Trick 'r' Treat

Sam will be your guide.

Only a few days until Halloween night! and what could be better than watching horror films for pumpkin season? Our previous entry was all about Samhein too but today's entry takes us into another level of film making, a true independent horror masterpiece the likes we haven't seen in ages. Trick 'r' Treat (not to be confused with 1986's Trick or Treat. See? spelling matters!) is perhaps the only horror film worth watching made in the 21st century (along with The Ring & Final Destination) Annabelle? Paranormal Activity? The Conjuring? Seriously?! those aren't horror films! those are horrific to watch films! fuck them all! fuck their poser fans!

Anyway, Trick 'r' Treat is a 2007 film written & directed by Michael Dougherty, produced by Bryan Singer (of X-Men & Superman Returns fame) and starred by Anna Paquin (Rogue in the X-Men franchise).

Hi, I'm Sam.

And I love Halloween.

Ah, Halloween… my favorite time of the year. It isn't so much the festivities taking place that excites me as it's the feeling in the air once October comes. That palpable sensation you get seeing jack-o-lanterns grimly lit faces, kids trick-or-treating in the streets and the aesthetics of fall surrounding you slowly giving way to winter. I think it must hold a special place in everyone, if for nothing else but purely nostalgic reasons. Mike Dougherty is certainly one of those people, as is evidenced by his incredible horror anthology Trick 'r Treat. For a holiday that revels in films of a horrific nature, there sure are a scant few of them that take place on the actual day itself. Dougherty's film is the celluloid embodiment of that je ne sais quoi that has made Halloween such an alluring holiday for generations of kids (and adults) alike.

As I said, Trick 'r Treat is a horror anthology which interweaves tales that all take place on Halloween night, similar to such genre classics as Creepshow and Tales from the Darkside. A costumed couple learns to respect tradition… the hard way, a group of girls head out into the woods for a "howling" good party, the local school principal has a (literal) taste for blood, four kids attempting to pull off a holiday "trick" end up becoming "treats", and a cantankerous old man gets a visit from a holiday visitor looking to settle a decades-old grudge.

Oh C'mon! Lose your virginity already!

Halloween is a great night for my first time.

To say anymore than that would spoil the fun in watching the film, as these stories are best digested when viewed on an empty mind. The twists are less predictable than most horror films manage these days; half the fun is wondering just where the hell these characters are going to end up. The one constant throughout the film is a costumed, pint-sized little guy named Sam, who does his best to remind people why they should take great care in adhering to the traditions set forth hundreds of years ago for All Hallows Eve. The film is richly seeped in tradition, reminding the audience of just why we celebrate the fabled holiday in the first place. It manages to be effectively creepy and blood-soaked, yet it never goes over-the-top with gratuitous gore. There is also a very obvious helping of black comedy strewn throughout the film, which thankfully never gives way to the self-parody so many horror films feel the need to indulge in.

I think the most impressive aspect of this film is the incredible attention that has been paid to detail. Every single shot of the film is beautifully framed and composed, often looking more like a cryptic painting than a frame of film. The austere trappings of Mr. Kreeg's dark house, the ghostly palette of the rock quarry, the incredible shape-shifting sequence around a roaring fire in the woods… everything here is gorgeous. That aesthetic, married with the spot-on performances and realistic dialogue, give the film an organic feel that never relies on cheese or parody to break tension. The cinematography by Glen MacPherson is so lush it manages to make you feel like you're a part of the celebration. For someone who is as big a fan of the Halloween holiday as I am, this was especially important to see done right. Too often when a film actually does take place on the holiday it lacks the depth that is presented here.

Beautiful decoration.

Kid-friendly neighbors.

For such a large ensemble cast, there isn't any one performance that stands out above the rest – everyone here is perfectly cast. I even enjoyed Anna Paquin as the "virgin" of the female group, and she's not always someone I'm crazy about. Perhaps my favorite role is that of Mr. Kreeg, played superbly by veteran character actor Brian Cox. His look was inspired directly from my favorite director, John Carpenter, and there are a couple of well-placed nods to his work that were highly amusing. Also providing great support throughout the film is newcomer Quinn Lord who plays Sam, the little sack-headed minion who "stitches" the film's stories together.

The film was originally slated to be released in October 2007 for a Halloween release. Warner Bros., without explanation or reason, pulled the film from the schedule and no reschedule date was announced. One reason might have been that Saw IV (2007) was slated for release around the same time and Warner Bros. did not want to compete against it in fears of a big opening against them. Another possible reason the film was buried by the studio was that it was possible fallout from the box office disappointment of Superman Returns (2006), which was co-written by Trick 'r Treat writer/director Michael Dougherty and both produced and directed by Bryan Singer, whose production company produced this film. There was brief talk that the film would finally be released around Halloween 2008 and possibly early 2009 but neither release ever materialized. The film was finally released straight to DVD in October 2009.

