Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Sucker Punch (2011)
This is the first posting that I would write about a movie that is currently out. I feel compelled to add my own positive review of the view amidst all the negative reviews out there. I just watched this movie on Friday night when it came.
I was hopping all day excited as hell to watch this movie. My
workplace was very much amused in seeing me coherent at so early in the day.I was wiggling through the seemingly endless stream of previews.And then the movie started.....
"Suckerpunch" is an epic fantasy movie involving five young girls (ranging between 20-25 yrs). We are first introduced to Babydoll in an amazing non-dialogue sequence where we learn that in an attempt to defend her and her
sister from her abusive stepfather, Baby Doll's little sister is accidentally shot. She is then shipped off to a mental institute where her stepfather bribes the warden to do a labotomy in about five days. At the institute we meet the other four girls: Sweetpea and Rocket (sisters). Amber, and Blondie. With the help of the inhouse phychiatrist, the girls go through two different alternate realities. One is where all the girls are dancer/prostitues. The other is super awesome world where they are combat officers fighting crazy machines and clockwork nazis. In order to be "free", the girls must obtain 5 items: a knife, fire, a map. and a key. The fifth is a mystery. So begins the adventure.I LOVED THIS MOVIE!
I was going nuts throughout the movie. My eyes were greedily soaking in the beautiful, visual effects. My hands were itching for a controller during the fight scenes. I swear I could see Final Fantasy X2 and Mortal Kombat influences sprinkled about. I wanted to wear so many of the combat outfits (my favorite is Sweet Peas). My ears were drunk happy by the awesome
soundtrack. When I heard the "White Rabbit" song my chest was bubbling with happiness.This is not an exaggeration of my reactions. More like an understatement.
As the end credits rolled, my roomie (who came along for the excitement) were whooping and prancing about with excitement. The words weren't tumbling fast enough from our lips, we were so excited! We gushed at how much Baby Dolls weapons reminded us of Yuna of Final Fantasy X2 and how awesome it would be to weild a sword AND a gun.
I glanced to my other companions hoping to share the excitement. Only to be met with annoyed stone faces.
Even my favorite online reviews have skewered this movie. Some have brought up great points, others were just cruel. I'm not too sure why so many people hate this movie. The most common complaint is that the movie is "all shine and no substance".
Um. UH-DUH. There are posters of girls in front of crazy scenaries wearing sexy outfits and caryying heavy artillery. They're wearing SEXY outfits. Baby Doll is wearing a sailor outfit!! Who the hell fights in a sailor outfit!?!?!?
What were people expecting??!?! An in depth look into human nature as pretty girls parade around in pigtails? No. This movie was exactly what I wanted and more: girls fighting through their own barriers in a cool, kick ass way. I went in expecting to be wowed and I came out practically drooling from happiness.
Maybe it's the abrupt shift into alternate realities that has everybody getting their knickers twisted. If you listen to the prologue, you can already figure out how it works. It's not just Baby Doll who has her own alternate reality.There's been also a dismissive gesture that this movie was made for pre teen boys. Um, probably. But not quite. I am an adult (in a manner of speaking..) and I LOVED this movie. I would rather argue that this movie was made for the female geeks out
there. The ones who love rock music, anime, and video games. Finally! A movie with female kickassers!!! Men, you can slaver over your "300", we have "Sucker Punch"I love the hyper special effects. I have no idea what the Zach Snyder (directors) effects are called but it's awesome. If you've seen "Watchmen", it's similar.
Some people saw "Wizard of Oz" elements. I saw more "Alice in Wonderland". Especially "McGee's Alice" computer game. The pink bunny on the machine. The blue pinafore like dress. I can't remember if "Lennox" had anything to do with wonderland. The falling into an absurd world( or worlds) just like Wonderland. The general reminded me of the caterpillar. Also the "White Rabbit" song.
Oh and the steampunk themes just drove me crazy!!! I loved it!!! The clockwork nazis were cool even though they reminded me of the villain in "Hellboy".
I could gush on and on about this movie....but I have dash off to do
a midterm. I can't wait until it comes out on DVD so I can rewatch it again. This would be a "either you love it or hate it". All I would ask is that you go in without any expectations. Just sit back and enjoy the movie.Favorite quote from the movie:
"If you don't stand for anything, you'll fall for anything"
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Pippi Longstocking (1988)
I read through "Pippi Longsocking" books like crack. I forget how many books are in the series and I frankly forgot what the stories were. I do remember just absolutely adoring Pippi. I wanted to be Pippi! Which might explain why I'm so wacky.
There have been several versions of the story in movies. I know there's one that was made in 1969 and several television episodes. This version made in 1988 isn't great but it's what I remember. I get so giddy and childish every time I hear the theme song!
