C.B. Pratt's Blog
May 11, 2015
Fantasy Fiction Ezine for May!
Sample chapters and video trailers from some hot new authors.
April 13, 2015
Cover Reveal!
Several friends have asked why Eno's subsequent adventures have only been available through Kindle. Amazon offers a 'loan' program where regular subscribers can read as many books as they please after they pay a $10 fee. By having my books solely on Amazon, I can find readers who will 'borrow' my books. I get paid a little bit for each one. When my books were on other sites (Ibooks, Kobo, etc.), nobody was buying them.
However, now that Hero For Hire has had some exposure, I think I can safely put the other books up on other sites. My arrangement with Amazon ends in Late April. Be on the lookout for The Stone Gods, Dark Mountain, Rivers of Sand and, the fifth title, Eno and the Dragon at most major e-book retailers by May 1st!
Now for the big news: I have a cover for Eno and the Dragon! I think it's pretty spectacular...what do you think?
<----
However, now that Hero For Hire has had some exposure, I think I can safely put the other books up on other sites. My arrangement with Amazon ends in Late April. Be on the lookout for The Stone Gods, Dark Mountain, Rivers of Sand and, the fifth title, Eno and the Dragon at most major e-book retailers by May 1st!
Now for the big news: I have a cover for Eno and the Dragon! I think it's pretty spectacular...what do you think?
<----
March 16, 2015
February 19, 2015
Jupiter Disappointing
I'm back! I took a long hiatus over Christmas and the beginning of the year while I worked hard on the fifth book in the Eno the Thracian series. I should have the new cover up shortly!
It was a pretty dull season for my kind of movies. Nothing that I saw really moved me to the computer. Fortunately, it looks as if that dry spell is over. And no, I''m not talking about Fifty Shades of Grey. Maybe if it starred Lara Croft and Cthulhu�
Jupiter Ascending is, as everyone knows, the latest offering from the Wachowski Siblings. It was supposed to be released back in Summer of 2014 but was pushed back to February, allegedly for CGI work. We saw it in 3-D and the artwork is very good, clear and crisp. Which is a good thing because this movie is all about visuals. Planets, including this one, sweeping vistas of space, and the beautiful costumes all appear with memorable fidelity and grace. However, all this technological beauty supports a story as old hat at the Perils of Pauline.
I literally lost track of how many times our heroine, Jupiter Jones, is kidnapped by nefarious forces. Her hero is less Caine Wise, the genetically-engineered warrior, than his amazing hover-board which is right out of Back to the Future. I found myself wishing it would break down just so that we could have a little suspense about whether he was going to rescue her again or not. It was as much a 'deus ex machina' as the sonic screwdriver in Doctor Who.
Speaking of the classics, the Wachowskis obviously enjoyed throwing in endless visual and story references to the Greek/Roman myths, including having a space yacht decorated with golden statues of gods and heroes. The story has overtones of both the Oedipus and Electra stories, full of family conflict, death and rebirth.
Jupiter's genetic code is a precise, if accidental, replica of an off-world's queen�or something like that. The explanations for why Jupiter is so special are brief and confusing. We're obviously expected to take it on faith that somehow this miracle has occurred and everyone wants control of her because her previous incarnation left her all her money. So all this beauty and interstellar intrigue is, at heart, about big business. With explosions.
The main trouble I had with the film was that the Wachowskis emptied their file cabinet on this one. The story could have lost a subplot or two without suffering. There was so much story to cram into the running time that the characters were never fully developed into people worth caring about, but neither were the people in the myths. Jupiter is an archtype, 'the girl in danger'. Caine is 'the hero'. Balem Abrasax is 'the villain'�wasting Eddie Redmayne. They are not complex enough to be interesting over a long film, no matter how beautiful.
It was a pretty dull season for my kind of movies. Nothing that I saw really moved me to the computer. Fortunately, it looks as if that dry spell is over. And no, I''m not talking about Fifty Shades of Grey. Maybe if it starred Lara Croft and Cthulhu�
Jupiter Ascending is, as everyone knows, the latest offering from the Wachowski Siblings. It was supposed to be released back in Summer of 2014 but was pushed back to February, allegedly for CGI work. We saw it in 3-D and the artwork is very good, clear and crisp. Which is a good thing because this movie is all about visuals. Planets, including this one, sweeping vistas of space, and the beautiful costumes all appear with memorable fidelity and grace. However, all this technological beauty supports a story as old hat at the Perils of Pauline.
I literally lost track of how many times our heroine, Jupiter Jones, is kidnapped by nefarious forces. Her hero is less Caine Wise, the genetically-engineered warrior, than his amazing hover-board which is right out of Back to the Future. I found myself wishing it would break down just so that we could have a little suspense about whether he was going to rescue her again or not. It was as much a 'deus ex machina' as the sonic screwdriver in Doctor Who.