Slutty party.

Sexy boobs.

Trick 'r' Treat had many title changes before filming began. Originally titled Season's Greetings (also the name of the short film), it was changed because it sounded too much like a Christmas film. Then it was called Halloween Terrors, Jack O' Lantern Tales, October the 31st, and Trick or Treat. The final title was kept but since there was already a movie of the same name out (our previous review), they changed the spelling to Trick 'r Treat.  

The name of the character Sam is derived from Samhain, the ancient Celtic festival of the dead from which modern-day Halloween is derived. Despite having been portrayed as such in this film and several other works, Samhain is not a deity or other personage of ancient Celtic polytheism; it is only the name of the celebration. However, the idea of being either a deity or other personage dates back to at least the late first century, largely thanks to an Irish bishop named Cormac mac Cuilennàin and his book "Sanas Cormaic" (Irish Gaelic for "Cormac's Narrative"), which had identified Samhain as such. 

Father & son carving, cute!

Say cheese!

Overall, an excellent horror film that offers nothing but pure entertaining, so what are you waiting for?

Here's the movie trailer:

Trick or Treat

Cassette & vinyl will bring you to hell kids!

Although the 80's were shit (as The Vaselines put it in their wonderful second LP "Sex with The Vaselines") the film industry was very creative during the decade. Some of the most wonderful films, cult or massive, came out in that decade and none other film than today's entry can deliver a horror film with bulk 80's pop culture references. Trick or Treat is a 1986 horror gem written by Rhet Topham and directed by Charles Martin Smith. Starred by Marc Price as Eddie Weinbauer, Tony Fields as Sammi Curr & Lisa Orgolini as Leslie Graham.

What happens when a Glam Rock star dies and his number one fan gets his hand in the only vinyl copy of his latest recording? Well, shit happens! Featuring hard rocking cameos by Gene Simmons (as Nuke, a local radio DJ) & Ozzy Osbourne (as Reverend Aaron Gilstrom) this is the Halloween movie every audiophile enthusiast should watch as soon as possible. 

The evil sign of rock!

Ozzy, Sammi & Gene.

Eddie AKA Rag-Man Weinbauer, is a diehard fan of all things heavy metal, glam and classic rock in general. His bedroom is a fortress of music with giant speakers, a Sony turntable and very respectable collection of vinyl records & cassette tapes you wish you had today. As a matter of fact, he even owns a copy of Megadeth's debut album Killing is my Business which by the date the movie was filmed, wasn't even out, making our lead character's copy one of the earlier promotional copies send to different college radio stations in order to promote their music. So, going back to the movie (I'm a freaking audiophile, I admit it) Eddie's number one rock star, Sammi Curr is seen by society, school teachers, parents & reverends as a Satanic & perverted monster that is posoning America's youth with his evil music. This causes Eddie to be constantly bullied in school, just because he listens to Rock music. Yes, in the 80's everybody thought heavy rock music was a door to Satanic cult rites and all sorts of atrocities. 

Later while doing his chores Eddie finds out his ultimate hero has died in a fire, obviously causing our lead massive pain since "Sammi Curr was the only one who truly understood his teenage brawls against the world" For unexplained reasons, Eddie runs into the local radio station to tell Nuke (Gene Simmons, Kiss bass player & singer) his love about the recently demised Glam rocker. Nuke believes him and as gift, offers him the last studio session Curr recorded in brand new vinyl. Only one copy exists, and Eddie is the lucky winner! (Nuke has made a cassette copy he'll play during Halloween) 

What are these hidden messages?

Satan is calling to you Eddie!

The problem is, the copy features some strange voices Eddie can't understand, so, using the most cliched story about LP's he reverse plays it, or plays it backwards, finding creepy messages Sammi Curr left to the lucky owner of this unique vinyl. The messages are essentially "nail them all" something Curr kept singing about while he was alive. Eddie, being his number one fan, knows this message means he has to face his bullies at any cost, so evidently things will go south pretty quickly. 

Wait a fucking minute?! Why is this movie called Trick or Treat?! Where's Halloween?! Now, now. Eddie's school is celebrating a Halloween party! and Sammi Curr was supposed to be the feature artist  but since, society considered him a fucking satanic perv his invitation was revoked. Still not Halloween enough? Well, let me continue then. The more Eddie plays Sammi Curr's LP, the more evil like he turns, so when things go out of hand, Sammi comes back to life through Eddie's stereo asking him if he's forgotten they made a pact to "nail them all". From then on, murders start happening and Sammi sort of, avenges himself and Eddie's by making every detractor they had, explode (no graphic violence is featured in the film whatsoever) 

I hope Eddie cums on my tits, I'm not ready for another load on my face.

