Post by blaggers on Sept 16, 2008 15:17:44 GMT -5
Casablanca and the Movies
Episode #5
casablanca3491 - Casablanca
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMPORTANT NOTE AT BOTTOM
Hello, MR Directors and patrons, and welcome to the fifth episode of “Casablanca and the Movies”. Well, we’ve got a pretty run-of-the –mill episode, not to say you should expect anything less, however, no surprises for you today! We’ll start off with Trailer Analysis today, as it has been pushed back lately, then let’s take a look at Legend, whom we have an interview with, and of course, we’ll look at his career and future. Afterwards, I’ll review two older films, including Legend’s Justice. Then, I’ll keep you updated on the highlights of “Casablanca and the Movies”.
Well, with that let’s begin!
First, I’ve got a new trailer, one I’ve just been waiting for. Mills of God, the new film by Cristo which is coming out in just a few days. It is one of my most anticipated films, and I’m quite curious to see how it is all tied together. Let’s take a peak. It starts:
A man stands in front of a group of people)
Man: Ladies and gentlemen, what we’re encountering is unlike anything in the history of the world. Our society has been changed forever by people who seem to possess special powers.
Now, already it has taken me by surprise. I’ll admit to not knowing much of the story, so to me, the whole project had some element of shrouded mystery around it. But, I am genuiningly surprised to see that what we may see might not be too far off from a thriller! Granted, Science of Evil and certainly City of Dragons had thriller elements, but I wonder how Cristo-esque this film will remain, as it appears he is tackling new territory. Before I make a fuss though, let’s go forward:
Man VO: The Malformeds are affecting all of our lives in various ways. The world isn't safe anymore.
(Cut to a line of charter buses on the highway)
Man #2 VO: So what's your plan?
Man VO: We gather as many normal people as we can...and we leave DC.
If there is any part in the trailer which impresses my story-wise, this is it. He has taken what could have been a “superhero-power fest” and turned it into a thriller with themes that resonate with the heavy themes of Science of Evil, and has a certain enchantment to it that really pulls me in. I am quite impressed indeed…so far.
(Cut to a suit of armor flying through a glass window)
(Cut to a man getting hit by a train)
(Cut to two men plummeting down a stairwell)
(Cut to two men falling into a piano)
(Cut to a bus flying into the air and hitting an underpass)
Man: This is my favorite part.
(Cut to two men fighting amidst giant hailstones)
Yes, we are supplied with some action scenes, and yes they sound neat, however, I really just posted this to look at the dialogue and the last action. First, the line sounds light, and action, and adventurous. I’m assuming that this film will be heavy in themes, while presenting it lightly, if that makes sense. I picture a dark film, with dark scenes, and a dark package, with a light ribbon to tie it all together, because that is what it looks like the brightness does, tie everything together and ultimately makes it audience accessible. He isn’t dumbing it down, he is simply giving us a road map, a feat which he didn’t do for the complex Science of Evil. Maybe he learned his lesson, although I sometimes like to take a joy ride through the webs of mystery. Next, the action. I just simply wanted to say that I can expect some nice images from this film. Like City of Dragons, imagery appears to be used in a literary sense, where actions are described to divert you from the story, the characters and focus on a small scene, really pound an image in your head. Let’s read that last part through: “amidst”…”giant”…”hailstorms”. Doesn’t it just paint a lovely, grey sky, white hail falling, with a freeze frame of two men, spots of bright red blood, fighting each other. Or am I romanticizing it?
Here is the end of it:
Man: Take courage and fix it permanently in your hearts…for the sake of your families and for the sake of our lives. We must endure. We must survive. We must carry on. We must not waver. We must never stop!
(Cut to black)
Man VO: You presume so much...and know so little.
(Cut to a bruised and bloodied man)
Man: Our job is to protect innocent people!
(Cut to a building exploding)
Man VO: We still have hope.
Ah! Here it is! There is the drama I guessed would be in it. I am now assuming that we shouldn’t expect so much of a thriller, but a thriller story, done in such as a drama. The thrills will be emotional punches, and the action will be beautiful images in which the reader pictures the action in his head.
