OPINION: The Pre-Emptive Critics
The pre-emptive critics write knee-jerk analyses of upcoming films based solely on hearsay, advance publicity and – most importantly – move trailers. They have not yet seen the movies.
‘The Man with the Iron Fists’
I have to admit I am not the biggest Tarantino fan. I respect his craft and unique style, but it’s just not my favorite. I did get some awkward guilty laughs out of “Pulp Fiction,” but I’ve never seen any of the “Kill Bills” or “Inglorious Basterds.” “Reservoir Dogs” scared the crap out of me and gave me nightmares for days – as those are the times I get any sleep.
I think my issue with Tarantino’s work is the very dark perspective on humanity.
Aside from my trepidations toward his movies, “The Man with the Iron Fists” looks like a high-action, colorful and sexy film that will likely be a blockbuster. And when I say sexy, I think we’re probably boardering into some odd fetishism, but people dig that stuff.
I can’t say I really absorbed much of what the plot line might be. There were lots of slow in air flips and fighting, violence, and like I said – weird sex scenes. If you like kinkiness, beheadings, and eyeballs flying through the air, this is the film for you.
As for me, I’m not disappointed to work through the weekend and miss this one. I’ll probably Redbox something a little more mellow for my weekend entertainment.
– natashabodily@gmail.com
Twitter: @Natasha627
‘A Late Quartet’
Focusing on an instrumental quartet, “A Late Quartet” seems to focus on real life circumstances outside of the musical aspect of performing for others. Casting two academy award winners, Christopher Walken and Philip Seymour Hoffman as half of the quartet, looks like it has much more than great casting. Catherine Keener and Mark Ivanirl are the other two members of the quartet.
We learn that Peter Mitchell, played by Walken, has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and wishes to perform one more time as a quartet and then call it quits. This creates a whirlwind effect of emotional turbulence among the other members of the quartet. When Walken decides to leave the group, Hoffman and his wife Keener, a member of the quartet, struggle with issues of their own.
From some of the one liners from the trailer, it appears this film uses the musical instrument as a metaphor of the human condition. Walken says “What are we supposed to do? Stop? or struggle to continuously adjust to each other up to the end, even if we are out of tune. I don’t know?” What is more important, the individual or the group? I think this film will focus on the things that make us great as secluded humans as well as connected ones.
I like films that disfigure the usual happy-go-lucky attitude of the movie industry. Give me real life situations and show me vulnerable people who struggle dealing with them. Using a classical music ensemble as the main point of interest, ‘A Late Quartet’ seems to be a potential academy award winner itself, with it’s unique storyline and character interaction.
What is more important, the individual or the group?
– travis.c.williams@aggiemail.usu.edu
‘Wreck it Ralph’
If you are a functioning, breathing human being, you probably grew up playing – or at least having some sort of exposure to – video games. My childhood was defined by heroes such as Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario, Kirby and Link. Disney’s newest animated feature, “Wreck-It Ralph,” attempts to fill theater seats by appealing to the glory days of video gaming.
The film revolves around Ralph, voiced by John C. Reilly, the titular villain of the arcade game Wreck-It Ralph. After spending 30 years in the shadow of the game’s protagonist Fix-It Felix, voiced by Jack McBrayer, Ralph decides he wants to be a hero and leaves his game to seek glory. He finds this in the form of a new first-person shooter game, featuring a war-hardened soldier voiced by Jane Lynch. However, Ralph’s game hopping creates trouble, so he has to team up with Vanellope von Schweetz, voiced by Sarah Silverman, to save both his game and the entire arcade.
“Wreck-It Ralph” punches gamers right in their collective childhoods. A trailer shows Ralph in a bad guy support group with video game villain legends such as Zangief, M. Bison, Dr. Robotnik and Bowser. Sonic the Hedgehog will make a cameo, as will Link, Mario and Luigi, Cubert and even Ken and Ryu from Street Fighter. Disney is blatantly trying to get the 20-somethings who grew up with these games to buy movie tickets – and I think it will work.
The animation looks great and the voice cast is star-studded. I pre-emptively think “Wreck-It Ralph” will be well worth the cost of admission for 108 minutes of flickering nostalgia.
– ej.jungblut@gmail.com
Twitter: @TheJungleButt