Review - Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key

Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key
dir. Sergio Martino
1972

Following The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh and Tail of the Scorpion, Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key is the third giallo film by notable Italian director Sergio Martino. Martino's giallo films follow the work previously done by the more famous directors Mario Bava and Dario Argento. For the unaware, a giallo is an Italian film that while usually placed in the horror genre in America often have more in common with thrillers and are very unique in their style. The term giallo itself originally referred to the cheap paperback thrillers and mysteries that many of the first giallo films were adaptations of. While commonly equated with the "slasher" subgenre of horror films, giallo films are different in several important ways: the story usually proceeds in an mystery or whodunit fashion with the identity of the killer unkown, there is often unique and stylish camera work, the music is often very stylized and is unusual in comparison to American horror films, there is often excessive nudity and violence, the killer is often masked and wields a bladed weapon, and the films often focus strongly on the psychological aspects of fear. As time passed gialli began to feature supernatural and more varied stories and became greatly influenced by the burgeoning slasher subgenre in America.

Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key is a classic giallo. The plot centers on a middle-aged failed writer named Oliviero Rouvigny and his abused wife Irina. Oliviero lives a decadent life filled with alcohol and sex in his large family villa in the Italian countryside. He supports his habits by selling what remains of the villa's furniture to pay for the expenses. Irina, meanwhile fears for her life and is terrorized by Oliviero's cat Satan, whom belonged to Oliviero's mother. After a drunken night out in which his mistress turns up dead, Oliviero becomes the prime suspect in her murder. More women are attacked and Oliviero's twenty year old sexually uninhibited niece Floriana comes to stay at the villa bearing her own schemes. Fear and paranoia build for the characters as the story spirals to it's conclusion. Based on the story by Edgar Allan Poe,The Black Cat, Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key is an exceptionally well written and plotted giallo for it's time.

Recognizable character actor Luigi Pistilli, perhaps best known for Mario Bava's giallo Bay of Blood, plays Oliviero and gives him the life that the part calls for. Pistilli manages to bring us into the broken, twisted, decadent world of Oliviero without driving us away. Swedish model Anita Strindberg, who was featured in many gialli and genre films in Italy during the 60s and 70s, plays the hysterical and terrorized Irina quite well and is a departure from her usually more glamorous roles. The standout in the film is Edwige Fenech who is simply stunning in the role of Floriana. Fenech is well known for her Italian comedies and for her looks and she also starred in a number of giallo films before later moving on to Italian television in the 1980s. Usually relegated to the role of 'good girl' or 'victim' here Fenech plays against type as Floriana. Floriana is a sexually ambitious and ambiguous character whose motives are devious and who attempts to manipulate both Oliviero, her uncle, and Irina for her own benefit. While Strindberg and Fenech, along with several other actresses, have extensive nudity in the film, Fenech also has several love scenes with men and women. The acting is all quite good for this type of film although a modern American viewer may have problems with the Italian dialog and the style of acting.

Martino employs a unique and stylized camera work, as is usual in a giallo, and the music too is quite an important player in the film. While the film is light on violence there is a strong build up of tension and suspense as the story plays out and it certainly stands up well against other gialli in terms of style, story, and suspense. Your Vice Is a Locked Room and Only I Have the Key is a fine example of giallo films of the 1960s and 1970s, though with the lack of blood and bodies and the queasy moments of incest found within, Bava's Bay of Blood and Argento's Tenebrae are perhaps better starting points for those interested in these films.

Verdict: 4 and 1/2 stars out of 5.

Review - The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight
dir. Christoper Nolan
2008

The Dark Knight is a good movie. I like The Dark Knight. Ok? I want to get that out of the way before going further into this review as I definitely don't like (love) the movie in the same way so many do. Of course, I'm not the biggest fan of Batman Begins either so perhaps we should start there.

Batman Begins was a fine film that I felt began to fall apart once Batman was introduced. The acting was mediocre to painful (hello Mrs. Cruise) and the villains were never very interesting, frightening, or menacing. Christian Bale's raspy Batman voice was almost laugh-out-loud bad. The fight scenes were poorly staged and incomprehensible in a Jason Bourne-esque way. While these gripes were sticking points for me and Batman Begins, my largest problem with Nolan's Batman films is his insistence on hyper-realism. All these things that I disliked about Batman Begins were present in The Dark Knight, though the acting was a better with Heath Ledger and Aaron Eckhardt.

