Italics and Footnotes

Some of you may have looked at most of the changes I made to my blog. I added footnotes in the plot descriptions of my reviews. Each of these came from other websites like IMDb, for instance. I improved the review descriptions by downsizing the caps lock on the other movies I mentioned in my critiques. I have also added italics in the films highlighted to maintain consistency with my obituaries and "best of" features.

For further announcements, I have accidentally deleted the obituary of one of my favourite animators, Richard Williams. Fortunately, I brought the post back up again but only updated it. I'm so sorry for deleting it. I assure you this will never happen again and not disrespect a dead man's legacy.

I re-uploaded Slipstream and Johnny English Reborn since I barely had time to explain that I updated these reviews. Also, my top 10 animated features post is currently under maintenance. I assure you it will be re-posted at some point.

 

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In Memory of Richard Williams (1933-2019)

Richard Williams (1933-2019)

For those of you who have not heard of his name, it is with deep sadness that I announce that Richard Williams died of cancer on August 16th, 2019, at age 86. Williams was a Canadian-born animator best known for animating "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and "The Pink Panther". He was also known for his unfinished animated masterpiece "The Thief and the Cobbler". Unfortunately, this piece had a turbulent history because of its independent funding. The film fell out of Williams' hands, then finished and later re-edited by two distributors. It was later recovered from its obscurity by a fan named Garrett Gilchrist, who produced a fan restoration of Williams' version entitled "The Recobbled Cut". It is compiled from the film's previous versions and supported by numerous people, including those who worked on the unfinished project. This fan edit played a large part in restoring "The Thief and the Cobbler" back to what the creator had intended it to be. It is available to watch on YouTube. In 2013, Williams released a rough cut of his movie "A Moment in Time", which had a screening in Los Angeles with Williams present at this event.

As a teenager, I began admiring Williams and his animation genius when I discovered "The Thief and the Cobbler" while browsing the internet. It means a lot to him after many years of work he spent on that film before being dismissed.

Williams began his animation career by working on television commercials and produced his self-financed short film "The Little Island" in 1958, which earned him a BAFTA award. He then started animating title sequences for various movies. Two of these animations ended up in "The Pink Panther" movies by director Blake Edwards.

In 1971, Williams directed the animated short "A Christmas Carol", which won him an Academy Award. He also made a full-length animated feature, "Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure", and the Emmy-award-winning TV animated movie "Ziggy's Gift". Williams' proudest accomplishment was the animation for "Who Framed Roger Rabbit", which earned him two Oscars. In 2002, Williams authored his how-to book "The Animator's Survival Kit". Before his death, he made two short animations, including "Circus Drawings" and "Prologue".

We lost an unsung legend, but we will never forget his legacy. Here are the clips from his films that contained his stunning and sometimes surrealistic animation.

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In Memory of Peter Fonda (1940-2019)

Peter Fonda (1940-2019)

The legendary actor Peter Fonda died on August 16th, 2019, at age 79. He was suffering from respiratory failure caused by lung cancer. Peter was the son of actor Henry Fonda and younger brother to actress Jane Fonda and was famous for his role in "Easy Rider", which he also co-wrote with his friend Dennis Hopper.

Peter's acting career started in 1961 with his debut in a Broadway production, "Blood, Sweat and Stanley Poole". His first film came in 1963 with "Tammy and the Doctor" when producer Ross Hunter searched for a new male actor to star alongside Sandra Dee. This movie was a minor hit, and a supporting role in "The Victors" soon followed. Peter would later graduate to a starring role in "The Young Lovers". During the mid-1960s, Fonda became entrenched in the emerging counterculture as a figure and starred in Roger Corman's B-movies, including "The Wild Angels". He would go on to co-write, co-produce and star in the successful "Easy Rider" with Dennis Hopper, which earned them an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay. Fonda and Hopper would work again in "The Last Movie" with The Mamas and The Papas singer Michelle Williams. Fonda starred in movies like "The Hired Hand", "Idaho Transfer", "Two People", "Open Season", "Futureworld", "Outlaw Blues", "High-Ballin", 'Split Image", "Escape from L.A.", "The Passion of Ayn Rand", "Thomas and the Magic Railroad", "Ghost Rider", "3:10 to Yuma", etc.

In 1997, Peter gained high recognition and critical appraisal for his performance in "Ulee's Gold", for which he earned his Academy Award nomination as Best Actor.