Speaking of the classics, the Wachowskis obviously enjoyed throwing in endless visual and story references to the Greek/Roman myths, including having a space yacht decorated with golden statues of gods and heroes. The story has overtones of both the Oedipus and Electra stories, full of family conflict, death and rebirth.
Jupiter's genetic code is a precise, if accidental, replica of an off-world's queen�or something like that. The explanations for why Jupiter is so special are brief and confusing. We're obviously expected to take it on faith that somehow this miracle has occurred and everyone wants control of her because her previous incarnation left her all her money. So all this beauty and interstellar intrigue is, at heart, about big business. With explosions.
The main trouble I had with the film was that the Wachowskis emptied their file cabinet on this one. The story could have lost a subplot or two without suffering. There was so much story to cram into the running time that the characters were never fully developed into people worth caring about, but neither were the people in the myths. Jupiter is an archtype, 'the girl in danger'. Caine is 'the hero'. Balem Abrasax is 'the villain'�wasting Eddie Redmayne. They are not complex enough to be interesting over a long film, no matter how beautiful.
October 29, 2014
Writer's Conferences
Nothing that I do is more exhilarating and exhausting than attending a writer's conference. This year it was a conference thrown by Novelists Inc., the best darn writers' group nobody's heard of. Well, that's not quite true. We have 750 members from all around the country, and some international, all of whom have at least two traditionally published or independently published titles. (http://www.ninc.com/)
While I'm completely revved up to apply the tips and techniques I've learned in an intense week, I'm also completely wiped out. Once you leave the dorm, those late nights talking about everything and anything, junk food and wine, affect you for days. Add in my spouse blowing out a knee while I was gone and you can see that my life has been a trifle overloaded lately.
I am trying my level best to get the fifth and final Eno the Thracian novel done. It's fun and I'm loving the work. However, between Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, there's much to be done in addition to the writing. I remember in my trad days saying 'no thanks' to any contract that fell due in November or December. There's no point in adding more difficulty levels to your day-to-day existence!
Next up in the movie reviews will be John Wick and BigHero6. Wildly different films, but they both look like a good time. We shall see!
I've recently gone to KDP Select, which means my books will only be available on Amazon for the next 3 months. Let me know if you think this was a mistake or not, please.
While I'm completely revved up to apply the tips and techniques I've learned in an intense week, I'm also completely wiped out. Once you leave the dorm, those late nights talking about everything and anything, junk food and wine, affect you for days. Add in my spouse blowing out a knee while I was gone and you can see that my life has been a trifle overloaded lately.
I am trying my level best to get the fifth and final Eno the Thracian novel done. It's fun and I'm loving the work. However, between Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, there's much to be done in addition to the writing. I remember in my trad days saying 'no thanks' to any contract that fell due in November or December. There's no point in adding more difficulty levels to your day-to-day existence!
Next up in the movie reviews will be John Wick and BigHero6. Wildly different films, but they both look like a good time. We shall see!
I've recently gone to KDP Select, which means my books will only be available on Amazon for the next 3 months. Let me know if you think this was a mistake or not, please.
October 3, 2014
Meet Some New Friends
Because the movies continue to be disappointing, I thought I'd take the opportunity to introduce some writer friends of mine who write books that ought to *be* movies. They have high stakes, fun characters, and involving plots. Come say hello!
* * *
Mexico.
"Patron!" The digger's voice cracked with excitement, causing the entire work party to stop all motion and huddle around one among the myriad of shallow holes. Piles of earth littered the area, a testament to the persistent search that had continued unabated for nearly six weeks. Broken rock and gritty volcanic ash slumped into mounds of slag at regular intervals in a lazy spiral, culminating in one ringing strike of a shovel blade on something that sounded hollow and deep.
"Move back! Get back, dammit!" The lone speaker shouted, impatient and hoarse after more than a month of barking at the workers, who had not so secretly hoped his frayed vocal cords would eventually fail. The dig leader, a young man with the disdainful air of the dissolute wealthy, clambered to the top of the heap and peered inside the hole with a predatory glee.
<!DOCTYPE html>
* * *
The splattered blood feels hot on my face even with the cold and blowing snow. I can hardly make out Shane's lifeless body through my tears of fear. Please let me wake from this nightmare.
Cold and heartless, Tobias turns his gun on Skipper. My chest grows tight and I wait for another deafening shot.
CJ forces the barrel of his weapon into my cheek so hard that I feel the welt form immediately. They will kill me just as easily as Dorian killed Shane. Are the basic laws of society dead forever?
<!DOCTYPE html>
First up, from Australia, is Demelza Carlton�her unique take on mermaids and their relationship with humans is the kind of story dreams are made of. Take a swim in her world with Ocean's Justice:
Cast adrift on the Indian Ocean, eighteen-year-old Maria is saved by the crew of the steamship Trevessa.