The plot of The Dark Knight centers around the Joker bringing chaos to Gotham City and Batman attempting to stop him and to help district attorney Harvey Dent succeed so that Batman will no longer be needed. While those coming from a comic book background may be used to the juxtaposition of Batman and the Joker, the true pairing here is Joker and Harvey Dent/Two-Face. The Joker represents chaos and Harvey Dent represents the order that Gotham City needs. Batman is not the focus of this film.

The acting this time out has improved from the last film as Ledger and Eckhardt both give weight and bring their characters, characters who would well fall into cliche in the hands of other actors, to life. Ledger's Joker is a new take on the character, at least in film, and one which works pretty well except for the lack of laughing that the Joker should have in any incarnation. Eckhardt is quite strong as the mentally unstable Dent, but the audience will find Two-Face to not be nearly as interesting as the district attorney which is a shame. Bale is serviceable as Batman/Bruce Wayne once again although any acting he does as Batman is hardly noticeable as he rasps and bares his teeth throughout the Batman scenes. The raspy, throaty Batman voice which was rather horrible in Batman Begins returns and becomes a liability for the film when Batman has more than one or two lines in succession. As Bruce Wayne the playboy Bale is a bit better though the character remains the same as he was in Batman Begins. Katie Holmes has been replaced by Maggie Gyllenhaal in the role of Rachel Dawes, but it seems that Gyllenhaal is attempting to see if she can outdo Holmes' previous low in acting with her portrayal of the character. Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman return playing not only the same characters from the last film, but playing the same characters, especially in Freeman's case, that they've played in dozens of films.

Christopher Nolan once again goes the shaky-cam route for fight scenes and once again the film suffers for it. While the idea behind the shaky-cam fight scene is that it brings the viewer into the fight what it does when executed poorly is simply leave the viewer questioning that just happened. Why bother with the complex fight choreography when no one can discern what is happening on screen? The shaky-cam is slightly relaxed from the heights it reached in Batman Begins, but far too often I was once again wishing that the camera would pull back and show me what exactly was happening. In one fight I wouldn't have known Batman was fighting/wrestling with a dog except for the occasional bark and a quick edit of a some biting jaws. This isn't to say that Nolan would have excelled with a more traditional fight scene as there are some directors who simply have trouble with action, but it would have been nice for him to try.

Before diving into my largest issue with the film one more problem must be confronted. The Dark Knight is too long, too bloated, and could definitely use some editing. The film would have worked far more effectively if it were shortened by 10 or 15 minutes. A film of 152 minutes needs to have better pacing than The Dark Knight as it lurches to starts and stops and never adequately builds to the conclusion. The Lord of the Rings films, while long, were edited down from the Extended Cuts released on DVD not only for total length, but because while interesting, the long versions simply do not work as well as movies. The Dark Knight should have went in a similar direction.

Just as with Batman Begins though, for this reviewer, the crippling flaw in Nolan's The Dark Knight is the realism which he insists on. While there are some gadgets and slightly out-there set pieces most of the film functions strictly in the realm of reality and it is here where it loses me. For me, the excessive realism simply pushes me out of the film with the unreality of it all. No one in the "real world" would dress up as a giant bat and fight crime, and to push the realism of the film makes it all the more apparent that it is unrealistic at heart, as are all super heroes in comics. The hyper-realism Nolan uses pulls me out of the film in the same way as an anachronism or bad dialog will in other films. A film like Batman (1989) is obviously not meant to be realistic and because it never attempts to be I never become annoyed with the ludicrousness of a costumed hero. Even films like Spider-Man or Superman while taking place in a largely realistic New York City are styled in dialog, sets, and direction so that you are never led to believe that the creators meant for these films to be in our world and by the rules of our world in the way Nolan does. The New York Spider-Man inhabits is not our New York nor is it meant to be in the way it looks and the way it is shot. It is similar to the New York that comic-book Spider-Man lives in. Gotham City, while an imaginary city, in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight is simply Chicago. It looks and feels like our Chicago rather than Gotham City.

