Pablo Cheesecake and the Lightning Thief

Posted on February 16, 2010 by paul

Chris Columbus directed the first two Harry Potter movies. The story of a normal, average, everyday boy who discovers that he is a wizard and has to learn how to live with his new life. He has also directed Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. The story of a normal, average, everyday boy who discovers he is part Greek god and has to learn how to live with his new life.

I’ve read a number of reviews that start like that. ‘Oooh it’s the same director and has a similar premise. Isn’t Hollywood scrapping the bottom of the barrel’ To these naysayers I blow a huge raspberry. The myths of ancient Greece are good stories. They still resonate today. What kid isn’t going to enjoy things like Medusa, satyrs and centaurs? Guess what people….Greek mythology is so 2010! Just wait till the re-imagining/reboot/remake of Clash of the Titans hits our screens later this year. That will wipe those smug grins of those faces!

Personally I enjoyed the film. Kevin McKidd, Sean Bean and Steve Coogan are good as THE BIG THREE – Poseiden, Zeus and Hades. It would have been nice to see a bit more of Steve Coogan though. Hades as a kinda of slightly faded rock-star type was fun.

The younger members of the cast all did pretty good job as well. Logan Lerman plays Harry, sorry Percy (and if the Hollywood rumor mill is to be believed he is a strong contender for the Spiderman re-hash/re-jig/re-finagle). His partner is crime is Ron, sorry Grover played by Brandon T Jackson.

The effects were good particularly Medusa’s snakes and I liked the water effects towards the end. I guess some of the monsters may upset younger viewers so the PG rating is just about right.

I believe there are currently another four books in the series. I wouldn’t mind seeing more. I haven’t read the books but hope if more films are made we get to see a bit more of the Olympians. Hermes pops up in the current film and just looks just a bit sheepish. That was a bit of a shame. I would like to have seen a bit more of the other Gods.

From high atop Mt Olympus

Pablo Zeuscake

The Wolfman

Posted on February 14, 2010 by paul

Yesterday was a busy old day. Two movies at the cinema and then a comedy gig at a local theatre.

The first film we saw was The Wolfman. Directed by Joe Johnston this is an update of the 1941 film which starred Lon Chaney Jr. In this version Benicio Del Toro takes the lead role supported by Anthony Hopkins, Hugo Weaving and Emily Blunt.

The film really looks splendid, loads of attention to the small details. The costumes are all great and the scenery is suitably gothic and creepy. Filmed on location in Surrey, Buckinghamshire and Derbyshire

One of the things I particularly liked was the effects work for the Wolfman himself. Rick Baker is responsible and does a great job. The Wolfman makeup is very similar to the 40s version and it works really well. Rick Baker was responsible for the excellent werewolf effects in An American Werewolf in London and he still hasn’t lost his touch.

One of the personal highlights of the film for me was Hugo Weaving’s moustache. It was spectacular and not a hair out of place. I think I was just jealous.

The film movies at a reasonable pace and the ninety minute run time fairly zips by. Good news as well for all you gorehounds out there as the Wolfman rips many a cast member into small pieces. There are torsos, limbs and heads getting flung about all over the place.

Mr Cheesecake (of The Yard)

Tentacles of Doom – Deep Rising (a retrospective)

Posted on January 29, 2010 by paul

Before GI Joe, Van Helsing and The Mummy Stephen Sommers directed what I consider to be his best film. A lovely intimate little monster movie called Deep Rising.

Now I know what your going to say “The Mummy was cool and all but I think Van Helsing was an unmitigated disaster and far to self indulgent. As far as GI Joe is concerned c’mon I’m not fucking 12”.

Ok I get it. You don’t like them. Fair enough. Your entitled to your opinion (it’s wrong) but lets not argue.

Anyway I’m not here to talk about what came later. I want to talk about an often neglected gem of a movie.

Deep Rising was originally released in 1998 and disappeared pretty quickly from the box office. Recently a random comment in a totally unrelated conversation sparked a memory of the film. I realised that it was missing from my collection. I had a hazy recollection of enjoying the film and hoped it would be worthwhile viewing again. I decided I would pick it up on DVD. The film has been around for years so I figured even if I didn’t like it I wouldn’t be forking out a fortune for it. As ever Amazon delivered the goods, literally and metaphorically, so within 48hrs of my initial thought the DVD was in my grubby mits.

Brief synopsis of the story – Group of nasty mercenaries are hired to attack worlds largest/fanciest/most expensive cruise liner in the middle of the South China sea. Owner of their charter boat, his engineer and the 1st mate are forced to assist the mercs in their nasty scheme. When they get to the cruise ship however every passenger is gone and there is bucket loads of blood everywhere…. I don’t want to spoil the surprise lets just say evil tentacled sea monsters and leave it at that.