She can't tell them her tragic tale, so the superstitious sailors make up their own stories � and some would sacrifice her to the seas to save themselves from the coming storm. Scottish engineer William McGregor boarded the Trevessa in search of adventure. He finds a crew convinced their ship is cursed, as he fights to protect the mysterious girl and bring her safely to shore.
When the sharks start circling and the storm closes in, are sirens more than just a myth?
My defiance was futile. What did it get me? A small raft drifting across the Indian Ocean, with nothing but the sound of waves and the smell of salt and coal-smoke.
Smoke meant a ship. I was saved.
I squinted into the sunlight, but the waves hid the vessel from me. Maybe I was looking the wrong way. I didn't have the strength to sit up and see.
Rough hands seized me. I struggled, but my weakness won.
Blue eyes drifted above, the same colour as the ocean below. A tangle of wiry seaweed obscured the rest of the man's face.
"It's all right, lass. I'll take care of you."
Darkness took me first.<!DOCTYPE html>
* * *
Next up is Terry Maggert, a gent from Nashville. You can't say I don't bring you an international bunch! He's turning monster-hunting into a family business, though the family is as unusual as the creatures they hunt. A Bride of Salt and Stars is the fourth in a series that just keeps getting better.
From a secret tomb beneath the ashes of a Mexican volcano, something has broken free. Something luminous. Beautiful. And deadly. From the deepest part of our human legends, she is known simply as The Bride, and she�s visiting Florida for dinner, but her arrival has not gone unseen.
The Fearless will make certain her reception is memorable. In a place where creatures like The Bride hunt each night, The Fearless will go to any lengths defending humanity. But only after dark. That�s when the hunting is best.
In this battle, new warriors emerge against this timeless evil as Ring, Wally and Risa rejoin their stalwart friends to turn demons into dust --and justice into reality. They�re joined by Aurelia, the Romanian stripper who fights better than she dances and has a very unusual history.
Aurelia brings a legendary weapon to bear against The Bride-- but first, she�ll have to guide Ring through a maze of warlocks, a clever deity, and the ongoing reclamation of the succubus Delphine�s soul. Along the way, The Fearless will feed the dog, collect the rent, and act as if every day in the sun might be their last.
Mexico.
"Patron!" The digger's voice cracked with excitement, causing the entire work party to stop all motion and huddle around one among the myriad of shallow holes. Piles of earth littered the area, a testament to the persistent search that had continued unabated for nearly six weeks. Broken rock and gritty volcanic ash slumped into mounds of slag at regular intervals in a lazy spiral, culminating in one ringing strike of a shovel blade on something that sounded hollow and deep.
"Move back! Get back, dammit!" The lone speaker shouted, impatient and hoarse after more than a month of barking at the workers, who had not so secretly hoped his frayed vocal cords would eventually fail. The dig leader, a young man with the disdainful air of the dissolute wealthy, clambered to the top of the heap and peered inside the hole with a predatory glee.
<!DOCTYPE html>
* * *
Finally, the very talented Ginger Gelsheimer brings us a story inspired by a prequel for The Hunger Games. The Dark Days series takes a look at the disaster that led to the formation of 13 districts and the people that ultimately caused the Rebellion. Dark Beginnings, the 4th episode in the series, takes off right where we left Claudia--with murder. The rules of society have burned and the bad guys are winning.
Claudia, Ben and the rest of the gang must flee to escape death at the hands of the evil dictator, Dorian Lennox. With the help of an unexpected friend, they will make their way to a new home in Silver Plume, Colorado. Life is good again, as normal as it can be�until Dorian�s brother Aden surfaces. Claudia�s life will be turned upside down when she gets blood on her own hands.
The splattered blood feels hot on my face even with the cold and blowing snow. I can hardly make out Shane's lifeless body through my tears of fear. Please let me wake from this nightmare.
Cold and heartless, Tobias turns his gun on Skipper. My chest grows tight and I wait for another deafening shot.
CJ forces the barrel of his weapon into my cheek so hard that I feel the welt form immediately. They will kill me just as easily as Dorian killed Shane. Are the basic laws of society dead forever?
<!DOCTYPE html>
September 26, 2014
New Books Out Now!
It's been a busy month around my ivory tower -- does stucco count? Between finishing up my latest Eno the Thracian book and getting it on-line and the weather turning cool enough to spend time at DisneyWorld, I haven't been seeing many movies. Not that there's a lot floating my movie-going boat these days. Fall is always a down-time for the kind of big, noisy movies I love so much. It seems that Old Guys Rule at the box office right now -- which is great for Denzel Washington and Liam Neeson but not so much for those of us who prefer alien ships and laser battles. Oh, well...Christmas Blockbuster Season is not that far off.
Panic!
Whew...I'm okay. It's just that the thought of ornaments, carols in all the shops and...and....
Panic! (think of Halloween, think of Halloween, think of Halloween....)
Okay.