In his personal life, Peter had fathered two children. One is actress Bridget Fonda from his first wife, Susan Brewer.

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Venom Review

Venom

Release Date: 4th October 2018 - Australia

Production Companies

Columbia Pictures

Marvel Entertainment

Distribution

Sony Pictures Australia

Genre: Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 112 minutes

Budget: $116,000,000

Box Office Gross: $856,085,151 (Worldwide)

Plot Summary
Eddie Brock is a broken man
after he loses everything
including his job and fiancee.
Just when his life is at its
lowest, he becomes host to
an alien symbiote which
results in extraordinary
superpowers--transforming
into Venom. Will these
powers be enough for this
new lethal protector to defeat
great forces, especially
against the far stronger and
more weaponised symbiote
rival, Riot? (Source - EzyDVD)

Cast

Tom Hardy - Eddie Brock/
Venom
Michelle Williams - Anne
Weying
Riz Ahmed - Carlton Drake/
Riot
Scott Haze - Security Chief
Roland Treece
Reid Scott - Dr. Dan Lewis
Jenny Slate - Dr. Dora Skirth
Melora Walters - Homeless
Woman Maria
Woody Harrelson - Cletus
Kasady (Cameo)
Peggy Lu - Mrs. Chen
Malcolm C. Murray - Lewis
Donate
Sope Aluko - Dr. Collins
Wayne Pere - Dr. Emerson
Michelle Lee - Malaysia EMT/
Riot Host
Chris O'Hara - Astronaut JJ
Jameson, III
Emilio Rivera - Lobby Guard
Richard
Amelia Young - Allie
Scott Deckert - Noisy Neighbor
Ziggy
Jared Bankens - Isaac/Blue Host
Stan Lee - Dapper Dog Walker (Cameo)

Crew
Director - Ruben Fleischer
Marvel's Venom Character Creators - Todd McFarlane
and David Michelinie
Screen Story/Screenplay - Jeff Pinker
and Scott Rosenberg
Screenplay/Executive Producer - Kelly Marcel
Executive Producers - Howard Chen,
Edward Cheng, Tom Hardy, David B. Householter
and Stan Lee
Producers - Avi Arad,
Amy Pascal and Matt Tolmach
Casting Director - John Papsidera
Production Designer - Oliver Scholl
Set Decorator - Larry Dias
Costume Designer - Kelli Jones
Director of Photography - Matthew Libatique
Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator -
Spiro Razatos
Stunt Coordinator - Chris O'Hara
Fight Coordinator - Tim Connolly
Special Effects Supervisor - J.D. Schwalm
Special Effects Coordinator - Eric Cook
Visual Effects Supervisor: SPI - Mark Breakspear
Visual Effects Supervisors - Sheena Duggal,
Paul J. Franklin, Arudra Jaykar
Visual Effects Supervisors: Double Negative -
Andrew Lockley and Daniel Paulsson
Editors - Alan Baumgarten and Maryann Brandon
Music - Ludwig Goransson

Review

Having not prepared to review 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' as well as 'VENOM' simultaneously. I decided to look at the latter movie as I was supposed to see it in theatres even though I didn't. 'VENOM' has been in the pipeline with other spinoffs that have all been put on hold, until Sony brought it back from limbo in 2018. 'VENOM' was a vainglorious attempt to expand the cinematic universe of Spider-Man which has been featured three times as part of an ongoing deal between Sony and Marvel.

Rather than being the kind of superhero horror film that should have been dark and moody, 'VENOM' is tonally confused and feels more like a superhero action comedy in many points. This is because of the woefully misguided direction by Ruben Fleischer, this mix of horror and comedy may appeal to some but it doesn't work for me. Even the dialogue is clunky, especially when it was used in certain scenes that doesn't contain comedy. 

Tom Hardy was an interesting choice to portray the protagonist Eddie Brock who becomes the hapless host of Venom, the serpent like anti-hero. Hardy's performance is acceptable and he fares better than Topher Grace's awkward and weaselly interpretation of the same character in 'Spider-Man 3'. The rest of the cast is not so great, particuarly Michelle Williams who is underwhelming as the love interest of Eddie.

Some of the visuals are intriguing, while others are bad and don't do justice to 'VENOM'. The biggest example of this CGI fail is the climatic scene of the film.

'VENOM' is not going to be everybody's cup of tea and it certainly wasn't mine. However, if you're someone who likes a mix of comedy and horror then try this brew.

Star rating: (5/10) Average 

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