Yet another place for Pandorina

Movie: Dorian Grey (2009)

2010-10-24T17:57:00.000-07:00

Oscar Wilde's tale of reckless debauchery cloaked in eternal youth has been adapted into a modern feast for the eyes in Oliver Parker's new movie: Dorian Grey.

In this 2009 film the young and beautiful Dorian returns to Victorian London after his grand father dies and is given a special gift. A beautiful painted portrait by the celebrated artist and dear friend Basil Hallward. Upon viewing this painting for the first time he makes a wish to give anything to remain as he is in this portrait...even his soul. As he makes his societal debut he is led by the charismatic Lord Henry Wotton who guides him on the path of debauchery. The more cruel and libertine Dorian's life is led the uglier his portrait becomes yet he remains young and beautiful. After the death of his first love and the murder of his close friend Dorian escapes on a trip to experience the worlds pleasures. But A life of none but pleasure is not a life of happiness. The years wear on him till he wants freedom from it and absolution. Upon returning to London after 24 years his friends are astonished of his unchanged appearance. Trying to live a more honest life Dorian falls in love the Henry's daughter Emily but this does not help him escape fate. Though he planned on marrying Emily and moving to America he still had to face the truth of that painting and Henry which leads to his final destruction. So all that is left is the perfect portrait of a naive youth left in a forgotten attic.

When comparing the changes in story between the book The Portrait of Dorian Grey and the movie I have to say I agree with them. One huge change was with his love affair with Sibyl. He spots her in a gin shop then attends her play (Hamlet instead of Romeo and Juliet... she plays Ophelia). I like that he went to meet her on his own instead of led by Henry to the play house. I like that he had the chance to lead an honorable life with a sweet romance but threw it away not because of her inability to act now that she found love but instead it is because his posh friends disapproved of the match and Henry took him to an opium den/whore house where he was convinced her flesh was easily replaced. I like it better that Henry ruined the relationship instead of just Dorian being an ass.

Another change I was happy to see was his relationship with Basil. It is only hinted at in the book. On screen we enjoy a bit of boy on boy fan service. (thank you Ben for kissing men) I think it adds to the drama of his eventual murder and coldness of the final point of no return in the character's decent into hedonism.

I am glad he added the trip abroad. It fixes a problem I had with the original story. Why wouldn't people see a problem with a man who doesn't age before them in 18 years right in front of their face. Dorian's trip and return really hammered home something weird is going on here. In the original story everyone kind of accepts it as it is. With this trip now people start to wonder. Henry actually confronts Dorian on the point and this becomes a bone of contention in the climax.

I also thought that the addition of Emily as a love interest was genious. Originally Dorian ,as a mark of his pentance, refuses to marr Hetty the daughter of a vicar. It seemed a little out of place in the book when I first read it but it helped to drive home that he is trying to change. But for the daughter of the man to lead him on the path of destruction to end up being his savior was poignant. I feel he was saved by his Love for her so he could finally face his faults even though it would lead to his demise.

Other changes were the almost removal of Alan Campbell and the total removal Lord Fermor both of whom weren't missed.

I must say the acting is superb. Ben really captures the innocence and naivete of the Young fresh faced Dorian as he sees London and experiences high society life for the first time. As he experiences each new "sin" Ben's eye grow colder his posture more sure and his language more sharp. In his more titillating scenes he is gorgeous to behold. But the scene that really sold it for me was opposite Ben Chaplin as Basil Hallward. When before he reveals what has become of his portrait. His feigned innocence and friendship turned narcissistic madness is so well played. I know many critics say he didn't have the chops for this drama but I disagree. I think his subtlety adds to the character and makes sense for the time period. Well done pretty Ben. Well done.

Colin also turns in a masterful performance as Lord Henry. His laid back devil pulling the strings attitude plays well off Dorian. Henry the great manipulator. He can preach it but never had the guts to do it himself. Colin plays him gleefully living vicariously through this young man, jealous of him the whole time. I think he is the heart of this movie. Its cold, twisted heart. With out his debonair delivery of such egregious acts we would not have been convinced of Henry leading Dorian astray. Dorian's decent would not have been believable without Colin's Henry.

Finally I must address the look and visual effects of the film. How do I begin. First off Costuming did a wonderful job of differentiating between 1890's and 1910's Victorian Fashions. Things changed rather quickly at that time. (You can thank Coco Chanel for that). I think they did a good job of weaving the story into the clothes. When we first see Dorian he looks put together but a little shabby. He is not in the latest greatest most expensive tailored suits. He doesn't have the polish and shine but he is dressed youthful and brightly. By the end he is in impeccably tailored jackets made of the finest brocades and velvets but they are dark and foreboding and almost vicious. This visual change is also reflected in the lighting. They really ramped up the mood and emotion in the scenes by the way the lit them. You would think that something so subtle could go unnoticed but it was done so well I had to say something. Things seemed so much brighter at the start of the film then gradually the light was sucked out. Beautifully done. Cinematography and sets were exactly what I wanted to see. But the camera placement and usage were so much more dynamic then I expected. Finally the animation of the portrait was down right creepy. It is exactly what it should be. I loved it. From the eerie motions under the canvas to the final portrait come to life those scenes creeped me out. PERFECT.

So I proudly Pandy Approve this film. Perfect timing too. Halloween is only a week away.

Novel: Bullet - Anita Blake Vampire Hunter Series #19

2010-07-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

At long last Anita, Jean Claude and Richard have forged some peace then the worst happens. Mother Darkness decides to come and mess with it.

So this year Laurell has been especially kind in giving us 2 books for Anita. I am happy to have so much new stuff to read from my favorite series. But I do have my gripes. CAUTION SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

1. I am sick of summaries. Stop with the summarizing peoples full back stories and stuff that happened in old books. Make your audience go read the other books. It will make you more money and give your readers something more to read.

2. Repetitious Descriptions. Okay your details about what people are wearing and stuff is getting repetitive. Can you try a new approach to describing the guys or what Anita is wearing (though granted I think the description of Anita in the leather outfit was really good). I am tired of hearing you describe Asher and Richard the same every single book. Please someway new. There are millions of adjectives that mean simialar things... please use them. I am glad you decided to describe Jean Claude's eyes in a new way now how about the rest of him. Especially in the Erotic scenes. I think you have used the same discription of him about 4 times. I recently re read all the books except 3 and yes you are repeating yourself. Please try to stop it.

3. I don't believe Richard. After years of hating him for this 180 turn is kind of creepy. I am not settled on it. I would have accepted it if it wasn't smashed accross my face in the first 10 chapters. Hell in this book at all. Had he made an effort in this book then come full around in the next I would have accepted it. Right now I don't think he deserves it.

4. Poor Asher... why has it taken you so long to get Asher and Jean Claude together. That pissed me off. Great writting though. I was rivitted to my seat and could not be torn away from the book because of it so good on you... but come on... 19 books and it just now happens. Geez!

5. Is this Nathaniel... for some reason he feels out of character in this book. I love that Micah and Nathaniel are intimate (the kissing and no sodomy) but something about this book seemed off about him.

6. No Not Haven (Cookie Monster)... I liked Cookie Monster. Why didn't Anita like Cookie Monster? Especially now that Richard has straightened up, you have to have one guy acting crazy. I wasn't happy about how she killed him or how he turned out in the end. I didn't think he would try to kill one of her babies. Going after Nathaniel seemed a little out of character to me. I am not happy about his exit at all.

So with those issues addressed and out of the way let us get on to the reasons I love reading this book (I am rereading it too).

As I said in issue 4 the plot about Asher and his needs had me. Just had me. I could not put the book down until this thing was resolved. Every so often At least twice a book there comes a moment in the story where I am so involved with the reading of a plot point were I am in bliss. Laurell made me feel for Asher. When Micah realized what was going on my mouth was on the floor. I was just as shocked. I wanted to tell Jean Claude off. When you have that much history and love for the characters that you are physically and emotionally involved the writer has done her work well.
Warm up chapter. I love how she throws normal life in the opening chapter before drama starts is always a win with me. This time Anita goes to a Dance Recital. I have been in a few for 2 different companies so I know how they are. They take all day. Every class has a number. Normally kids take more than one class so you get to preform 1 - 10 or 11 times during the course of the day. (at mine) I had Jazz 3, Ballet 3, Lyrical Jazz 2, Hip Hop 2, Tap 2, Modern Dance, Adult Jazz (aka Jazz 5), and Pairs. Plus you could also perform for a Choreography student if they choose you. So one season I was in 11. I had to stay all day and night sense the choreography students were all after 8. Well knowing that I think Laurell is pretty good at writing about it. I think she has improved her Dance writing in general. Still has room for improvement. If she would add words about the contraction, extension, flexing, bending, and arching I think she would improve greatly. But I must say I loved reading those first few chapter.
I LOVE DEV!!! Oh I can't wait to learn more about Dev or should I say Mephistopheles. He has the beginnings of a lovely character. I really wish he showed up earlier in the book. I hope he has an important roll in the next book. I cannot stress enough how much I adore this new character.
It was nice to read about Anita's new house (cave) life. It has been a while sense she moved in to the Circus of the Damned and gave up her house. I really liked her house. I was hoping at one point to read about her going down to visit Damian's room for some Vampire Servant Maintenance.
Well you know a story is only as good as its antagonist. Well welcome back the Mother of All Darkness. Now she has gone corporal. Its a good piece of writting and completely unexpected. Just because she came back the whole of the story has changed. Now what Jean Claude swore would never happen he is doing. For everyone's safety he has got to gain enough power to make a new vampire counsel to make this country safe. Will he? Won't he? We'll have to find out.