Overall, we are left with another, probably great, very much so complex, film by Cristo.
Next, let’s look at the teaser to “Being Famous”. I know I may seem behind on the times, but it didn’t come out yet, and me last episode (with xplay’s interview) got me quite curious. It starts:
A Watchtower Films Production
-A Coffee Shop. A young, skinnny dark headed 20 something year old sits there reading a newspaper. This is Taylor-
Taylor- (VO)
Andrew Ratchet was found dead in an abandon building.
-Cut to a dark room, a 40 something year old, balding, swim trunk wearing man is tied up in a chair. A figure lurks behind him in the dark-
What is the first word that comes to your mind after reading this? The very first thought that enters your head? If its creepy, then welcome to the club, for that is what I expect in this film. Put sophisticatedly for those who shrug “creepy” off, a horrifying film that masquerades itself in various genres, good? I expected something quite different, and am relieved to find something quite better. It looks like it will be a horror film, however, knowing xplay, we know that it can’t just be one thing. It believe it will have fantasy elements, it will have a biting realistic satire, and a mystery presence. You’re saying “Fantasy and realism”, has Casablanca snapped? No, I have not. I predict that it will be as realistic as any gritty crime fable, however as fantastic as any superhero film, and let me tell you how.
The fantasy will be in the structure. In the genre, in the story, in the characters. In short, this film will be insane. It will mistake itself for a fantasy, as the characters will, and thus, we are left with a crime film who has a lightness to it, a dreamlike quality to it. And, as an end result, it will be neither real or make believe, but a nightmare.
And the end:
Taylor- (In the darkness)
Mr. Ratchet. I imagined you as being a man of luxury but I unfortunately couldn’t afford to send you out first-class so I guess this will have to do.
This Halloween...
-A closeup of Taylor: black makeup around his eyes, smearing in every direction-
Taylor-
I’m not a vigilante; I’m not a saint…
Cillian Murphy...
-Taylor lifts up to reveal a needle-
Taylor-
It’ll be the needle… won’t it?
This validifies what I just said. Doesn’t the “bad guy”, or the antagonist, have a super villain quality to him, with the paint and the way he talks. I have a feeling that this will be the first non-comic book film, which should have been a comic book film.
Overall, I am impressed with the darkness, and quite surprised to see a level of depth. Nice job xplay, and I’ll keep watching for it.
Now, time for that interview, which went off quite well.
Q: Hello, Legend, and thank you for agreeing for this interview. I haven’t seen much of your work and besides Captain Scarlet 2 (mistake by me, as they seemed so similar in themes and style), I have no template in which I can compare your styles, however you are coming out with a new film, “Green Lantern Origin”, a superhero film. Can we expect something similar to Captain Scarlet, as in a thriller with a certain lightness to it? Are the themes similar?
A: Well, I didn't write Captain Scarlet 2, that was Captain Blaggers, but I have written Justice (won Best Picture at the Reelies ), Serve and Protect, and World War III. But actually, Green Lantern will be a bit like the Captain Scarlet series, at least a lot more like those films than anything I've done before. It's a bit lighthearted, but does have some dark tones to it at times. One of the major themes is overcoming fear.
Q: Are you satisfied with the way Green Lantern turned out? What would you say is the mix of action and drama? I read the teaser, and dissected it in one of my episodes, however, it is difficult to tell what genre will essentially drive this film. Can we have your opinion on that?
A: Yeah, although I'm not finished yet as it doesnt come out for about 7 weeks, it is turning out pretty well. I think it has a good mix of action and drama, probably a little more drama than action, though. Still, there are a good number of action scenes already written or planned to be written.
Q: I notice that you aren’t heavy on producing much films and that you oppose the idea of coming out with idea after idea, which often results in a lack of interest in many, if not all of them. Do you also think that excess publicity is a bad thing? How vital is marketing to a film’s success?
A: I think marketing is pretty vital to a film getting ticket sales. I usually do 2-3 trailers at least per film and release a poster or two. I think that that when people start going with in your face ads, some people get annoyed and put off the film. I try to keep a balance.