Now this ain’t Shakespeare folks and the dialogue is a bit cheesy but all is forgiven cause the film nips along at a terrific pace and the action scenes are very well done. Kudos as well goes to Treat Williams. I always felt he deserved to be a bigger star than he actually is. His biggest success probably being Things to Do in Denver When Your Dead. He makes for a great action hero in my opinion.

The UK’s very own Jason Flemyng pops up as one of the mercs. He doesn’t last thought it has to be said.

I should stress as well that it ain’t just all nasty skin shrivelling horror. Kevin J. O’Connor plays the comic relief and he does it well. It’s the elevator muzak gag that made me seek out the film again in the first place.

The effects are good and still hold up today over ten years later. The guts and gore are reasonably moderate as it’s only certificate 15.

All in all a solid movie well worth consideration. Anyone who enjoys a bit of horror sprinkled liberally with some action and just a pinch of comedy will enjoy this and you can get it for about £4 (total bargain).
So I cant fly because of the chance of snakes. Boats are now out due to the possibility of pissed off Kraken beasties. Shit I’m going have to walk everywhere. Wait a second have there been any monster movies on buses???

Later

Mr P Cheesecake Esq

Ninja Cheesecake – Another bloody movie review

Posted on January 24, 2010 by paul

I’m done with vampires. I’ve had it up to here with zombies. Werewolves are so last year.You can shove your pirates up your arse. 2010 should be the year of the ninja. Like every other movie fad in recent memory it would appear that the ninja is now due for a comeback.

Ninja Assassin is incredibly silly. There is no getting around that fact but good news it’s also incredibly gory. There are limbs, heads and various other body parts all over the feckin place. The story is pretty run of the mill but the action….oh the action is just great. To give you an example I don’t think I have ever seen characters fight in on coming traffic so realistically before.

Produced by the Wachoski Brothers the film does have hints of the Matrix about it . There is some nice slow-mo action going on and the way the throwing stars are visualized is very cool.

The end of the film kind of reminded me of Deadliest Warrior. Ninjas vs Government troops with machine guns. Who will win?

It was also great to see Shô Kosugi in the film. I still remember Nine Deaths of a Ninja and The Master from when I was just a nipper back in the 80s.

Stick to the Shadows

The Cheesecake Assassin

Avatar – A Cheesecake’s view

Posted on January 22, 2010 by paul

As a preface to this blog I would like to point out that this has taken me the best part of a month to write. I normally rattle of my thoughts about a movie I’ve seen within about a day or two of seeing the thing. This time things have been slightly different. I did say a couple of weeks ago I would get around to posting my thoughts so here goes. I had to think about this for quite a while before I put pen to paper, so to speak.

Avatar

I liked Avatar. I liked it a lot. In fact after careful consideration I might even love it? Don’t panic I’m not going to go all Twilight creepy on your ass. Allow me to try and clarify. Over the years I have seen a lot of films. Of those hundreds of films there are a select band that I will happily watch again. Within that group there are a lucky few that I love. Films that I have watched so many times they are like old friends.

Let me try and put my feelings into some sort of context. Do you remember the first time something really and truly blew your mind? Something that you knew was special. Something that was going to have an impact.

I still do.

Using my time machine let me take you back to 1978. Twice that year a mini-Cheesecake was taken to the cinema by his family. Each time the result was the same. The lights went out and after the obligatory ads and trailers the film began. In each case the heady mix of the rousing score and the mind bending visuals had an effect. Even now some 32 years later every time I hear both pieces of music the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I didn’t realise it at the time but both movies in question were going to be a global phenomena. I believe the phrase du jour is ‘game changer’. Of course I’m talking about Star Wars: A New Hope and Superman. I’m sure you had already guessed. Both are still as fresh and exciting today as they were then. They still evoke strong emotions from viewers. People still endlessly quote lines, recall their favourite scenes and debate plot points.

I believe, in the future, Avatar will fall into the same category. I’ve seen it twice and as I said before loved it from beginning to end both times. In my defence I should stress I am a ragging sentimentalist at heart. I also love nothing better than pure unadulterated escapism. The scope, the spectacle, the rush of sight and sound. It’s all there.

‘Fuck you Pablo’ the detractors will say. ‘The story borrows liberally from Fern Gully and Pocahontas’. In fairness they are probably right, but who cares. James Cameron knows how to deliver what an audience wants. The other thing that needs to be highlighted is that the obvious quality and attention to detail of this film. It will force others to raise their game. People will want more of this I can guarantee it. Cameron has spent years developing new technology in order to film the thing. He’s made the environment seem very real and all that hard work shines through.

*Spoiler Alert*

The thought just popped in my head. Why does Michelle Rodriguez die in every film she’s in?

*End Spoiler*

Since I started writing this news stories have appeared stating that there will be another two films set in the same universe. I look on with interest. Can Cameron give use even more? Hopefully we wont have to wait 12 years for the next installment.