Oh C'mon! I know you swallow!

In order to "nail them all" Eddie makes a cassette copy of the LP and gives it to one of his bullies as a "peace offering" Unfortunately, the cassette ends up in the wrong hands (The bully's girlfriend) And via headphones the spirit of Sammi Curr rapes and leaves the girl comatose. Tim Haney (the bully, played by Doug Savant) instantly runs into Eddie to ask him what the hell was in the cassette he gave him. But, Sammi's spirit protects Eddie's house so Tim leaves him unharmed. Nevertheless, Eddie has a good heart and decides to tell his death idol he doesn't want any part in his murdering revenge. Obviously, and predictably, you can't get rid of a death rock star like that, so despite plugging off every stereo Eddie can find, Sammi Curr still finds a way to travel through the real world to propagate his hatred message of death targeting Eddie's love interest Leslie Graham (Lisa Orgolini)

So once Halloween night happens, Sammi replaces the band playing for the school party and so begins the Halloween party massacre, where our death rock star "nails" the students with his electric guitar. But shit doesn't stop there, since this unreleased LP is also being played in the local radio station, allowing Sammi to cover the whole city, making no one safe because stereos where everywhere in the 80's! home stereo, walkman, car stereo, radio signal oh man!

This music makes want to diddle my skittle.

Rock music is the true gate to hell!

Watching Trick or Treat feels like watching portions of other films. There's the late night teen pool party, with booze and tits. There's the bullied outcast seeking revenge. There's the death spirit possessing electrical devices. There's the girl who has a thing for the bullied character. There's a teenage party that ends up in a fucking massacre plus a couple of world class cameos. However, this isn't a copy of something that has been done before. This is a horror film made for rock music fans, specially those who dig Vinyl, Rock music & cassette tapes. If you're that kind of a person, you will enjoy this flick. Also, if you're into watching 80's horror films, I so believe this is for you, and I'm sure you've watched it already. For general audiences and digitized music era fans, this may be hard to swallow (no pun intended). For gore & slasher fans, this film doesn't offer visual violence, although there are hints here and there, it could be a family friendly slasher. 

Now, some stuff you probably didn't know about the movie:

-Eddie's best friend Roger is played by Glen Morgan, his only acting stint. Morgan later went on to be a prolific writer/producer for The X-Files (1993), Final Destination (2000), and Final Destination 3 (2006), as well as direct the Black Christmas (2006) remake.  

 
-All songs in the movie are written by the band "Fastway" which consisted of former Motorhead Guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke, and current "Flogging Molly" vocalist Dave King. 

 
-Cult movie company Anchorbay were all set to release a special 20th Anniversary Edition DVD of 'Trick or Treat' in 2006, but cancelled it when they encountered problems with the film's music licensing.  
-This movie features and after credit scene! (I won't spoil it here)

 

I'll leave you kids alone.

My bush is yours Eddie.

Overall, Trick or Treat is not as scary as other Halloween themed films yet, it is fairly entertaining and mildly original. If you want to watch something different, look no more. If you want to watch some good scary flick, wait until our next review coming before October the 31st.

 

Here's the movie trailer:

 

 

The Ring

Before you die, you see...

Many years ago, 2012 to be exact we decided to take a look at Ringu, the now legendary Japanese horror (J-Horror) trilogy that introduced the world to the story of a cursed VHS tape that killed those who watched seven days later. The first film from the franchise was released in 1998, while the sequels in 1999 & 2000. A couple of remakes, Sadako 3D & Sadako 3D 2 were released subsequently in 2012 & 2013. Today however, we're neither discussing the original trilogy nor the Japanese recent 3D remake sequels. Today we're talking Gore Verbinski's 2002 The Ring American remake, the one film that birthed a collection of American made J-Horror remakes craze. 

Usually when a remake is made, criticism rises towards a lack of originality in the film industry, although superhero remakes have proven to be better versions of their predecessors, in the horror genre, a remake is always a worn out set of ideas with updated special effects that instead of paying homage to a cult classic, all they do is bashing a legacy. Nevertheless, The Ring, as above mentioned, stands tall among remakes, and it's considered today as one of the best horror movies ever made. In fact, it earned two Saturn Awards in 2002 for the Best Horror Movie & Best Actress categories. In 2003 it earned the Best Villain award in the MTV Movie Awards as well as Best Horror Film in the Teen Choice Awards the same year. In terms of box office, The Ring outdid the original Ringu films (including Japan!), guaranteeing a sequel, The Ring 2 (2005) directed by none other than by Hideo Nakata (Director of the original first two films) Other J-Horror remakes tried to repeat the success of The Ring, most notably The Grudge, Dark Water, Pulse & One Missed Call. Unfortunately, none of them reached cult status, making Hollywood producers move on from the Asian Horror remake frenzy. The Ring was number 20 on the cable channel Bravo's list of the 100 Scariest Movie Moments. Bloody Disgusting ranked the film sixth in their list of the 'Top 20 Horror Films of the Decade', with the article saying "The Ring was not only the first American 'J-Horror' remake out of the gate; it also still stands as the best."