Q: Also, it appears to me that you don’t include much surrealism in your films and while you drift into the fantasy or sci-fi genre, keep a somewhat “down to earth” nature about your films. Can we ever expect you to make a truly unconventional, one can say “avant garde”, film?
A: Most of my films have been without much surrealism to this point. Green Lantern is a big change from that. It's almost as much as a sci-fi as it is a superhero movie and definitely is a lot different from anything I've ever written. This is something I'll be showing in coming trailers. That is what first attracted me to the concept, and there will definitely be many a space scene in the movie, although a lot takes place on earth.
Q: How often do you go to the Cini-Plex? Are you generally impressed with what you see? Are there any specific directors or films that really struck a cord with you?
A: I see almost every movie that comes out. I think there are less than 5 I haven't seen. I am impressed by most films, but my favorites have been Captain Scarlet 2 (Blaggers), The Wolf Man (SCF), City of Dragons (Cristo), and Life of Superman (Joey).
Q: Two more questions for you. First, in a superhero based market, how can you picture your film doing against other films of the genre? Does your film have reason to rise above them?
A: I think it will do fairly well. I've still got a while to promote for it and it's gaining popularity already, so I see it getting a good number of ticket sales. It's also got 3 months in theatres, which can't hurt.
Q: And finally, what is your opinion of “Casablanca and the Movies”? Is there anything missing, or something you think should be changed?
A: No, I think it's a really well-written show. I like how in-depth the reviews are on the show and really get specific about the details. It's also awesome that you do the episodes so quickly. It's become one of the more interesting TV shows on the site.
Well, thanks for the interview and I wish you nothing but success on your film.
Now Legend is proving to be one of the more interesting directors out there, as his first two films “serve and Protect” and “World War 3” are brimming with realism. And now, such a sudden turn to the sci-fi genre, it makes me wonder how much realistic drama will be present in Green Lantern. He confirmed my predictions that there will be slightly more drama then action, and that pleases me, as drama is always a good thing, but mixing realism and sci-fi can be a dangerous thing, but so plentiful in the rewards if done well. Like he said, surrealism is something he commonly leaves out, and I don’t expect to see it much here, surrealism goes hand on hand with deep, often, and that is still one thing that I am left in the dark about. It appears that deepness won’t be easy to add in a film like this. Will he leave it out, which sometimes benefits the film, or will he force feed it in? Or, will he simply surprise us all and add it in with perfect craftsmanship? I wonder.
Now, the rest of the episode will fly by. A simple “review #1” then “review #2”. First, lets look at “Justice” the earlier film by Legend.
Justice
*** 3/4 out of ****
WOW! I typed that out just in case you couldn’t hear me shouting it. This film surprised me for two reasons. One, is that I expected a superhero film (Justice – seems like one doesn’t it?) and what did I get? A great drama, with a great script and a great construction. Secondly, I was surprised how Legend took a “12 Angry Men” premise and turned it into his own, with ease, swiftness, and a perfect craft which is unmistakably the markings of a really great film.
It won “Best Picture”, or so I’m told, and in my opinion it fully deserved it. The writing has style, it has consistency, it doesn’t change its mind over what kind of film to be half way in the picture, it stays gripping, exciting, and enthralling for the whole time it stays in front of your eyes. There is tension, there is suspense, and almost a horror as we realize that these men are falling apart, slowly and slowly, and it is all done in a manner that we fall apart with them, crumble to the ground as we get lost in the debate whether he is innocent or guilty, and this induces a paranoia, a paranoia that we are not listening to 100% of the truth.
The characters are also handled with care, they are different, but represent a majority, and they all have sides to them which only comes out in a state of stress, a moment of tension. It is this layer of deepness that makes the film so good, because we can, at different points throughout the film, connect to the different characters. We agree with number 12, we fell sorry with number 2, and each other juror have their points of interest. It really is one of the most interesting movies!
Overall, I am very glad I went back and read this as well as very glad that I ended my thinking that this was a superhero movie. It isn’t, however, in some ways it is. These are men who have another’s fate in their hands, and act selfishly, however, one man is a superhero, a real superhero, more powerful then Spiderman, Superman or God himself, as he uses compassion, knowledge and human nature, to set others on a right path. It is a moving and enlightening journey, of man who saved another, just some kid, hardly anything news worthy, but it is an act of selflessness that makes the world seem that much brighter.