Rivers of Sand, Eno the Thracian #4 is now available on-line. In this adventure, Eno finds himself facing his greatest nightmare -- politics. If the price of helping out the citizens of Babylon, most notorious city on Earth, is to be their King, he doesn't want anything to do with it. However, there's a death-dealing demon on the loose, an Assyrian army at their doorstep, and quarrelsome goddesses determined to have their way. If Eno doesn't rise to the challenge, no one will.
This is the Amazon link but the book is processing at I-Tunes, B&N, and other on-line retailers. Sometimes the on-line world is as slow as the real one. http://amzn.to/1wNUjEm
Clockwork Universe - Steampunk vs. Aliens is exactly what it says on the label. Started as a Kickstarter project by the fabulously named Zombies Need Brains, Inc., the anthology is inspired by the classic s/f/f tales of the 19th century. This is a big 'what if' and the authors have done a great job creating unique visions. I was really flattered to be included. My story is 'The Red Queen and the White'. It's non-Eno and a more serious voice.
http://amzn.to/WfJLAA
Finally, come discover some Dangerous Secrets. Hero for Hire, Eno #1, has been included in an anthology of four full-length novels by some best-selling novelists. I bet you didn't know I was one of those! Yes, I had a book appear on the USA Today list more years ago than I like to recall. Hero for Hire was also #1 for a short but glorious stint on Amazon when it first came out. The other three authors need no quibbling when they say 'best-seller' on their covers! We have a mystery, a historical romance and a romantic suspense all for the same price as Hero for Hire alone.
http://amzn.to/1siwqGy
I hope you pick them up and enjoy them. If so, please throw a review my way!
Panic!
Whew...I'm okay. It's just that the thought of ornaments, carols in all the shops and...and....
Panic! (think of Halloween, think of Halloween, think of Halloween....)
Okay.
Rivers of Sand, Eno the Thracian #4 is now available on-line. In this adventure, Eno finds himself facing his greatest nightmare -- politics. If the price of helping out the citizens of Babylon, most notorious city on Earth, is to be their King, he doesn't want anything to do with it. However, there's a death-dealing demon on the loose, an Assyrian army at their doorstep, and quarrelsome goddesses determined to have their way. If Eno doesn't rise to the challenge, no one will.
This is the Amazon link but the book is processing at I-Tunes, B&N, and other on-line retailers. Sometimes the on-line world is as slow as the real one. http://amzn.to/1wNUjEm
Clockwork Universe - Steampunk vs. Aliens is exactly what it says on the label. Started as a Kickstarter project by the fabulously named Zombies Need Brains, Inc., the anthology is inspired by the classic s/f/f tales of the 19th century. This is a big 'what if' and the authors have done a great job creating unique visions. I was really flattered to be included. My story is 'The Red Queen and the White'. It's non-Eno and a more serious voice.
http://amzn.to/WfJLAA
Finally, come discover some Dangerous Secrets. Hero for Hire, Eno #1, has been included in an anthology of four full-length novels by some best-selling novelists. I bet you didn't know I was one of those! Yes, I had a book appear on the USA Today list more years ago than I like to recall. Hero for Hire was also #1 for a short but glorious stint on Amazon when it first came out. The other three authors need no quibbling when they say 'best-seller' on their covers! We have a mystery, a historical romance and a romantic suspense all for the same price as Hero for Hire alone.
http://amzn.to/1siwqGy
I hope you pick them up and enjoy them. If so, please throw a review my way!
September 15, 2014
Great Expectations Lost: Hercules and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
The makers of these two films had a difficult task. It is hard enough to surprise and delight an audience when starting with a fresh idea and brand new characters. To do so with known and loved quantities is even harder.
What's most interesting about comparing these two movies � which came out so close to each other this summer � is that the filmmakers took opposite tracks yet came to the same end.
At first glance, Hercules starring Dwayne Johnson seems like the perfect fit. (Full disclosure: if I could get him to play Eno, my hero from Ancient Greece, I'd be one happy writer!) "Hercules" is an instantly recognizable character, both from the myths and from the countless films about his adventures, most especially the 1950's Italian 'epics' with bodybuilder Steve Reeve (monsters courtesy of Ray Harryhausen). The character had a popular resurgence with the TV series starring Kevin Sorbo.
So the audience feels that they know what to expect when they see the name 'Hercules' in a title. Gods. Monsters. Wisecracks. Maybe a beautiful maiden or twelve clad in diaphanous clothing. The trailers seem to indicate that the 2014 Hercules would be along expected and anticipated lines. Instead, we were shown a movie that was essentially about one man's angst and the attempts of his friends to understand him, plus battles of the thousands charging at the camera variety.
None of it was terrible. Judging on the merits, it was an enjoyable and involving film with some good lines, fine actors, and a decent script. Dwayne Johnson is growing as an actor and handles his emotional range well. The relationships were complex and intriguing. Rufus Sewell and Ian McShane were terrific as always. John Hurt and Joseph Fiennes were not given enough to do. It was a good movie � but it wasn't Hercules. Not even a self-aware, updated Hercules.
