Screen Time

It looks like the new movie is spun off from the original film and from the acclaimed TV series of the same name, airing on Sundance Channel in the U.S., and is directed by Paolo Morelli, who directed many eps of the series. This could be a great way to start out 2008. Check the high-res trailer here.

The Coen Brothers’ (”The Big Lebowski,” “Fargo”) critically acclaimed new thriller “No Country for Old Men” is finally screening in the RGV.

This is one of the best-reviewed movies of the year (click here to read what the critics are sayin’), and I can’t wait to see it. Actually, I’m planning on catching it tonight after work. Expect a review soon.

This is a nice surprise. I wasn’t looking forward to catching any of the new movies coming out this week. Click here for RGV showtimes and check the high-res “No Country” trailer here.

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Poster image courtesy Miramax Films

I was kicking myself for not catching “Beowulf” in 3-D as soon as the movie’s titles started flowing across the screen. The Cinemark in my hometown of Brownsville wasn’t offering the 3-D experience director Robert Zemeckis had in mind when creating this animated take on the ancient long-form poem. It’s too bad, since the 3-D gimmick probably would have made this awkward and unlikeable movie worth watching.

Unlike the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy or even the “Harry Potter” flicks, little in “Beowulf” is thrilling, visually arresting or awe inspiring. The filmmakers’ take on the mostly shapeless classic story is dull, one-note and sometimes laughable. The animation and art design is unremarkable and often ugly, especially when the human characters look and move like dead, manipulated meat puppets. There are two scenes — only two — that I found potentially engrossing and fun to look at, but that’s a sad tally for a movie marketed as a rousing holiday spectacle.

“Beowulf” opens in King Hrothgar’s (Anthony Hopkins) mead hall with the king and his knights doing an Anglo-Saxon take on “Caligula.” It’s a gross display, with the vulgar animated knights slobbering all over themselves and a Hrothgar so drunk and undiginified that he doesn’t care if his robe slips off to reveal little Hrothgar in front of everybody. These characters never become sympathetic or interesting at any point in the movie’s 113-minutes.

Eventually, the monster Grendel bursts in and kills most of these guys and the “hero” Beowulf later answers Hrothgar’s call to kill the monster. The mistake made is that Zemeckis’ Beowulf, along with most of the other human characters in this thing, is about as heroic and likeable as a boasting jock or an obnoxious brute. Instead of turning the classic character into a classic pop hero, Zemeckis and crew (including writers Neil Gaiman and Roger Avery) deliver a boring braggart no one can relate to. Ray Winstone’s voice acting is fine — and loud — but this movie had me rooting for Grendel not Beowulf.

The monster Grendel’s design is too overcooked to be appreciated, but the script turns him into a sympathetic character here, and Crispin Glover’s performance had me wanting to see more of him. Too bad he’s snuffed in an early scene that’ll be remembered, more than anything else, for a ridiculous game of hide-the-exposed genitals, ala Austin Powers.

In a lazy attempt to unify the original text’s disconnected halves, the movie grossly diverges from the poem and goes on to further kill the idea of Beowulf as a hero, leaving the audience with no one to root for and little to invest in. I won’t give away the details here, but what happens after Beowulf meets Grendel’s mother (Angelina Jolie) really sinks this thing.

“Beowulf” seems less concerned with telling a good story than it is with delivering cheap cartoon thrills and a kinda-sorta naked and spiked-heel sporting Angelina Jolie. The character close-ups look good, and the final action sequence is fun, but that’s not enough to recommend this half-baked movie. And don’t get me started on the music …

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Photos courtesy Paramount Pictures

Here’s a few movie newslinks for the afternoon. Look for a “Beowulf” review coming soon …

- Check out a larger version of the new big screen version of the Incredible Hulk.

- MTV’s got a first look at Stallone’s new Rambo movie.

- Slashfilm’s got new photos from JJ Abrams’ top-secret “Cloverfield” project. There’s a trailer too.

- Sam Raimi is done with the Spider-Man franchise.

- “Knocked Up” star Seth Rogan will star in Kevin Smith’s new “Porno” movie.

- Sounds like some Hollywood bigwigs weren’t happy with the ending of “I Am Legend.“

- Seriously. I don’t think we need any new “Pirates of the Caribbean” flicks.

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Photo courtesy  SuperHeroHype.com

I was sitting on the couch a few nights ago, barely awake and flipping through the channels. I was looking forward to dozing off with the TV on while my wife finished some work on the laptop. Then Rocky Balboa ruined my plans.