Whew! With that, let’s turn towards a film that is basically opposite in genres, “Captain Scarlet”, the original “Captain Scarlet”, and take a look at how that was.
Captain Scarlet
*** .5 out of ****
May I be, what seems to be, stunningly controversial, and say that I prefer this to the second one? It is a real piece of work! Thrilling, action and exciting, all while keeping a taut suspense building up throughout. It is more fun then the second, more visceral and overall, more well done.
However, the point about it being well done, also is due to the benefit of it not being done well in a normal sense. What I mean is similar to what I meant with Most Dangerous Game, only in a lesser extent. It has a certain cheesy fun to it, like Star Wars, or, more closely, Star Trek. Although, this is well hidden in a compelling story. Take the first segment where an alien colony is destroyed ruthlessly. That is one of the most compelling scenes I have seen in a sci-fi so far. It is brutal, realistic, and impacting.
Then the films continues on its thrilling path, a few scenes not so compelling, however, overall I was kept on the edge of my seat, caught in the suspense, yes, but also in wonder, at how fun it was, how adventurous. If there was to be a third film, I recommend highly that it keep close to this film’s style, as it was entertaining, quick and easy read that, while it didn’t leave me with any strong messages, left a nice flavor in my mouth.
All in all, it is a nice treat and a delightful film where the captains wear civilian clothes to fit in, where they keep their names hidden, and work together on a mystery. It sounds gripping just describing it!
Sadly, that is it for this episode, as I knew it would turn out to be a shorter one, however, its quality not quantity, and I personally, think this is my best episode yet, however I’ll leave that up to you to decide. Due to the shortness (I apologize again), expect a longer episode on the 19th, which will be the next, as that will have a very detailed review to Mills of God.
Thank you for viewing and I hope to see you next time on “Casablanca and the Movies”.
NOTE- The next episode will air the 19th, not the 18th, as it usually follows a two day rule. But don’t worry, I will use my extra day to make a longer then usual episode.
Episode #5
casablanca3491 - Casablanca
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMPORTANT NOTE AT BOTTOM
Hello, MR Directors and patrons, and welcome to the fifth episode of “Casablanca and the Movies”. Well, we’ve got a pretty run-of-the –mill episode, not to say you should expect anything less, however, no surprises for you today! We’ll start off with Trailer Analysis today, as it has been pushed back lately, then let’s take a look at Legend, whom we have an interview with, and of course, we’ll look at his career and future. Afterwards, I’ll review two older films, including Legend’s Justice. Then, I’ll keep you updated on the highlights of “Casablanca and the Movies”.
Well, with that let’s begin!
First, I’ve got a new trailer, one I’ve just been waiting for. Mills of God, the new film by Cristo which is coming out in just a few days. It is one of my most anticipated films, and I’m quite curious to see how it is all tied together. Let’s take a peak. It starts:
A man stands in front of a group of people)
Man: Ladies and gentlemen, what we’re encountering is unlike anything in the history of the world. Our society has been changed forever by people who seem to possess special powers.
Now, already it has taken me by surprise. I’ll admit to not knowing much of the story, so to me, the whole project had some element of shrouded mystery around it. But, I am genuiningly surprised to see that what we may see might not be too far off from a thriller! Granted, Science of Evil and certainly City of Dragons had thriller elements, but I wonder how Cristo-esque this film will remain, as it appears he is tackling new territory. Before I make a fuss though, let’s go forward:
Man VO: The Malformeds are affecting all of our lives in various ways. The world isn't safe anymore.
(Cut to a line of charter buses on the highway)
Man #2 VO: So what's your plan?
Man VO: We gather as many normal people as we can...and we leave DC.
If there is any part in the trailer which impresses my story-wise, this is it. He has taken what could have been a “superhero-power fest” and turned it into a thriller with themes that resonate with the heavy themes of Science of Evil, and has a certain enchantment to it that really pulls me in. I am quite impressed indeed…so far.