In summery, this is a really good book. Especially if you are familiar with the previous books. I wouldn't give it to an Anita newbie. I would start them off with Circus of the Damned. Never with anything past Obsidian Butterfly. I loved it. I am rereading it. I will probably read it again. There is more that I liked about it. But This review is long enough. Suffice it to say this book is Pandy Approved.

DVD Film: X-Men Origins: Wolverine

2009-12-02T05:51:00.000-08:00

Let the Hugh Jackman Lovefest BEGIN. This movie would not have been made without him. To bad the story lacks and the director is a bit strange. Though it looks great this origin story of one of my favorite Marvel characters of all time entertained me but left me questioning.

X-men Origins: Wolverine is exactly what it says. Wolvie's backstory before he joins the X-men. Along with his origins they give us Cyclops's too. (which is really weird) It is an action packed blockbuster style film full of visual effects, sweeping vistas, comic book mutant powers and quippy one liners. Pacing is a little funny but we'll get into that later.

Story
I have lots of problems here. being that I love Wolvie, Sabertooth, Gambit and Deadpool this movie hurts my feelings. Many of us long time (20 years) X-men Fans never wanted Wolvie and Sabey to be brothers. In cannon they ARE NOT!!! But for movie convenience I can accept it. Deadpool was in the Weapon X program and got messed with genetically and was scarred horribly but the addition of mutant powers... a little over the top but for the sake of the movie to a point I can accept it (katana's in arms, optic blasts, adamantium skeleton and teleporting I wish I could erase - he can keep the healing factor) But Gambit without a Cajun accent. COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. I don't like him so old in this movie. He's supposed to be Ororo's (Storm) age. I don't think it is the actors fault. I think the writting and direction were the problem there. This story has a lot of unnecessary killing. The character of Stryker is completely messed up in my opinion. Having Emma Frost in this is also silly. HER POWERS ARE TELEPATHY that diamond skin is a side effect (read a comic, dang it). Why aren't we seeing more of Wolverine's story. Honestly. It seems more like the Weapon X Program's story. With so much to pull from I am disappointed. I miss his 2 years of feral life living in the woods with wolves. I miss his stint with alpha flight, I miss his first love getting killed. (long before Silver Fox) I miss alot. Well there is no fixing it now...

Acting
Well they actually have many good actors in this movie sadly the director Gavin Hood robbed them of the chance to make this film glorious. PS there are spoilers in this... the DVD has been out for months so there is no excuse.

Hugh Jackman - is awesome. He is awesome and will always be awesome. He has Wolverine down so perfectly I can't see anyone else play him. He doesn't dissappoint in this. From that perfectly sculpted physique to the "bub" quoting, ciggy smoking, biker to the killer stunt and fighting sequences, He gave it to us. The look, the emotion it was all there. I can't complain at him. He did no wrong in this one.

Liev Schreiber - He makes a real good Sabertooth (Victor Creed). I really enjoyed his performance. His physicality with the character really impressed me. He felt like Sabertooth. He didn't really look like him but that's not really his responsiblity... the character designer, make up designer and costumer is at fault for that. And the director for adding powers (the teeth and claws extending when he is "excited") I was not to happy with the repetitive use of him on all fours. I think it would have had greater impact if they used it less. But Liev when playing against other actors shines. His scene with Chris Bradly at the carny is beautifully played by both... wish we could have had more of that.

Will.i.am - His acting debut. He did well as Wraith. I am not too familiar with his character but He played it in a likable kind of bad ass that you could see why he was in the Weapon X program. I liked that he was Wolvie's friend. Nothing to complain about here.

Lynn Collins - She is what I always imagined Silver fox to be. She has this earthy beauty that plays so well opposite Hugh. I think she did well. I miss that Silver Fox used to kick butt. I can accept that for this story she doesn't. I stucks that she dies. It does... I liked her character in the books and Sabertooth Killed her in Cannon.

Taylor Kitsch - Looks like Gambit. Moves like Gambit. Why doesn't he sound like Gambit? And why doesn't he have Gambit's intellegence or Cajun charm?... There is only one line he has that is dead on Gambit and that is when he saves Wolvie from debris at the end an says "You miss me?" Taylor is cute. He is hella cute and is kinda what I want Gambit to look like. He fights well as Gambit too. Throwing cards and working the bo staff very well. He suffers from lack of writing and direction. Gavin should have had him speaking with a Cajun accent... That is one of the big things about Remy. He is french Cajun. He needs to sound like it. Since we aren't gonna get much more story about him, the actor has got to bring his history into the performance. Hopefully if they do another X-men film and he's in it he'll have a better director and writter.

Ryan Reynolds - PERFECT!!! Absolutly PERFECT. He is the best thing in this movie next to Hugh. He IS Wade Wilson (Deadpool before his change). And the stunt man they have to play Deadpool Scott Adkins is freaking awesome. You have to see his 10 minutes of film. It is sooo worth it. I hope they do another film with him in it. I want more of the Merc with a Mouth.

Kevin Durand - OMG... I love this guy. He is in 4 scenes and I love him. He plays the Blob (Fred Dukes) and if you see the process he had to go through to play him you would respect the guy too. My god it took hours to get into this water cooled fat suit+make-up and he had to stay in it for 12 hours then the whole process of getting out of it... WOW. I think he did a good turn as Blob. He took 2 lines and gave you his character.You got it and understood him...on the delivery of 2 LINES... I hope he isn't dead in the series sense they love killing good characters here. I would love to see him come back.

Dominic Monaghan - as Bradley must be mentioned because his scene with Liev is soo good. He is such a wonderful actor and to have him in this movie surrounded by all of these big tough guys yet he pulls your sympathy is impressive. Such a waste when you think about it. Such a good actor wasted on a throw away character. SUX.

Danny Houston is in this too as Stryker...not my favorite. I hate it actually. Generally your movie is as good as its antagonist. this one sucks. I would have liked Brian Cox to return to the role. If they can de-age Patrick Stewart they can de-age Brian. He would have been so much better. Not that Danny is a bad actor, just that I don't think he fits this part and I don't think the script was written well for it AND I don't think the director understands the character to direct it correctly.

Visuals
Overall I would say the visuals are stunning.

Locations - I am disappointed with the new design of Alkali Lake. I think they should have left it the way it was in X2. I really liked it and it made sense. They had too much now tech for me. I will also say that Strykers facility also technologically made no sense. The cinematography of the Canadian Log Cabin Gorgeous, the Farm lands pretty. I think the New Orlean's location was a little lost on me. I didn't believe it but that might be due to the action happening there and less with the location and set design.

Fight Scenes - The fight scenes between Sabretooth and Wolvie were well choreographed but a bit repetitive. I think they have the personalities down but they could have been less repetitive with the actual choreo it would have been better. The fight with Deadpool was awesome. I really enjoyed the teleporting on the top of the generator. Freaking awesome.

Character Design - Blob's design was ON POINT! I loved it. the fat suit is wonderfully made. Kevin is awesome in it. Deadpool looks awesome even if it is out of cannon. I think my problem with him is more his part in the story than the design of him. Sabretooth is a not bad. Liev "lives" in Sabey. But his design is not what i would have expected. I think it is more for production reasons they designed him the way he is. Gambit doesn't fly with me. I want his red on black eyes. I want his red velvet vest, tight slacks, and brown well fit trench. But I didn't get that. Taylor even looks kind of Gambit ish. Even worse was his lack of accent. I really hated his power signature. It just sucked. It could have been so much better. Wolvie looks awesome. No complaints here at all.

Special Effects - the explosions were awesome (especially the helicopter crash) but some of the wire work was way to far out of the realm of reality for me to even suspend my belief. Example: Zero Jumping over the fence and reloading his guns in the jungle... not probable.

Soundtrack
Meh. Nothing to write home about. Some score is tiresome but nothing happy or rapturous.

Bottom Line
I want to say Approved but the glaring problems say Resubmit and do it over again... with a better director and script writer. hopefully the sequal will be better. Especially is singer is at the helm.

Movie: The Watchmen

2009-03-06T00:21:00.000-08:00

Who Watches the Watchmen.

I DO!

