Elwy Yost R.I.P.

I haven't written on this blog for a while. Lazy I guess. But I decided to end my silence when I read of the passing of one Elwy Yost. You may not know who that is (shockingly, few people I know have ever heard of him), but he had a profound effect on my love of movies while I was growing up.


Elwy Yost was the host of several TV shows on TVO highlighting movies from the past. Chief among these were Magic Shadows where he would show movie serials (my first introduction to Captain Marvel, Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers and even Lone Ranger when the show played episodes of the TV series), and Saturday Night at the Movies where Elwy played classics from yesteryear which went from movies from the 30's and 40's and 50's to the 80's when the show ran so long that Jaws and Close Encounters were now fodder for the series. In fact, Elwy hosted for 25 years (take that Oprah), before retring in '99. I was introduced to MGM musicals, Danny Kay, the Thin Man movies, the Ray Harryhausen films, and even Harold Lloyd (my favourite silent star). The highlight of Saturday Night at the Movies were the candid interviews that Elwy had with stars, directors, composers and screen writers which ran in between the movies (each episode was a double-bill). No press junkets here, with some garish poster behind some star because they're promoting that movie. Elwy would go to the stars' houses and interview them in their living rooms. I remember Robert Mitchum all relaxed and reclined on his couch talking to Elwy, and Vincent Price talking in his living room about Jaws scaring the crap out of him (he was afraid to go in his bath tub!). Elwy Yost had an infectious love of films which rubbed off on the viewer. He was so excited to see these guys, he would gush like a fan boy and ask questions in rushed tones as if he were afraid that the interview would be over before he could ask a question. What I liked too about these interviews is that they often involved one camera with it pointed at the star at all times, so you got their reactions in between questions and they were often uncut and raw. His interviews are now a part of the archive of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and I've actually seen clips of his interviews in various Life Time Achievement inductions on the Oscar telecasts, using Elwy's vast catalogue of candid conversations with the people who built the Hollywood industry.


Elwy Yost died Thursday at the age of 85. He will be missed.


Now, there are alot of clips of Elwy Yost, Magic Shadows and Saturday Night at the Movies on youtube, but my favourite is probably Elwy's tour of Universal, so I'll leave you with that.













-Deceptisean

Another New Nightamre

A Nightmare on Elm Street.

This remake, like all, was and is pointless. I don’t understand the need for these movies when Freddy vs Jason was successful. As it is, Robert Englund has been Freddy since the beginning and he isn’t a literary character, or a comic character, like Batman. Batman can be played by different actors because he has was conceived as a comicbook character, but Freddy has always and forever been Robert Englund.

Anyone who says, well he was getting old is wrong. In FVJ he was great and in fact he was the best he’s ever been since part 3!

In any case, I will give this movie a far review based on what it is. And for that, I actually enjoyed it.

I love Jackie Earle Haley, he played Rorschach – the best part of Watchmen, so needless to say if there was an actor who could take Robert’s place (after Robert passed away that is, or became a senior citizen) then Jackie would be the one. And he plays well here as Freddy – a different Freddy, more like Wes Craven’s New Nightmare Freddy, a bit darker, but not as a scary I think.

In any case this movie has a lot of dream sequences. I swear every 5 minutes someone falls asleep and Freddy appears, so that’s a bonus. As for the story, they change it up a bit and some characters get shuffled around, but it’s basically the same thing. Only this time, Freddy didn’t kill kids – he was just molesting them? This was very unclear and a bit disappointing when we look at the old movie where he was really sinister. Don’t get me wrong, he is still evil here, but not killing the kids does take away a bit from the whole parents getting revenge. It cheapens the revenge.

It’s like showing how Michael Myers grew up in the Rob Zombie Halloween. His family was a bunch of assholes, well of course they raised a killer. You ended up knowing too much about Myers and that wasn’t the point of the original movie – where he was just a normal kid that snapped one day.