(Cut to a suit of armor flying through a glass window)
(Cut to a man getting hit by a train)
(Cut to two men plummeting down a stairwell)
(Cut to two men falling into a piano)
(Cut to a bus flying into the air and hitting an underpass)
Man: This is my favorite part.
(Cut to two men fighting amidst giant hailstones)
Yes, we are supplied with some action scenes, and yes they sound neat, however, I really just posted this to look at the dialogue and the last action. First, the line sounds light, and action, and adventurous. I’m assuming that this film will be heavy in themes, while presenting it lightly, if that makes sense. I picture a dark film, with dark scenes, and a dark package, with a light ribbon to tie it all together, because that is what it looks like the brightness does, tie everything together and ultimately makes it audience accessible. He isn’t dumbing it down, he is simply giving us a road map, a feat which he didn’t do for the complex Science of Evil. Maybe he learned his lesson, although I sometimes like to take a joy ride through the webs of mystery. Next, the action. I just simply wanted to say that I can expect some nice images from this film. Like City of Dragons, imagery appears to be used in a literary sense, where actions are described to divert you from the story, the characters and focus on a small scene, really pound an image in your head. Let’s read that last part through: “amidst”…”giant”…”hailstorms”. Doesn’t it just paint a lovely, grey sky, white hail falling, with a freeze frame of two men, spots of bright red blood, fighting each other. Or am I romanticizing it?
Here is the end of it:
Man: Take courage and fix it permanently in your hearts…for the sake of your families and for the sake of our lives. We must endure. We must survive. We must carry on. We must not waver. We must never stop!
(Cut to black)
Man VO: You presume so much...and know so little.
(Cut to a bruised and bloodied man)
Man: Our job is to protect innocent people!
(Cut to a building exploding)
Man VO: We still have hope.
Ah! Here it is! There is the drama I guessed would be in it. I am now assuming that we shouldn’t expect so much of a thriller, but a thriller story, done in such as a drama. The thrills will be emotional punches, and the action will be beautiful images in which the reader pictures the action in his head.
Overall, we are left with another, probably great, very much so complex, film by Cristo.
Next, let’s look at the teaser to “Being Famous”. I know I may seem behind on the times, but it didn’t come out yet, and me last episode (with xplay’s interview) got me quite curious. It starts:
A Watchtower Films Production
-A Coffee Shop. A young, skinnny dark headed 20 something year old sits there reading a newspaper. This is Taylor-
Taylor- (VO)
Andrew Ratchet was found dead in an abandon building.
-Cut to a dark room, a 40 something year old, balding, swim trunk wearing man is tied up in a chair. A figure lurks behind him in the dark-
What is the first word that comes to your mind after reading this? The very first thought that enters your head? If its creepy, then welcome to the club, for that is what I expect in this film. Put sophisticatedly for those who shrug “creepy” off, a horrifying film that masquerades itself in various genres, good? I expected something quite different, and am relieved to find something quite better. It looks like it will be a horror film, however, knowing xplay, we know that it can’t just be one thing. It believe it will have fantasy elements, it will have a biting realistic satire, and a mystery presence. You’re saying “Fantasy and realism”, has Casablanca snapped? No, I have not. I predict that it will be as realistic as any gritty crime fable, however as fantastic as any superhero film, and let me tell you how.
The fantasy will be in the structure. In the genre, in the story, in the characters. In short, this film will be insane. It will mistake itself for a fantasy, as the characters will, and thus, we are left with a crime film who has a lightness to it, a dreamlike quality to it. And, as an end result, it will be neither real or make believe, but a nightmare.
And the end:
Taylor- (In the darkness)
Mr. Ratchet. I imagined you as being a man of luxury but I unfortunately couldn’t afford to send you out first-class so I guess this will have to do.
This Halloween...
-A closeup of Taylor: black makeup around his eyes, smearing in every direction-
Taylor-
I’m not a vigilante; I’m not a saint…
Cillian Murphy...
-Taylor lifts up to reveal a needle-
Taylor-
It’ll be the needle… won’t it?
This validifies what I just said. Doesn’t the “bad guy”, or the antagonist, have a super villain quality to him, with the paint and the way he talks. I have a feeling that this will be the first non-comic book film, which should have been a comic book film.