At long last the critically acclaimed Limited Series turned Graphic Novel by Alan Moore is made into a blockbuster, stylized, motion picture triumph. I have waited for a movie like this and it delivered. True to story with only minor changes that are understandable for the change of time and medium. I don't think it will be the cutting edge change that I had originally hoped but it does nicely.

Synopsis

1985 alternate reality where caped crusaders do exist and are outlawed. We won the Vietnam war and Nixon is in his 5th term in office during the height of the USSR nuclear war crisis. Suddenly the government funded last mask standing, without a warrent out for his arrest, is murdered in his home in the middle of the night. Who is killing Masked Avengers? Rorschach is determined to find out. With the help of his retired comerades a tale mystery, mayhem, murder is uncovered and a plot for world destruction is unleashed.

Adaptation

I was impressed with how much they kept of the original story. I knew they really couldn't delve into the comic book with in the comic book story of Tales of the Black Freighter. The developed a separate direct to DVD motion comic or something. Its on itunes and such too. I think they pulled as many important characters as they could with the time and budget constraints. They also had to shorten the story for time constraints so a few scenes weren't filmed. Some of the narrative text was adapted into montages or background noise or set dressing. Which I thought was a good way of using it. I know they changed the end a little but personally I think it works for this medium. Film and multi volume comics are different. So somethings sometimes has to be changed to communicate the feelings or complete an expression. They did well in my book.

Visual

Wow... I must say WOW! it feels so much like the comics. The color palette, the cinematography, the set dressing, the camera placement... it is so well done. Such painstaking time went into adding all the visual layers to this story. (I can't wait to see the Blu ray behind the scenes on this). The movie is stunning. The only draw back for some I have heard is some of the costume designs on the hero versions of the characters like Spectra II and Owlman. I had no issue with the change but others did. It is different from the comics but similar in design if not execution. When placing a super hero costume on a real body sometimes you have to change it to make it look good instead of dorky. So I approve of the change.

Acting.

Normally I would do an actor by actor break down in this part of the review but everyone did so well It would be kind of strange having 8 paragraphs of nothing but praise. So I will say this. This ensemble was well put together, well directed and successful in their effort. Some didn't like Billy Crudup as Dr. Manhattan. He was a little too emotional for them. I thought he kept all his emotion buried where he didn't realize he had bottled them. I enjoyed his interpretation. I must mention the wonders of Jackie Earle Haley because his turn at Rorshack is so awesome. He really pulled this film together. He was really the most impressive here. He was Rorshack down to his freckles.

Soundtrack

I had one complaint. The soundtrack is inconsistent. Some songs just didn't belong in this film and jarred my emotional experiences taking me out of the spell of the story. For the most part I love the songs they picked for the soundtrack and the score is pretty good on the whole its just that 2 or 3 scenes could have been better served with different music.

Concerns

Okay I have 2 complaints. The climactic sex scene was a little long. Its stopped the pace of the movie with a visible lag. 2 minutes shorter and I think we would have no lag. Some complaints I have heard was for Dr. Manhattans lack of clothing. Well he ran around naked in the books... them movie is rated R so why not remain true to the story and leave him nude. Americans are a bit to sensitive of the nude body. I had no issue with it.

Bottom line

THE best comic book movie this year. (sorry wolvie) I can't say it is the best action movie as Star Trek is my pic for that this year. But its is second in line. I think any comic book fan of a mature age (over 17) should take a look at it. It is violent and titillating but thought provoking which is why I like it. It pushes your view of reality to expand your consciousness. Not everyone is going to like it. And that is okay. PANDY APPROVED.

Movie: Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

2009-02-13T19:45:00.001-08:00

AT LONG LAST!!! The story of Lucian is put on film!!! I am so happy!

In all of the world of Underworld, Lucian is really my only reason for watching. His story is so touching. At last it has been told beautifully, powerfully and romantically. We now have his origin and it is a site to behold. Michael Sheen and Bill Nighy make this film. You simply cannot take your eyes off them.

Michael Sheen plays my favorite character, Lucian. The first of a new breed of Lycan born into slavery to protect the Vampires by day and toil for them by night. Michael really impressed me in the first film. They kind of left it hanging in the first film weather or not he died (I hope Lucian isn't dead... I really really hope). Michael's portrayal of a man who was born into bondage yet hoped for freedom is so touching. The Romance of Sonja and Lucian works so well because of his portral. His believeablitiy. He shines so bright in this film.

At any rate the vampires are not too convincing. I love Bill Nighy as an actor and they give him a few choice lines here but I don't think they really gave much to the vampires except for Rhona Mitra who plays Sonja. She did well, by the way. The Lycans got to be lycans, changing hunting fighting. But the vampires you forget they are vampires. They were entirly too human. There was no real otherworldy energies expressed or any blooddrinking in the whole bloody film... what is up with that. They are vampires. Someone should be biting something. (I personally would have liked to see Bill with a mistress drinking from her breast. )

Bottom line the film looks great and has a great love story and some pretty cool battle scenes otherwise kinda disappointing. Not as disappointing as Underworld 2 but there you have it. The only reason why I am approving it is because Michael Sheen is freeking awesome. Pandy Approved ~sort of~

Movie: Tyler Perry's The Family that Preys

2008-10-11T19:32:00.001-07:00

Tyler has done it again. Such a wonderful heartwarming film. Full of wisdom, heart, laughter and pain. He always writes as delicate balance of these emotions. I think in this film he has captured it better than any of his previous films. He has grown in to a well rounded writer, director, actor, entrepreneur. I am proud of him.

Cathy Bates as the reckless Charlotte really stole the show for me. He heartfelt portrayal of a woman with Alzheimers trying to keep her family and legacy from falling apart was tender and powerful. she brought a lot of heart to this film.

The family that preys is a little bit a departure from the rest of his movies. Its really a serious drama. Not much in the way of comedy in this. Overall the characters were well designed and fleshed out. The performances were good and the plot was entertaining. Bottom Line: Pandy Approves

Movie: The Duchess

2008-10-11T19:15:00.000-07:00

BBC Films has done it for me again. Not only are they home to some of my favorite Jane Austin Classics but they have delved into real life historical drama. I love BBC Films. They never disappoint me.

The Duchess is an awesome, romantic, dramatic, melancholy, entertaining and sweeping movie. I was glued to the screen. So much happened in such a short time. Not a bit of it was slow. The story was so true and compelling. I wanted to know and understand the Duchess of Devonshire more. This movie really did its job.

Acting
Keira Knightly plays our heroine Gorgiana Duchess of Devonshire. I have to say she is getting better as an actor. I didn't really like her for the longest time. She did fine in The Pirates of the Caribbean Series but I found her lacking in roles like Elizabeth Bennet (Pride & Prejudice) and Guinevere (King Arthur). This is the first movie I truly enjoyed her performance. I am glad that she has added depth to her character. In a particular scene where she hands her baby to a nurse her feelings are so evident in a gentle heartfelt way. Not over-the-top. Not Fake. But pure and palpable. I was so impressed. I think I have to go see Atonement now.

Ralph Fiennes plays her Duke with all the pomp and circumstance of the era. I was probably most impressed with his portrayal of a 18th century duke. So many don't quite understand the men from that time, especially the Gentlemen (land owners who don't work). They don't understand that there is more than just their quirky ways but that there is actually more. Yes he is shrewd and harsh, laking the ability to express or understand emotion but there is a reason for that. This doesn't mean there isn't any emotion in him or that he is purely motivated by his own selfish whims. And Ralph captured this beautifully.

I was surprised to find Hayley Atwell playing Lady Elizabeth Foster. I liked her performance in Mansfield Park 2008 but was disappointed in her direction. She embodied Bess. I was blown away by her portrayal of this abused woman thrust into this strange living situation with 2 people she adored. She expressed that strength, guilt, sensuality, and pain so well. Bess is a complicated character to portray and she pulled it off convincingly.

I will watch anything Dominic Cooper is in. He plays Charles Grey, the Duchess' lover. He is simply a beautiful man. His innocence and devotion work so well for Charles the lover. His passion and charisma work for Charles the Politician. I think he is perfect in this part. He made me want to know more about Charles. Awesome performance.

The Look

The costuming is fabulously done. The dresses of course were some of the most spectacular seen in a movie set in this time. They were historically accurate in their construction (which is highly important to me) The ladies were sewn in to them. I loved that they sowed that on film. Heck they showed all the proper undergarments as well. The men's costumes were equally as impressive. The Wigs were works of art, especially for the duchess herself (as she was the fashion plate of the time) Good Job Costume, hair and make-up department.

The locations where stunning. All shot in England in real life historical buildings and cites. They really filmed in Bathe. I was happy to see that familiar row of homes from other BBC films. The manner they chose for the Duke is immaculate. It was rightfully impressive. Set dressings were also well placed. The table services for breakfast or dinner at the dukes were traditional for time and look splendid. I was happy to see such detail added to this film. I was happy to see they didn't try to modernise any of this story. (as they did with P&P) Well Done set design, Cinematography and carpentry.