No Gods. No monsters � though some clever explanations for why people thought they saw things. The filmmakers decided that they'd take all that out. Hercules isn't the son of a god, just an overgrown guy with a good sense of public relations. There's a damsel in distress � but she's a mom worried about her kid. The trouble is that we didn't go to the theater to watch a war drama with political intrigue. We came to watch Hercules � hydras, battle skeletons, Hera in her awesome majesty throwing roadblocks in his way. I wish the filmmakers would have forgotten their ironic detachment and given us that movie. They would have had a hit.
Now the good people who made Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles went too far the other way. This is a paint-by-numbers, follow-the-bouncing-ball version of the story. It's exactly what it says on the wrapper. They crammed in every bit of TMNT lore they could scrape up, including some really obscure stuff. Flashbacks to their little turtle selves going down the sewer, the Foot Clan's origins, the who, the what, the why, and the 'science' that made them what they are, it's all here. But in putting all that in, they left a lot out. Like coherence, believability and emotion. There are also plot holes the likes of which I've never seen. One in particular is so enormous you could drive Optimus Prime through and not even scratch his paint.
The story is so thin, so derivative, that at first you can't believe that's the one they are telling. Mind-bogglingly rich guy decides to destroy city to get richer � did they steal that from Marvel's trash cans? It's so overdone that you almost hope that they are parodying all the movies that have used this plot, but they're not. They're serious. They combine the very, very rich man with the crazy scientist character but I felt they did that more to save money on another salary than for any reasonable reason. He even has a castle-like house, an on-site laboratory and tons of henchmen. Small children invent more plausible motivations for their TMNT action figure playsets than all of this.
Megan Fox does her best as April O'Neil but there's no reality here for an actress to cling to. William Fichtner as Eric Sacks deserves to be in better films. He was the best thing in the very weird version of the Lone Ranger in 2013 and you'll recognize him from a lot of other movies when you see him. Will Arnett seems to be performing in some big-city romantic comedy� he's good but what's he doing here? He is the standout, but if you took this one to please your kids, Will�oops. This isn't something you want to point to as a quality project. There are some good voice-over actors working here as well.
I'm sure if you are a die-hard Turtles fan, you'll enjoy this. But if you are looking for a movie that works for more people than that subset, this is not it. There is one really good chase scene, with a truck and some excellent special effects. It's not enough to save the movie, though I'd watch that part again. If only they'd used some of the wit and surprise in that chase scene in the rest of the movie.
Making a decent movie is a very difficult task. There are so many elements that have to work seamlessly. An audience will forgive mistakes and slip-ups. What they won't stand for is to be promised one thing and given another for their own good. You don't promise cotton candy and hand out broccoli. These two films did that and suffered because of it.
What's most interesting about comparing these two movies � which came out so close to each other this summer � is that the filmmakers took opposite tracks yet came to the same end.
At first glance, Hercules starring Dwayne Johnson seems like the perfect fit. (Full disclosure: if I could get him to play Eno, my hero from Ancient Greece, I'd be one happy writer!) "Hercules" is an instantly recognizable character, both from the myths and from the countless films about his adventures, most especially the 1950's Italian 'epics' with bodybuilder Steve Reeve (monsters courtesy of Ray Harryhausen). The character had a popular resurgence with the TV series starring Kevin Sorbo.
So the audience feels that they know what to expect when they see the name 'Hercules' in a title. Gods. Monsters. Wisecracks. Maybe a beautiful maiden or twelve clad in diaphanous clothing. The trailers seem to indicate that the 2014 Hercules would be along expected and anticipated lines. Instead, we were shown a movie that was essentially about one man's angst and the attempts of his friends to understand him, plus battles of the thousands charging at the camera variety.
None of it was terrible. Judging on the merits, it was an enjoyable and involving film with some good lines, fine actors, and a decent script. Dwayne Johnson is growing as an actor and handles his emotional range well. The relationships were complex and intriguing. Rufus Sewell and Ian McShane were terrific as always. John Hurt and Joseph Fiennes were not given enough to do. It was a good movie � but it wasn't Hercules. Not even a self-aware, updated Hercules.
No Gods. No monsters � though some clever explanations for why people thought they saw things. The filmmakers decided that they'd take all that out. Hercules isn't the son of a god, just an overgrown guy with a good sense of public relations. There's a damsel in distress � but she's a mom worried about her kid. The trouble is that we didn't go to the theater to watch a war drama with political intrigue. We came to watch Hercules � hydras, battle skeletons, Hera in her awesome majesty throwing roadblocks in his way. I wish the filmmakers would have forgotten their ironic detachment and given us that movie. They would have had a hit.