 

Do not watch this video!

So that's the movie title.

Although The Ring's key element relies in an already non existent technology, a VHS cassette tape that is, by the time the first Japanese film came out (in 1998) people would still rent films (and made home movies) using such format. DVD had been introduced in 1997, and it wasn't massively popular at that time. While the American remake dates back to 2002, a time where DVD was widely available, it wasn't until 2003 (at least in the USA that is) that DVD outdid VHS tape rentals for the first time, so for all the naysayers stating "it was a ridiculous idea back then and it is now as well" Save your negativity and do some research before claiming something without the proper factual knowledge. In addition, VHS cassette tapes were sold until 2008, and retailers stopped selling VCRs the same year, so there you have it, a VHS tape was pretty common in 2002.

A one line review of this film would simple be "The Ring does what most scary films promise, but never deliver". That should be enough for any scare enthusiast to justify watching it in their favorite format for the most part. I say `for the most part' because it is tough to define what is scary for everyone, and I don't deny that this film may not scare many people as easily as others. It must be said however that this film is probably one of the most successful scare flicks, in the spirit of movies like ‘The Exorcist'.

"She used to let me see her undress"

"I better erase this sex tape"

Well crafted, extremely well developed and perfectly executed this remake of is one movie to fit into your top 10 scare flicks of all time. Disturbing from start to end the film quite effectively leaves you writhing in your seat, grasping a loved one until its gripping conclusion without a single piece of gore at all. An art often lost on modern films and obviously inspired by the original , the subtle approach to making these kinds of films is delivered to the screen close to an eerie perfection.

The Ring is about a VHS cassette tape, a tape that features some rather disturbing yet very `student film' like snapshots of what can only be described as someone's nightmare. The problem is when the tape concludes, the phone rings and a voice tells you that you will die in exactly seven days. When four teenagers die, simultaneously at 10pm exactly seven days after secretly staying at a secluded cabin a reporter named Rachel (the exquisite Naomi Watts), who was the mother of a boy named Aidan (David Dorfman), who was a cousin to one of the girls decides to investigate. Partially motivated by the will of the dead girl's parents to find an answer as to how their daughter's heart simply stopped, Rachel successfully finds the tape the group watched. Unfortunately for her, she watches it and to her horror she receives a phone call, she now has seven days to solve the puzzle or end up like the others. What follows is an exposition mystery about the chilling origins of the tape, and the power behind the sudden death of each viewer.

Why didn't you tell me you recorded me naked?

Peeping tom!

Notably, there is nothing terribly exceptional about the acting in this film, it is by no means truly award worthy. It is however extremely well suited to the film and very well executed. Naomi Watts as Rachel holds up very well as the centerpiece of the film and remains a constant link to the audience making the drama more real. Martin Henderson as the X-Husband Noah was quite well played and David Dorfman as Aidan is a nice addition to the creepiness overall feel of the movie.

The most notable part of this film is its visual and auditory construction, which is responsible for creating most of the tension and scares in the film. There is a great deal in the sound design that will go unnoticed by the average movie-goer, but it features some very subtle sound ranging from scratching to moans and groans and a few other twisted noises. These are woven into the films music to create a deep sense of abnormality during the films more freaky moments and mood sequences. The music score was written and directed by Hans Zimmer, and I gotta say it's one of the best horror film soundtracks I've ever listened to (I'm an audiophile, so I've listened to quite a few)

Even underwear is dark in this movie.

Samara's all wet.

The visual aspects of the film are close to perfect, a delightful blend of color that looks digitally graded as opposed to filtered. A strong cold blue dominated throughout the entire film, very rarely mixed with any warmth at all, with the exception of a few scenes. The autumn colors are used quite sharply in contrast to the cold to create another level of abnormality that accompanies the sound design and makes certain aspects of the film standout quite deliberately. From there the camera captures the direction on screen perfectly and with some very well paced editing you end up with a visual treat as much as a formidable film. Much of the story is told with the camera and most of the stories best moments come from effective use of visuals.

I am afraid now that I can't go on without spoiling the film, except to say that the climax is one of the more simplistic yet terrifying moments I have had in a cinema. To watch the packed audience all twist in their seats, gasp and groan in a sort of painful anxiety while the events unfolded on screen was just as much of a treat as the film. This film should scare or at least in the best part disturb you, but I am not promising anything as there have been the odd one or two who claim they found nothing frightening in it at all. Still, scary or not, it is one of the better made Hollywood horror films and more importantly it does not stick to the Hollywood formula nor does it give us a Hollywood ending. 