Live and direct from Pandora

Mr C

Modern Vampires: Is there any hope?

Posted on January 16, 2010 by paul

I’m not going to bash Twilight, honest I’m not. It would be far to easy to do. I’ve seen the first film I won’t be seeing anymore. It’s not my bag. If you enjoy it fair play to you. I’ll let you into secret though vampires don’t fucking sparkle.

Ignoring the Twilight phenomena is there any hope for the modern vampire movie? Today I have seen two examples of the genre. One good the other filled with good intention

Daybreakers

Written and directed by the Spierig Brothers this is an interesting take on vampire mythology. Vampirism is a virus and this film looks at the consequences of the vampire food supply running out. Starring Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe and Sam Neill I enjoyed this quite a bit. Lots of nice touches about how the world’s population have adapted to being creatures of the night.

Your purist vampire aficionado may not like the modernization of vampirism but personally I doesn’t bother me. I enjoy original ideas as long as they are done well.

Blood: The Last Vampire

This seemed on the face of it to promise so much. Based on the anime of the same name I expected a lot. Overall it’s not terrible. Swordfights are always good but then some arse somewhere decided that adding some truly fucking horrible CGI was a good idea. I mean come on CGI blood? That’s a big no-no in my book.

Daybreakers got it right, Blood: The Last Vampire got it wrong. In a vampire movie the first commandment – there will be blood. Second commandment characters have to get covered in the stuff.

So is there hope for the modern vampire movie? I guess the jury is still out. The good news as long as films like Let The Right One In and Daybreakers continue to get made at least there is chance.

Always from the Dark

Vampire Cheesecake

Only Forward…What’s occurring 2010

Posted on January 3, 2010 by paul

Recently I blogged about my highlights for 2009. I was thinking about it earlier and it seemed only sensible to take a look at what is on the horizons for the next 12 months.

Film

There are quite a few movies I am looking forward to this year. In fact the list is so long I am going to go with just a top 4. As usual no particular order on this.

The Road – Now I haven’t read the book, which I admit is unusual for me it being post apocalyptic and all, but I really like the look of the film. I am a big fan of The Vigg and the film looks really fucking dark so should be right up my street. It’s on release in the UK real soon so I will scribble down a review at a later date.

Sex and Drugs and Rock and Roll -To clarify Hit Me with Your Rhythm Stick was the first vinyl I ever bought at the tender age of 4 years old. The B-side was a track called There Ain’t Half been some Clever Bastards. Ian Dury and the Blockheads music had a profound effect growing up. Looking forward to seeing Andy Serkis take on the role.

The A-Team – Is an explanation really required? Hopefully this will be like watching an episode of the show. Tell you what there better be a fucking montage where they make a fully functioning tank out of a milkfloat, two weasels and some blue tac.

Tron 2, Tron Legacy, Tr2n, Tron 2.0 – Whatever the fuck they are calling it this week. It’s about computers and software and sci-fi and all things fucking geeky. I am so there.

As I said there are many more but I don’t want to go on about them to much, not yet anyway.

books

The Five Greatest Warriors – Matthew Reilly does great action novels. The pace is always breathtaking and the conclusion always leaves you wanting more (in a good way).

The Silver Skull – A new novel by Mark Chadbourn is always a reason for celebration. Those lucky blighters out in the colonies already have it damn them *shakes fist*

Blood Royal and Dark Side – Not one but two new Pax Britannia novels from Jonathan Green. How very splendid.

health

This year I have set myself the task of cycling 500 kilometres. This is around the distance from where I live to Paris. Hopefully I should be able to manage this feet of endurance as long as my back holds out. Should also improve my general health as well.

Anywho on that bombshell I’m off to begin the trek. Wish me luck

Avanti

Pablo Cheesecake – 2009 – A Year in Review – Part 1

Posted on December 15, 2009 by paul

So 2009 is very nearly over. With that in mind I thought I would write a little (turns out its gonna large) blog detailing as many of my favourite things from this year. As usual, whenever I put together a list, they are in no discernable order. These are just a few things that found there way into my life in the last 12 months and how I feel about them.

Music

I make no secret about the fact that my musical tastes are what some would call odd, I collect movie and TV soundtrack tunes for fuck sake. That aside I think this year I have found myself slightly more mainstream than normal. Lovely new web apps like Spotify and Blip FM have opened my ears to new music more than ever before. The two biggest discoveries for me this year have been Them Crooked Vultures and Alestorm.

Them Crooked Vultures self titled debut album is fan-fuckin-tastic. Take a little Foo Fighters, season liberally with some Queens of the Stone Age and add just a pinch of Led Zepplin and behold a super group is born. Every single track is a winner. There are a couple of truly exceptional tracks though. Caligulove, Gunman and Dead End Friends are all epic. This is a perfect example of musicians making music just for the hell of it. It is all fuckin great.