Bottom Line

The movie looks beautiful and is played beautifully. So Go See It. Pandy Approved.

Anime: Antique Bakery

2008-10-05T13:25:00.000-07:00

And so, Today I decided to watch Antique Bakery. a shounen-ai anime subbed byBB. I have been interested in reading the Manga for a while but sense I have today off and the anime has yet to be picked up by an American licensor Fansubs hurrah!

Antique Bakery is the story of 4 Men running a western style Patisserie in Japan. Tachibana is the eccentric big boob loving owner. Chikage is Tachibana's bubbling childhood friend and bodygaurd(explaination to follow). Ono is the demon cursed gay head patissier (who can make almost any man fall in live with him , gay or straight) and Kanda is the assistant baker in training who was a former lightweight boxing superstar. With such an interesting cast of main character's who can resist?

I love this series from the first 3 minutes. I guess you can say the opening theme sequence won me over. It is super cute with a model (doll house) of the bakery and little cut outs of the main characters with the song "Life goes on ~side k~" by CHEMISTRY. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT.

But speaking seriously, the animation is beautifully done. they make the cakes and dishes look beautiful. the bakgrounds are 3d enviornments. Thankfully they are consistant with the look because the 2d animated figures don't lok out of place which normally happens when the backgrounds are rendered in this way.

The voice acting is on point. Leading the cast is the voice of Ono, Shinichiro Miki whom i know from such animes as Ceres, Vampire Princess Miyu and Weib Kreuz. He really stood out to me. there is a delicacy to his voice that comes across perfectly in those tender moments. Miki-san is seconded by Eiji Hanawa , the voice of Chikage. Hanawa-san is pretty new to the game. The only other 2 nime's I have heard him in were Deathnote and Naruto and he was a supporting character in each. I was impressed with Him though. I hope to hear more from him in the future. Keiji Fujiwara is wonderful as Tachibana. He has been in so many anime's i don't even know where to start. And last but not least Mamoru Miyano playing Kanda. Best known for playing Light in Death Note this uo and coming actor is perfect for this role. He's so bloody Cute!!!! he will certainly leave his mark in the anime world.

Overall the show is fabulous. It makes me want to read the manga. I also found out there is a live action version that I must find and download. at any rate PANDY APPROVED. go out and see it!

＜ノイタミナ＞西洋骨董洋菓子店〜アンティーク〜 - フジテレビ

Movie: The Dark Knight

2008-07-18T00:35:00.000-07:00

On a full moon night the patrons of AMC theatre Cobb Parkway assembled to partake of Christopher Nolan's latest addition to Batman lore. I bring you. THE DARK KNIGHT,A frantic, unexpected and even darker tale than its predecessor Batman Begins.

I was riveted to my seat and completely enthralled by the intelligent writing of this complex story. Christopher explored parts of the human condition and kept us entertained. He made good use of technology both in and on this film. He gave us more. A lot more.

Acting
Christian Bale never ceases to amaze me. There are moments of sweet tenderness and cocky bravado all rolled up with this intense action subject. I love what he brings to Bruce and Batman. The interplay with Alfred, the romance with Rachel, the challenge of Joker, and the rivalry (with respect) of Harvey Dent were all handled with the utmost care and creativity. I am looking forward to seeing him reprise this role again. I hope he stays Batman as long as possible. He has been a wonderful asset in transforming this franchise once again.

Heath Ledger... what can I say that hasn't been said already. His performance was inspired, haunting, riveting, and unforgettable. I loved his turn at the Batman's arch nemesis: the Joker. Completely reinventing this iconic character by adding intelligent insanity, grounding depth and manacle creativity to the role. I wish I could see him further explore this character. The only person that comes to mind that could ever try to fill his shoes and not be shunned by it would be Johnny Depp. ( who always wanted to see a the Joker) It brings a triumphant close to a life gone too soon.

Aaron Eckhart was an amazing Harvey Dent. He played this role to its best. Subtly in acting is always recognised especially in these blockbuster "comic book" or "super hero" movies. But Aaron made use of it in the best possible way. The journey this character goes on to the creation of Two Face is eloquent, tasteful, gentle in its laying of groundwork. Then when the plot called for it BAM the Villain we all wanted to see but hoped wasn't there arrives in full force with believability and emotional gravity that suck us in to the climatic battle of wills. Masterfully done Aaron. You had me at your first coin toss.

Maggie Gyllenhaal has made me forget poor Katie Holmes. (not that I hated Katie's performance) Its just that Maggies was so much more. The role felt expanded and Maggie filled it full of such life and believability that I was blown away. The agony of choosing between a beloved childhood first love and the current love of her life was so evident and elegantly played. She brought a tender strength that was soo convincing and so enchanting that Katie sadly had no chance... sorry.

Now for the most important supporting roles that this movie could not do with out. Michael Caine, The best darn Alfred even put on film has stolen the show once again. He out shined Christian in their scenes. He brings this wonderful aura with him when he plays these roles. It is just genius.

Morgan Freeman as Lucious. Without him this movies believability plummets to almost nothing. Morgan plus Michael create this grounding backbone in the cast that allows this story to truly soar. Lucious is a genious device to bring that realism in creatively and brilliantly. Morgan is one of the most fabulous actors on the planet and he shines in this relatively small role. He still makes an impression. He so elegantly supports the cast. He is perfection.

And lastly Gary Oldman as Gordon. This man becomes his roles and breaths life into them unlike any other actor of this age. Gordon is played with so much realism that I could see him in Law and Order easy. In his triumph and his failure his emotions ring true. I look forward to seeing him develop this character further.

Story - I am not going into it but it is Brilliant!

Visuals - Everything we hoped for and more!

Bottom Line - PANDY APPROVED.
Go see it tonight even if you saw it already. Titanic can't stay at the top forever. For the Geek in all of us Put us back on the top!

TV movie: Mansfield Park (1983)

2008-02-17T12:15:00.000-08:00

Currently my favorite adaptation of one of Jane Austen's literary masterpieces.

Beautiful locations, gorgious period costumes, proper english manners, and fabulous performances litter this production with perfection. It is actually one of the first Jane Austen productions I ever saw. I do concede that there are a few strange issues but it is such a heart warming, satisfying rendition that it seems wrong to complain about it.

This is a 6 hour miniseries first aired in 1983 on BBC. The first bit a praise I must bestow on this is for the length. I love the fact they took their time to really tell the story. Character development was carefully exacted. The beauty of Jane Austen novels is in the relationships between the characters. They had the time to really explore each character properly.

It's production value on the other hand is drastically low in comparison with some of the current miniseries. They sacrificed set dressing for story telling and I can't disagree with it.

When all is said and done I really enjoyed this series. Some may find it slow and old but give it a chance. If you take the time to understand the characters this series is really satisfying Pandy Approved.

Movies: Mansfield Park (1999)

2008-02-16T11:10:00.000-08:00

One of Jane Austen's Literary Masterpieces poorly adapted to the silver screen.

Well of course that is my own personal observation but suffice it to day it is still true. Many Jane Austen enthusiasts agree that when a director/writer doesn't like the main character of a story nor the main plot of the story and thus changes it by adding modern sensibilities, emphasizing plotlines and social commentaries on the time it is set in that have nothing to do with the story itself and grafting a dash of the original work's author's personal traits (from letters I might add) the director/writer should look for a different project and leave the original work alone. It would have been nice... but it isn't.

Shall we begin with the story itself? Number one, Mansfield Park is the story of Fanny Price and how she affected the people around her in the grand house of Mansfield Park. It is not a social commentary on slavery. It is not a sex comedy.

In the book Fanny is a shy but steadfast girl who was treated poorly by her aunts and neglected by all but one cousin, she didn't complain or fuss about it. She lived with it and did her best to become indispensable to the family who kindly took her in. In the movie she is not shy; she is a bit brash and opinionated. In the movie you do not see what pains she took to care for her aunt, Lady Bertram. In one scene she administers Lady Bertram's medicine but nothing else. In the movie Mrs. Norris makes her feel lesser but you do not see how she used her as a gopher and abused her verbally all the time. I think this diminishes the strength of Fanny, for her to be able to work in this and still do it with a smile. In the movie Fanny is more like Jane Austin herself, a wonderful writer who can flirt and speaks with wit and charm. This in not how Jane intended Fanny to be. She is a shy girl who loves knowledge & nature and is generally willing to help where ever she is needed.

In the book Sir Bertram was a steadfast religious man who wanted to be kind to Fanny. He was a cautious man and cared for his family deeply. When his son, Tom, had fallen in with a bad crowd and was racking up horrible debts Sir Bertram took him to his plantation in the East Indies in the hopes of saving him and his pocketbook. When he gave Fanny a ball it wasn't to marry her off but to treat her as his daughter with a proper coming out. So she and her brother William could dance together. You see his children went to balls and dinners but Fanny always stayed behind to tend to Lady Bertram. It was supposed to be a kind gesture. In the movie Sir Bertram is a lecherous, bigoted, rapist who regrets taking Fanny in and tries to marry her off in this ball. He becomes a truly detestable creature.

In the book Mary and Henry Crawford are as much the same in the Movie save one element. Henry in the Movie seems more enamored of Fanny than in the book. Fanny and her cousins were mealy conquests to Henry but because Fanny resisted he pursued harder after her. In the movie he really did seem like he was in love with her and Fanny actually reciprocated in one scene. (Much to my dismay) In the book, however, Fanny never succumbs to his ministrations which, in my opinion, make her a stronger character.

The perfomers weren't bad at all. I think the more steller performances were by Embeth Davidtz and Alessandro Nivola who played Mary and Henry Crawford (the two parts with the least amount of deviance) They were truely memorable. If the rest of the story were in line with them this movie would have swept the academy. But as it wasn't much is the loss.

The costumes and cinematography were right on point. The gowns and suits were perfectly period. The choreography of the Ball dance was adequate. The only thing out of period was the absence of proper curtsy and bows when entering and leaving company. Oh but one critique on the location...Kirby Hall is bereft of wall hangings in the sitting room and hall... How can an English Knighted Baron have naked walls??? Is he really poor and we are just tricked in to believing he has money... Heck they never really show how large his estate and township really is. (I could go on but I am not)

Bottom line: purely from a writting standpoint it sucks as an adaptation. If they called this some other movie and changed the names then left Jane Austen out of it the movie may have been okay but for me - Resubmit. Fix the characters back to what they were intended to be, remove the crap you added, and remember to hire a 1780's to 1820's English manners coach.

Anime: Ai no Kusabi ~ The space between

2008-02-12T17:50:00.000-08:00

It is an amazing feat to create a Yaoi Anime with a brilliant sci-fi story. Ai no Kusabi is that title.

I like Yaoi about as much as the next Otaku fangirl. Knowing that most of the titles are mear set ups for down and dirty seme/uke legs flying everywhere action. (example: Level C, Okane ga Nai ~no money~) every so often you get some kind of plot or romance (example: Kizuna, Haru wo Daiteita) But a full sci-fi plot, romance, social structuring, and angst to boot is hard to find.

The story is about the planet Amoi and its capital city, Tanagura. The city is run by a computer called Jupiter. Jupiter employs the fair haired elite men of the society genetically breeding them to be taller and stronger than the dark haired, tanned skinned mongrals of the street. Women are few in number due to Jupiter's breeding control. In this society the blondies keep pets to pamper and perform sex play with other pets for entertainment as it is forbidden for the elite to touch those of lower class. But the head elite blondie Iason breaks this rule by keeping his mongral pet, Riki, and even having sex with him (or so the rumors say). Riki is bound to Iason to pay back a debt for saving him from imprisonment. When given his freedom (after 3 years) Riki's loyaltys are torn between the gang he grew up in and the Master who tamed him.

I must say for anime smut the animation was steller, never mind the fact it was made in 1992. Normally this stuff look terrible (see: sensitive pornograph ~very poorly animated~ but then anything the pornograph in the name has to suck). The design of the glyder bikes and hover cars was phenominal. all the sci-fi geeky stuff was well payed attention to. From the cell phones to pocket knives, I was truely impressed. The acting quality of the character animation was well done. Small gestures that say alot can go a far way in telling story. The animators firmly grasped this belief.

The story and character development was well thought out. This was orignally a 3 volume novel, not a manga. So to rewrite this for 2 one hour OVA's had to be tough. The character development suffered a little because it took a number of flashbacks in the second hour to truely understand Riki's feelings for Iason and Guy. I liked that in this even though the women are few not all the men are gay. It is refreshing to see that. And the men are men. They aren't acting like women (if you ever see Okane ga Nai you will understand what I am talking about.) It was also nice to see that most of the story... was story. Sex didn't play such a huge role as to take over the film. It was kind of just a bit of dressing to add to the character development.

The seiyu were awesome. I was suprised to here Genjo Sanzo's voice come out of Riki at first but he did such a good job that I only heard Riki throughout the whole program. There are times when voice actors distract me by reminding me of other projects they worked on but I am happy to hear different on something so low budget.

Bottom line: If you are a Japanese Animation fan who likes boy on boy action, this is the title for you. PANDY APPROVED!

TV movie: Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story

2008-02-09T14:48:00.000-08:00

At long last ANNE AND GILBERT GOT MARRIED!!!

But other than that I must say I am disappointed in this third installment of the story of the little red haired orphen who grew up and changed the lives of all she knew.

I don't blame the actors at all. They probably had no idea what they were getting into. I think it was an awesome idea to tell more of the story but the fact that they told a story so far out of the realm of what Lucy Maud Montgomery was trying to convey with her characters that I wish I never saw it. It marred my memory of the wonderful story I have watched for the last 20 years. I would have loved to see some of the other volumes of Lucy's original series come to life with all of its quarks, beauty and comedy. This movie just doesn't compare.

What I hate the most is the huge leap in time. My understanding (from the books) is that most of Anne's adventures happen before the turn of the century. There is just no way that Gilbert and Fred fought in WW1. I thought some of her sons fought in WW1. Looking at it from a visual stand point going from horse drawn carriages to Roles Royce's is quite jarring. I mean she worked in the only school with a telephone. Now she has one in her home?!? The little town went from small a quaint to 3 and 4 story tall brick buildings... in 5 years?!? This is just ridiculous.

I am not happy with the change in Diana, she was played as well as can be expected by Schuyler Grant, who is a beautiful as ever. But the writting is so aweful. She became a snob. This gentle and smart woman turned in to this horrible thing wanting to take over the wedding... I was frusterated...

Not happy with the distance between Gil and Anne for such a long chunk of the movie. Megan Follows and Jonathan Crombie (who is still hot as hell) did wonderfully with what they were given. I mean, their performance alone almost made up for the horrible story but I couldn't get over it. I was expecting to see that old word lashings between them. You know the cute fighting they do when his kidding gets her temper flared. I wanted to see more of their romance. More of their married life together. The loss of the their first child and the hope regained in theire other children. I wanted to see their life in their first cottage. I completely feel jipped.

Green Gables. OH LAWD, WHY. There was just no reason to go and have it get runned down in this way. I know in the series Avonlea Marilla died but in the books she died long after the kids were married and had babies. Why didn't they just fast forward to the story of them starting out with a flash back of the wedding. They could use a few plates of Marrilla at the White Sands hotel for face shots and use a stand in for the back of her head. There was just no need to go there with this.

I feel bad for most of the main characters we knew and loved. Like Aunt Jo, who they killed. and poor Patricia Hamilton who plays Mrs Lynd was banished to a cameo appearance. I mean Miranda de Pencier and Zack Ward had more screen time as Josie Pye and Moody Spurgeon!!! Such an important character in both of the first movies and the Avonlea series reduced to one scene with what 2 lines. Not fair at all!!!

Now I here there will be a retelling of the original story in 2009. New cast same story retold directed and written by the same guy!!! Oh why!!!

Anyway. Costumes were nice, but from the wrong time. Sets were nice, again from the wrong time. Special effects I believe were unnecessary (they should have told a different story... it would have saved some money).

Bottom line... RESUBMIT!!! I can't abide by this nightmare!!!

Movie: Enchanted

2008-02-09T14:22:00.000-08:00

Disney finally learns to make fun of its self in a BIG way!

I was surprised by how much I liked it. Disney actually did a good job of making fun of itself yet respecting its classics. The music was awesome, written by Alan Menken.

Our lead Giselle, played by Amy Adams, was warm and sweet. She lit up the screen when she appeared. She really did step right out of a fairy tale. She delivered her lines, no matter how silly, with complete conviction and believablity. She really made the film outstanding.

Our Hero Prince Edward, played gloriously by James Marsden, added such comic timing one would not have expected. Everytime he was on the screen laugher followed. His singing voice is wonderful... so vibrant and colorful, he is perfect for this role. Going from Super Hero to 60 teen tv personality to fairytale prince has got to be amazing. I am impressed with James and hope to see more of him.

Giselle's rescuer Robert Philip, played masterfully by Patrick Dempsey, goes through such a gentle but complete transformation thoughtout this movie. I think if Patrick couldn't carry this the whole movie would have fallen apart. Amy, James, and Susan had such over the top roles. If Patrick's performance couldn't root them I think Disney would have had a fairy tale mess.

Susan Sarandon played our evil queen Narissa with perfection as she normally playes all of her roles. I think she was perfect for the role but didn't completely blow me away... but I will blame that on the writting. She doesn't really get any fabulous lines. That was my only disappointment.

The costume design was fab. The animation, both digital and hand drawn, were beautifully rendered. The whole art direction was great. I can't complain. I must say...I wish I could get a hold of the layered files for the opening and closing credits. Beautiful stuff.

So all in all, I find Enchanted... Enchanting. Pandy Approved.