Now the good people who made Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles went too far the other way. This is a paint-by-numbers, follow-the-bouncing-ball version of the story. It's exactly what it says on the wrapper. They crammed in every bit of TMNT lore they could scrape up, including some really obscure stuff. Flashbacks to their little turtle selves going down the sewer, the Foot Clan's origins, the who, the what, the why, and the 'science' that made them what they are, it's all here. But in putting all that in, they left a lot out. Like coherence, believability and emotion. There are also plot holes the likes of which I've never seen. One in particular is so enormous you could drive Optimus Prime through and not even scratch his paint.
The story is so thin, so derivative, that at first you can't believe that's the one they are telling. Mind-bogglingly rich guy decides to destroy city to get richer � did they steal that from Marvel's trash cans? It's so overdone that you almost hope that they are parodying all the movies that have used this plot, but they're not. They're serious. They combine the very, very rich man with the crazy scientist character but I felt they did that more to save money on another salary than for any reasonable reason. He even has a castle-like house, an on-site laboratory and tons of henchmen. Small children invent more plausible motivations for their TMNT action figure playsets than all of this.
Megan Fox does her best as April O'Neil but there's no reality here for an actress to cling to. William Fichtner as Eric Sacks deserves to be in better films. He was the best thing in the very weird version of the Lone Ranger in 2013 and you'll recognize him from a lot of other movies when you see him. Will Arnett seems to be performing in some big-city romantic comedy� he's good but what's he doing here? He is the standout, but if you took this one to please your kids, Will�oops. This isn't something you want to point to as a quality project. There are some good voice-over actors working here as well.
I'm sure if you are a die-hard Turtles fan, you'll enjoy this. But if you are looking for a movie that works for more people than that subset, this is not it. There is one really good chase scene, with a truck and some excellent special effects. It's not enough to save the movie, though I'd watch that part again. If only they'd used some of the wit and surprise in that chase scene in the rest of the movie.
Making a decent movie is a very difficult task. There are so many elements that have to work seamlessly. An audience will forgive mistakes and slip-ups. What they won't stand for is to be promised one thing and given another for their own good. You don't promise cotton candy and hand out broccoli. These two films did that and suffered because of it.
July 27, 2014
Swept Away
Every summer brings in movies that are touted at the next 'Big Picture'. Every year brings disappointments. There's a lot riding on a summer blockbuster, careers, future funding opportunities, even entire studios. Not to mention our $10 bucks plus popcorn. When a film has built-in expectations, such as come with the word 'Marvel' on the marquee, it has to deliver on the promise.
Guardians of the Galaxy delivers.
Thanks to Disney Vacation Club, I got to go to a sneak preview of Guardians of the Galaxy. They did us proud, with a free soundtrack, free snacks, etc. But I'm not the kind of girl whose good opinion can be bought with a popcorn. No butter, thanks.
Literally my only disappointment was the lack of a teaser for Avengers 2: Age of Ultron at the end. 90% of the audience was waiting around for that or for some other Easter Egg, but we were denied it. The groan that went up was heart-breaking. Marvel/Disney needs to consider getting something added on there before August 1. A piece of the clip shown at Comic-Con would do.
For the rest, it's a ride and a story and vivid characters and a great bad guy�everything you want in a Big Picture. From the first scene, they grab you, pulling you into the story by your emotions. You feel instantly connected to the character of Peter Quill, the self-named Star-Lord. The dancing homage to Indiana Jones is an unexpected plus. It then takes off and doesn't stop until the end. Head to the rest-room first, folks, because you aren't going to want to miss a scene.
All the performances are good. Zoe Saldana (rapidly becoming the go-to girl for sci-fi/fantasy epics) overcomes her green makeup to reach the pain Gamora feels within. For a guy with a three-word vocabulary, Groot (ably voiced by Vin Diesel) makes the most of his screen time. Bradley Cooper also delivers a fine vocal performance as Rocket, finding both the amorality and the purity of the character. Dave Bautista, a WWE wrestler making, so far as I can tell, his first film, is marvelous in the role of Drax, bringing humor and humanity to the character.
Both Karen Gillan and Lee Pace are virtually unrecognizable as the villains of the piece � sorry Doctor Who and The Hobbit fans � and seemed to have a great time being evil. I'd love to see Thor go head to head with this guy. When you see it, you'll know why but I promised no spoilers.
What about Chris Pratt? (No relation, by the way, though I have a cousin of that name). Well, he's playing someone who is difficult to love, difficult to get to know, difficult to appreciate. He's the guy who showed off too much in class, to the point where he was disruptive rather than amusing. As the story goes on, he does grow on you�a little. He's the focus character and if he tried too hard to make Peter Quill likable, he could have easily ruined the whole thing. That he didn't take that path, leaving you to walk out feeling good about the experience, is a testament to his performance. And also a testament to the script�which takes time for the grace notes which create character and are so often the things sacrificed when a film runs long.
This is the first movie I've been to in a long while that the audience applauded for when it ended. And it wasn't the free ticket. This movie has what we love big noisy space opera movies for � big stakes, big chances, good lines, and characters we come to care about. They have a real relationship with each other and invite us along. Star Trek did it. Star Wars did it. Now Guardians of the Galaxy does it � a little snarkier, a little grungier � but just as much fun.