Alestorm are the kings of Scottish Pirate Metal. Now I know what your gonna say. “But Pablo that seems to be a rather niche genre isn’t it?”. Your not wrong but damn if they don’t totally own it. I should say at this point there is a good chance that I am a frustrated pirate at heart so I may be slightly biased…..Yar!!

Film

I’ve said before that I am a genre junkie and 2009 sure was a good year for genre films. Watchmen was a garish big clusterfuck of a movie, personally I adored it. Pandorum was an unexpected gem. Star Trek was a fantastic update. District 9 was insightful, clever and thought provoking sci-fi. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans was fun and looks pretty great on blu-ray. In fact its worth mentioning that all the blu-rays I have watched so far look brilliant. Another highlight of 2009 I guess was my first exposure to blu-ray.

Thank fuck for that. I got through my movie section roundup without mentioning Avatar…aww bugger it.
Calm down Cameron you’ll get your review when I’ve seen the film. I’ve heard good things so hopefully Avatar will deliver.

My this blog is nowhere near finished but I have lost the will to type. I still haven’t mentioned books and TV. I think I may have to split this into two and come back to the second part later.

Till I can be arsed to write the next part.

Laters

Cheesecake Out

Films I can’t live without

Posted on November 18, 2009 by paul

This afternoon I was busy working and listening to my iPod. As is often the case a random thought just popped into my noggin. I often blog about films I’ve seen recently but don’t often revisit my favourites. I thought I would try to establish a list of 10 films that make my life better and also try to explain why. I should add a note at this point that the list is in no particular order.

Krull – The theme to this film always cheers me up. I can’t explain why it just makes me smile. Regular readers will know that I am a sucker for good music. That and part of me really would like a flying horse, fuck who wouldn’t.
Who Dares Wins – If testosterone was collected from every action star to grace the silver screen, distilled, dried and reconstituted as celluloid the resultant film would not be as action pack as this eighties gem.
Brazil – I work in an office, I will always work in an office. I have made my peace with the universe regarding this. Mr Gilliam helped.
The Dark Knight – I read comics. This is the best comic book based film I have ever seen.
Saturday Night Fever – Sometimes when I walk down the street in my head I’m Tony Monero. I don’t care who knows it!
Aliens – I like Alien but I love Aliens. Game over man
The Long Good Friday – Best Gangster film ever. Gritty as fuck and all the better for it.
The Italian Job – I cannot convey in words what this film means to me. It warms my heart every time. 1969 brought the world this film and my soulmate. Best year ever.
Flash Gordon – If this film was a dairy product it would be cheese. It is a beautiful explosion of sight and sound….oh and Brian Blessed is in it.
It’s a Wonderful Life – you know…it is.

Quick to the living room and lets slip one of these beauties on!
Mr C

Cirque Du Cheesecake: The Vampire’s Assistant

Posted on November 6, 2009 by paul

The second film this week was Cirque Du Freak. Now before I get started on the film I should be honest and admit I have read The Saga of Darren Shan. I liked it and read it all the way to the end. No small accomplishment when your talking 12 books.

I went into the film realising that there had to be changes made for a movie version to work. Some other reviews I have read have been very dismissive of the film due to these differences. What do I think? You know what fuck em. Books make for great source material for a movie but people have to expect changes. Reading is such a internal process. People envisage the story they read and everyone can have a different take. A film is always going to be another person’s vision of the material and I would guess likely to be different from your own.

I’m also not that bothered that the film is set in America. I thought I would be but I seem to recall the books were always pretty geographically indistinct anyway so no real issues there.

One thing I really enjoyed about the film was John C Reilly. He was great. I’ve seen him in other films but this is the first time I think I have seen him in anything as the main lead and I thought he was brilliant. Some of the other character seemed a bit two dimensional but Mr Reilly seemed to flesh out Larten Crepsley.

Also incredibly weird to see Salma Hayek with a beard (Talk about conflicting emotions!)

Will there be more Cirque? Probably. If it makes enough money. I would love to see to war between the Vampire and Vampaneze. Maybe one day?

Enough of this disjointed muttering.

I’m off

Pablo Cheesecake

A Mid-Life Crisis Waiting to Happen…

Category Archives: Cinema

Pablo Cheesecake and the Lightning Thief

The Wolfman

Tentacles of Doom – Deep Rising (a retrospective)

Ninja Cheesecake – Another bloody movie review

Avatar – A Cheesecake’s view

Avatar

Modern Vampires: Is there any hope?

Daybreakers

Blood: The Last Vampire

Only Forward…What’s occurring 2010

Film

books

health

Pablo Cheesecake – 2009 – A Year in Review – Part 1

Music

Film

Films I can’t live without

Cirque Du Cheesecake: The Vampire’s Assistant