TNT, AMC or some such network was airing “Rocky II,” Sylvestor Stallone’s first entry as a director (after writing the 1976 original) in the Rocky series. I caught it at the scene where ol’ Rock, six months after his buzzed-about match with Apollo Creed as depicted in the first flick, was turning down a handout from that wiseass Paulie. I was hooked.

I’d seen “Rocky II” before, but that was a long, long time ago. The Rocky that I remembered for most of my life was the champion in red, white and blue trunks who beat the crap outta that big, chemically-enhanced Russian in “Rocky IV,” not this sad and beaten bum from “Rocky II.” As the movie progressed, I fell in love with this franchise all over again. I’m aware that Stallone never really matched that special, gritty fairytale feeling of the first two Rocky movies, and on some day’s I’ll even agree with those who say that the rest of the Rocky movies were kinda crap. But not today. Today I’ll admit that I love Rocky Balboa and I love this movie franchise.

With Rocky Balboa, Stallone created an incredibly noble, humble and loveable character that became an American icon. For some people, the name Rocky Balboa might conjure up sounds of a slow and low drawl (”UhhhYoooAdriuhn!”), images of a bent lip or some regrettable 80s pop movimeaking conventions (damn you Survivor), but not for me. When I think of Rocky Balboa, I think of a hero. He’s a bruised, imperfect and powerful symbol of integrity and heart that I’ve yet to see bested in any other modern movie franchise.

Stallone is glorious in the original, in “Rocky II” and in “Rocky Balboa,” the final downbeat installment of the series. The other three installments do tend to dip into self-parody, but there’s still some great stuff there that’s often overlooked. What follows are a few of my favorite quieter moments in the life of Rocky Balboa.

- The heart-to-heart with Mickey (Burgess Meredith), “Rocky”
Rocky’s hard-ass trainer breaks down, shows his softer side and tells Rocky he loves him. It’s a great, classic scene with one noble bum trying to make a better life for another.

- Rocky kisses Adrian (Talia Shire), “Rocky”
For my money, this is one of the most tender and most romantic scenes in movie history. Rocky naively announces his love for the shy Adrian, and boy does she love him back.

- Rocky’s argument with Adrian, “Rocky II”
Rock’s overprotective wife, and a bum left eye, won’t let him do what he does best — fight. Rock strikes back with the calm, assertive and surprising argument, “Why can’t you let me be a man? I’m not asking you not to be a woman.”

- The final goodbye, “Rocky Balboa”
After his last day of glory, Rocky visits Adrian’s grave. He leans in and says “You know I couldn’t have done nothing without you… Yo Adrian we did it… We did it.” Rock walks off ready to grow old and knowing, somehow, that his dead wife couldn’t be happier for him.

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Photo courtesy MGM

Moviegoers can catch director Robert Zemeckis’ new big screen version of “Beowulf” in Digital 3D starting Friday at McAllen’s Cinemark Hollywood USA.

Digital 3D showtimes start at 1:30 p.m. on Friday at Cinemark Hollywood. The place is also screening a conventional print of “Beowulf,” as will most Valley theaters come Friday.

I want to catch this thing in 3D, but I’m afraid it’ll look all blue and red and not very 3Dish, like that third “Spy Kids” movie. I think I’ll screen the conventional print first, and if this movie is more than an unnaturally buff and animated Ray Winstone screaming “I am Beowulf!” a hundred times in two hours, I might drive up to McAllen and dig on the 3D experience. Anyone out there heard anything good about this 3D print?

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Poster image courtesy Paramount Pictures

“Day Watch,“ the sequel to the thrilling 2004 Russian supernatural action flick “Night Watch,” will probably confuse fans of the original movie and alienate everyone else. That being said — er typed — director Timur Bekmambetov’s follow-up to his critically acclaimed hit is a fun, fast-paced and often inspired piece of pop moviemaking. The flick is far from perfect though, and it somehow feels a lot more hollow that its groundbreaking predecessor.

“Day Watch” had a limited theatrical run in the U.S., but fans can now catch it on a single-disc unrated DVD with an awkward commentary by Bekmambetov and a “making of” featurette.

