“Let you look sometimes for the goodness in me, and judge me not.”
~Arthur Miller

If you would judge, understand.
~Lucius Annaeus Seneca

While the corpse of Robert E. Howard was turning over shamefaced in his grave, the 2011 reboot of the Conan film franchise died a brutal death at the box office this weekend. The movie’s tagline should have been “Heads will roll”, for that is certainly what was happening at Lionsgate on Monday morning. The 90 million dollar fantasy film stole a paltry 10 million dollars from the movie-going public over its opening weekend. And 10 dollars of that sum was from yours truly.

What was I, an avowed hater of paying full price on weekend nights at the theater, doing on a Friday night paying $10 to see Conan?

Don’t judge me too harshly before you read my thoughts on what could have been.

Continue reading Conan The Barbarian →

“Well, I’m back…”

The final Tuesday night showing of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King, has ended. Added to the usual bittersweet melancholy I feel as the final credits roll is the bittersweet feeling of this three week event coming to an end. It has been more than I expected it to be. It was a scheduled date night. It spawned a new friendship. And it was something I never thought I would ever experience–the extended versions of Peter Jackson’s films on the big screen.

I realize on some level that it makes no sense to be sad that the trilogy has ended. I could sit down at home and immediately watch them again right now. But I don’t want to do that. I don’t want to taint this experience. Any time I partake of the film trilogy I then like to take a break from it for awhile, despite the strong feeling that I am leaving behind close friends. I never want to inundate myself so much with either the films or the books that they lose their power to move me. And move me they do.

If you dear folk will indulge me one more time, I would like to discuss some things that stood out in this viewing of The Return of the King.

Be forewarned, spoilers follow after the jump.

Continue reading The Return of the King →

The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition theatrical release hosted by Fathom Events continued this past Tuesday night with the second film of the trilogy, The Two Towers. In a repeat of last week’s performance I found myself at the theater long before anyone else, laying hold of the crown and proclaiming myself Lord of the Geeks. When a teenage worker with little imagination offered an unsatisfactory solution to the darkened theater–“they” would turn on the lights “soon”–I took matters into my own hands and found the switch, illuminating what was to be my own personal reading room for the next hour and a half. I was magnanimous and shut them off again when the pre-show entertainment started.

Even though I have seen this film, in its extended version, countless times I couldn’t hold back the thrill that rose within me the moment the screen darkened and “The Lord of the Rings” logo appeared.

I would venture a guess that most of you have seen these films. If you have not, please consider this your warning that spoilers will be present following the jump. This will not be a formal review of the film but will instead be a loosely constructed report on the things that stood out to me in particular in this viewing.

Continue reading The Two Towers →

The summer movie season has come to be defined as a time when the big blockbuster films are released. The kind of movies that demand to be viewed with a soda and a large bucket of buttered popcorn. Movies that have big budgets, are full to bursting with special effects, and occasionally have a story worth the telling. In a summer filled with superheros, swashbucklers, sex and sequels, it is refreshing to see a movie that celebrates the magic of summer itself–that unbelievable gift of time we were given as children in which to roam and adventure and dream.

Among other things J.J. Abrams’ latest film, Super 8, is an homage to the glory days of summer during that time of life where boys and girls have one foot firmly planted in the innocence of childhood and are just beginning to step with the other over into the world of adolescence. Super 8 takes place in 1979 and follows a group of friends who are spending their summer filming a zombie movie in the super 8 format in the hopes of having it picked for an upcoming film festival. On a surreptitious night shoot at a train depot the youth find themselves the benefactors of a real train passing, something they hope will lend realism to the scene. When an accident occurs that causes a colossal train wreck, the night’s shoot is ruined and something unexpected is released into the small Ohio town that will change the lives of its residents forever.

Continue reading Super 8 →

“The soul is born old but grows young. That is the comedy of life. And the body is born young and grows old. That is life’s tragedy.”

~Oscar Wilde

When the otherworldly chimes of my cell phone alarm woke me this Tuesday morning, I did not leap out of bed waving Anduril over my head.

I groaned.

I moaned.

And I stumbled out of bed with thoughts of dread about the long day ahead of me. This was Fellowship of the Ring day, and I was not excited. That was my age showing. After a work day filled with meetings I arrived home with 4 hours to spare before film time. I pulled up my computer, looked at a few Lord of the Rings related images in contemplation of this post, and felt my young soul grow a bit younger. The excitement of the evening ahead literally came upon me in a matter of seconds–it washed completely over me and I realized that I just could not wait any longer and that I had to get to the theater.

I arrived with 3 hours to spare, walked right into the theater (bless AMC for leaving that theater open all day and allowing fans to arrive and go straight in), and had my pick of any seat in the place.

I was the only one there. For approximately two hours. And it was lovely! I grabbed a soda and some peanut M&M’s, settled down with a book, and read in complete and total silence for two hours. I was relaxed and primed for a night of magic.

Continue reading Fellowship →