Definitely see it on the biggest screen you can find. This movie well repays the investment in square footage. 3-D if possible.
Guardians of the Galaxy delivers.
Thanks to Disney Vacation Club, I got to go to a sneak preview of Guardians of the Galaxy. They did us proud, with a free soundtrack, free snacks, etc. But I'm not the kind of girl whose good opinion can be bought with a popcorn. No butter, thanks.
Literally my only disappointment was the lack of a teaser for Avengers 2: Age of Ultron at the end. 90% of the audience was waiting around for that or for some other Easter Egg, but we were denied it. The groan that went up was heart-breaking. Marvel/Disney needs to consider getting something added on there before August 1. A piece of the clip shown at Comic-Con would do.
For the rest, it's a ride and a story and vivid characters and a great bad guy�everything you want in a Big Picture. From the first scene, they grab you, pulling you into the story by your emotions. You feel instantly connected to the character of Peter Quill, the self-named Star-Lord. The dancing homage to Indiana Jones is an unexpected plus. It then takes off and doesn't stop until the end. Head to the rest-room first, folks, because you aren't going to want to miss a scene.
All the performances are good. Zoe Saldana (rapidly becoming the go-to girl for sci-fi/fantasy epics) overcomes her green makeup to reach the pain Gamora feels within. For a guy with a three-word vocabulary, Groot (ably voiced by Vin Diesel) makes the most of his screen time. Bradley Cooper also delivers a fine vocal performance as Rocket, finding both the amorality and the purity of the character. Dave Bautista, a WWE wrestler making, so far as I can tell, his first film, is marvelous in the role of Drax, bringing humor and humanity to the character.
Both Karen Gillan and Lee Pace are virtually unrecognizable as the villains of the piece � sorry Doctor Who and The Hobbit fans � and seemed to have a great time being evil. I'd love to see Thor go head to head with this guy. When you see it, you'll know why but I promised no spoilers.
What about Chris Pratt? (No relation, by the way, though I have a cousin of that name). Well, he's playing someone who is difficult to love, difficult to get to know, difficult to appreciate. He's the guy who showed off too much in class, to the point where he was disruptive rather than amusing. As the story goes on, he does grow on you�a little. He's the focus character and if he tried too hard to make Peter Quill likable, he could have easily ruined the whole thing. That he didn't take that path, leaving you to walk out feeling good about the experience, is a testament to his performance. And also a testament to the script�which takes time for the grace notes which create character and are so often the things sacrificed when a film runs long.
This is the first movie I've been to in a long while that the audience applauded for when it ended. And it wasn't the free ticket. This movie has what we love big noisy space opera movies for � big stakes, big chances, good lines, and characters we come to care about. They have a real relationship with each other and invite us along. Star Trek did it. Star Wars did it. Now Guardians of the Galaxy does it � a little snarkier, a little grungier � but just as much fun.
Definitely see it on the biggest screen you can find. This movie well repays the investment in square footage. 3-D if possible.
July 1, 2014
Maintaining Sequilibrium
Summer's here and that means sequels. The one thing every producer in Hollywood dreams about is a franchise-creating movie � one film, based on a book, a comic, or the fever dream of a screenwriter � that will offer scope for lots and lots of sequels.
Movie-goers like to see the �further adventures� of characters they�ve enjoyed and have done since the 1930�s at least. The Thin Man � based on a novel � spawned 4 sequels, even though the title character died in the first. Re-occurring characters could carry many films, as we saw with the B-Westerns of men like Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. But now sequels are bigger, more expensive, and mean big box office.
Just thus far, we�ve had X-Men: Days of Future Past and How to Train Your Dragon 2. This week we have the biggest of the season to date � Transformers: Age of Extinction. Honestly, what would producers do without the colon?
X-Men: Days of Future Past takes us on a journey that leads, inexorably, to the re-boot the series needs. While a solid entry in the series, Days has the problem of introducing the characters in a way that makes the core audience for this film sit up and say �hello!� without confusing those who haven�t watched their every move or movie. There are so many sub-stories and �moments� between characters to please the X-Men fans, however, that the main story goes AWOL for a large part of the film. You�ve got two of the great actors of the current age in it � Stewart and McKellan � with hardly any time between them. Many others come in for a bow (there are countless cameos) but the chief problem with the film is that we lose sight of our own avatar, Wolverine, for about a third of the running length. He�s there�but he has nothing to do.
I�d say See It in the Theatre, But not in IMAX or 3-D. There�s not enough grandeur here to make the extra money worthwhile.