For me it comes down to the fact that comic book heroes are inherently unrealistic and to push for realism as much as Nolan does creates a tension in the film which becomes jarring and problematic. In the stylized worlds of other super hero films and big blockbuster action movies I can more readily accept unrealistic problems, gadgets, characters, and situations but in a film like The Dark Knight they stand out and call attention to the fact that they are unrealistic. A multi-ton Bat-tank on top of a church roof? A device which will immediately evaporate the water in pipes but not in a river? A cell phone radar technology that can see facepaint on a thug? These things and so much more stand out poorly in the realistic world Nolan wishes to construct. Nolan wants to have his cake and eat it too. Holes in logic, wholly unrealistic gadgets and vehicles, and super heroes and villains in general stand out in a way in the Dark Knight which is problematic for this reviewer. Put simply Nolan created a crime film/thriller that happens to occasionally feature the Joker, Two-Face, and Batman. Best super-hero movie? How does it even qualify as a super-hero movie?

Verdict: 3 stars out of 5.

Review - Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
PlayStation 3
2008
developed by Kojima Productions
published by Konami

Metal Gear Solid 4, hereafter referred to as MGS4, is the culmination of twenty years worth games starting with the original Metal Gear in 1987. The "Solid" series of Metal Gear games began with the release of Metal Gear Solid in 1998. MGS4 is a sequel in not only name but in story. The Metal Gear series relies heavily on the storylines from past games, and MGS4 is no exception. While the story may largely be impenetrable to new players, and even to some veterans in many parts, the gameplay and attention to detail create an experience that is spectacular.

Battling his way through the opening Middle Eastern area, Solid Snake, now aged and in pain, continues through South American Jungles, a European city, a memorable Alaskan island, and finally onto an enemy base that plays as the final stage. While MGS4 is definitely more run-and-gun and action friendly than previous games in the series, the game is still primarily a stealth game. Snake sneaks across the various stages eluding both human and robot guards with a wealth of moves and abilities that seem both fresh and completely natural. Snake can run, crouch, and crawl his way about and using his special camouflage suit he can blend into the surroundings. Metal Gear Solid series classics such as knocking to distract guards, leaving magazines and other items for the guards to look at, and the cardboard box return and supplement his various new abilities such as a tiny mechanical helper, a oil drum, and more. The control has been fine-tuned to the point that only a radical departure could fix the few remaining issues such as the still problematic targeting system and the difficulty keeping straight the sheer number of moves and abilities Snake has. The enemies are more intelligent than they have been in previous games and can be quite a challenge on the higher difficulty settings.

While not a free-form game in the same vein as Grand Theft Auto, MGS4 allows the player any number of ways to get through any given situation. Whether you want to use stealth and sneak your way through the game or if you wish to fight out almost every encounter there are various ways to do both options. Whether you kill the enemies or simply put them to sleep is also your choice, in fact in Metal Gear Solid tradition you can complete the entire game without killing a single enemy. The first two areas, the Middle East and South America, are best at displaying the multitude of choices the player has in tackling an area. In one of the few weaknesses of the game as you proceed further and further into the game the choices available to the player dwindle. That isn't to say that the later areas are not fun, but that the enjoyment of playing on your own terms gives way a bit as the story progresses, a product partly of the fact that the further into the story the few human enemies there are and the more machines and the machines can only be stealthily passed or destroyed as the sleeping ammunition so useful earlier falls to the wayside.

For those steeped in the storyline of Metal Gear, specifically the Metal Gear Solid series, the story does have many interesting twists and turns and Hideo Kojima, Metal Gear creator, is able to tie up almost every loose end in the entire series, which is no small feat considering the plots of previous games. The Metal Gear Solid series has long been criticized for the obscene length of cut scenes and dialog between the characters, and while MGS4 is not exception this reviewer found most of the exposition and cut scenes so interesting that it wasn't noticeable. While there are definite plot holes and a seeming Star Wars-prequel level of retcons, the plot stands up and can still please most of the obsessive fans of the series.

The graphics are spectacular and are truly a showcase for the PlayStation 3 hardware. The characters look fantastic and the environments are extremely well done. The attention to detail is unbelievable as areas within the same stages still feel unique and interesting. There is always something amazing around each new corner in MGS4. The voice acting is well done, as it should be after so many games in the series with the return cast. Of course, the voice acting can become a bit melodramatic now and then, but nothing that is out of character for the series. The music is also well done, though perhaps not as strong as previous games.