Overall, I am impressed with the darkness, and quite surprised to see a level of depth. Nice job xplay, and I’ll keep watching for it.
Now, time for that interview, which went off quite well.
Q: Hello, Legend, and thank you for agreeing for this interview. I haven’t seen much of your work and besides Captain Scarlet 2 (mistake by me, as they seemed so similar in themes and style), I have no template in which I can compare your styles, however you are coming out with a new film, “Green Lantern Origin”, a superhero film. Can we expect something similar to Captain Scarlet, as in a thriller with a certain lightness to it? Are the themes similar?
A: Well, I didn't write Captain Scarlet 2, that was Captain Blaggers, but I have written Justice (won Best Picture at the Reelies ), Serve and Protect, and World War III. But actually, Green Lantern will be a bit like the Captain Scarlet series, at least a lot more like those films than anything I've done before. It's a bit lighthearted, but does have some dark tones to it at times. One of the major themes is overcoming fear.
Q: Are you satisfied with the way Green Lantern turned out? What would you say is the mix of action and drama? I read the teaser, and dissected it in one of my episodes, however, it is difficult to tell what genre will essentially drive this film. Can we have your opinion on that?
A: Yeah, although I'm not finished yet as it doesnt come out for about 7 weeks, it is turning out pretty well. I think it has a good mix of action and drama, probably a little more drama than action, though. Still, there are a good number of action scenes already written or planned to be written.
Q: I notice that you aren’t heavy on producing much films and that you oppose the idea of coming out with idea after idea, which often results in a lack of interest in many, if not all of them. Do you also think that excess publicity is a bad thing? How vital is marketing to a film’s success?
A: I think marketing is pretty vital to a film getting ticket sales. I usually do 2-3 trailers at least per film and release a poster or two. I think that that when people start going with in your face ads, some people get annoyed and put off the film. I try to keep a balance.
Q: Also, it appears to me that you don’t include much surrealism in your films and while you drift into the fantasy or sci-fi genre, keep a somewhat “down to earth” nature about your films. Can we ever expect you to make a truly unconventional, one can say “avant garde”, film?
A: Most of my films have been without much surrealism to this point. Green Lantern is a big change from that. It's almost as much as a sci-fi as it is a superhero movie and definitely is a lot different from anything I've ever written. This is something I'll be showing in coming trailers. That is what first attracted me to the concept, and there will definitely be many a space scene in the movie, although a lot takes place on earth.
Q: How often do you go to the Cini-Plex? Are you generally impressed with what you see? Are there any specific directors or films that really struck a cord with you?
A: I see almost every movie that comes out. I think there are less than 5 I haven't seen. I am impressed by most films, but my favorites have been Captain Scarlet 2 (Blaggers), The Wolf Man (SCF), City of Dragons (Cristo), and Life of Superman (Joey).
Q: Two more questions for you. First, in a superhero based market, how can you picture your film doing against other films of the genre? Does your film have reason to rise above them?
A: I think it will do fairly well. I've still got a while to promote for it and it's gaining popularity already, so I see it getting a good number of ticket sales. It's also got 3 months in theatres, which can't hurt.
Q: And finally, what is your opinion of “Casablanca and the Movies”? Is there anything missing, or something you think should be changed?
A: No, I think it's a really well-written show. I like how in-depth the reviews are on the show and really get specific about the details. It's also awesome that you do the episodes so quickly. It's become one of the more interesting TV shows on the site.
Well, thanks for the interview and I wish you nothing but success on your film.
Now Legend is proving to be one of the more interesting directors out there, as his first two films “serve and Protect” and “World War 3” are brimming with realism. And now, such a sudden turn to the sci-fi genre, it makes me wonder how much realistic drama will be present in Green Lantern. He confirmed my predictions that there will be slightly more drama then action, and that pleases me, as drama is always a good thing, but mixing realism and sci-fi can be a dangerous thing, but so plentiful in the rewards if done well. Like he said, surrealism is something he commonly leaves out, and I don’t expect to see it much here, surrealism goes hand on hand with deep, often, and that is still one thing that I am left in the dark about. It appears that deepness won’t be easy to add in a film like this. Will he leave it out, which sometimes benefits the film, or will he force feed it in? Or, will he simply surprise us all and add it in with perfect craftsmanship? I wonder.
