Spanish effects guru Gabe Ibanez is treading some very familiar ground for his second feature. Automata has bits of a thousand other science-fiction stories pulsing through its DNA, but I still find myself responding positively to this yet-another Robots With Soul storyline. I'm (we're) a sucker for these plots, and that's why they keep making them. Having recently watched The Expendables 3, I can assure you that Antonio Banderas was the only one of those fogies that understood the charm & joy of the concept. He's an actor who hasn't always gotten his fair pick of roles. Comedy comes easy to him, but his best work is when he lets the anger out. I love seeing him pissed. And a pissed Banderas in a sci-fi Blade Runner Beyond Thunderdome? Yep. Fingers crossed.
The below international trailer for Machete Kills looks dirt cheap and kinda terrible. Gone is the Grindhouse grit of the original wannabe, but Robert Rodriguez is cramming this B Movie with as many friends as he can - Danny Trejo! Antonio Banderas! William Sadler! Jessica Alba! Charlie Sheen! Mel Gibson! Amber Heard! Michelle Rodriguez! Lady Gaga! The film can't pay well, so it must be super fun to be part of Rodriguez's DIY process. The first film was no great exploitation film, but it had it's own special charm, and yeah, I wish Rodriguez was doing bigger & better projects but we're just gonna have to settle for silly, stupid fun. Sheen - POTUS. Yeah, ok.
I'm a few days late here, but I've been busy, busy. Quite a few discs to check out this week, and the only reason there is not a Must Buy is cuz the top disc is a film I have not seen yet, but an error I'm really looking forward to correcting. In fact, the only film released this week that I've actually seen is the Oscar nominated Puss in Boots, a fun film but I don't know if it's necessary to own.
Buy!
ANATOMY OF A MURDER (CRITERION BLU): Here's a courtroom classic that I've never had the opprotunity or excuse to check out before. Now I have two: 1) You can never go wrong with a Criterion pick; even their weak/odd choices are worth checking out. 2) In reading the multiple obituaries for Ben Gazzara, the film that got name checked the most was not Saint Jack, Road House, or The Big Lebowski but Anatomy of a Murder. And one of my secret cinema shames is that I've seen not a single Otto Preminger film (I do love his Mr. Freeze though). This I guess, is as good a place to start as any.
FORT APACHE (BLU): I've heard mixed reviews of Fort Apache and they've kept me away for a little while. But I find the pairing of John Wayne & Henry Fonda to be a fascinating idea especially in the hands of the great John Ford, who delivered the best performances from both actors in The Searchers & My Darling Clementine. And that's why a disappointing outing together in Fort Apache could be a real shame. But it's time to finally check it out in this new Blu.
Rent!
PUSS IN BOOTS: This was a much better film than it had any right to be; I've only seen the first Shrek film but disliked it immensely and walking into the theater with the wife for Puss In Boots I had very little hope for humor. But Antonio Banderas had the day cuz who doesn't love a badass kitty. And Salma Hayek as his animated love? Puss in Boots was much more the satisfying Desperado sequel than Once Upon A Time In Mexico.
J EDGAR: Here's another mixed-reviewed flick that I didn't see in theaters. Honestly, Clint Eastwood hasn't made a movie I've thoroughly enjoyed since Gran Torino and after the horrid Hereafter I was not desperate to dive back into his cineam and especially one involving a heavily makeuped Leonardo DiCaprio J Edgar Hoover. There probably is a good film in this subject matter but I have my doubts that this is the one. Personally, I really enjoyed Billy Crudup's Hoover in Michael Mann's Public Enemies.
MARTHA MARCY MAY MARLENE: The only reason I want to see this film is John Hawkes. That man needs to be in more movies, or at least he needs to have some seriously cool leading roles.
WORLD ON A WIRE (CRITERION BLU): Epic German Science Fiction from the director of the BRD Trilogy? Yes please!
Avoid!
TOWER HEIST: Will Ben Stiller ever make a film I care about again? Maybe. Will Eddie Murphy? I seriously doubt it. Either way, I sure as hell don't care about this Brett Ratner flick.