In any case, I still kind of liked this movie. I mean this is a strictly for fans of the films, because the plot is surprisingly lacking – even for a slasher flick, and Freddy only uses his claws here – no inventive deaths, but still, I liked the movie in the end for what it was and I liked Jackie as Freddy, but I can never accept any substitutes.

This is like the Friday the 13th remake. If you are like me and own all the Friday’s and Nightmares and then you buy these remakes, I am ok.

But if you are someone who ONLY prefers these remakes then you suck.
Yeah I said.

3.5/5

J-Man.

The Highest Rank.

Captain America.

You know sometimes you get a superhero movie that is good, like Thor, or Green Lantern. Sometimes you get one that is great, like The Dark Knight, Hulk and Spiderman 2, and still sometimes you get something incredible, like Watchmen, Superman 1 and 2 or even Tim Burton’s Batman, and I am proud to put Captain America in that category.

He was always my favourite Marvel character, until Sub-Mariner came along that is, but my love for him never left (strange that my 2 fave Marvel characters were the only ones from the 40s – well not strange if you know me, I don’t much like new characters).

I collected Cap’s issues as a kid and still have those comics today. I also collected his current stuff before Steve Rogers death that is, and I actually collect his Essentials (black and white reprints) and I even own every Cap comic on DVD that I purchased from Amazon. So needless to say I love Cap.

There have been 5 live-action Cap movies. The first was a Serial/Chapter Play which I never saw but would buy. The second and third were made for TV movies and they were cheesy, but as a kid I loved them, even though Cap’s suit was awful in part one, the second one had a better suit – I recently got those on burned DVDs in bad quality, but whatever.

Then in the 90s they did a Cap film that started off really really good. Red Skull was FINALLY in it and he looked wicked. Well that movie got boring and only picked up in the end, and even though everyone hates it, I still liked it. But this new movie is something that I think will bring the geeks and regular joes together.

This is a Dark Knight moment and in fact, I like it much more than Dark Knight.

This time around Cap is in the 40’s during WW2 and fighting the Nazis. Steve Rogers wants to join the army but is way to small and skinny. That doesn’t stop him from trying again and again, but he is always turned down. He just wants to do his part. While attending a local fair he meets up with a doctor who overhears his conversation with Bucky Barnes (Cap’s sidekick in the comics) about how Steve wants to serve his country and all that.

The doctor asks him “Do you want to kill Nazis?” and he replies “I don’t want to kill anyone.” And then he goes on about doing his duty etc. Right there at that line I knew this was going to be one of the best superhero movies of all time.

In my early post “Counting down to Cap” I mentioned that Chris Evans was cool and I really liked his interview about the character. Well he was just phenomenal in this role and I was totally with him the entire time. What a great performance and I promise you that ALL will get behind him. I almost cried a couple of times during moments of courage that he showed. You hardly get actually good people in superhero movies now. Take Iron Man, yes Tony Stark is funny and all that, but I want to see a good person who wants to do what is right become a hero. Cool anti-heroes and rebels are fun, but Cap has to be the good natured man who only does what is right because it’s the right thing to do!

This isn’t a joke people, this is a real movie with heart and respect for the genre and the character they are portraying.

There are several great scenes that pay homage to the comics (you actually see Cap comics being sold!) and you even get to see the serial being filmed! So they are saying that Cap was real! And his comics and movies were real too! How brilliant is that!!!!!

Plus for a good part of the film he wears the EXACT comic costume! Only later when he becomes a solider does he change it.

Also the Red Skull is in it A LOT! He looks normal for the first half though, but once he reveals his face, he is Red Skull for the rest. The action scenes are great and the effects are amazing (note that Chris Evans has been turned into a 90 pound weakling, when in fact he is much taller and ripped!).

Everything in this movie fit with me, I don’t think it’s just because I am a Cap fan. Take note that my number one fave is Superman, and I LOATHED Superman Returns, so I am not going to say a movie is great if I don’t think it is, not matter what (unless it’s JCVD or Godzilla – hahaha)

People please go support this movie and see it in theatres, don’t wait for DVD or for rental. This movie has to beat that piece of rotted shit Transformers. This movie has heart and soul and it really gets you excited about comics and fantasy and just good movie making. Oh and as a duh, please stay till the end credits for an Avengers Trailer!

Actually my only negative point is that I want another Cap solo movie – as I don’t hold out much hope for Avengers – but we shall see. At least we’ll get a group hero movie for once.

Long live Captain America.

5/5 – I would give higher if I could.

J-Man.

JCVD 1999

From now on I will be doing solo reviews for JCVD films. Starting with his last American Theatrical release.


Universal Soldier: The Return.


JCVD returns with wrestler Goldberg and Michael Jai White in the sequel to Unisols. This time around Jai White is the villain and I have to say that he is awesome! I mean not so much in this film, but in general. He was Black Dynamite and Spawn, but his best movie was Undisputed 2. He is a real fighter man, and I wish he got more roles.


For those who don’t know him, he was in Dark Knight – the black guy thug that Joker kills.


Anyway this one was a let down after Unisols, I mean JCVD is “off” the program? What does that mean – you can just stop being a unisol? They are DEAD soldiers. I don’t get how is able to survive without the injections and what not.


It was just poorly conceived. This ended JCVD’s American Theatre career and spawned a bunch of lame straight to video sequels.


In the end, JCVD is still cool and its neat to see him fight as usual, but this one was just underwhelming.


3/5 – hey JCVD cant get lower than 3!


J-Man.

The Astral.

Insidious.


I have been waiting for this movie and didn’t know it. I hate possession movies and ghost movies – well not hate, but I don’t believe in ghosts at all, so its hard to get behind it. See I don’t believe in vampires or zombies either, but they are visually appealing to me. I like demons and monsters, but ghosts don’t do it for me. I LOVE Ghostbusters of course, but the ghosts there are characters, not just strange hands that pop out, or books that move on their own, or doors that open and close etc.


It took James Wan (director of Death Sentence and the first Saw – and best?) to prove that ghosts can be done right.


This movie is pretty darn good and if I did believe in ghosts it would be pretty scary, I don’t, so it wasn’t scary, but it was damn cool!


Act one begins as all haunted house movies begin – books are moved, boxes are moved, doors open on their own etc. This was produced by the Paranormal Activity guys (and actually this movie ends up being what I wanted PA to be) and you can tell from this first act. Cool point – after some odd occurrences, the couple actually moves out of the house, instead of staying around like idiots!


Act two begins in the new house where they learn that their boy Dalton, is possessed, not the house. See he’s been in a “coma” for 3 months and his astral form has left his body and evil spirits are trying to get in. And they thought if they left their haunted house it would be ok, but the spirits are following him around (this is the plot to Near Death a film that us Fantomzone guys actually wrote and produced – they stole our idea! – well we may have seen it before too).


The big difference is that act two really ups the horror level. Now its actual ghosts running around causing havoc, which leads to act three which consists of the boys father (played by the Nite-owl guy from Watchmen) leaving his body to do battle with the spirits. The problem is, is that there is also a demon trying to gain control of the boy and an old lady (looking very creepy) trying to posses Nite-owl’s body too! This all leads to a battle in the netherworld – think of New Nightmare – where they go and fight Freddy on his own turf. The demon in control of this world is a great visual entity. I can see a possible franchise with him – excellent make-up. See, this is what I want. Have ghosts do weird shit, have books move, have cheap pops (like people walking by the screen – LOVE those – thanks to John Carpenter for that one), but then give me more. I want other dimensions, I want demons that run around in hoofed feet etc. Not just cheap kids saying boo.


All in all I highly recommend this to horror fans and if you believe in ghosts, you will be freaked out.


4.5/5


J-Man

The Meaning of Modern Day Life.

The above image is from the film CAPRICORN ONE. I love the movie of course and it’s a classic science fiction picture.


I wont get into the review here (as I have reviewed it on Fantomzone) – but just a quick breakdown. It’s about 3 astronauts that are about to travel to Mars, but complications with the ship prevent them from going. The actual public doesn’t know yet, and the Mars Program is completely out of money and wont be able to get additional funding because the public is losing interest in it. So they decide to fake a Mars landing and not to tell anyone about it.


Government conspiracies are always interesting film topics, and this one clearly addresses the moon landing – was it fake? Who knows. But in the film the astronauts are forced to comply and thus is the movie. The astronauts end up filming the fake landing on a set – seen above – and later regret their decision and try to escape and let the world know the truth – the government peruses etc.


Now to the meaning of life. Look at the picture above and study it. 3 astronauts with no helmets on, so they are clearly not in space. A man in a suit, and a studio set, complete with a camera in the corner. Remember too that the astronauts are good, hard working people who paid their dues and have a good education and the suit guy is the guy with the money and the man in charge.


So the meaning of modern living is:


Some guy in a black suit telling you what to do in a bullshit environment where you are always being watched and if you don’t do what he tells you, you die.


Something to think about.


J-Man.

The End?

Those of you who know me know that I wasn't in favour of them chopping up the last Harry Potter movie into 2.  People defended the decision, saying the book was too massive to make one movie and it was fitting that Harry's "last" (as I heard J.K. Rowling is saying she's going to write more) would play out in two films.  Nope, it was for the money and this movie confirmed it.

I remember stating that Deathly Hallows Part 1 dragged too much.  Well, this portion felt rushed.  I know that's a lot to say, as there are still slower parts in this film, but it just felt really, really rushed.  We didn't see much of the big battle at Hogwarts.  The end battle between Harry and Voldemort felt really short, as well.  They were just trying to tie up as many of the loose ends remaining as possible and I guess they kind of succeeded...but I now, more than ever, question why they had to break this movie into two. 

As a whole, the Harry Potter series has been pretty good.  I would rate the entire series somewhere between a 4 and a 4.5 rating.  I can't give a 5 after the Deathly Hallows movie(s) and let me tell you, I was lost at some points...because I didn't go back and watch DH Part 1.  I will give kudos for the series though, in the sense that you go the same actors back every movie (unless they unfortunately passed away between flicks, such as Richard Harris), they were all British, the movies were pretty faithful to the source material and they had all sorts of neat, magical moments.  I think they became a little too serious and a little too grave at the end for their own good and lost some of the wonder and fun in the series, but overall, it was solid and monumental if you contemplate that this is the only 7 (or 8, sorry) movies in a series that have had everyone come back and reprise their roles.

That being said, I think the Harry Potter phenomenon is slightly overblown and I've read and enjoyed all the books.  I think J.K. Rowling is a pretty good writer, but one of the best of all time?  That's pretty heady stuff and until she proves she can write something other than Harry Potter (Stephen King had the Dark Towers...but he also had The Stand, It and Misery to name a few), I would reserve that title.  I think she's very good for what she does and I think that she hit on something pretty good when the time was ripe for something like that to be written.  I don't know if she's as good as everyone says she is though and the movies are a good representation of this opinion.  Good?  Undeniably?  One of the best stories ever told?  Errr...with all the good stories that have been told...let's not get crazy.

So, here's the closing chapter (for now) on Harry Potter.  Kudos to the studio for giving the fans (mostly) what they wanted, which was a faithful adaptation of the books and kudos to all the actors for sticking it out and becoming part of film history.  We probably won't see a series of films like this again for a long, long time.

Rating of Deathly Hallows, Part 2: 3.5 out of 5

Rating of Harry Potter series: between 4 and 4.5

- Stephenstein