songmaster2005

My supervisor hooked me up with 2 free passes for this yesterday and I somehow managed to rope my girlfriend (who never watches scary movies) into going with me. We got to the theater and just about EVERY SINGLE SEAT WAS FILLED!! I was silently praying that this movie wasn't going to suck. I was right. This movie was awesome. The leads were all great. With the exception of Sean Ashmore, I knew I'd seen the others somewhere before but couldn't remember, adding that "fresh-face" quality. The set-up for the characters didn't last any longer than it should have and introduced us to our heroes quite nicely. Before you know it, we're off to the Mayan ruins to get mutilated. This films was different in how it presented the killer and the direction it went afterwards. Also, the gore was just sick son. HOSTEL ain't got nothing on this. Cool flick. I so would have paid for it if not for the free passes...

So, I was on the phone channel surfing last night and I almost missed the premiere of this show I've been waiting on for months! I told the person I was talking to that I had to go and I strapped in for the most exciting, action-packed and engrossing anime since Ninja Scroll. A few years ago, SAMURAI CHAMPLOO officially set the bar for innovative feudal-era anime in America. Well, after watching this, AFRO SAMURAI will have you saying "Samurai champ-wha?" The setup is straight out of an Albert Pyun flick: Young boy sees father slain by big baddie. Young boy then grows into badass man and proceeds to challenge big baddie. But the things that GONZO adds to the anime make it more than just your average chop and dice. The mish-mash of ancient Japan and present day also add an interesting visual style to it, kind of like Yûji Shimomura's DEATH TRANCE. In addition, Spike TV did not skimp out on the violence. There's decapitations, impalements, limbs being chopped off, blood spirts like out of KILL BILL; and this was supposed to be the edited-for-TV version!! And let's not forget Samuel L. Jackson, who voices Afro and his sidekick Ninja Ninja. He manages to do both voices completely different (cool, calm and few words with Afro; energetic banter by Ninja Ninja), and of course it's SAMUEL-FRICKING-L. JACKSON!!! The man is just too cool for description! He was the absolutely perfect choice for this project!! I can't wait until the next episode, and please believe I will be copping this bad boy when it debuts on DVD. Until then, Spike TV bitches!!!!

Unlike most Star Wars fans, I really didn't have that much negative intent toward the prequels. It cannot be just like the original trilogy because it tells a wholenother story, or rather a different part of the same story. If you're telling your life story some parts are bound to be more interesting than others. Having said that, I think Ep. III just brings everything together so nicely that the shortcomings of the previous films can be forgiven. My biggest surprise was Hayden Christensen. I was shocked at how accurately he portrayed a brooding, frustrated war hero. It was more than I imagined it would be! That one scene on Mustafar where he's just staring with his hood up and crying...he gave me chills for real! And that duel! I have been waiting all my life to see this duel. It's up there with Achilled vs. Hector from THE ILLIAD, it's just an epic struggle that decides the outcome of everyone else's lives! I thought Anakin's actual betrayal happened too quick and could have been built upon, I REALLY wanted to see Qui-Gon but it wasn't necessary, I wished Yoda/Palpatine and Mace/Palpatine's duels had of been not longer but had more detail but damn, the movie was great anyway! This is truly a modern Shakespearean-style tale and finally, after 30 years, the story is told. The best of the series.