Augmented Reality!

Enter Samara Morgan!

Since I love this film so much, I'm closing today's entry not only with the usual trailer section, but also with a selection of interesting trivia about The Ring:

1. The "cursed" video is available as an Easter egg on the DVD. Select look here and press down and your cursor will disappear. Press Enter. This has an interesting feature; your remote control is disabled. Once the "video" has started playing, you can't stop it, pause it, fast-forward it, or return to the menu. Unless you turn off the TV, you're forced to watch the whole thing. When it's over, the DVD returns to the menu, then you hear a phone ring twice before you're given control over your remote again. 
2. On its first week of release in the U.S. and Canada, select cinemas put actual copies of the cursed tape on seats for unsuspecting viewers as freebies. The cursed video is now available as an Easter egg feature on the DVD.  
3. The Ring is the highest-grossing horror remake in history, with a total worldwide gross of over 249 million dollars. 
4. Although the meaning of the title "The Ring" is ambiguous, Kôji Suzuki, the author of the original novel, always intended it to mean the cyclical nature of the plot, rather than the phone ringing.  
5. The tree with the fiery red leaves featured in the movie is a Japanese maple. The fruit of this tree is known as a "Samara." hence Samara Morgan's name. The more you know!
6. This film was originally promoted under the title "Ring", like Ringu (1998), the original Japanese film upon which it is based. Shortly before release, the title was changed to "The Ring".  
7. Sold more than 2 million DVD copies in the US alone in its first 24 hours of video release.
8. DreamWorks took an unusual but effective tack on the release plan for this film. When the lengthy post-production and test screening process was complete (it took more time than usual largely because of edits to make the film less graphically violent and move it away from a potential R rating towards the PG-13 it received), the company decided to launch it in fewer theaters than expected. The logic was simple: if the film did well during the October 18-20, 2002 weekend, it could be expanded to great anticipation just ahead of Halloween. The Ring ended up improving its box office in weekend 2 and became one of the biggest surprise hits of the year.  
9. In both the American and Japanese versions, the name of the little girl is connected to a story about death. The name "Samara" refers to a story retold by W. Somerset Maugham as "Appointment in Samarra", about a man who meets Death in the marketplace and flees to the town of Samarra. 
10. Subtle images of circles in various forms, such as the designs on the doctor's sweater, the shower drain and Rachel's apartment number, appear throughout the movie.  
11. The word "Moesko" in the title of Moesko Island is the phonetically spelled word "MOSCO/A" which is the Spanish word for "fly/mosquito" (insect). When Rachel watches the video, a fly appears in the scene where the lighthouse frame is later discovered. 
12. Since the release of "The Ring" in Canada, the story of the cursed video has become very popular in some provinces, and the story is passed by kids in school as a rumor that it actually happened.  
13. Numerous scenes were cut down or entirely cut from the film before release. Some scenes were present only at test screenings. Others showed up in previews or the "Don't Watch This" short film on the DVD: 

• Samara's line "Everyone will suffer" was cut out the film but can be heard in the previews.

• The bathtub suicide was much more graphic.


• Samara's murder lasted longer in the original cut of the film and was much more brutal than what audiences saw in theaters. Originally, the plastic bag over Samara's head failed to subdue her, leading her killer to repeatedly strike her in the head with a large rock (which can be seen lying on the ground in some shots of the well). The rock only weakened Samara, and finally her killer resorted to slamming her head against the side of the well before dumping her in.


• Some test screenings contained scenes at the beginning and end of the film involving a murderer played by Chris Cooper. The first scene involved the murderer approaching Rachel, asking her to help clear his name, claiming he is rehabilitated and no longer a threat to society. She knows he's lying and refuses. Then at the end of the movie, she pays him a visit and drops off a copy of the video. Noah goes over to Rachel's apartment and trying to find the video. When the babysitter hears him say it's a homemade video and it might be in the bedroom, she starts laughing. He finds the distorted pictures of the kids from the beginning in Rachel's room. One of the pictures shows the sign for the inn. This leads into another scene where Noah goes to the rental cabins and finds the body of the cabin manager dead in a canoe on the lake.


• There was a scene where Rachel asks crab-fishers on the island about the Morgans. They say that no one could get a good haul when Samara was around. There's additional material with Rachel in Cabin 12 where she tries to watch TV, but the reception is terrible and finds a journal left by the previous guests.


• Visual effects supervisor Charles Gibson said in an interview that another sequence was "previsualized", but cut from the film. "It was an all-CG montage of the 'Ring' tape being created from a point of view inside the VCR.