MGS4 walks a fine line between serious discussion of war, economics, genetics, and the future while still having puns, sexual innuendo, and toilet humor. This isn't out of the ordinary for the Metal Gear Solid series and the fact that much of the plot and characters are so bleak, broken, and serious is well balanced by the lighter side of the series. MGS4 has a copious amount of replay value as the story scenes are skippable and you can experiment in a multitude of ways with the gameplay. Items and weapons collected can transfer over from one playthrough to another and, in a series tradition, there are many secret items, weapons, and bonuses to unlock. Each subsequent playthrough will reveal more and more of the detail in the game and the nods and nostalgic throwbacks to previous games become more apparent. This is a game that is able to be almost completely fanservice, but still remain a compelling experience to those not steeped in the minutiae of everything Metal Gear.

Verdict: 5 stars out of 5.

Triple Hit of Quick Hits

Here are the comic reviews for 5/21, 5/29, and 6/4:

Brave and the Bold #13: This series has been strong so far, but this issue is weaker for the lack of the larger plot that had driven the previous twelve issues. The story itself is a bit too corny, but is balanced by some good moments between Jay Garrick and Batman. The art is suitably classic by Jerry Ordway. Verdict: 2 1/2 stars out of 5.

Justice League of America #21: This new volume of JLA has been besieged by crossovers and problems since the loss of Brad Meltzer, but this issue does manage to remain interesting even though it ties into the beginning of Final Crisis. The art is well done with several strong moments. Verdict: 3 stars out of 5.

Justice Society of America #15: This series continues to fire on all cylinders as the Gog storyline concludes its first chapter. For a series that has been criticized for not having enough action, Justice Society of America #15 is a fine example of comic book action scenes done well. Geoff Johns continues to weave in interesting character moments even in the midst of the action though he is aided by the phenomenal work of Dave Eaglesham. Verdict: 5 stars out of 5.

Final Crisis #1: This issue is the definition of a set-up issue. The storylines begin to come together and Grant Morrison has some great moments in this opening issue, but the opener does not come with the impact that many would assume from the beginning of such a big event. In terms of strength of story though this issue will be remembered fondly if Final Crisis is well done and will be looked back upon poorly if the event falls apart. Special notice must be taken of the art though. J.G. Jones has done good work for both Marvel and DC, but his work in Final Crisis #1 is fantastic. The art of this series will long be well thought of regardless of the outcome of the story. Verdict: 4 stars out of 5.

Action Comics #865: A solid one-shot story before the Brainiac arc begins in the next issue. Longtime Superman villain the Toyman is the centerpiece of the story and his character is definitely taken to new depths by Geoff Johns in this story. Jesus Merino has the unenviable task of being sandwiched in between Gary Frank issues of Action Comics, but his pencils are strong and the way in which the flashbacks are handled is extremely well done. Verdict: 4 stars out of 5.

All-Star Superman #11: This penultimate issue of one of the most amazing runs on a Superman title in years continues the fantastic tradition of the first ten issues. The story is leading to a satisfying conclusion and the dialog by Morrison is pitch perfect for these characters. This series is truly one of the best distillations of the character of Superman ever done, and it also shows that it is possible to make fantastic Superman stories that pay respect to the tradition of the character while still being inherently interesting. Frank Quitely's work on this series, including this issue, is definitely part of the appeal as he has created a Superman, Metropolis, and whole world that is both distinctly Superman and distinctly his own. Verdict: 5 stars out of 5.

Thor #9: Thor continues at the leisurely pace that J. Michael Straczynski has employed in this revamp of the thunder god, but the pacing is definitely becoming a bit of an issue. Where exactly this series is headed both in regards to some of the smaller issues and in regards to the Marvel Universe as a whole is still rather vague. Just as the gods of Asgard are wondering in the issue what future they have open to them now that Thor has awakened them and brought Asgard to earth so to are the readers wondering what exactly is the future for this often-delayed title. The art is strong but Coipel's take on certain characters is still too strange for this reviewer. Verdict: 3 stars out of 5.

Green Lantern #31: The "Secret Origin" arc of Green Lantern continues in this third issue retelling the origin of Hal Jordan as the Green Lantern. While many of the hints that Geoff Johns has seeded into the story concerning the current events in the DCU and the upcoming Blackest Night storyline are interesting there is only so much excitement that can be gained from yet another origin of Hal Jordan. The art is strong and the writing well done and for those who are new to the world of the Green Lantern this should be a very fun read, but for those older fans it definitely seems a bit too much like a rerun; an enjoyable rerun of a show you enjoy but a rerun nonetheless. Verdict: 3 1/2 stars out of 5.

Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #4: This miniseries has had the advantage over the last in that the material had not been covered in a Dark Tower book, but the pacing does not seem as strong in this series as in the last. Personally, the Crimson King, while interesting, both did not seem to jive with the character in the books but also did not fit the creation that I had long ago imagined. Overall though the writing is strong and the artwork beautiful if a bit too reliant on large panels and splash pages. Verdict: 4 stars out of 5.

Justice Society of America #16: The Gog arc starts in a new and interesting direction and the character moments are as well done as they have been throughout this series. The introduction of Black Adam back into JSA storylines is great to see though it is too bad that Captain Marvel is indisposed. The combination of art by Alex Ross for some sections and Eaglesham on others is well executed and is visually striking. The scope of this series continues to widen just like the team, but Geoff Johns is able to handle the scope and the size of the team with ease. Verdict: 4 1/2 stars out of 5.

Trinity #1: Mark Bagley and Kurt Busiek bring us the beginning of the next DC weekly. Focusing on Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman seems like a good idea and the fact that they are keeping this events of Trinity confined to the pages of the book rather than have it sprawl outwards like Countdown is certainly a well made decision. Busiek has the characters down and is able to quickly paint their personalities and play on their differences. Much like the opening issue of Final Crisis the previous week this issue is definitely a launching pad for bigger and better moments, but it is a good foundation to build. Bagley continues the work he is known for though if you were not a fan of his Marvel work his work on Trinity will do nothing to change your mind. There is a bit of inconsistency in his portrayal of the Trinity characters, with Wonder Woman being handled the best, but one assumes that after a few issues Bagley will begin to create a more consistent and cohesive world. The 'backup' story by Fabian Nicieza is more of a second chapter than a backup and introduces us to some of the villains of Trinity though Busiek and company are definitely taking a risk in not choosing more well known villains. Verdict: 4 stars out of 5.

Remember readers if you want a full review of any of these comics simply request it in the comments section and I'll do a full review that discusses the comic in much more depth.

Review - Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks
Season 1 - 2
Pilot + 29 episodes
1990-1991

Twin Peaks is one of the most unusual television shows ever produced and has influenced television both in style and substance. Created by surrealist film savant David Lynch (Eraserhead, Blue Velvet, Lost Highway, Mulholland Drive) and Mark Frost, Twin Peaks captivated American audiences and became a sensation.

The plot begins with the murder of Laura Palmer in the small town of Twin Peaks in Washington state. FBI Agent Dale Cooper comes to the small logging city to investigate and is quickly immersed in the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of the high school student and the variety of people who become suspects. To describe the plot any further becomes difficult as more and more new layers are revealed as Cooper investigates and learns more about the inhabitants of the city. The characters, their relationships, and their idiosyncrasies are the heart of the show.

The show is obviously from the mind of David Lynch as dreams, portents, symbolism, and a surrealist bent are firmly within the makeup of the show. In some ways these hallmarks of Lynch's work are quite effective in the serial episodic nature of a television show like Twin Peaks. The mysteries of the show grow and expand in ways that are not possible in 90 or 120 minute film, and the audience is constantly creating their own theories of what is happing in Twin Peaks. There is a quirkiness to Twin Peaks that is refreshing in comparison to what can often pass as a mystery in many other television shows.

It seems almost destiny that a show as original and unique as Twin Peaks would burn brightly but fade quickly. Under pressure from ABC Frost and Lynch wrapped up the central murder mystery in the seventh episode of the second season, a fantastic episode directed by Lynch himself. The pilot, the seven episodes of the first season, and the first seven of the second season are simply some of the best television this reviewer has ever seen. Once the central mystery is resolved the show begins to wander and is unable to refocus quickly enough to keep the momentum the show had built up. In the special features of the DVD release Mark Frost admits to several issues in the collapse of Twin Peaks; the show spent too much time building up the next mystery and several episodes were without the forward direction that had served the show so well, secondly Mark Frost and David Lynch themselves were busy directing other projects, the films Storyville and Wild at Heart respectively. Lynch, himself, admits that they should have never revealed the killer of Laura Palmer. Without the guiding hands of Frost and Lynch the series began to lose much of the heart that had propelled it to the great heights that it had attained. Most painfully the show began to become a sort of parody of itself and became almost too similar to other television shows. The vision of Frost and Lynch was far too unique for others to simply ape. The show would simply have shuffled off to a sad cancellation had this continued, but the last four or five episodes of the second season saw Frost and Lynch come back and attempt to salvage the series. These episodes, while not as strong as the earliest episodes, were a strong return to form and which culminated in a cliffhanger second season finale, once again directed by Lynch, that is among the best episodes of the series. The strong finish was not enough to save the series, but it remains a fantastic experience and is a perfect show for the TV on DVD revolution of the last decade. The show also lives on in the series that clearly owe much to the trail that Twin Peaks blazed in the television landscape.

