Review - Speed Racer

Now, I am well aware of the critical un-acclaim received by this movie, but I was totally interested in seeing it when I saw the trailer. Unfortunately I was unable to attend a showing when it released as my movie dollar and my available free time are always strained during the awesomeness that is summer blockbuster season. The premise seemed really outrageous, even without the added uniqueness of it being directed by the Wachowski brothers. I finally managed to see the movie at the "cheap" theater about two months after its release. Now that the movie has been released on DVD, I've had the chance to see it with better detail and profoundly better sound (it took our reel man about 20 minutes into the movie to realize the sound was at best inaudible).

I must admit I simply "know of" the classic cartoon series. I have seen a bit of it but never enough to be aware of any ongoing plot or even to readily identify more than three or four main characters. This eliminates me from the "fan" status and any bias that may harbor. I know the theme song and I know that it was one of the first popular manga series to successfully naturalize in the states. Beyond that I am far from an expert.

Let me put this as plain as I can, I enjoyed this film.




The most common complaint usually concerns the presence of psychedelic special effects, crazy whirling bright colors which detract from the story (this of course assuming said reviewer has acknowledged the existence of a story). I did not find the special effects to be distracting or over the top. In fact the worst thing this movie could have done would have been to normalize the story and adapt it to environments, locations, and vehicles more familiar to what we see everyday. I approached the special effects in this movie the same way I did those of other such over the top productions, with deliberate suspension of disbelief. I'm not sure that you could really watch this movie without letting yourself believe its (fictional) world, nor would I recommend it. It's the world of Moulin Rouge minus the breathy singing of Nicole Kidman.

Many other still complain about its story. The storyline is simple, I agree, but no less simple than the children's television show it was based on. Basically it's family loyalty versus corporate globalization. Yet within that simple premise lie several well acted moments. Emile Hirsch, as Speed Racer, is as solid as ever. The demands of this role paling in comparison to Into the Wild, he handles the script well. We feel his urgency in the races, and he does well to connect the viewer with what is going on on the track. Susan Sarandon plays his mother in an expanded role as a peacemaker and loving mother (she was seldom seen in the animated series). John Goodman, as Pops Racer, plays the role of father as well as ever without straying too far away from his animated source. In a strangely heartwarming scene Speed is leaving home in a way all to reminiscent of the way his older brother Rex left 8 years before. Goodman's acting in this scene is as good as anything I've ever seen him in. Wholly believable and touching. Outside of that we have all the main characters from the animated series present. Christina Ricci does her lip service has his love interest Trixie. Her relationship with Speed is simple and the movie does not move beyond that simplicity. Sparky, his mechanic, performs admirably. He has a heart and desires but they also get little exposition over the course of the movie, often relegated to comic relief. Spirtle and Chim-Chim, the boy and his monkey, were probably the nicest surprise. I hate movie monkeys with few exceptions. It seems like a lowest common denominator element regardless of its presence in the original manga. That being said I really enjoyed the two and they had very good chemistry on screen. The monkey scenes were deserving of laughs, never overdone, and often very simple and cute. And nothing beats the comedic value of a boy wearing pajamas with monkey heads next to a monkey wearing pajamas with little boy heads. The head of the looming conglomerate is E. P. Arnold Royalton, played by Roger Allam very much in the style of his Lewis Prothero (ahh, you just have to love V for Vendetta, so frickin' good...). Filling out the major roles are Speed's older brother Rex Racer played by Scott Porter, Inspector Detector played by Benno Fürmann, and Racer X played by Matthew Fox. An obligatory cast of supporting players fills their roles accordingly (i.e. bad guy, bad Asian guy, thug, ninja, race announcer, famous ex-racer, etc.).



The movie really does well to follow the premise of the original manga. It pays homage to many of the original series traits. The secret identity of Racer X, Pops past as a wrestler, Trixie and her helicopter, Spirtle and Chim-chim's lust for sweets. All these subtleties might turn off some, but really do honor the original. I still cannot understand how something that sticks to the general storyline of its source material can then be lashed for not somehow expanding on and exceeding that source material but without tainting what fans loved as children. You know what you get when you take what people liked as kids and add all sorts of convoluted story lines, extra characters, and questionable continuity ... The Phantom Menace.

Yeah, that's right, I went there.

So yes the story is pretty basic, but it does basic very, very well. I'll take basic done well any day over intricate done badly.

