Review : The Incredible Hulk

Having been one of the people who actually liked the first Hulk movie , I must say that I was shocked to know that Universal was preparing itself to make another film , not a sequel , but a new interpretation of the adventures of the non jolly green giant . When it was widely reported on the press that Edward Norton had signed on to play the part of Bruce Banner , the Hulk´s alter ego , I was extremely suspicious , considering that Norton is seen as an extremely serious actor , who apart from one or two light movies , alwas seemed to have a thing for dark projects such as "Fight Club" amongst others . This new version , or reivention , obviously needed a new director , so the studio decided to hire a french director Louis Leterrier , the man behind the "Transporter" films , something that made me think that this project was doomed from the start , and not even the fact that Liv Tyler and William Hurt jumped on board , made me reconsider my point of view as far as considering that a new Hulk film wasn´t needed was concerned . So what do I have to say , now that I´ve seen the film ? Is this new Hulk better than the 2003 version ? One of the things that people will immediatly notice is the change of tone . Whilst Ang Lee´s film really had very few romantic and funny moments , this one gives enough space for the relationship between Bruce and Betty to blossom , and we do find ourselves thinking that their relationship is really what drives the film , considering that Betty is the only one who manages to calm down the beast . The fact that if people thought that there wasn´t any chemistry between Eric Bana and Jennifer Connelly , they will be extremely disapointed once the first scenes that show Edward Norton and Liv Tyler appear on screen - there isn´t a chemistry , only one or two moments when we could feel that the two actors were really trying to make that fictional relationship work . I couldn´t help but to think that Tyler actually had far more chemistry with the Hulk than with Norton himself . As for Edward Norton , all that I can say is that he´s a better Bruce Banner than Eric Bana , even though sometimes we feel that he just couldn´t care less for what he was doing , and Bana seemed to have taken the job more seriously - too seriously for a comic book movie . The truth is that Ang Lee´s film tried to be more than a simple super hero flick for it dealt with matters that one may find in the books , but certainly doesn´t expect to find them in a movie which is mostly targeted at children or youngsters who only want to see the Hulk smash and destroy everything that stands in his way . This film is more of an action movie , and the action sequences are quite impressive , especially the first time we have the chance to see the Hulk , or glimpses of him , on screen , while he´s fighting a bunch of bad guys in a brazilian factory , and the final battle between the green monster and the Abomination , played by Tim Roth , who is the one who delivers the best performance . Liv Tyler tries to convince us that she really is the new Betty Ross but there was something about her performance that made me doubt her acting skills , even though Betty does have more to do in this film than in the previous one . William Hurt delivers a boring , if yet sometimes truly menacing , performance as General Ross , but after one or two lines , one feels that his character is extremely one dimensional . What really steals the show are the special effects , which are quite incredible , even though the Hulk sometimes looks like a doll and so does his arch nemesis , but still , the film really is a visual feast , an amazing spectacle to watch in front of the silver screen . Marvel fans will certainly recognize certain elements that are a trademark of the Marvel universe , such as references to other characters like Captain America and of course , Tony Stark aka Iron Man , who appears in the final scene .

Had the story been smarter and some of the performances better , I could say that this film was better than the one that was released 5 years ago , but for now I shall say that it´s neither better or worst , they´re both at the same level , the only major difference being that Ang Lee´s version was more introspective and this one focuses more on special effects and action sequences , sometimes failing , sometimes succeeding .

The Incredible Hulk : 0 to 10 : 6

Os últimos a rir ....