The continuing mystery and serial nature of the X-files owes much to Twin Peaks. Perhaps most in debt to Twin Peaks is another ABC series; Lost. Lost is similar in many ways; the strength of the show lies in the intricate characters and their relationships, the overarching mystery, the symbolism, and the audience participation and obsession.

The acting is superb and the characters of Twin Peaks are the sort who will stick with the viewer. Quirky, but not defined by their quirks. Standouts include Lynch favorite (Dune and Blue Velvet) Kyle MacLachlan as Agent Dale Cooper, Lara Flynn Boyle as Donna Hayward, Sherilyn Fenn as Audrey Horne, and many more. As a television series the direction of each episode varied in quality with each director, but standouts include each episode directed by Frost or Lynch.

In the end, Twin Peaks is a unique, interesting, and powerful television show. While there is a definite drop in quality in the middle of the second season the show returns to form in the end and needs to be experienced to be believed.

Verdict: 5 stars out of 5.

Quick Hits - Comics for the week of 5/14

Quick and to the point reviews of your (my) weekly comics:

Superman #676: This issue is an interlude before the coming of James Robinson in the next issue and, while the issue feels like it should have been an issue of Superman Confidential rather than Superman, it isn't a total loss. The issue's focus is on the early days of Superman in Metropolis and what it really means to be a hero in light of Memorial Day. There is a good appearance by Alan Scott and a good classic Superman vibe to the proceedings. The art is passable, but not memorable and the writing is similar. Verdict: 2 1/2 stars out of 5.

Green Lantern Corps #24: Mongul continues spreading fear as new and powerful member of the Sinestro Corps. This issue features a refresher on the origin of Mongul and the fate of the original Mongul. Depending on which direction Tomasi and Johns wish to take the Green Lantern titles Mongul could become a great villain for the GL Corps. The art is not my taste and it is difficult for me to discern details in several panels, but it certainly isn't much of a detriment to this fine book. Verdict: 3 1/2 stars out of 5.

Locke and Key #4: This series has really begun to press on in the most fantastic fashion. While starting out a bit slow Locke and Key has become a do-not-miss treat for horror and mystery fans. With each successive issue the characters come to life more and more and the vastness of the horror and deepness of the mystery involved becomes ever more interesting. For the most part the art is quite good, but a few characters aren't as strongly done visually as others. Verdict: 4 1/2 stars out of 5.

Review - Speed Racer

Speed Racer
dir(s). The Wachowski Bros.
2008

Here he comes,
Here comes Speed Racer,
He's a demon on wheels!

The classic anime Speed Racer makes it to the big screen with the help of those Matrix-famous Wachowski brothers. The anime that the film is based on premiered in 1967 in America and was the first successful animated shows to make it over from Japan. The film is in most ways very faithful to the anime, taking both characters and images from the show. This isn't just a film based on an anime or cartoon but one that is brazenly, and for the most part succeeds, in being a live-action cartoon.

The world of the film is one in which racing is the dominant world sport and with advanced technology the internal combustion engine has been replaced by something far more powerful that allows for speeds far higher than in our world. The film follows young Speed Racer as he starts to win acclaim for his driving on the WRL circuit. His family has lost a son, Rex Racer, already to the sport and Speed idolizes his older brother and sees himself as continuing on in his brother's footsteps. Speed is tempted to join the racing team of Royalton Industries, but when he decides to stick with his family and stay independent he is threatened by Mr. Royalton and shown that racing has always been fixed and is a sport not for the driver or the fan, but a sport dominated by money. With the help of the mysterious Racer X, his girlfriend Trixie, and his family Speed tries to take down Royalton and save the heart of racing itself. The story, both for those who have experience with the anime and for those who do not, is simple and basically follows the beats of the underdog sport genre of films. What makes Speed Racer different is the style of the film.

