Category: 2011

The Sixth Gun (2010) #14

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Darn that Bunn. After his first semi-weak (for Sixth Gun) issue I can remember, he comes back with an utterly outstanding one.

This issue concentrates entirely on the life of the giant mummy, who either is going to be a new major character or Bunn is just flexing his writing skills. It’s a Western gothic; fill-in artist Tyler Crook nails it. While Sixth Gun usually has a lot of horror elements, this story is far more visually disturbing. And the disturbing stuff isn’t even the horror content.

Sixth Gun is a tragedy and this issue really showcases it. The humanity Crook brings to the protagonist’s face, physically twisted and internally determined, is some of the series’s better art–no slight against awesome regular artist Brian Hurtt.

A negative person might point out the issue delays resolving the cliffhanger.

But why be negative about such a great comic book.

The Sixth Gun (2010) #13

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The issue ends with a very peculiar turn of events. So much so the issue feels incomplete, like Bunn forgot to resolve something. He changes up Sixth Gun’s status quo in the second issue of an arc… it just feels funny.

The issue’s pacing is also funny. It’s an all-action issue (but none of those awesome Hurtt double page action spreads), with the protagonists literally putting the brakes on everything at the finish.

The great big mummy (he’s actually not so much big as super tall) proves an interesting foil for the issue, even though he doesn’t have any real dialogue. It’s a strange presence in the already strange situation of zombie cowboys after the protagonist.

Bunn’s got the tone right, Hurtt’s got the art right, but something’s missing. The cliffhanger is too quiet, too soft… the issue really needs some bite.

It’s technically excellent… but, again, something’s missing.

The Sixth Gun (2010) #12

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Is there anything not to love about this comic book? I mean, it ends with this beautifully paced reveal of the big villain–and I quote–a “giant mummy.” In the Old West. It’s just fantastic how Bunn and Hurtt pull off these fantastical reveals and make them work perfectly.

Speaking of Hurtt, this issue features some more of those wonderful Sixth Gun double page action spreads. It’s a great approach to action sequences, though I think Hurtt doing the art makes it work.

Bunn opens the issue–the first of a new arc–with a little recap, something Gun hasn’t had before. He works it nicely into the story, giving the issue a gradual start. Things get disturbing pretty fast, though Gun‘s handling of the supernatural is always somewhat genial.

If the book were too disturbing, it would overshadow the Western feel.

It’s truly an exemplar comic book.

The Green Hornet (2011, Michel Gondry)

Of the Seth Rogen films I’ve seen—those he’s written, I mean—The Green Hornet is the weakest. It’s only partially Rogen and cowriter Evan Goldberg’s fault. The concept does not present them with the best opportunities.

At its most amusing, it’s usually Rogen and costar Jay Chou bickering. Rogen and Goldberg’s strength is when the film is a bromance, something they eventually have to abandon in order to have a superhero movie. Unfortunately, the big superhero plot they come up with is pretty weak—there’s only so much one can do with the character, like I said—and it gets a tedious in the third act.

Rogen and Chou are both excellent; they make the movie worth watching. Cameron Diaz is actually not annoying as their unwilling joint love interest (major potential is actually wasted with her, though the unlikely sequel would have probably put her to better use). Her success is the script’s fault. Rogen and Goldberg actually write a good script… just not the masked adventurers parts of it.

Tom Wilkinson is wasted. David Harbour’s bad in a supporting role. Edward James Olmos is fine; Edward Furlong has a good cameo… as does an uncredited former costar of Rogen’s.

As the villain, Christoph Waltz tries hard but too much. He can’t sell the absurdity of his character.

Gondry’s direction is actually pretty indistinct. A stronger hand might have made it work.

Good photography from John Schwartzman and bad music from James Newton Howard.

It’s an interesting failure.

1/4★

CREDITS

Directed by Michel Gondry; screenplay by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, based on a radio series created by George W. Trendle; director of photography, John Schwartzman; edited by Michael Tronick; music by James Newton Howard; production designer, Owen Paterson; produced by Neal H. Moritz; released by Columbia Pictures.

Starring Seth Rogen (Britt Reid / The Green Hornet), Jay Chou (Kato), Cameron Diaz (Lenore Case), Tom Wilkinson (James Reid), Christoph Waltz (Chudnofsky), David Harbour (D.A. Frank Scanlon), Edward James Olmos (Mike Axford), Jamie Harris (Popeye), Chad Coleman (Chili) and Edward Furlong (Tupper).

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Snarked (2011) #3

Snarked 3Half this issue is spent with Scarlett on a mission to burgle the castle. The other half is Walrus, McDunk and the prince trying to find the quartet suitable transport.

Things do not go well for either set of characters.

What’s particularly nice about this issue of Snarked, besides Langridge’s wonderful panels (one of his best, sadly, is one of the smallest panels in the issue), is the plotting. Langridge is clearly setting the series up for a big event, one for a collection (their mission is just taking shape), but he keeps each issue separate enough to work on its own.

There’s a particularly nice juxtaposing of Scarlett and Walrus here. They’re the only smart characters; while Scarlett is much smarter than Walrus… he is more experienced. Langridge has it come through this issue.

Snarked, at the third (or fourth, counting zero) issue, has an assured depth.

It’s great.

Small Fry (2011, Angus MacLane)

I find Small Fry to be a little confusing. Not just in the narrative, though the plot also has an incredibly big hole, but the approach in general. It’s a Toy Story short, only MacLane gives it enough plot it could be a feature, not just a short.