Os analistas americanos devem estar todos a coçar a cabeça , tendo em conta os fracos resultados de bilheteira do filme As Crónicas de Narnia : Príncipe Caspian , em exibição nos Estados Unidos . O filme , sequela do grande êxito de 2005 : As Crónicas de Narnia : O Leão , A Bruxa e o Guarda Roupa , está longe de ser considerado um fracasso , tendo em conta que só chegou às salas de cinema à duas semanas atrás . No entanto , e como tem vindo a ser hábito nestas coisas relacionadas com o cinema , os números da estreia no que à receita de bilheteira diz respeito , ficaram abaixo do esperado . O primeiro filme conseguiu arrecadar logo nos primeiros 3 dias de exibição : 74 milhões de dólares , enquanto que a sua sequela conseguiu alcançar 59,9 milhões de dólares . Ora , qual o motivo por detrás de tamanha surpresa ? Muitos dizem que o primeiro filme foi um gigantesco sucesso de bilheteira não só porque foi lançado depois do quarto filme da saga Harry Potter - Harry Potter e o Cálice de Fogo - mas porque continha todos os ingredientes presentes num filme que diz querer ser para toda a família . Este "Príncipe Caspian" acaba de ser lançado 5 meses depois do previsto , devido aos complexo efeitos especiais , vê-se assim forçado a competir com grandes super produções , nomeadamente : Iron Man , o novo Indiana Jones e o ainda por estrear The Incredible Hulk , com estreia agendada para o dia 12 de Junho , em Portugal . Não pondo este aspecto de parte , acho que os " fracos " resultados de bilheteira devem-se ao facto de quase toda a gente , americana ou não , ter pensado que este filme seria como que uma cópia do primeiro , onde quase ninguém morreu e onde apenas houve espaço para uma gigantesca batalha final . A verdade é que quem não leu os livros da saga , sendo a leitura das obras uma " máxima " não obrigatória é claro , mas que deve ser aplicada a outras obras literárias , acabará sempre por se sentir incomodado , pois aquilo que vê no ecrã não corresponde às suas expectativas . O mesmo aconteceu com o filme " A Bússola Dourada " , um filme que foi visto por muitos como um filme para crianças devidos aos animais falantes e ambientes fantásticos . Quando o filme foi lançado para os cinemas , debaixo de várias críticas , muitas das quais injustas , o público americano virou-lhe as costas , enquanto que o resto do Mundo abraçou-o e fez dele um grande sucesso a nível internacional . Será este o caso do novo filme baseado na obra de C.S. Lewis ? Ou gostaram os americanos dos filmes da saga Lord of The Rings por causa das grandes batalhas que tiveram lugar nos dois últimos filmes da saga ? Verdade seja dita que quando se lê a obra por detrás do filme , acabamos por fazer determinadas comparações , de vez em quando um tanto ou quanto desnecessárias , mas se não os lermos , não teremos nós que estar preparadas para todos os tipos de surpresas ? E será que conseguirão os europeus salvar sagas que , dependendo da reacção do público norte americano , serão postas de parte , dando lugar a adaptações para cinema de histórias de super hérois ? Será que no fim , Hollywood acabará por ceder à pressão das camadas infanto juvenis ou vai voltar a desbravar terrenos cinematográficos ?

Review : Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull ( Warning:Spoilers Ahead )

So the new Indiana Jones film is already being shown in cinemas across the world , with one or two exceptions , and most critics seem to agree that this new Indy film will be the year´s biggest success story , due to the hype that has surrounded this project since rumours about a possible sequel first started to appear on the internet . For me, the waiting did pay of even though some people probably won´t like this film . Unlike previous Indy films that asserted themselves as adventure flicks , set against a backdrop of beautiful if yet dangerous locations , where our hero was forced to fight against deadly foes such as the Nazis and a mysterious Indian cult , Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has a serious problem : sometimes it feels like an old fashioned adventure film , that constantly reminds us of some the films that were made during the 30s and 40s , towards its end , the film looks more like a Third Encounters had it taken place in places such as Peru or Mexico . Previous reports said that the film would not have a lot of special effects but , and even though some films are much heavier as far as the use of computerized imagery is concerned , this film also has a wide range of visual flair ( computerized monkeys and ants included ) . Had the film kept the pace and creativeness featured in the first 30 minutes , I could say that a new classic had been made , but as it progresses and some action sequences end up stretching themselves more than they should´ve , we have the feeling we have already seen some of those things before - the entire ant sequence reminded me of the ant sequence featured in the ghastly " The Scorpion King " , and some of the stunts make us want to say " I´ve seen it all before ! " . So what differenciates this film from previous action adventures such as The Mummy or even Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow ? The fact that this is Indiana Jones , we know from the start that for a couple of hours we must suspend our disbilief . What we cannot do is to tolerate the presence of some irritating characters such as the one played by Ray Winstone , whose scenes if not his entire presence , should have been digitally erased . Shia Labeouf does a great job as the rebellious Mutt , but the fact that he´s Indiana Jones son still doesn´t justify some of his stunts such as being able to swordfight while standing in a car that is in motion . John Hurt also manages to deliver a significantly good performance as the supposedly gone loony Oxley , even though some of his lines make you want to cover your ears - of all the characters in the film I couldn´t help but to think that his was the one that took itself most seriously . Karen Allen comes back as Marion Ravenwood , and even though she´s older , she still hasn´t lost her edge - the character is still witty and smart . Cate Blanchett plays the part of the villain , Russian agent Irina Spalko , and even though her character is far from being considered an unforgettable villain , there were moments when I felt that the actress really believed in the material that she had been given and seemed to really relish the part of a psychic agent capable of killing hundreds of people for the single purpose of achieving her goals . And last , but certainly not least , we come to Harrison Ford , and lets just say that without him, this film couldn´t have been made . The moment he appears on screen and we can listen to his character´s theme tune in the background , we´re taken to the good old days of crazy adventures that took Indy around the world . This Indy , is grumpier and no longer does what he does best for the single purpose of achieving fame and glory , but he´s still capable of battling bad guys and looks convincing while doing it , especially with all that charisma and sense of humor . The wardrobe is flawless and so is the cinematography courtesy of Spielberg´s trusty aid Januz Kaminski . The special effects are quite good as well, especially in the final moments of the film , thanks to the extremely talented guys at Industrial Light & Magic . I can´t say that this is summer´s best flick , since the blockbuster season only started a few weeks ago , but it´s rare to find a blockbuster that doesn´t try to teach us something , just wants us to enjoy the ride .

Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of The Crystal Skull : 0 to 10 : 6

2008

O povo português mete graça , pois diz que quer ser levado a sério , mas acho que no fundo , no fundo , quer que o tratem como crianças mal educadas. Tanto foi escrito e comentado na televisão acerca da derrapagem orçamental levada a cabo pela empresa responsável pela renovação do Túnel do Rossio , mas aquando da reabertura do emblemático espaço lisboeta , eis que as pessoas mais pareciam esfomeadas do que outra coisa , pois atroplevam-se umas às outras , só para ver o resultado final de anos de espera.

Segundo caso : o destaque dado ao jogador de futebol Cristiano Ronaldo e à sua nova namorada espanhola . Ao que parece , os portugueses gostariam que os dois fossem , caso isto ainda fosse uma monarquia , Rei e Rainha de Portugal , pois nem o nome dos mais altos representantes da Nação sabem , mas tenho quase a certeza que sabem qual a marca de sapatos favorita da rapariga em questão . Os meios de comunicação também não ajudam , principalmente quando dedicam horas da sua programação , a assuntos menores como este , quando assuntos mais importantes tais como o novo código laboral entre outros , deveriam estar na ordem do dia .

Aproxima-se o Euro 2008 e mais uma vez Portugal será levado por uma onda de euforia futebolística . Os jogadores serão vistos como hérois , cujo objectivo é entreter um povo burro , saloio , estereotipada e acima de tudo , agarrado ao passado .

Under Portuguese Skies !

Tenho quase a certeza que muitos de vocês estão a pensar que eu vou , mais uma vez , falar sobre Portugal , mas na verdade , hoje vou falar sobre a Inglaterra, embora o nosso país tenha algo a ver com aquilo que será aqui escrito.