Here's what you'll probably like. The racing is amazing. The surreal tracks are eyepopping and beautiful. There are few racing films that elevate your resting adrenaline level as well as this one. If you're a fan of the series (and maybe if you're not), you'll love that the Wachowski's did their homework, keeping the characters and look in line. The sound is on par with what you see. Explosions, engines, and gears rip through the ear and elevate your link to what's on screen. The message is solid, placing love for family above love for fame and success, and above all doing what's right. Again it's a cake we've eaten, but the frosting is undeniably unique.

So here's what you might not like. The movie does hop from family moments to racing and back again. Sometimes you haven't come down from the sensory jolt of the racing fast enough and the calm of the scenes at home can seem slower. The fight scenes don't appear as though they want to be taken seriously, and I'm not sure if that was their intent. That being said they contain some humorous moments. The bad guys are absolutely one trick ponies, don't expect any Ledger-like character development here. They serve their purpose in the same way every other pod-racer but Anakin's did in Episode 1, they're pretty to look at, but we're all just waiting for them to be destroyed in action, aren't we. The look is bright and colorful, always, for the whole movie, all the time, without end, even in the beginning. Yes the very beginning.

Get over it, I like dark too. The Dark Knight was super awesome, but color won't hurt you. Bright rainbows of color are not just reserved for the GLB community and daytime PBS. All sorts of critics call Speed Racer a "video game" on the big screen like it's derogatory. I enjoy fast moving colorful objects, I enjoy being entertained, I enjoy not needing to see a movie several times before it's underlying love narrative elicits euphoria from within the deepest abyss of my psyche.



In the end, this movie is criticized for lacking a direct demographic. Critics couldn't tell if it was directed at fans, children, adults, or chimpanzees. Truth is, this movie is for everyone and there are few "summer blockbuster" types who wouldn't find something enjoyable about it. I loved the racing and loved the style. I lauged at most of the jokes, in spite of their level of slapstick or intelligence. Hell, I was even a tiny bit moved, and I know that wasn't even on the map for some of this film's haters.

And that is why I really liked this movie. It's entertaining, it's funny, it's fun, and it sure as hell isn't a bad way to spend a couple of hours. Give it a chance, critics be damned.

No stars or ratings, just go see it already.


Photo credit Warner Bros.

VOD?? - More like audio with subtitles, but it's still hilarious I promise.

There must really be few pleasures in life as good as being prepared to talk to a telemarketer. It's their ability to catch us off guard that makes us stutter and politely decline their offers as they plow through their scripts. I've grown to the point of just gently hanging up the phone, because I know somebody on the other side has no choice but to earn a living knowing people hate them. I see them much like I see the NMSU parking department, however underneath my gentle facade I want to rip out their still beating hearts and punch them in the face with it for the few seconds they have before slipping into death. Since that would effectively end this blog's short run, I remain calm. Enjoy this excellent clip showcasing this man's unique response to one unsuspecting telemarketer.

Review - Fringe

Well, having seen the pilot episode twice and tonight's episode, I have to say I'm looking forward to the rest of the season of FOX's new show Fringe. If you haven't had a chance to check it out I highly recommend it. The premise is this: FBI special agent Olivia Dunham becomes involved in an investigation into a flight which lands (through the aid of advanced autopilot) safely at an airport but with no signs of life on board and with complete radio science. The resulting investigation reveals that some synthetic airborne toxin had been introduced to the flight which, for all intents and purposes, melts the flesh off of all the passengers. An explosion at a storage facility she is sent to investigate seriously injures Dunham's partner John Scott, who is exposed to the toxin's ingredients. Scott is barely alive and in a coma, and his flesh is becoming increasingly transparent. This leads Dunham to research the effects of the toxin and leads her to Dr. Walter Bishop. Bishop was doing top secret research at Harvard for the DOD, but now resides in a mental institution after on of his experimental assistants was killed in the lab. Dunham wants to speak with Bishop, but cannot speak with him unless she is accompanied by a family member, of which Dr. Bishop has only one. She seeks out his son Peter Bishop and convinces him to help. Together they eventually find a cure for agent Scott, but unfortunately this is simply the beginning of a twisted plot. The lead investigator for the terrorist attack on the airliner is Homeland Security Agent Phillip Broyles, and he taps agent Dunham to join his task force researching "The Pattern", a series of unimaginable events not unlike the airliner attack that all seem connected. Dunham recruits Dr. Bishop and his son and accepts the position, and this is how the show takes off. Agent Scott recovers after some truly neat research involving shared dream states and LSD and sensory deprivation chambers. The brother of the man responsible for the airliner attack is captured. And all seems well until Dunham discovers the truth. I'll just say check out the pilot episode here if you have a couple of hours to spend.

