Double Feature - Bender's Big Score & 1408
Wow...I've been gone from this thing for a few months, huh? Well, the thing is, I haven't really seen any new films recently, and though I know I can review the ones I have seen - eh....what can I say, I guess I'm lazy.
But out of the sake of boredom, I've got two new movies to say things about:
Firstly is Bender's Big Score, the new straight-to-dvd release that is the first of supposedly a few feature length Futurama films. For those of you unfamiliar with Futurama, it was a Fox show from the creator of The Simpsons (Matt Groening) which was on for a few seasons before its untimely demise about two years ago. Much like Family Guy, Futurama was re-birthed on the Cartoon Network and gained enough of a cult following to bring it back from the dead. I believe new episodes are in the works, but the start of it are these feature-length films which will continue to go straight to DVD.
So anyways - the basic gist of the series was a guy named Fry accidentally gets frozen in a cryogenic chamber on New Year's Eve, 2000. He wakes up in the year 3000 and starts working for a delivery company where he meets all his fellow wacky friends - Bender, Leela, Dr. Zoidberg, Amy, Hermes, and Professor Farnsworth. And as with any series, they all have fun adventures together.
Such is the plot of the film - all the characters of the series are back for a newer, even bigger adventure that involves a takeover of the delivery company (Planet Express) by some evil, naked scamming aliens. The film itself is fun, nothing really to write home about, but enjoyable nonetheless. Fans of the TV series will certainly enjoy, as I did, but those unfamiliar with the series may find it kind of odd and disjointed.
I also found it slightly weird that Bender gets top billing for this movie, when he's really just a supporting role. He has his moments yes, but the bigger part of the plot revolves around other characters. As far as screen time, I felt all the characters got enough, with the exception being Dr. Zoidberg. I was sad to see him kind of shut out, as he's one of my favorite characters, but eh...whatever.
The film has a few laughs, but probably the biggest one comes at the start of the film, which I will not give away for you loyal Futurama fans. Let's just say, it's a not-so-thinly veiled rip on the Fox network. I'll leave it at that.
When renting movies, I generally like some sort of balance - a funny movie and a drama, a cartoon and an action, etc, etc. I like to toss it up a big. So to balance the comedy from Futurama, and the fact that all the other films I wanted to see were all rented out, I found one that I've been wanting to see for awhile - 1408, the film based on Stephen King's chiller about a creepy, haunted hotel room.
Plot is simple - skeptic writer Mike Enslin (John Cusack) spends his life investigating so-called spooky places and writes books about them. He gets a postcard about the Dolphin Hotel in NYC and their famous room 1408. Naturally, he's curious, so he goes to check it out. Management (Samuel L. Jackson) is suspiciously reluctant to let him stay, but eventually give in. Enslin soon figures out on his own the reason why they didn't want him to go in that room.
Now, I'm not a really big fan of horror movies, especially in this day and age when horror films are so pornographically violent and gory, but I do like them when they're well done, more creepy and less disgusting. 1408 most certainly delivers on this. It's overloaded with creeps and jumps, not intestines and brains. From the moment the film starts, you know you're in for one hell of a ride.
John Cusack is absolutely brilliant as the writer. He portrays Enslin's descent into the madness of 1408 so gracefully. Cusack doesn't just play Enslin as the stereotypical skeptic who's arrogant and then he sees something move on its own and suddenly he's a believer. Even when things happen that Enslin can't explain, he still tries to maintain his grasp on sanity. Cusack gives Enslin depth - you feel for him, you want him to get out of that room. And when the room uses Enslin's demons as a weapon, Cusack's performance is downright heartbreaking.
There is a small element of predictability to the film, especially if you're a fan of Stephen King's work, and most definitely if you've ever seen The Shining, but the effects, John Cusack's performance, and the overall creep factor of the film are enough to make you forget about guessing what's going to happen.
