WOOOH!!!!

Overcast from Cartoon Brew on Vimeo.

I like this short film. Found at my new favorite website Kuriositas.

For me the Planet of the Apes originals are some of my fondest memories of movies. I’ve watched all five original films multiple times. The Tim Burton try at the series left me cold, but I wasn’t really upset like some were with it. This new take looks like it could be interesting in a Contact sci-fi sort of way.
Heres hoping James Franco doesn’t look stoned the whole movie.

Went to two more films during Actionfest. One was the awesome Little Big Soldier. It was Jackie Chan at his finest. Funny, yet sincere, and the epic nature of the loactions made the movie a big screen experience for sure. I’m torn about how high this ranks on Chans list of films, due to how his talent has been wasted in America and how jaded I became towards him, but its a return to fine movie making for him and it’s up in the top five for me.

Super was great. Raiin Wilson is the perfect choice for this role as he has no problem with the self deprecation. Ellen Page is amazing as the psycopath sidekick. And Nathan Fillion even makes a cameo. The film plays pretty straight and sometimes the violence can shock you, but not for long. Director James Gunn always follows something gruesome with a joke, leaving you a little desenitized to the whole thing. In the end its got the chance to be a cult favorite for a long time, but won’t bring in the bucks that Kickass did last year.

I got to see four movies in four days at this years Actionfest. Some people attending probably saw 30, but if my minor experience with the festival is any indication, this festival is great all the way around. Can’t wait for next year.

So Ive seen a movie a day during Actionfest here in Asheville. I think next year Ill definetly get a pass so I can go to all the films I want to. I plan on seeing three more films in the next two days but so far I got to these two.

Ironclad was the opening movie of the festival. Its got me hooked as it has Brian Cox in it, and he just seems to steal scenes for as long as I can remember him acting. And James Purferoy, who was very villanious in Rome, is actually pretty awesome as a Templar Knight in this. The action is well done and while I can see how the film wouldn’t play in today’s special effects wizardry, I loved it, and think if it got a wide release it would do as well as any other British war flick.

Outrage is Takeshi Kitano’s return to Gangster films that made him famous. Jess wished there had been more of a story, and less reliance on violence. There are some brutal shots in this film for sure, but I think the moments that really make the film for me, and carry the story are hidden between the random acts of death, as the yakuza are sitting around planning there next move. You can almost feel the tension that these men carry with them as they live what is sure to be a shortened life. I think Takeshi romantizes it a little bit, and wants to show that in the end, everyone goes out dead. A less competent filmaker would edit out the random shots of street scenes, or the quiet moments before the kill. Its not Takeshi’s best film, but its still a very good Yakuza film.

Heading out to Actionfest tonight and every night this weekend to catch some new films. Hopefully there are still some single tickets available for each one I want to go to.

Actionfest is in its second year here in Asheville and the Schedule here looks wonderful. Im hoping to catch a few films and the highlights for me include Super, Bunraku, Outrage, and Jackie Chan’s Little Big Soldier.