• There is an alternate scene for Rachel and Ruth's discussion at the funeral, Rachel searches Katie's room and finds the ticket for photos. Ruth comes in and they discuss information Rachel found out from some of Katie's friends. Ruth becomes frustrated and angry about not knowing why Katie died, and charges towards the closet and explains to Rachel that she found Katie there. There is a flashback with Ruth finding Katie's corpse in the closet (same flashback used in the funeral scene).

 Here's the haunting and deadly video contained within the cursed VHS tape:

Here's the movie trailer:



And last but not least, here's the brand new trailer for "Rings" the soon to be released third part of the saga (the film opens on October 28th, just for Halloween!)

Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders

Holy poster Batman!

50 years ago the world witnessed the now legendary Batman TV series, a superhero show like no other. Today, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders is the ultimate homage movie. Already available in digital format (DVD & Blu Ray releases are set for November 3rd) this one hour superhero adventure delivers, and fans of the original series will simply fucking love it.

Directed by Rick Morales and written by Michael Jelenic & James Tucker, it's the 60's again! Groovy! Starring the voices of Adam West, Burt Ward & Julie Newmar, the caped crusaders face their worst nightmare to date! When The Joker, The Riddler, The Penguin & Catwoman decide to team up (for the second time, remember the original 1966 Batman movie) odds are something awful awaits the honorable citizens of Gotham City, and just like the first time these evil doers joined forces, they're after a powerful hi-tech ray gun, only this time it doesn't dehydrate people. This new technology is highly weaponizable, because its powerful ray allows you to duplicate whatever it touches! So, are Batman & Robin ready to suit up and stop Gotham's most infamous gallery of rogues?

The rogues are back Batman!

We're back old chum!

Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders features the whole gallery of rogues the original series had (yes, even the ones created specially for the series), and it doesn't stop there! Aunt Harriet, commissioner Gordon, Chief O'Hara and of course Alfred, they're all there! Unfortunately, the only missing character is Barbara Gordon/Batgirl which I presume, wasn't included due to her death last year, while the animated movie was already in production stage. There are no "in loving memory" credits either for Yvonne Craig or the rest of the original cast that's already dead.

The opening sequence features not only the original, and now classic, Batman theme (re-arranged by Kristopher Carter, Michael McCuistion & Lolita Ritmanis, the soundtrack composers)  but a wide selection of classic Batman covers from some of the original comic books. Each scene is packed with nods to the original series and/or other Batman references in pop culture. For instance, when Batman is fighting the Joker he utters "do you wanna get nuts?! let's get nuts!" a direct quote from Tim Burton's 1989 Batman movie. In addition, when Batman & Robin talk, their talk is exactly the same as it was in the original series, you know, Batman being careful and respectful of the law, while Robin agrees with the classic "You're right Batman" or "Holy "something" Batman".

The Joker mobile!

Come at me bro!

Plot wise, hidden among nods and homage sequences, there's a clever plot twist that will surprise even the most avid 60's Bat fans. While the rogues steal this duplicator ray gun, Catwoman develops a special make up that will turn Batman evil. However, it doesn't work as expected but the consequences are hilariously dangerous for Gotham city. Another great addition, is the fact that Batman reveals he's always been interested in Catwoman, not only in her reforming, but as a love interest! and the feeling is mutual, so while we have no Batgirl to aid the dynamic duo, Catwoman unexpectedly takes her place.

Now, if you're wondering about other classic items from the series, such as the wonderful Bat gadgets, say no more! Batmobile, Batcave, Bat antidotes, Utility belts, Bat copters, Batzooka, Bat shields, they're all there and you get the see them in action. The legendary fight sequences featuring comic book styled onomatopoeia, also have an important role during the fights. I mean, it couldn't be a 60's Batman movie without them! 

To the Batmobile!

Boy that hurts.

Animation wise, each character looks exactly the same as they did in the live action series. In addition, some action scenes resemble The Adventures of Batman cartoon from the 90's. Also, being an animated movie allows the characters to be seen like never before: the Batmobile's acrobatics, our heroes traveling to space in a Bat Rocket, Gotham city taken by [spoiler] clones, and the grand finale battle on top of Penguin's Zeppelin are things the live action series could have never imagined doing. 

Moving on to the voice actors, let me just say that Burt Ward steals the show! He's a 71 year old man that can reprise his younger self voice perfectly. Julie Newmar, now 83, delivers a Catwoman that at times sounds close enough to the original voice, while at other times, it sounds like a grandmother gangster. Last but not least, Adam West, the man behind the cowl, has the weakest performance. His voice is clearly that of an 88 years old retired man. He never gets his original voice right, and that is a very odd thing because, while you're seeing a strong fully  functional Batman in action, whenever he utters a word, he just sounds like the old man he is in real life, so that is definitely a bummer, the main character not getting his part right. Nevertheless, the fact that he is the original actor, already adds enough mojo to the film's recipe I guess.