I enjoyed the series a great deal. It felt well written and paced, with outstanding effects on par with it's 10 million dollar budget, a record for a pilot. At times Peter Bishop, played by Joshua Jackson, seemed a little too redundant with his sarcasm, but his character brings brains as well which helps to level him out. The rest of the cast is outstanding, especially Anna Torv as agent Dunham. Of special note is the performance of Blair Brown, who plays Nina Sharp, one of the higher ups at Massive Dynamic, the giant conglomerate which seems way to connected to "The Pattern" to fully trust. Agent Broyles, played by Lance Reddick, is spot on as well.

Excellent storytelling, excellent effects, and excellent twists make this one a winner in my book. While not without a few cliched shortcomings, for a pilot this show is incredibly polished and well deserving of a good look by anyone who enjoys good sci-fi or good mystery.

"Five alien heads out of five"

Review - Rock Band 2

Ahh, the sweet music coursing through my veins! Rock Band 2 is finally here and for fans of the series it's a complete no-brainer must have. With over 80 new songs on disc with an additional 20 free via download later this year, this newest edition packs more hits than any other music game to date. And you'll find no cover songs here, every one is a master track by the original artist. Fans of the series will find the interface streamlined, with many of the hiccups of the first game removed. New features include:

• A "No Fail" mode - no longer will your band's conquests be hindered on Rock Band night by a single players' inadequacy, which normally meant a crushing blow to the other three band members and shameful humiliation for the culprit.
  
• Streamlined menus - Menus are quick and efficient, making jumping into the action fast and fun. Accidental button presses plagued the first Rock Band where one missed drum hit would cancel everyone's choices and return to the previous member. Now all crucial band decisions are made with the "Start" button, a welcome improvement.
• The inclusion of over 50 songs from the original - with the $5 purchase of a transfer license, you can rip the tracks from the original game onto the Xbox 360's hard drive. This allows you full access to your library with a few exceptions (three of the original songs are not included with the file transfer due to licensing issues). The only downside to this is that your original Rock Band songs and the downloads you've purchased are all included in your band's setlist, meaning for some that they'll play the same songs in the new version that they've beaten to death in the original. This might be a turn off for some, as it means not only some redundancy, but also reduced exposure to the newer tracks.
• Play any or all instruments on the World Tour - in the original Rock Band, your created character was restricted to their initial instrument choice. Now you can play any instrument or sing vocals at any point in the World Tour progression. Tired of guitar, switch your character to drums, bass, or vocals.
  
• World Tour progression no longer restricted to two or more players - if you're anything like me, you know the pain of logging in to Rock Band and not being able to progress through the World Tour because you're playing solo. Not everyone has the time, commitment, and sleep schedule needed to maintain a multi-member pseudo band. So for the rest of us you can progress through the World Tour by yourself and add or drop members at will. If you have more players available, they can join or leave any time througout the World Tour experience.
• Co - op online play - in the initial offering, your band had to be within an arms reach in order to play as a group. Now your bassist can be in D.C., your vocalist in Seattle, your drummer in L.A., and you in El Paso and you can hook up through Xbox LIVE to jam your heart out. Tired of playing together, battle against each other or against other bands in the new Battle of the Bands features. Publisher Harmonix promises to add new challenges daily involving the best scores on varying setlists, or with different tests of skill like note streaks.
• Improved tutorials - No more physically imparing yourself trying to play the drums like a pro. Rock Band 2 provides detailed tutorials for all the instruments, and a drum specific training session which takes the player through a series of traditional drumming patterns meant to provide the necessary ability to succeed at the main game. Excellent and appreciated work here.
  

All of the new features make Rock Band 2 the pinnacle of music gaming to date. That being said, fans will find little change in graphics or character customization. World Tour plays out much the same as RB1. Character creation also remains relatively unchanged, with a few new face, hair, and clothing options, but no micro customization options like facial feature sliders, etc. The performance venues are also mostly the same and fans will recognize many of them from the first game, however there is enough freshness here to please fans and keep things feeling new.

Rock Band 2 pulls no punches and releases a full month and a half before it's competitor Guitar Hero: World Tour. Fans of the series will find alot to love here but they need no convincing, they are already playing the game. Newcomers will find the best game in the genre all wrapped up with unmatched playablity, fantastic features, and vicious fun. Strongly recommended.

"♫♫♫♫½" - Four and a half music notes out of five.