A Inglaterra vai a votos no dia 9 de Maio. Nesse dia , terão lugar em solo britânico , as eleições autárquicas. Não é surpresa para ninguém que a cidade de Londres , esteja no centro de todas as atenções , devido ao seu estatuto de capital e à sua importância económica e cultural de um ponto de vista global . O canal de notícias Sky News irá transmitir já na segunda feira , um debate com os três principais candidatos , depois de ter sido realizada uma reportagem que irá mostrar aos telespectadores o dia a dia dos candidatos e acima de tudo , irá questionar o seu conhecimento sobre Londres e a sua área metropolitana , onde segundo alguns estudos , vivem cerca de 7 milhões de pessoas. E é aqui que enfio , digamos assim , Portugal , porque acho que nós deveriamos seguir o exemplo britânico e entrevistar os próximos candidatos à Câmara Municipal de Lisboa e do Porto , as duas principais cidades portuguesas . É necessário que os candidatos demonstrem que estão a par dos problemas das suas cidades e que estejam cientes que serão extremamente criticados por quem os vê , caso não saibam responder a nenhuma das perguntas correctamente . Mas será que tal iniciativa alguma vez será levada a cabo neste País ? Um país onde até mesmo jornalistas que trabalham para um canal de televisão privado , dizem ao segundo maior representante da Nação , que não será feita determinada pergunta , porque tais jornalistas já sabem de antemão , que tal , não terá resposta ? Passamos a vida a dizer que a estratificação social ainda é levada muito a sério no Reino Unido mas , e embora nunca tenha ido a Inglaterra , acho que deviamos observar aquilo que se passa aqui dentro. Os nossos representantes colocam-se em pedestais , pedindo às pessoas que andem de transportes públicos , quando eles não dão o exemplo , chegando mesmo a contractar alguém que conduza por eles . Se em Portugal não houvesse distinção social , não teriamos que suportar aquelas horriveis séries , supostamente cómicas ( mas de cariz duvidoso ) em que nos é apresentada uma patroa , na maioria das vezes de Lisboa ( que parece querer dizer que em Lisboa , as pessoas são todas cultas e com estilo ) e a sua empregada , palerma , proveniente das Beiras ou de Trás os montes .

E assim vai a vida neste rectângulo .....

Online Petition To Save The Golden Compass

Nuno Vasco Madeira Vilão

Review - The Golden Compass

For those of you who haven´t seen The Golden Compass , I shall start this review by saying that it is not a children´s film, even though one may be led to believe that it is because of the talking animals or daemons and the not so cute and cuddly polar bears. The action of the film takes place in a universe much like our own , but in this world , humans are accompanied by the human manifestation of their souls. When they´re still little , their daemons can shapeshift and become every sort of animal they wish , but when one gets older , the daemon acquires his permanent shape. And it is in this universe where we find the heroine of the film , Lyra , who is out on a quest to save her best friend Roger and other kids from the clutches of the evil Gobblers . Along the way Lyra crosses paths with a wide of characters , from a mysterious woman called Mrs. Coulter who she meets while still at Jordan College , to an armoured polar bear called Iorek. Lyra soon discovers that her task is even bigger than she had first expected since not only does she have to save the children of the gyptian families who help her in her quest , but she also has to help her uncle Asriel escape from the evil Magisterium , an organization bent on forcing humans to see things the way they want them to be seen , leaving no space for free will or free thinking.

This film is based on a popular trilogy of books written by author Phillip Pullman . While in the books , name of the organization that runs Lyra´s world is The Church , in the film producers have decided to call it The Magisterium. The film has come under attack by some Christian and Catholic groups in the United States because the groups´s leaders say that it promotes atheism amongst other things that the Catholic church still fears in the XXIst century. Having cost 180 million dollars to make , The Golden Compass is a visual spectacle from start to finish and in that relies its strength , but also its biggest flaw , for sometimes one just totally forgets about the characters and focuses on everything computer generated , especially a particularly gruesome bear fight. The performances are good , especially those of Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra and Nicole Kidman as Mrs. Coulters , who supposedly is the film´s main villain. Daniel Craig and Eva Green are also good , but perhaps their characters deserved a bit more screen time in order to help the viewer understand the reasons that drive them . One can say that the fact that the film is smaller than previous first chapters of epic fantasies such as The Lord Of The Rings is a good thing , but in a way I think that the producers should not have cut some scenes but the action pace is so fast that one sometimes find keeping up with the story a bit difficult .

Overall I have to say tha The Golden Compass is a good movie , perhaps not as deep as the books but still a considerably thought provoking fantasy epic.

The Golden Compass : 0 to 10 :6

BSB- Best Summer Blockbusters

1- Spider-Man III

2- Harry Potter and The Order Of The Phoenix

3- Ocean´s 13

4- Transformers

5- Pirates of The Caribean : At World´s End

6- Fantastic Four 2 : Rise Of The Silver Surfer

New Orleans

Something that takes hours to build , only takes a few seconds to shatter - look at what happen in New Orleans !

Candle Light !

Portugal has reached the end of a very long and dark tunnel , but all of us forgot to bring the candle light !