"Alfred, please get rid of aunt Harriet!"

Holy salad Batman!

Now, for all of you hardcore fans of the original series, here's a list of some of the many nods I could remember after watching the film:

1. When Batman gets hit on the head and sees three Catwomen, the duplicate Catwomen look like Lee Meriwether and Eartha Kitt. 
2. One of the fight scene onomatopoeia that comes up on screen in the first fight is "SPRANG!" This could be a reference to comic book artist Dick Sprang who helped redesign the Batman Ile, created the Riddler, & was one of the top artists on Batman comics in the Golden Age of Comics.
3. While confronting the villains, Batman says, "You wanna get nuts? Come on, let's get nuts!". This is a line that Michael Keaton said in his first Batman movie. 
4. While aggressively fighting the villains, Batman says "This is an operating table, and I'm the surgeon.". An iconic line from Frank Miller's 'The Dark Knight Returns'.  
5. Catwoman says that she will give up the life of crime if Batman will run off to Europe with her and drink tea in a cafe. This was the ending to The Dark Knight Rises. 
6. The villains that Robin and Catwoman break out of prison to help defeat Batman when he goes bad are: Mr. Freeze, The Mad Hatter, False-Face, King Tut, Bookworm, The Archer, The Minstrel, Ma Parker, Egghead, Shame, The Sandman, The Siren and Louie the Lilac.  
7. When [Spoiler] is replacing much of Gotham with his duplicates, he goes into a court & quotes the case of "Semple vs Dozier." This is a reference to show creator/narrator William Dozier & head script writer Lorenzo Sample, Jr for the original 60s series. 
8. Once the movie is over and credits role, Batman dances with his legendary "Batusi" moves seen in the original series.

Purrfect!

Overall, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders is a one hour adventure that works best when watched by the whole family, so that those who watched the original series can share fond memories of it with newer generations. Warner Bros. once again delivers another entertaining animated DC Comics movie. Although the film premiered a few days ago, William Shatner (Star Trek) has been confirmed as Two-Face for the yet unproduced sequel movie.

 

Here's the teaser trailer:

 

 

Here's the trailer:

 

 

Luke Cage

Sweet Christmas!

Marvel Studios are a pretentious bunch. Their goal of building a cinematic universe has paid them and so has the TV universe set up with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, Daredevil & Jessica Jones. Comic Book fans know that Daredevil & Jessica Jones are members of The Defenders, a group that is completed with the addition of the recently premiered Luke Cage and soon to be released Iron Fist series.While Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. & Agent Carter haven't been everybody's cup of tea, Netflix has delivered a couple of great superhero series (Daredevil & Jessica Jones) so, is Luke Cage another certified hit? or does it sink into oblivion as Agent Carter and the dudes from SHIELD?

Before we answered that question, let's remember how Luke Cage came to be the hero for hire everyone knows as Power Man. Luke Cage was created by Archie Goodwin & John Romita Sr. in 1972 during the heyday of the Blaxploitation film genre. The original series was called Luke Cage, Hero for Hire, while on issue #17 was renamed Luke Cage, Power Man. His adventures were far darker than most of the other superheroes living in N.Y. Since the blaxploitation genre lost popularity by 1978, Cage joined forces with Iron Fist and the comic book series, known as Luke Cage & Iron Fist lasted until 1986 where it was cancelled due to low sales. In 1992 there was a brief update on the character but then again, it didn't do that good in the sales department so he was forever turned into a character making special appearances in other comic book magazines such as New Avengers, Daredevil, Thunderbolts and Secret War (I recommend reading this one for many reasons, and no, it's not the same Secret Wars from the 80's)

The now legendary Luke Cage #1.

Bulletproof brother of Harlem.

Now, Netflix nailed it with Daredevil. Two spectacular seasons (we reviewed its first season here) And by adding Jessica Jones (Luke Cage's wife by the way) fans were thrilled to know The Defenders were just around the corner.

Marvel's Luke Cage, or simply Luke Cage, is an American web television series created for Netflix by Cheo Hodari Coker. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise and is the third in a series of shows that will lead up to a Defenders crossover miniseries. The series is produced by Marvel Television in association with ABC Studios, with Coker serving as showrunner.

Bad dudes get haircuts too!

There's always a woman behind a man's back.

Mike Colter stars as Carl Lucas / Luke Cage, a former convict with superhuman strength and unbreakable skin who now fights crime. Mahershala Ali, Simone Missick, Theo Rossi, Erik LaRay Harvey, Rosario Dawson, and Alfre Woodard also star. Development of the series began in late 2013. In December 2014, Colter was cast as Cage, to appear first in Marvel's Jessica Jones, with Coker hired as the showrunner in March 2015. Filming began in New York City in September 2015 and concluded in March 2016.