Movie: 27 Dresses

2008-02-09T13:22:00.000-08:00

A lovely romantic comedy to start the year off right.

I adored this movie from start to finish. It is a sweet story that I want to watch again and again. With an engaging cast and fine costume design, I count this movie among the cute winners that many should watch and will enjoy.

Shall we begin with the cast? I think we must. This story wouldn't have been engaging without James Marsden. He really brought the believability and the cute into the role making him invaluable. I think it would have sucked without him. He plays the sweet yet cynical wedding column writer disillusioned by the romance of weddings desperately trying to write a compelling story to get out of that department. I found him cute. He makes such a beautiful romantic lead. It is nice to see him out of tights (X-Men) and kitch(Enchanted, Hairspray). I like him playing these cute romantic comedies and hope he plays more. Personally I think I am done watching Matthew McConaughey. He just doesn't do it for me anymore. James is a welcomed change. I know we will see more of him soon.

Our leading lady, Katherine Heigl, did well in my opinion. She wasn't annoying as I thought she might be. I found myself empathizing with her (the mark of a good actress). I am still not going to see her first leading character movie Knocked Up . It is just beyond offensive for my tastes. But I really liked her in this. She was a wonderful opposite for James. She portrayed this smart, creative, care taker who still believes her romantic day will come so in the mean time she will care for all those brides in her acquaintance in the way she would want to be cared for on her special day. (what a run on sentence).

The smart mouthed best friend, Judy Greer,played a role I had not seen from her before. She normally plays more of the nerd... now she is more of the fem-fatale, a truely welcomed change. I kind of like her this way and considering the masochistic quality of the lead character the more domineering best friend makes perfect sense. Good job writer!

The spoiled brat sister who took her man, Malin Akerman, did fine. Not too bad but there wasn't much to redeem her to begin with. I guess technically she would be the villain. She delivered the feeling of a sister who feels justified in doing what she does in a slightly dumb blonde sort of way. But go figure. Some one had to be the cause of all the calamity.

The original love interest, Edward Burns, was kind of forgettable. He did his job but is wasn't a steller performance. I guess after seeing such a strong ensemble film like Juno my expectations were to high for this movie.

The story was engaging and memorable. I really did connect to the main character and the state of her life. The acting was good enough to make me invest in each character enough to want to see the movie unfold. I was entertained. I left the theatre happy. I honestly will see it again before it is banished to DVD,

Bottom line: Pandy Approved.

Movie: Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married

2007-10-13T15:11:00.000-07:00

One part battle of the sexes, One part Jerry Springer, Four parts love, forgiveness, and reconciliation, All Tyler Perry genius.

A heart warming, soul stirring, and playful look into 4 married couples lives. I adored this movie. From start to finish. I want to go see it again tonight. It just so entertaining and so much fun and so much drama all rolled into one.

Direction
Brilliant. there really was only one scene that seemed a little unbelievable. Otherwise the joy, pain, worry, and strife in each characters performance was appropriate and realistic. One complaint... the end... It felt like I was left hanging a little bit. The punch of the previous emotional scene was lost on the last one. I think the resolution of the Mike & Sheila storyline should have ended the movie after the speech... not during. You will have to watch the movie to see what I mean by this.

Acting
I wasn't blown away by Janet Jackson's performance but she did a good job.

In my opinion Tyler Perry's performance was beautiful. You can feel the frustration while this man is doing all he can to express what he is feeling to his wife who just isn't listening. His pain and anger is heart felt and I applaud him.

My favorite character was Sheila, played by Jill Scott. She goes through hell and still comes out of it with her dignity intact. I think I identified with her most. Her pain I could understand. Jill stole the show for me. I do have a complaint about how she is written though. In the DVD play she took on allot of responsibility in the marriage that was not expressed in the Movie. Unlike the other ladies whom she went to collage with, her career was not revealed. We assume she was a stay home wife, but it actually remains a mystery. In the play she was a stay home mom of 4 who did books for the family business who lost her self in taking care of the family and work. In the play we understand why she is in the state that she is in. Not so with the movie. We aren't made to understand why she gained weight or if she was always large or what her role in the family dynamic was. I think this diminished the character a little but Jill still made me love the character anyway. I doubt someone else in the role would make me feel the same about it.

Tasha Smith, who plays Angela, is a trip. She is hilarious. But she is playing the role of a type of woman I see walking around Atlanta everyday. She may seem larger than life on screen but truth be told there are women exactly like this out there and I commend her for taking the role seriously and playing it the way it should be played. Good Going Girl!

The only character I think needed real work was Mike... played by Richard T Jones. He just wasn't there for me. I know there are men out there like Mike but Richard didn't make me understand why he was cruel to his wife. He just was. He seemed a bit to comical for me to take him seriously. Now in the play DVD Cordell Moore seemed to be more believable to me. And at some point the real reason behind his disdain for his wife was revealed. Not so in the Movie. I don't even know what his business is. We know what the 3 other couples were doing in the business world but Mike & Sheila weren't made clear. I think the only thing we know about this couple was that they were married, she is large, he is disgusted by it and tells her so, and he's cheating. I don't know much more than that. The other couples have a much more diverse history among them. I guess this point is actually more of a writing issue. But Unlike Jill, Richard didn't make me believe it in spite of the story issues.

Bottom line
Awesome movie. I will be seeing it again. You should watch the play at some point. And this movie is Pandy Approved.

Movie: Dragon War (D-War)

2007-09-18T11:46:00.000-07:00

Dragons, Militia, Explosions Oh My! A movie so terrible that its AWESOME!

Who would have thought a movie made in America by Koreans starring Americans would be an old fashioned Asian monster movie.

Story
Well the premise is actually pretty cool. Every 500 years a woman is born with the power to turn a mythical snake or Imoogi (a rather large dragon like snake) into a celestial dragon. A bad imoogi called Buraki wants the power for himself and if this happens all humans will die. 500 years ago he was foiled by the love of the woman and her protector but the good imoogi didn't receive the power either. In the present the reincarnated lovers meet again and try to right the wrongs of their previous life while trying to escape Buraki and his minions as they causes death and destruction in "LA" in the search for the couple.

Direction and Acting
Not impressive. The acting is non existent. People say lines devoid of emotion. Jason Behr plays the main character Ethan who is the reincarnated protector. He is really cute but he acts like Plank. Nothing shocks this boy. There is a bit of awe in a few scenes but jeez can he emote a little... In sharp contrast Amanda Brooks who plays Sarah the woman of power is over emotional or just reactive in most of the movie. She has no screen presence... she is a little cute but whatever. The man with all the answers Robert Forrester who plays Jack completely creeps me out. He is necessary for the story but he is soo creepy. All of the flash back acting to 500 years ago was perfectly okay. It is all the modern day mess that is really bad.

Visualization
Beautiful. The Armys of Buraki are gorgeous a la Lord of the Rings. The flashback costumes are gorgeous. The Imoogis are pretty beasties with personality. The shiny pretty show of powers are cool. The cinematography is a bit strange. They are supposed to be in Downtown LA, the burbs, the desert, and the valley. And they move between these places ALOT with no regard for actual geography. Here is an example: The Buraki's General starts calling forth the army in the middle of an antique shop in a dilapidated part of town. Naturally the big huge tank like beasties swell out of the building tearing it to pieces... When next we see them they are assembled in a cave in the valley poised to foil an ambush... Next they are fighting the US military in downtown LA (How did they get there so fast???)...Much later (toward the end actually) then they have erected this huge temple and alter in the middle of the desert... It makes no sense. Anyway. At least it is pretty.

Bottom Line:
I was completely entertained. It is the perfect movie to heckle. I loved it. I would watch it again and again. I think it could become an underground sensation if people go watch it with the Rocky Horror Mindset.

Pandy Approved.

Movie: Superbad

2007-09-09T14:53:00.000-07:00

The well told tale of a couple of nerdy high school kids out for a night of fun before graduation.

Now this is not my normal fare. I don't normally watch beer soaked wild high school sex comedies. It just isn't my thing. But one of my dearest friends wanted to see it and I wasn't going to refuse him... though I know he didn't know what it was about.

Now lets get the good stuff out of the way. It was funny... I can't deny there were many moments of complete hilarity in it. The two main characters are compelling and likable in their own way. They were completely believable high school seniors with separation anxiety about going to college.

Now for the bad... Foul language... way too much, Disgusting characterisations of women and their private parts... way too much, Underage drinking... way too much, penile illustrations...WAY TOO MUCH!!! (even though a few are pretty funny)

The story in itself (as I said earlier) has been told millions of times. So suffice it to say... I am sick of seeing it. Boys try to get girls by purchasing booze for their party - not my favorite premise. At least a few morals get into the story. Sex is not a good idea if both parties are drunk, Sex is not a good idea if one party is drunk, If you are going to have sex bring condom and spermicidal lube.