Let’s talk visuals … It’s an understatement to call “Day Watch” a marvelous creative technical achievement. Bekmambetov and crew almost outdo themselves with some stunning visuals, CG and camera work here. “Day Watch” impresses not only with its incredibly implausible but mind-blowing action scenes but also with its gritty visual take on urban Moscow. Like “Night Watch,” the filmmakers again successfully sell the idea that a supernatural world full of super-powered beings exists alongside our own. Still, some things are off here. Unlike “Night Watch,” the subtitles on this unrated DVD, unfortunately, aren’t artfully weaved into the movie. They just sit there at the bottom of the screen and do their job instead of floating around and becoming part of the action. It’s a minor complaint, but I was really disappointed as I’m sure most American fans will be.

Let’s talk story … We drop in on Anton, the hero of “Night Watch,” presumably years after the events of the first movie. He’s still our focus point in this odd world where Light (good) and Dark (bad) “Others,” or supernatural beings, live on Earth and police each other with bureaucratic rules based on an ages-old treaty. Things go wonky when Anton’s bratty preteen son, who became a Dark Other in the first movie, fires the first salvo of a supernatural war.

From then, the plot takes some fun and unexpected comic turns and moves along at light speed. Still, this second story in a proposed trilogy feels too much like a middle movie. “Night Watch” did a great job of introducing us into this strange world. “Day Watch” just shows us more of it, and it’s hard to grasp some important plot details and character motivations in one sitting. The story doesn’t really pull you in like it should, and that undercuts what could have been a astonishing surprise ending.

American audiences will most likely miss a lot of what makes this movie special, like a creative title sequence that parodies well-known Russian corporate logos and cameos by famous Russian sci-fi writers and genre actors. “Day Watch” is strictly for fans only. For maximum viewing pleasure, I recommend screening it as part of a double feature with “Night Watch.”

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Photos courtesy Fox Searchlight

Digging all the “Star Trek XI” news and Web leaks as much as I am? DVRing old episodes of “The Next Generation” and “Deep Space Nine” every week? Wondering what Winona Ryder would look like as a Vulcan? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you my friend are probably a die-hard “Star Trek” fan, and I got some good news for you …

The classic “Star Trek” episode “The Menagerie” will be shown in more than 300 theaters in the U.S. and Canada today and Thursday, November 15, including Cinemark Harlingen. Tonight’s Harlingen screening starts at 7:30 p.m. and Thursday will see two screenings, one at 7:30 p.m. and one at 10:30 p.m.

As most Trekkies or Trekkers know, “The Menagerie” is the episode when Spock and Captain Kirk meet up with former Enterprise captain Christopher Pike. This week’s screenings will feature a digitally remastered version of the two-part episode in High Definition and Cinema Surround Sound. The screening will promote next week’s HD-DVD release of the series.

Get more info on these special screenings here.

I’m on my way out, but I had to post these few newslinks before I left. Check back a litle later for a review of the “Day Watch” DVD.

- Miramax plans to release a Norwegian “Kill Bill” parody.

- “Star Trek XI” news and leaks are coming in fast these days. Check out these pics of Zachary Quinto as Spock.

- Has director Sam Raimi picked his “Spider-Man” successor?

- Michael Bay wants to screw with fanboys’ heads while making “Transformers 2.“

- The team behind critical darling “Juno” has a new project in the works.

- Half of the world’s movie screens will be digital by 2013. George Lucas celebrates by making more crap.

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“Kill Bill” photo courtesy Miramax

Yahoo! Movies has posted 11 amazing-looking clips from Robert Zemeckis‘ upcoming animated “Beowulf,” including this one featuring ol’ Beowulf battling some intense sea creatures.

I wasn’t too interested in this flick when I saw the first few “Beowulf” teasers and trailers that popped up online a few months ago, but now I’m sold. The detail work on the characters’ faces and the bold colors and imaginative designs of the monsters look great. I can’t wait to see them on the big screen, and I’m sure Zemeckis’ effects team will be buying some tuxes for Oscar night come March. (Too bad we don’t have any IMax 3D theaters nearby.)

Some early reviews are hinting that the “Beowulf” writing team of author/graphic novelist Neil Gaiman and screenwriter Roger Avary (Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” collaborator) might take home a few awards for solving the original text’s structural problems.

So, “Beowulf” reportedly delivers cool and artful “performance capture” visuals and a good story? I was expecting “The Polar Express” with swords and bare abs. This one looks like fun.

“Beowulf” opens Friday, Nov. 16
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Photo courtesy Paramount Pictures