A “Happy Meal” version of Buzz Lightyear tries to impersonate the real one, only to be found out by Woody. Meanwhile, the real Buzz has to get out of a fast food joint. He meets some other discarded Happy Meal toys and cuteness ensues.

The big surprise is Tim Allen and Tom Hanks being back. While the animation is still wonderful, this short screams Disney cash in. It seems like the exact thing Pixar didn’t want, back when Disney threatened to make Story sequels alone.

Small Fry manages to be cute and competent, but pointless.

Though Jane Lynch’s scene is really funny.

1/3Not Recommended

CREDITS

Directed by Angus MacLane; written by Josh Cooley; animated by Eric Luhta; music by John Powell; released by Walt Disney Pictures.

Starring Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Tom Hanks (Woody), Joan Cusack (Jessie), John Ratzenberger (Hamm), Teddy Newton (Mini Buzz) and Jane Lynch (Queen Neptuna).

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The Muppets (2011, James Bobin)

The Muppets is confused.

The screenplay from Jason Segel and Nicholas Stoller oscillates between being this lame story about Segel and his brother, a Muppet named Walter (indistinctly performed by Peter Linz), and his girlfriend (Amy Adams) and a better story of the Muppets reuniting.

The better story is, unfortunately, not exactly good. There are some good moments, but Segel and Stoller take a very serious approach to the Muppets. Kermit is a, well, hermit. Gonzo and Piggy have sold out. Fozzie’s working in Reno. Rowlf doesn’t even get a backstory; it’s hard not to read into that slight, since Rowlf was previously the symbol of Jim Henson’s legacy.

But the good stuff in The Muppets can’t outweigh the bad. Segel gives a weak performance, but he’s still leagues ahead of Adams. Adams is shockingly bad and creepily artificial. Neither character matters to the film and much of The Muppets is Segel and Stoller forcing their story into the picture.

Most of the human performances are bad. Chris Cooper is awful, maybe even worse than Adams.

Only Rashida Jones is good and she’s barely in it.

Watching The Muppets, I tried to imagine watching it again and could not. Segel and Stoller have some really stupid details and, until Kermit shows up, the film is pretty dreadful. Bobin is a bad director.

As for the Muppets… Without the original performers, Muppets feels even more like a corporate construction.

It’s not a complete failure, but it’s too close to being one.

Photographs (2011, Christina “Kiki” Manrique)

Photographs might be an exquisite little short about grief, but directors Manrique and Clogher have some truly terrible ideas and it ruins the short.

Their protagonist is a lonely old woman. She finds a Polaroid camera and goes around taking pictures of herself. She’s the only person in the film and the rest of the world looks like it’s been shelled. And she has a really nice house (on the inside) so it’s not clear why she’s dumpster diving for cameras.

The reveal at the end further complicates the issue because Manrique and Clogher are treating a camera like a magic wand or Aladdin’s Lamp.

Of course, had they established the short takes place in some future world where the people are all gone, it might have worked. It would have been on the road to working.

The great music from Andy Grush gets Photographs functioning, but not well enough.

1/3Not Recommended

CREDITS

Written, directed and animated by Christina “Kiki” Manrique and Brendan Clogher; music by Andy Grush.

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Chase, in Prose (2011, Bryan Jones)

Chase, in Prose has a couple big problems. First, Matthew Weston’s photography is terrible. Prose is shot on DV and Weston has no idea how to compensate for the format. There’s also a constant shakiness, which might be some poor style choice of director Jones’s.

Second problem is believing lead Byron Asher is a world famous author who writes about a serial killer (I think it’s supposed to be “Dexter”). Asher’s good, even getting through some of Jones’s tougher writing moments, but he can’t sell world famous author.

He’s having trouble writing and starts palling around with a girl (a fantastic Laura Baranik). Ludicrous plot developments about the devious machinations of bestselling authors’ agents occur throughout.

But Jones is a good director and he directs actors really well. Max Loh’s music is somewhat underutilized, but it’s excellent.

Prose should be a great short… it’s too bad about the silly stuff.

1/3Not Recommended

CREDITS

Written, directed and edited by Bryan Jones; director of photography, Matthew Weston; music by Max Loh; produced by Mark Hodgson.

Starring Byron Asher (Adrian Chase), Laura Baranik (Petra Kripac), Matthew Blood-Smyth (James Goodman), Heather Gibbs (Sarah Young), James Lambert (John Guyett) and Peter Hosking (Max Morris).

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After Ever After or Numbers on a Napkin (2011, Jeff Pinilla)

It’s amazing how a British actor, one who isn’t even good, is still leagues better than a mediocre American actor.

Michael Furlong talks his way through (the incredibly titled) After Ever After or Numbers on a Napkin. He’s some guy in New York, suffering after a breakup. It’s a boring story and, like I said, Furling isn’t any good. But he’s so much better than the terribly written material.

None of the dialogue comes naturally from Furlong. Director Pinilla probably should have let Furlong rewrite the dialogue to give it a British flare. Or just watched more “Masterpiece Theater.”

But the American actors are even worse—including co-writer Dan Owens. Watching Owens try to get out the lines, it’s hard not to wonder why he didn’t write himself dialogue he could speak.

Napkin has beautifully montage sequences (also from Pinilla).

But that technical success doesn’t make it any good.

1/3Not Recommended

CREDITS

Edited, produced and directed by Jeff Pinilla; written by Pinilla and Dan Owens; director of photography, Justin Simpson.

Starring Michael Furlong (Sydney Gamblin), Sara Cicilian (Young Woman), Dan Owens (Dan Owens), Sanam Erfani (Bartender), Jana Lovelace (Waitress) and Kenton Young (Janitor).

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