If you are like me... the movie was entertaining but not something I want to see again and not something that was worth plunking down the cost of a theatre ticket. The bottom line : RESUBMIT - cut out the junk bring in the funk and start again.

Anime: Highlander: the Search for Vengance

2007-09-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

The Highlander has conquered Theatres and Television. Now he conquers ANIME!!!

Colin McCleod makes his Japanese animated debut in the first of I hope many East Meets West collaborations.

For Anime there are 4 important aspects to look for: Story, Characterisation, Visuals and Direction. This one has all 4 wrapped in a pretty plastic disk to be watched repeatedly until the disk turns to dust.

Direction
I was particularly interested in this version not only for because I am a Highlander fan but because of its awesome director: Yoshiaki Kawajiri. The man who brought new life to Vampire Hunter D in Bloodlust, who treated Clamp's still unfinished work with grace in X the TV series, and who wrote and directed the most awesome anime movie Ninja Scroll. Kawajiri-san treats Highlander with much respect but still left his mark. You know this is one of his just by the pacing, the character designs, and the delicately choreographed action scenes. Being that this is his second American-Japanese collaboration he has learned more about telling a compelling story to an international audience.

Story
Based on the original movie from 20 years ago David Abramowtiz kept the heart of the story with the bulk of its power struggle details intact but remolded it into a stronger piece (with a bit of direction from Kawajiri-san) Colin loses his life and his wife to another immortal Marcus. For 2000 years Colin chased Marcus in search for vengeance for the loss of his tribe and most of all the woman he loved. We watch as he finally learns that a life bent on vengeance isn't living.

Characterization
Colin is solid. You understand him from the get go. You see his journey clearly. His female counterpart Dahlia is a truly interesting character. I had a vested interest in her from the moment she is introduced. The big baddy Marcus is also an interesting character. There is a decent into madness with his mesmerizing performance. The screen is never boring when he occupies it. His main minion Kyala is strong and beautiful but a little disappointing. I think her character development was sacrificed for the betterment of the rest of the film. She ended up being a kind of unimportant.

Visualization
Beautiful. down right beautiful... if you can get past the few scenes with computer generated backgrounds. Honestly the sliding mat paintings look better... The animation itself is well done. There aren't many physically impossible to see in reality scenes. They could have done this live action. Which I am happy about. There are some scenes that lend them selves to beautiful animation but the dynamic camera angles, the cinematography, and the mechanical design are theatrical quality in my book.

At any rate this awesome anime is definitely worth owning. My only warning is that this is full of sword fighting so there are gallons of blood. If you like Anime of course you will love it. If you like Highlander you will more than love it. So go ahead... Its Pandy Approved.

Music: D - Schwarzschild

2007-08-18T18:41:00.000-07:00

Asagi the Vampire has returned. How I have missed his vampy goodness. ~sqwee~

D's latest release has taken them back to their Gothic Vampire roots. Dark forboding lyrics matched with heavy guitars and theatrical vocals that later softens into a beautiful acoustic ballad.

It took 3 repetitions to really understand everything that was happening in the song. Lyrically it is about Blood Sucking Redemption. Love it. the Vampire king wants to attone for the sins of the vampire nation and be the "black shield" ~or schwarzschild~ to protect everyone. The more I listen the more I find to love in this song.

Promotional Video
The Look:
Distinctly gothic. Candlelight, plush blood red carpet, burning coffins, Asagi licking and caressing roses, Ruiza downtrodden playing his lonely guitar. Beautiful really.

The Concept:
The boys each play their respective instruments in a grey textured wall room with candles and antique paintings hang on the wall. They play together in a blaze of fire. Asagi sings while molesting roses and dying. Then he sings at the top of a staircase with his long cloak draped behind him flowing elegantly down this huge flight of stairs. Everybody gets together in paradise at the end.

Edit:
At the begining there was a lot of colorful victorian paintings being intercut with members playing their instruments. It was the most colorful thing D ever did. But it didn't make sense. There was a good amount of camera time for each member. I am normally empressed with that. This go round they seemed to show more Hiroki than before and less Hide-zou... I am wondering why. They repeated the Asagi on the stairs too many times though. I guess they didn't want to waste the shot.

The Single
Vocal:
Asagi wasn't impressive really. The only thing was that he was singing in english. His accent is a little problematic. The content of the lyrics were good but the execution in english was a little clumbsy. I think he needs a native english speeker to help him out. It was sung okay but the english is a little distracting. But if I ignore the english entirely and just listen to his beautiful voice I love the song.

Lead Guitar:
Ruiza was extremely memorable. He added this classic motif over the rock melody in his feature. The Hard rock to Accustic ballad transition was actually pretty smooth. He plays a pretty accustic guitar too. Ruiza has been impressing me with every new song. He is mastering new styles. This is no exception.

Second Guitar:
Hide-Zou has a few little parts of his own in the ensemble. I am completly impressed with his skill. Normally he is just supporting Ruiza, giving him a platform to branch out from. This song has him in a mini feature for a moment in between supporting Ruiza in various instances. Good work Hide-Zou.

Bass Guitar:
Tsunehito didn't stand out in this particular song. He was magnetic in the video. He gave a passionate performance. But his baselines seem to just support every this time. He really wasn't featured so I can't really evaluate him. Sorry princess.

Drums:
Hiroki got to play around on this one. I would love to see him play live actually. There are a few spots I am amazed how fast he plays. Plus his creative use of symbols. Lately I have been hearing over use of symbols in other drummers. Hiroki knows when to play them for all they are worth and when to save it. Good going Hiroki. PS He gives a magnetic performance in the video. There are points when he turns to camera that just gave me chills.

The B Side - Die letzte nacht
I actually like this song alot. It too is in the vain of bloodsucking redemption. So both songs marry well together. On the disk Die actually comes first. Like a prelude leading you into the main event if Schwarzschild. I think it was well managed.

Bottom Line:
It may not be D's most memorable song but It is generally well played and the video will live in our hearts for a long time. Pandy Approved.

If you would like to enjoy the Schwarzschild video please download it here.

sendspace

If you are so inclined to support D and purchase a copy of the single please do. They are an independant band. Completely independant. No support of a record company. So please give them your support.

■Special Limited Edition：PV「Schwarzschild」DVD
※tracklist
【CD】
・Die letzte nacht
・Schwarzschild
【DVD】
・Schwarzschild（PV）
GOD CHILD RECORDS / GCR-011 / ¥1,890(tax in)/ 2SongsCD+1SongDVD
http://www.hmv.co.jp/Product/detail/2581326
http://www.brand-x.jp/product/2175
http://www.puresound.co.jp/list_html/d.html
http://www.guruguru.co.jp/new/0708.php (scroll down)
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=DAKGCR-11

■Normal Edition - 「Schwarzschild」
※tracklist
・Die letzte nacht
・Schwarzschild
・Schwarzschild（Voiceless）
GOD CHILD RECORDS / GCR-012 / ¥1,050(tax in)/ 3SongsCD
http://www.hmv.co.jp/product/detail/2581328
http://www.brand-x.jp/product/2174
http://www.puresound.co.jp/list_html/d.html
http://www.guruguru.co.jp/new/0708.php (scroll down)
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=DAKGCR-12

God Saves Us.

Movies: Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift

2007-08-14T12:59:00.000-07:00

Well I finally broke down and bought the Fast and the Furious Japan... Its about bloody time!

More street races than you can shake your fist at...

I donno. I enjoyed it for the most part. I mean the story is a little trifling: Boy makes too much trouble for momma, causing all sorts of property damage, moves in with his pops in Japan and learns about responsibility through a series of races, accidents, fights and other unfortunate events. Been there done that.

The redeeming factor is the use of Japanese culture throughout the film. It mixes in as everyday life for our hero. From Uwabaki (slippers worn in school classrooms) to Japanese bath houses, little bits of everyday Japanese life show up here and there. Not only that but our humble director brings us a small glimpse in to the world of Yakuza (Japanese Mafia). Personally I wanted to see an Ane-san come out and say those immortal words "goku gen yo" But Yakuza is actually a male society... female delinquents end up in Yanki gangs. But I digress.

Acting
Lucas Black: Our hero Sean Boswell - well... he was kind of forgettable. He was there. He said his lines... nothing really charismatic about him. But he wasn't bad.

Bow Wow: Twinkie - well if Chris Tucker were in his late teens early twenties he probably could have made this role really sing. But Bow Wow's experience is showing here. He wasn't bad but he wasn't vibrant. He has his moments. but he is just okay in this.

Leo Nam: Crazy Japanese kid Morimoto - He was memorable. Honestly. He didn't steal every scene he was in but he was a whole lot more interesting that our lead characters. I wish they left him Para Para dancing. That would have rocked.

Brian Tee: The perfect wicked eye candy DK - He was the most charismatic character on that screen, You could smell the passion on him. You can feel the strength in his gaze. DAMN HE"S HOT! I mean really! I was mesmerised every time he entered frame. I am happy a Japanese man got to play the Japanese evil man. It would have been sad if it was played by another race... personal opinion. You are in Japan so use Japanese Actors for crying out loud! He had command of that vehicle too. I enjoyed his performance absolutely.

Sung Kang: Laid back Han - I liked his performance. At first I thought he was a throw away character till he was watching his car get banged up while he simply ate is snack. It was memorable. Just the way he ate his snack. Subtly. Something smooth about his acting style worked well with the character. He kind of ended up being the Daddy of the group. Taking in strays. I think he did well.

Nathalie Kelly: the "curves" Neela - boring... completely boring. She doesn't have the fire of Michelle Rodriguez or the charisma of Jordana Brewster. She is just boring in comparison. She is cute but she doesn't do it for me. I didn't ask any of my male friends if she was good eye candy or not. I think some of the ready set girls were more interesting.

Cars:
I love the cars. They actually did their research and picked cars Japanese Street racers would use. Sliveys, EVOs, RX7s Hurrah. They even gave Neela the car I would get if I was a Japanese street racer: RX8. in my colors too. I give them props on this one. Good Job on the Cars. DK's Car was the sexiest in my book. Pretty black and slick. Just precious. Anyway. If you want to see more about the cars or whatever hit the web site www.theFastandtheFurious.com

Bottom Line:
I enjoyed the watching of it. The races were kind of fun, the cars are pretty and the acting was okay. Go be entertained. Pandy Approved.

Movies: Hairspray

2007-08-11T14:29:00.000-07:00

You can Boppty Bop and shake your socks to the Movie adaptation of the Broadway musical adaptation of the original movie. (say that five times fast)

Laughter is king in this hilarious rendition of one of my favorite movies. Where to begin...

Acting:
John Travolta is hilarious... sad but Hilarious. I couldn't help giggling every time he was in frame. I don't know if it was his "falsetto" singing voice, that fat suit he was wearing or the horrible make up they did on his face... Actually I think the face distracted me more than anything. I actually enjoyed his performance it was just the look of him that threw me off. He is still so elegant when dancing. It was nice to see him really dance in a few of those numbers. I really don't know how this will effect his career... we'll find out soon enough.

Christopher Walken is awesome. He just takes the cake in any scene that he is in. Yet another actor who can dance that we don't see do it often. I was over joyed when I saw him on the cast list. He not only lived up to my expectations, he exceeded them. YAY CHRIS!!!

Queen Latifa did better than I thought. I wasn't sure how they stage play rewrote the role of Motermouth Maybelle. So when I saw her on the cast list I was worried... for no apparent reason it seems. She rocked the role in a memorable way. She even made a few of the throw away lines worth hearing.

Michelle Pfeifer freaking rocks!!! She plays the perfect manipulative mom white supremest former teen queen roll with class and flare. It was good to see her in musicals again too. I especially love her scene opposite Chris. I had memories of Batman Returns.

James Marsden did perfectly. He can play that perfect early sixty's American bandstand host thing with ease. You would think he was Dick Clark or something. I enjoyed his performance and look forward to more cheesy goodness in his next role as the prince in Disney's Enchanted.

Nikky Blonsky is the cutest bubbliest thing in a non Disney movie that I have ever seen. SHE IS TOOO CUTE!!! Shaking her body better than the little twiggys on the set. I honestly loved her. They picked the perfect unknown to play this part. She hit it on all points. I don't think they could have picked better. I just wish the story focused more on her. I wanted to see more of her instead of our movie acting faves. I mean... hairspray is the story of Tracy Turnblad... More Tracy please.

Story:
Well they removed a few of my favorite scenes from the original movie to make way for more musical numbers. I still wanted to see the jail house seen with the girls ironing Tracy's hair. Or Tracy modeling clothes on the Corny Colins Show much to the disdain of her rivals. But oh well the story still moves along. It has its integration message and sings it loud and clear and it has its toe tapping ups and aww moments here and there. My only complaint is that there wasn't more Tracy. Otherwise the writing was fair But you don't come to Hairspray expecting Dreamgirls or anything so dramatic. So for a popcorn fave this vote is yes.

Bottom line: Go see the movie on dollar day and buy the DVD to play on those days you need a pic-me-up. Its worth it.
Pandy Approved.

Books: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2007-08-09T08:32:00.000-07:00

The Final Volume of the Boy with a scar who captured the hearts of the world.

Ten years after Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone inspired reader's imaginations to dream of a new magical fantasy world of wizards and owl mail, the riveting story of "the boy who lived" against "he who must not be named" at last has come to an end.

At last all the dangling plot points are resolved, all the minor characters fulfill their purpose, all the questions are answered! I couldn't put this book down. I read it in all of 3 days. (not a record but pretty fast on my score card) Now if you haven't read the book and you don't want to be spoiled please do not read beyond this paragraph.

SPOILERS~~~
So SEVERUS IS VINDICATED!!! I knew he wasn't a baddie. Sevy could never be a baddy. Sadly to say... he dies... Not happy about that part but I knew it was coming. When people started to die I thought some of our beloved characters would have to die. I am kinda mad one of the twins dies and so does Tonks and Lupin. Why can't Harry have one of his father's friends live... I mean geez. Anyway. You have to read the previous volumes to really understand the Deathly Hallows. I can't beleave that Rowling made such an amazing complicated plot point that began all the way in book 1.
SPOILERS COMPLETE~~~

So If you have only watched the Movies I have to tell you read the books. You will gather a new appreciation for the story itself. There is no way for the movie series to really capture the depth and brilliance that JK Rowling writes.

Pandy Approved.

Music: D - Sakura Hanazaki Somenikiri

2007-08-08T09:14:00.000-07:00

桜花咲きそめにけり

This is a complete change for D. Hard rock with a base in classical Japanese motifs. I think Asagi is comming from a whole new mind space for this one. This new sound and these strong visuals are inspiring and suprisingly different from anything else they have made. I approve.

Asagi - 2 costumes, vocal - Strong as always. not as resonant as other compositions. But still good.

Ruiza - one costume Lead Guitar - perfection... complete perfection. Strong, nimble, skilled, absolutely fabulous.

Hide-Zou - one costume 2nd Guitar - Ruiza would not be able to do what he does so well without Hide-Zou to back him up. He does wonderfully. Is one of the most gorgious men dressed in modified Edo era Japanese dress.

Tsunehito - one costume Bass Guitar - Nimbly played. wonderfully played. Princess elevates bass guitar to art. He reveals more and more of his skill with every song. Very memorable.

Hiroki - one costume Drums - He is my favorite musician in the group but this particular song he wasn't able to flex his creative muscle. He looks gorgious in his very masculine kimono. Black to gold. lovely. But I think he did a wonderful job but with this form of music one can only go so far before you break the style you are trying to accomplish.

If you would like to enjoy the video

Rapid Share
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I would also suggest that if you like the video please support the band and buy the single.

GOD CHILD RECORDS / GCR-009 / ¥1,890（tax in） / 2SongsCD+1SongDVD
http://www.hmv.co.jp/Product/detail.asp?SKU=2568444
http://www.brand-x.jp/product/2089
http://www.puresound.co.jp/list_html/d.html
http://www.guruguru.co.jp/new/0707.php (scroll down) http://www.cdjapan.jp/detailview.html?KEY=DAKGCR-9

Movies: Bourne Ultimatum

2007-08-07T10:36:00.000-07:00

So Friday night...
August 3rd
What is the latest action flik available for viewing?

BOURNE ULTIMATUM

It was fabulous. I had a good time. Lots of intense chase scenes, rousing fist fights, and mind tweeking plot twists with a little intelligent humor on the side.

Matt Damon dons Jason's identity for the third and best time in this series. I think he really brought depth and intelligence with him. With his limited word count he expresses much in body language and facial expression.

The visuals were intense in the action scenes. One feels like one is catching the action as it is happening instead of watching what was filmed. It really pumps up the adrenaline.

On a personal note: I happen to love opening and closing credits. Bourne 3 were some of the prettiest I have seen. I love the environment they put us in as we watch the names of the makers of this fine film dance by. I think the graphic designer at the company tasked to do this needs a gold star.

At any rate I recommend the film. I will probably have to go back and purchase the previous two. I actually didn't see number 2 but that is another story for another time. If you haven't seen any other film in the series, don't worry about it. Ultimatum is easy to follow from a story stand point. They give you enough exposition with out letting you know it is exposition.

So go see it.
Pandy Approved

A whole new world!!!

2007-08-06T15:18:00.000-07:00

For posting nonsense...
Well. My first post on blogger... Not as slick as LiveJournal or as messy as MySpace but sufficiant. I don't know what theme this particular blog will be yet but whatever...

I don't need a venting blog... I have one of those.
I don't need a graphics blog... I have one of those.
I don't need a life update blog... I have one of those.

What about music, movie and book reviews. I think I can do that.
I have to think of where to start.

So, I'll be back soon to start this blog properly.