Filmed with a new HD technique that allows all images on the screen to be shown in focus Speed Racer is a beautiful piece of movie making. Following in the steps of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow and Sin City, most of the world of Speed Racer was created in a computer with filming happening in front of a green screen. The whole world inhabited by Speed Racer and his family is hyper-colorful and pops from the screen. The races are a filmed frenetic chaos and definitely are the films main draws.

The acting is largely serviceable with John Goodman standing out as Pops Racer. Matthew Fox is obviously having a fantastic time with Racer X. Christina Ricci is stunning as the love interest Trixie, and also has a toughness and strength not seen in the anime. The rest of the cast handles their roles with varying degrees of success, but nothing is too cringe worthy when one takes into account the goal of the film. In many films of this ilk the comic relief can be painful for anyone above the age of 10, but Spritle and Chim-Chim are not as bad as Jar Jar Binks or other ill-fated characters.

The film does have its share of issues though. As a family and kids film Speed Racer could have definitely stood to be 10-20 minutes shorter and does drag a bit before the two big races of the film. Sometimes the frenetic action on the screen is too much to handle though that breaking point will vary from person to person.

With the multitude of negative reviews pouring out, I feel the problem that Speed Racer has had is that people simply refuse to understand who this movie was made for and what the intention was. Various reviews condemn the film for being too cartoony or too manic. The movie isn't too cartoony though it is a cartoon. This is a film that defies the fetish to redo a nostalgic franchise in a gritty, edgy, realistic, and dark tone that so many seem to call for. Speed Racer is trying to be nothing more than Speed Racer. Oftentimes films will use the term "popcorn movie" as a defense for being incomprehensible and vapid, but these films are often trying to be more. This movie functions fine on logic, only it is Speed Racer logic. Logic of a day-glo world with superfast cars. While I can fully understand someone saying that they didn't enjoy the film because it isn't their taste, to fault the film for not being something it wasn't intended to be or something you wished it to be is a strange way of thinking. This idea is also something that they filmmakers could never escape as if they made the film dark, gritty, and realistic many would be calling the out on the fact that they betrayed what made Speed Racer so fun in the first place. Fun. That, to me, really is the key for Speed Racer. Speed Racer isn't necessarily a good film, but it sure is a fun one.

Verdict: 4 stars out of 5.

Quick Hits - Comics for the week of 5/7

Quick and to the point reviews of your (my) weekly comics:

Detective Comics #844: This issue is definitely a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the art is well done, especially the fantastic cover, and the story is a good wrap up of a two parter featuring the new Ventriloquist and Zatanna. On the other hand, we are seemingly forever stuck with a "personal demons haunted" Batman who refuses to start a relationship with Zatanna. Batman's personality has not always been this way, but DC definitely seems to want to push the grim, haunted, dark, and moody Batman to a degree which often leaves me cold. See last week's Action Comics #864 for a good mocking of this Batman. All this isn't to say I want him to be with Zatanna for years worth of comics, but there would be interesting stories available and a new facet of his character revealed if they were allowed to have a relationship for a few months worth of comics. Verdict: 3 1/2 stars out of 5.

Action Comics Annual #11: The long (by which I mean extremely long) awaited wrap up to the "Last Son" arc that began over a year ago finally hits store shelves. Geoff Johns and Richard Donner had a great arc on their hands if it weren't for the horrible tardiness of Andy Kubert's artwork. This final issue is well written and would have been a very memorable finish to this arc had it come months ago, but as it stands now it is hard to emotionally reconnect with the story. Kubert does give some good work and several panels are spectacular, but this is definitely the type of case in which a fill-in artist would have been acceptable. The story does reestablish General Zod, Ursa, and Non as great adversaries for Superman, and Zod warns of something far more frigtening and powerful still to come from the Phantom Zone, so there should be lasting impacts from this storyline. The way in which the storyline climaxes though seems discordant and strange in light of the the last eight or ten months of Superman books, and one wishes they would have added the obligatory editors note from days long past telling when the events of this book took place. Verdict: 3 stars out of 5.

The Dark Tower: The Long Road Home #3 of 5: Another superbly written and drawn issue of Dark Tower hit stores this week. While I think Peter David has the tone of the Dark Tower books down and the art is almost uniformly stunning, I do wish there'd be a bit more straightforward gunslinging going on. The stories in the end of the book by Robin Firth continue to be strong tales that help elaborate the world of the Dark Tower. I did love the teasing of the adult Roland pre-The Gunslinger that we are shown in this issue. The time period of Roland's adulthood but before the books is a fertile one that could be a great foundation for more and more tales. Verdict: 4 stars out of 5.