Pippi Longstocking is the charming but wacky red headed (Ginger!) young girl. Her father is a pirate captain overseas. She lives in a suburban house with a monkey and a horse. She's a magical child with unbelievable strength. She could lift the horse with no problems!In the stories she was involved with lots of zany adventures with her friends. Fun and silly all around!
The movie is no different. I haven't seen the movie in ages but I'm always seeking out a DVD copy. From what I remember of the plot, Pippi Longstocking is waiting for her father to come home. As she waits, the evil Childrens agency seeks to take Longstocking into their custody after catching wind that she's been living by herself. After attempts to runaway with a Pippi-manned helicopter and barreling down a waterfall, she does get taken. I do remember she gets out and her father returns. I apologize for the shaky summary but I haven't seen the movie since I was twelve.
It might also be because the movie didn't really have a strong storyline. There was a lot of silly, zany childrens fun. "Pippi Longstocking" is a childrens story and the movie directed the movie to
its target audience.One of my favorite scene is when Pippi is cleaning the house with her friends. They decide to strap on brushes on their feet. They sweep and swoop around the movie as they sing another catchy light-hearted song. I do remember trying to duct tape a brush to the bottom of my feet but only managed to squash the brush. My mother should have been mad except that she just laughed at my expression of disbelief in a soapy puddle.
I did wonder how she kept her pig tails curved like that. You got the impression that Pippi was poor with her brightly colored rags and bare cupboards. She would have had to use mounds of gel or hairspray...which I don't think they had during the time the novels were written.So I don't think she had wire hangers holding those braids up. Actually, I think she just had normal braids in the novel. Oh well.
If your in a mood to feel like a child, then you may enjoy this movie. Fair warning: you may not get the theme song of your head.
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Surf Ninjas (1993)
The 90's. That wonderful decade of ninjas, bright clothes, pop music, and bubbles. Oh...so much bad taste packaged in pretty colors. Growing up in the 90's was like being surrounded by poisonous gummy bears. Look pretty, taste baaaaad.
I have alot of movies that I watched as a kid that really, really, really sucked. I knew that they sucked. I did not care. I watched them because they seemed interesting. I loved them because they were entertaining as hell.
There were several bad movie themes that permeated that decade. One was the idiot/ surfer stereotype who is a hero. "Bill and Ted Excellent Adventure" comes to mind. There was also alot of ninja obsessed movies. "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle". "3 Ninjas" series.
Ninjas are freaking cool. When they're actually NINJAS. Not some suburban teenager running around in bright clothes or mutant turtle. No. Ninjas are stealthy and can hide themselves. Like the ninja that is hiding behind you. Ha, ha, made you look.
"Surf Ninjas". You can tell from the title what favorite 90's themes they put together. Normally I really, really hate surfer heroes. It's hard to love an idiot. But I watched this movie because of one major pull: Thailand. Well almost.
The movie never claims that it was in Thailand. I'm assuming the King of Thailand did not allow the movie makers to lay claim to that one. I don't blame him. It's not the greatest movie for Thailand to associate themselves with. But dammit, I'm in America. We got nothing!!!
I've mentioned before that I'm part Thai. Finding a Thai movie that is NOT about drugs or sex trade is pretty hard to find. Actually finding an English movie set in Thailand is rare. As a kid, I was desperate to latch onto something of my culture.
In the movie, there are two surfer adopted brothers named Adam and Johnny. They live a leisurely surfer life in a beach area in Los Angeles (Hermosa beach to be exact). Oblivious to a series of attacks by poorly disguised ninjas, the brothers and their father are attacked. A one eyed ninja comes to their aid but the father is still kidnapped. Distressed, the one-eyed ninja named Zatch whisks the boys away while explaining their back story. Adam and Johnny are long lost princes of a fictional city called "Pattusan" (it's a Chiang-Mai like place). In order to rescue their kidnapped father they have to travel to Pattsan and defeat the Colonel Chi played by Leslie Nielson.
You know if Nielson is in it, it's a wacky movie. Hell Tone-Loc is even in the movie as the cop who tags along with the kids.
Oh I didn't mention the ultimate groan factor. Rob Schneider is in it. Geez, that's a loud groan.
What else can I mention to add to how horrible this movie is?The storyline is simple and weak. Most of the characters are stupid and weak. so many plot holes that it should be swiss cheese.
And yet. And yet I love this movie. It's still a fun movie for me. The jokes are silly but I still smile. The action scenes are really fun to watch. I love the glimpses of thai culture (in the beginning of the backstory, you can hear a thai conversation in the palace). I love that the Sega could predict the future. I love the girl who is brought up to be his wife but later just walks away.
It's lighthearted and fun.No way should this movie be taken seriously or analyzed. Although some people have:
Sometimes I start chanting "Kwon Zoo Dude!" (they're chanting "to fight!" in a rough thai pronunciation). I still find myself going "I got nothing!" at work.
And no one gets me.
Sigh
Thursday, March 10, 2011
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