Now, the rest of the episode will fly by. A simple “review #1” then “review #2”. First, lets look at “Justice” the earlier film by Legend.
Justice
*** 3/4 out of ****
WOW! I typed that out just in case you couldn’t hear me shouting it. This film surprised me for two reasons. One, is that I expected a superhero film (Justice – seems like one doesn’t it?) and what did I get? A great drama, with a great script and a great construction. Secondly, I was surprised how Legend took a “12 Angry Men” premise and turned it into his own, with ease, swiftness, and a perfect craft which is unmistakably the markings of a really great film.
It won “Best Picture”, or so I’m told, and in my opinion it fully deserved it. The writing has style, it has consistency, it doesn’t change its mind over what kind of film to be half way in the picture, it stays gripping, exciting, and enthralling for the whole time it stays in front of your eyes. There is tension, there is suspense, and almost a horror as we realize that these men are falling apart, slowly and slowly, and it is all done in a manner that we fall apart with them, crumble to the ground as we get lost in the debate whether he is innocent or guilty, and this induces a paranoia, a paranoia that we are not listening to 100% of the truth.
The characters are also handled with care, they are different, but represent a majority, and they all have sides to them which only comes out in a state of stress, a moment of tension. It is this layer of deepness that makes the film so good, because we can, at different points throughout the film, connect to the different characters. We agree with number 12, we fell sorry with number 2, and each other juror have their points of interest. It really is one of the most interesting movies!
Overall, I am very glad I went back and read this as well as very glad that I ended my thinking that this was a superhero movie. It isn’t, however, in some ways it is. These are men who have another’s fate in their hands, and act selfishly, however, one man is a superhero, a real superhero, more powerful then Spiderman, Superman or God himself, as he uses compassion, knowledge and human nature, to set others on a right path. It is a moving and enlightening journey, of man who saved another, just some kid, hardly anything news worthy, but it is an act of selflessness that makes the world seem that much brighter.
Whew! With that, let’s turn towards a film that is basically opposite in genres, “Captain Scarlet”, the original “Captain Scarlet”, and take a look at how that was.
Captain Scarlet
*** .5 out of ****
May I be, what seems to be, stunningly controversial, and say that I prefer this to the second one? It is a real piece of work! Thrilling, action and exciting, all while keeping a taut suspense building up throughout. It is more fun then the second, more visceral and overall, more well done.
However, the point about it being well done, also is due to the benefit of it not being done well in a normal sense. What I mean is similar to what I meant with Most Dangerous Game, only in a lesser extent. It has a certain cheesy fun to it, like Star Wars, or, more closely, Star Trek. Although, this is well hidden in a compelling story. Take the first segment where an alien colony is destroyed ruthlessly. That is one of the most compelling scenes I have seen in a sci-fi so far. It is brutal, realistic, and impacting.
Then the films continues on its thrilling path, a few scenes not so compelling, however, overall I was kept on the edge of my seat, caught in the suspense, yes, but also in wonder, at how fun it was, how adventurous. If there was to be a third film, I recommend highly that it keep close to this film’s style, as it was entertaining, quick and easy read that, while it didn’t leave me with any strong messages, left a nice flavor in my mouth.
All in all, it is a nice treat and a delightful film where the captains wear civilian clothes to fit in, where they keep their names hidden, and work together on a mystery. It sounds gripping just describing it!
Sadly, that is it for this episode, as I knew it would turn out to be a shorter one, however, its quality not quantity, and I personally, think this is my best episode yet, however I’ll leave that up to you to decide. Due to the shortness (I apologize again), expect a longer episode on the 19th, which will be the next, as that will have a very detailed review to Mills of God.
Thank you for viewing and I hope to see you next time on “Casablanca and the Movies”.
NOTE- The next episode will air the 19th, not the 18th, as it usually follows a two day rule. But don’t worry, I will use my extra day to make a longer then usual episode.