Quick Hits - Comics for week of 4/30

Another round of Quick Hits:

DCU #0: Different in concept from Countdown to Infinite Crisis and Brave New World, DCU #0 is basically a set of short trailers for different storylines for several titles coming through the rest of this year. The art was well done, though your mileage may vary due to the different artists working on each trailer, and the writing was strong enough to make most of these trailers successful. DC could publish a book like this once or twice a year to promote upcoming stories and to help raise awareness of certain titles, for if DCU #0 has anything questionable about it is that each of these titles, save Wonder Woman, has already been heavily promoted and this is the icing on the cake. This book could have been ruined by focusing too much on the "big reveal" of the final page, but the writing is strong enough and the hooks in each trailer are well done enough that the book is more than the final page. Verdict: 4 1/2 stars out of 5.

Action Comics #864: Taking a cue from DCU #0, this issue is largely a preview for the upcoming Legion of Three Worlds arc coming later this summer. The art is strong though and the interactions between Lightning Lad and Batman are exceedingly well done. The ominous voice over is handled well and the reveal at the final page, while not unexpected, was put together well and certainly builds excitement for the coming miniseries. Verdict: 4 stars out of 5.

Green Lantern #30: The cleverly done set up of the upcoming Blackest Night storyline with the retelling of the origin of Hal Jordan continues along. The art continues to be consistent in this book with Ivan Reis creating a cohesive and strong look for the book. While part of me wishes we were investigating the different colored lanterns and continuing to hunt the Sinestro Corps, I will admit that this is an origin story done right. Verdict: 4 stars out of 5.

Thor: Ages of Thunder: Matt Fraction continues his apparent quest to write every non-Bendis or Millar book in the Marvel stable with this first in a small series of Thor one-shots. In Ages of Thunder we have two stories of Thor in a more Norse mythological setting than we usually see him. Fraction for the most part does a good job in maintaining a mythical quality to this Thor stories, though there are a few clunkers in the dialog in which Fraction breaks his mythic prose with a far too modern turn of phrase. The pencils of Patrick Zircher are well done and he certainly captures an Asgard that we do not see in the comics. Good moments with Loki, the Enchantress, and Odin help these stories keep from being too centered on Thor killing frost giants. Verdict: 4 stars out of 5.

Quick Hits - Comics for week of 4/23

In this new Critical Critiques feature I will post a one or two sentence review of each comic I pick up every week. I do not want to clutter this site with reviews of each and every issue of any given comic series. I will however still post full reviews for comics if I feel that the issue justifies a full review. This could happen at the beginning or end of a big arc, if a big event has happened, or if it is otherwise noteworthy. Also, because I'm always there for any who dares read Critical Critiques if someone comments that they'd like a full review of a comic in which I've posted a Quick Hit review I'll try to get one up as soon as I can. I may venture out into weekly Quick Hit reviews for the various television shows I watch, though after the fact full reviews may be more difficult since I don't record and save everything I watch.

On to the Comic Quick Hits for the week of April 23rd (Wednesdays are used because that is when comics are released).

Justice League of America #20: Fantastic art by Ethan Van Sciver. If he were on this series monthly it would immediately become one of my most anticipated books. McDuffie also puts together a good one-shot story when he doesn't have to mess with crossovers and story back-ups. Verdict: 4 1/2 stars out of 5.

Thor #8: Marko Djurdjevic really has knack for the Norse flavor of Thor. While this will not be agreed with by many fans I do not enjoy Copiel's art in this series. Thor looks far too square and neanderthal-esque usually in this series. On the story side this issue once again is a bit slow and I found the reveal at the end to be a bit obvious. Still has potential to build to something memorable though. Verdict: 3 stars out of 5.

Death of the New Gods #8: In the final issue of this miniseries it is apparent that Jim Starlin could have done so much more if not for the problems of plotting that Countdown presented. Too much of the plot is resolved elsewhere and it makes this issue and series flounder in the end. The art is, once again, quite strong and has a very good old-school feel. There are several strong pages including a great final page. Still, this series could have been so much more. Verdict: 3 stars out of 5.