How to Train Your Dragon 2: I have recently been introduced to the term �Longbottoming�. This is when a character starts out unattractive and, whether through the aging of the actor or the choice of the director, becomes �hot�. The name derives from the character Neville Longbottom from the Harry Potter cycle. If the word �Hiccuping� didn�t already mean something, we could use it the same way. Hiccup has transformed from a Viking nerd into a Beatle. The other characters have also aged, with the exception of the female characters. Apparently someone decided that 16 is as good as it gets for girls. Speaking of appearances, the dragons remain the draw in this series. When we see the �Alpha Dragons�, savvy watchers will not be surprised to discover Guillermo del Toro�s name in the credits. They are kaiju in snow. I enjoy del Toro�s vision but I hope we occasionally get to see a big monster in a film that doesn�t bear his signature. P.S. for Phantom fans, Gerard Butler sings!
I�d say See It in the Theatre and Go IMAX 3-D. Hiccup and Toothless deserve a big sky to fly in.
Transformers: Age of Extinction: I confess I went in with a sigh of resignation only to be pleasantly surprised. T: AoE is more coherent than the other three Transformer movies, moves much more quickly yet still has time for some emotional input, and has some great set-ups. It is miles too long, however, with at least three endings. I�ve seen a lot of movies where I say that the actors did the best they could with what they were given. Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci do much more with the script than what was written. They, especially Tucci, seem to be having a heck of a good time in every scene, whether messing about with robots or interacting with the women in their lives. T.J. Miller is a standout as well with his Texas/Surferboy hybrid. I�m afraid the two young �love-interest� actors were pretty much interchangeable with half a dozen others of their era. The voices are good on the Transformers, though if they are going to give some robots facial expressions, why not all of them? Bumblebee and Optimus Prime remain old-school while everyone else gets mobile expressions.
I�d say See it in the Theatre. If you�re a big fan, see it in IMAX. No reason to add 3-D.
Movie-goers like to see the �further adventures� of characters they�ve enjoyed and have done since the 1930�s at least. The Thin Man � based on a novel � spawned 4 sequels, even though the title character died in the first. Re-occurring characters could carry many films, as we saw with the B-Westerns of men like Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. But now sequels are bigger, more expensive, and mean big box office.
Just thus far, we�ve had X-Men: Days of Future Past and How to Train Your Dragon 2. This week we have the biggest of the season to date � Transformers: Age of Extinction. Honestly, what would producers do without the colon?
X-Men: Days of Future Past takes us on a journey that leads, inexorably, to the re-boot the series needs. While a solid entry in the series, Days has the problem of introducing the characters in a way that makes the core audience for this film sit up and say �hello!� without confusing those who haven�t watched their every move or movie. There are so many sub-stories and �moments� between characters to please the X-Men fans, however, that the main story goes AWOL for a large part of the film. You�ve got two of the great actors of the current age in it � Stewart and McKellan � with hardly any time between them. Many others come in for a bow (there are countless cameos) but the chief problem with the film is that we lose sight of our own avatar, Wolverine, for about a third of the running length. He�s there�but he has nothing to do.
I�d say See It in the Theatre, But not in IMAX or 3-D. There�s not enough grandeur here to make the extra money worthwhile.
How to Train Your Dragon 2: I have recently been introduced to the term �Longbottoming�. This is when a character starts out unattractive and, whether through the aging of the actor or the choice of the director, becomes �hot�. The name derives from the character Neville Longbottom from the Harry Potter cycle. If the word �Hiccuping� didn�t already mean something, we could use it the same way. Hiccup has transformed from a Viking nerd into a Beatle. The other characters have also aged, with the exception of the female characters. Apparently someone decided that 16 is as good as it gets for girls. Speaking of appearances, the dragons remain the draw in this series. When we see the �Alpha Dragons�, savvy watchers will not be surprised to discover Guillermo del Toro�s name in the credits. They are kaiju in snow. I enjoy del Toro�s vision but I hope we occasionally get to see a big monster in a film that doesn�t bear his signature. P.S. for Phantom fans, Gerard Butler sings!
I�d say See It in the Theatre and Go IMAX 3-D. Hiccup and Toothless deserve a big sky to fly in.
Transformers: Age of Extinction: I confess I went in with a sigh of resignation only to be pleasantly surprised. T: AoE is more coherent than the other three Transformer movies, moves much more quickly yet still has time for some emotional input, and has some great set-ups. It is miles too long, however, with at least three endings. I�ve seen a lot of movies where I say that the actors did the best they could with what they were given. Mark Wahlberg and Stanley Tucci do much more with the script than what was written. They, especially Tucci, seem to be having a heck of a good time in every scene, whether messing about with robots or interacting with the women in their lives. T.J. Miller is a standout as well with his Texas/Surferboy hybrid. I�m afraid the two young �love-interest� actors were pretty much interchangeable with half a dozen others of their era. The voices are good on the Transformers, though if they are going to give some robots facial expressions, why not all of them? Bumblebee and Optimus Prime remain old-school while everyone else gets mobile expressions.
I�d say See it in the Theatre. If you�re a big fan, see it in IMAX. No reason to add 3-D.