The series premiered on September 28, 2016 in Harlem, with the full series of 13 episode releasing on Netflix on September 30. The series received generally positive reviews, with praise going to Colter, Missick, Ali and Woodard for their performances, the 1970s style, and music, with its structure and some of the writing viewed as some of the series' shortcomings.

Pops, a larger than life character.

Get the fuck out of my lawn!

I got to say I was very excited when the series was announced, because just like the Supergirl series, Luke Cage would introduce a character that doesn't follow the overly used "White male American superhero" cliche. Supergirl was the first take on an all female cast since the Wonder Woman series from the late 70's! and Luke Cage on the other hand, is the first take on a black superhero. You know, I really don't like saying "a black superhero" we're all human beings regardless the color of our skin BUT, for philosophical reasons, Luke Cage shows the world there can be a superhero that doesn't look like Captain America and is not afraid of wearing a hoodie in front of the abusive American police  that shoot black people just because. So yeah, I definitely support the miscalled "minorities" because of my own Latino roots, and no, I'm neither Mexican nor a dishwasher or narco, stop using stereotypes to refer to other human beings!

As I said before, I started Luke Cage with high expectations, as I am sure many people did, because I thought I already knew what to expect. After all, this is not the first time we have seen this character (he also appeared in Jessica Jones). In terms of the main character, Mike Colter brings the same good performance to the character this time around, but where this show falls flat is everyone else. I want to say that the supporting cast kill this show, but that isn't fair to the actors and actresses who play them, because the acting is solid all around in Luke Cage. The problem is the writing. The writing makes this by far the worst of all the Marvel TV shows. This was not immediately clear, and so for the first few episodes I really enjoyed Luke Cage. The music was fantastic, the villain, Cornell "Cottonmouth" Stokes, was very charismatic and initially intimidating, and the banter between characters (usually involving "Pop") was enjoyable. Then it started to fall apart when it came time for Luke to step up to be a hero. 

Shades.

Friendship between a man & a woman is possible.

The biggest misstep is one that Marvel consistently has problems with: the villain. "Cottonmouth" is quite possibly the dumbest, least powerful (or in any way successful) villain in the entire MCU. In order to raise the stakes, the villain has to pose a threat of some kind to the hero. The best villains match, or even exceed the power of the heroes they face off against. "Cottonmouth" is not very powerful and intimidating to begin with, and does nothing as the series goes on but lose more power and control. Wilson Fisk in Daredevil was a fantastic villain because he was not only physically intimidating (even to the point of being able to go toe to toe with Daredevil himself) but he was a master manipulator and strategist. It took everything Daredevil and company had to put him away, and Daredevil only barely pulled it off at that (and not till the last episode of the season). "Cottonmouth" on the other hand, is not physically intimidating, and is not only not an intelligent strategist, but he cannot even control his own crew to the point that they kill people that he does not want dead. He repeatedly tries to kill Luke, with absolutely no success, and yet refuses to try anything else. There is even a scene where his cousin (a corrupt city councilwoman who is also completely ineffectual) advises him to try to kill Luke in a different manner, such as drowning or burning. To this "Cottonmouth" simply responds nah, I'll just shoot him some more, because that seems to work really well. 

To make everything worse, midway through the season after building a rivalry between Luke and "Cottonmouth" the entire time, "Cottonmouth" is abruptly killed in a stupid spat between him and his cousin. This apparently was a way to frame Luke for the murder, I guess to bring Misty Knight (the female detective that is constantly on Luke's case for no good reason) back into the plot since she was no longer relevant. This makes no sense, because Luke has an alibi for the murder, having been with Claire (nurse from Daredevil) being shot in the park at the time of the killing. So instead of a showdown with "Cottonmouth", Luke now battles for his life against a villain who we haven't even seen on screen the ENTIRE season until he abruptly shows up and starts shooting Luke with super bullets for reasons? There is no tension at all for this fight because we don't know anything about this person (except he's the one called Diamondback, who has been name dropped a couple of times) or what his motivations are for wanting to kill Luke. 

The real villain, Willys Stryker AKA Diamondback.

They tell me you're bulletproof, dodge this!

Overall, out of the bunch of Marvel Comics TV live action series, Luke Cage is saved from being the worst only because that place is already taken by Agent Carter & Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. While it features fantastic photography and an astonishing carefully crafted original Soundtrack, the series main plot is too weak, and it falls short after episode six which is clearly a big issue, since it's a superhero series that doesn't feel anything super. The whole Harlem black gangster urban vibe ends up eating up the whole series and you forget you're watching a Marvel Comics live action series. In addition, there's too much talking and too little action.

Here's the series teaser trailer:

 a Mike Colter interview: