responsibility - and it's clear that Clark has lived by his fathers caveat for some time. Exposing himself only when there's no alternative, Clarks super-human abilities have become folk lore to some - nothing more than an urban legend.
Of course where there's smoke, investigative reporter Lois Lane (Amy Adams - the best Lois yet) is never far away. The two meet through Clarks tales of heroism, as Lois follows his trail across America. They meet in the Antarctic, where both are investigating an anomaly reported to be buried in the ice (a Kryptonian scout-ship that arrived on Earth over 2000 years ago).
This is all great stuff - and what's more, it all makes sense. The cast are really terrific - Crowe and Costner the stand-outs.

Zod and his militant crew show up in the second half to claim back what's theirs - this includes Kal-El and the Codex. Clark is flying now - wearing the red and blue of his 2000 year old, pre-tailored suit! When Zod makes his demands, Clark must reveal himself to the world and the authorities - the American military, who are naturally running the show!
Shannon is suitably power-hungry as Zod - and makes for a terrific foil to Cavills, Kal-El. Everyone expects the two to face-off against one another - an opportunity for some truly super-powered action!
When the time comes however the fighting gets tired real soon. The special effects are good but the choreography is uninspired. In order to pin-point small figures within the action, the camera frequently zooms in. I don't know why this technique is employed, because the action is clear. All this effect does is cheapen the scope of the movie (reminding us all of Attack of the Clones once again)!

I have two distinctive problems with this movie which I believe could both have been solved by acknowledging the comics and Supermans hero mythos a little more.
Firstly is the destruction of Metropolis (at least a good portion of it). The ensuing carnage would've caused untold death and injury - something Superman is clearly against. Surely a fight in outer-space or a throw-down at the Grand Canyon would've been in keeping with Supermans moralistic codes.
Secondly is the death of Jonathan Kent. This is an intentional turning point in the movie, but completely unnecessary in my view. The Kents know their son is super and so does he. Why he didn't volunteer to save their dog from a tornadoes destructive path is beyond me. Instinctively, he would've just done it and to hell with the consequences. How was this any different to saving his friends on the bus or saving the men on the oil rig? Any onlooker would've been none the wiser - chalking the experience up to a miracle/act of god.
Just as Martin Sheen fully inhabited the role of uncle Ben in The Amazing Spider-man, Costner perfectly embodies the role of Jonathan Kent. I don't quite understand the notion of rebooting characters only to use them less efficiently than before - especially when you've got a top-class actor on board?
I have no doubt that a larger game is at play with this first entry. Perhaps we'll be rewarded for some of the lesser moments with fleshed-out explanations next time.

The first half of this movie really delivers - and is bookended by some nice moments and a great one-liner at the end! Superman is 75 years old this year. I'm all for giving a character a facelift now and again, but lets not forget what made this particular character the American icon he's become!

3/5

Poster image courtesy: http://www.mondoarchive.com/

Artwork by Martin Ansin who was also responsible for the Looper poster I chose. Check it out again here: http://alexsmith365.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/looper.html

World War Z

World War Z is based on the book of the same name, by Max Brooks. The book detailed the Zombie Apocalypse some ten years after its initial outbreak. In an unusual move, the reader learnt about the outbreak and the hard years that followed through a series of vignettes. A UN agent assigned to the Postwar Commission interviews a vast majority of different survivors from around the world, in an effort to better understand what caused the outbreak - and the effect to which it's had on the global community.

When news of the movies production hit, fans undoubtedly imagined a documentary-like pastiche of jaw-dropping set-pieces - brought together by a journalists quest for truth.
The production of World War Z has been long and "troubled". Four very talented writers (J. Michael Straczynski, Matthew Michael Carnahan, Damon Lindelof and Drew Goddard) were assigned at different stages of production to distil this opus. A good portion of the film was re-shot as a consequence - with test screenings and the like pushing the film in a more action-orientated direction.

It continues to surprise me when movies share little to no content with the property from which they're adapted. From a business perspective it makes sense to build upon a salivating and still-hungry audience. But surely if you change something to the point where it's no longer recognisable, your sizeable built-in audience will turn their backs on you?
What's most unfathomable is to learn that this one-note apocalyptic tale has done well enough in box office receipts to warrant a sequel? It would appear all people really want is more and more bang for their buck!

As you might imagine I went in to World War Z with pretty low expectations. Rather than it being ten years later, the audience is propelled in to the Zombie outbreak as it happens - through the eyes of our protagonist/journalist, Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt).
The Zombies in World War Z run rather than shuffle - echoing the "infected" of 28 Days Later rather than the traditional "undead". As a result the movies pace is tremendous. The action doesn't let up and the movie flies by at an alarming rate.

With his family in tow, Gerry witnesses first hand his home town fall to infection. A respite from the action sees Gerry and his family given sanctuary by a former colleague. As guests aboard the American Naval Fleet, Gerry and his family are safe. As a condition however, Gerry must enlist in the effort to save mankind. This requires him to travel the globe (accompanied by military personal) to find a solution to the life-threatening outbreak.
A couple of nice moments had me invested beyond mere atrophy, but come the half-way point there were few surprises. Having to suspend my already waning disbelief towards the end of the picture, not even the gratuitous Pepsi tie-in drew a smile!

Despite my grievances, World War Z offers up some striking visuals - and the shear pace of the movie is sure to appeal to the attention-deficit generation! It's difficult to know whether you've been entertained or not when the film-makers give little to no time for you to think (perhaps that's their trick)?
I was certain we were getting away from movies that lived or died on spectacle alone. The success of this movie has left me to believe otherwise.

2/5

Poster image courtesy: www.badassdigest.com

Fast and Furious 6

I was super-psyched to see Fast and Furious 6 after seeing it's predecessor on DVD. The clip which encouraged me to see Fast 5 in the first place was that of Paul Walker and Vin Diesel surfing a car off a ravine - WOW!

The original Fast and the Furious had ripped off a favourite of mine. Replacing extreme sports with fast cars, the film was almost a scene for scene remake of Point Break. After passing on three of it's sequels, Fast 5 pulled me back in. Director Justin Lin (who has been with the series since Tokyo Drift) pulled out all the stops with this entry - improving upon what had come before, while successfully hitting upon a formula for the series which worked beyond mere plagiarism.

The car-surfing sequence stood out because it looked like the actors were doing the stunt themselves. Many believe anything can be accomplished in this age of digital effects, but this learned eye can still tell. If I have to ask myself, "how did they do that?" (as I did in Fast 5), then the film-makers have successfully done their job!

Fast 5 also utilised the full series cast - bringing in players form the original and each subsequent sequel. Added to the mix for the fifth entry was Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, as the FBI agent assigned to hunt down Toretto and his gang.

The intention with most sequels is to go bigger and better. Lin and his crew lean towards this but wisely stick to the formula created with their fifth entry. Fast 6 comes very close to it's predecessor (in terms of greatness), but requires it's audience to suspend their disbelief that little bit further.

Fast and Furious 6 is hugely entertaining! In fact seeing this feature at the cinema made it even more enjoyable. This series plays like the adolescent nephew to "Bond". A crowd-pleaser that ticks all the right boxes - and fully engages it's audience just short of rapturous applause!

The influx of characters has certainly helped this series, however there's no one who really pops in Fast 6. Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson have charisma to spare, but rarely do they punch above their stoic shells. Tyrese Gibson and Chris "Ludicris" Bridges provide the laughs and show some growth as a humorous double-act.

Fast 6 places Johnsons FBI team and Torettos gang in bed together, rather than at logger-heads. It's a fun conceit which we all saw coming - but it works!

Both teams face military-trained Shaw (Luke Evans) and his gang. A comedic highlight sees Gibsons, Roman compare the heros to the villains. The two teams show an uncanny resemblance to one another!

The action takes place in London this time (save for a brief return trip to LA for Paul Walkers, Brian). Just as it works for the Bond series, the changing locals keep things fresh and visually exciting. They make a concerted effort here to utilise the more popular land marks - it's not everyday you see a couple of souped-up cars race through Piccadilly Circus!

With it's chief ensemble in place, this series can run and run. Players can come and go, as new heros and villains are inducted. The Fast and Furious audience will eat it up, so long as there's a considerable amount of spectacle on display! No doubt they'll continue to tick those boxes - here's hoping they keep the ridiculousness of the series on the right side of WOW!

3/5

Poster image courtesy: www.empireonline.com

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Well we knew this was going to be good didn't we!

Despite the televised saturation of trailers and clips (months in advance, I might add). Star Trek: Into Darkness managed to maintain a level of secrecy unlike most other marquee releases (Iron Man 3 did a pretty good job incidentally).

With four features to his name, J.J. Abrams has risen to the lofty echelons of top-tier directors. Hence forth he will no longer need an established franchise to pull in an audience. Comparisons to Spielberg are not unjustified (see Super 8 for an obvious homage to the man). There I was thinking M. Night Shyamalan had inherited the throne - but then The Happening, happened (finish your Unbreakable trilogy already)! With Abrams being offered episode VII of the new Star Wars trilogy (a no-brainer), it would appear he's followed the likes of Spielberg and co in to both critical and commercial success - the Hollywood holy grail!

With the first Star Trek, Abrams achieved the neat trick of starting over without truly doing so. Using time travel devices, he set the crew of the Enterprise on a different path - by way of the villainous Romulans.

His young cast pulled off the unthinkable (how do you recast Kirk and Spock?) - and the success of the film meant that fans old and new had embraced Abrams exciting new take on the franchise.

This new entry begins half way through a new adventure, as Kirk and co intervene in the life-cycle of a primitive alien species. Doing their up-most to remain unseen, the crew of the Enterprise eventually have to expose themselves in order to rescue one of their own. By potentially altering yet another timeline, Kirk has favoured the good of the few over the good of the many - or more appropriately, the good of the mission.

This conundrum is something Kirk faces time and again throughout Into Darkness. As a result of his unwillingness to subscribe to Starfleet values, Kirk is severely reprimanded. That is until all hell breaks loose!

Back on Earth (a fabulously conceived London of the future) the archival centre for Starfleet is bombed, in an apparent terrorist attack. The perpetrator is caught on camera (Benedict Cumberbatch) and an effort is made by the superiors of Starfleet to bring the man to justice. This plan is somewhat scuppered by the villains intimate knowledge of Starfleet. More attacks occur, leaving many dead. Kirk is personally affected and volunteers to capture the man responsible.

Cumberbatch plays a terrific foe. All steely eyed and clinical - in both physicality and intellect. Like any fanatic, he has his reasons. His only concerns are that of himself and his people - much like Kirk (the good of the few once again coming in to play)!

Kirk and his crew come to learn more about Cumberbatchs' vindictive villain, and consequently his motivations. Cumberbatch sees Starfleet as a threat to his and his own - and plays on Kirks anti-establishment stance.

Throughout Into Darkness J.J. and his crew offer up some compelling motivations and moralistic conundrums for Kirk and company. As with every Abrams feature thus far, there is more for the audience to chew over than mere visuals, stunning as they are!

Into Darkness is a fantastic follow-up to Abrams first Trek feature. There is a thrilling sense of nostalgia to Into Darkness - more so that the first. As the Enterprise continues on it's new trajectory, there's not just new adventures to engage in, but strangely familiar ones too!

Hats off to J.J. and his crew for once again displaying deep affection for what's come before, without boring audiences with a sense of deja vu!

4/5

Poster image courtesy: http://paulshipperstudio.com/
Many of you will know the works of Drew Struzan - the incredibly popular poster artist, who's since retired. Paul shipper and Mike Butkus share a similar talent and approach their works in much the same way. It may be an old-school approach to (film) poster design but damn, if it doesn't draw you in!!
See also: review of Django Unchained (poster by Mike Butkus) http://alexsmith365.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/django-unchained.html