So if you're looking to get spooked instead of disgusted, go out and rent 1408. It's most definitely a breath of fresh air amongst the bloodiness and squishiness of the Saws and Hostels...
But out of the sake of boredom, I've got two new movies to say things about:
Firstly is Bender's Big Score, the new straight-to-dvd release that is the first of supposedly a few feature length Futurama films. For those of you unfamiliar with Futurama, it was a Fox show from the creator of The Simpsons (Matt Groening) which was on for a few seasons before its untimely demise about two years ago. Much like Family Guy, Futurama was re-birthed on the Cartoon Network and gained enough of a cult following to bring it back from the dead. I believe new episodes are in the works, but the start of it are these feature-length films which will continue to go straight to DVD.
So anyways - the basic gist of the series was a guy named Fry accidentally gets frozen in a cryogenic chamber on New Year's Eve, 2000. He wakes up in the year 3000 and starts working for a delivery company where he meets all his fellow wacky friends - Bender, Leela, Dr. Zoidberg, Amy, Hermes, and Professor Farnsworth. And as with any series, they all have fun adventures together.
Such is the plot of the film - all the characters of the series are back for a newer, even bigger adventure that involves a takeover of the delivery company (Planet Express) by some evil, naked scamming aliens. The film itself is fun, nothing really to write home about, but enjoyable nonetheless. Fans of the TV series will certainly enjoy, as I did, but those unfamiliar with the series may find it kind of odd and disjointed.
I also found it slightly weird that Bender gets top billing for this movie, when he's really just a supporting role. He has his moments yes, but the bigger part of the plot revolves around other characters. As far as screen time, I felt all the characters got enough, with the exception being Dr. Zoidberg. I was sad to see him kind of shut out, as he's one of my favorite characters, but eh...whatever.
The film has a few laughs, but probably the biggest one comes at the start of the film, which I will not give away for you loyal Futurama fans. Let's just say, it's a not-so-thinly veiled rip on the Fox network. I'll leave it at that.
When renting movies, I generally like some sort of balance - a funny movie and a drama, a cartoon and an action, etc, etc. I like to toss it up a big. So to balance the comedy from Futurama, and the fact that all the other films I wanted to see were all rented out, I found one that I've been wanting to see for awhile - 1408, the film based on Stephen King's chiller about a creepy, haunted hotel room.
Plot is simple - skeptic writer Mike Enslin (John Cusack) spends his life investigating so-called spooky places and writes books about them. He gets a postcard about the Dolphin Hotel in NYC and their famous room 1408. Naturally, he's curious, so he goes to check it out. Management (Samuel L. Jackson) is suspiciously reluctant to let him stay, but eventually give in. Enslin soon figures out on his own the reason why they didn't want him to go in that room.
Now, I'm not a really big fan of horror movies, especially in this day and age when horror films are so pornographically violent and gory, but I do like them when they're well done, more creepy and less disgusting. 1408 most certainly delivers on this. It's overloaded with creeps and jumps, not intestines and brains. From the moment the film starts, you know you're in for one hell of a ride.
John Cusack is absolutely brilliant as the writer. He portrays Enslin's descent into the madness of 1408 so gracefully. Cusack doesn't just play Enslin as the stereotypical skeptic who's arrogant and then he sees something move on its own and suddenly he's a believer. Even when things happen that Enslin can't explain, he still tries to maintain his grasp on sanity. Cusack gives Enslin depth - you feel for him, you want him to get out of that room. And when the room uses Enslin's demons as a weapon, Cusack's performance is downright heartbreaking.
There is a small element of predictability to the film, especially if you're a fan of Stephen King's work, and most definitely if you've ever seen The Shining, but the effects, John Cusack's performance, and the overall creep factor of the film are enough to make you forget about guessing what's going to happen.
So if you're looking to get spooked instead of disgusted, go out and rent 1408. It's most definitely a breath of fresh air amongst the bloodiness and squishiness of the Saws and Hostels...