C.J. Foxx Movie House Reviews #3: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For

After nine years, the reward was definitely not worth the wait. Walking out of the theater 

one felt like Kurt Russell in Tombstone, shouting “No” repeatedly when he was about 

to kill Powers Boothe, who ironically enough plays the Senator Roarke in this fall from 

grace of a film.

The most obvious struggle was structural, or plainly put, the story telling. The point 

of view was passed around and intertwined enough times to be obviously bothersome. 

It was too much juggling between the characters letting them run wild throughout the 

storylines. As a universal crowd favorite, Marv was all about in this picture and was 

rarely off camera, almost to a detriment. Considering that he was executed during the 

conclusion of his first appearance in the comics (and in the first movie) adding to the legend, it 

was a trial by fire sorting out his timeline before his infamous setup with Goldie.

As one tried to keep track of the storylines, he was always there creating seemingly unnecessary 

connections between all of the leads. In the first Sin City, Marv used revenge, the loss of 

a love to justify killing his way to the top of a criminal syndicate. The plot of the second 

was pretty much the same, but this time Marv’s reasoning behind taking out the trash... 

he had nothing else better to do. 

After the first segment that starred Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the fun and lucky gambler 

Johnny, you were left with the trademark Frank Miller/Rodriguez-Tarantino feeling of 

awaiting the character’s grand finale. 

Marv takes the reins again, trading an extraordinarily, insanely amount of inner-

monologue with Josh Brolin as Dwight (I’m not kidding, Alba, Brolin, Gordon-Levitt, Willis

and Rourke through the whole entire movie, inner monologue. Not one second of 

silence, it’s just all of them talking to themselves). We don’t see Johnny again for an 

hour. 

Anthology stories like this work better when the stories are told from their beginning to 

conclusion, one at a time. Examples including Peter Jackson’s films, the aforementioned 

Tarantino films, Kevin Smith’s films, even shows like How I Met Your Mother executed 

these same methods of storytelling with better precision and creativity. Miller and 

Rodriguez’s most recent execution, attempting to match that kind of longevity in the box 

office, it was quite shoddy. 

On the plus side, the acting in this film was solid (for the most part). Eva Green was a 

great choice as the femme fatale Ava Lord. Mickey Rourke had a blast as Marv. Clive 

Owen was another reason why the bar so set so high in the first, but the Dwight and Marv 

team-up scenes were enjoyable to a certain extent. 

Giving Jessica Alba the keys to her own segment towards the back end was exactly what 

you think could go wrong in that situation. Her nudity was not a must for the film to 

succeed... but in contrast to the amount of skin Ava Lord displayed, it seemed out of 

place considering Little Nancy Callahan’s profession, and her “fall into darkness.”  

For portraying a seductive dancer, in an “R” rated film, with other scenes that went so far, 

Alba wore a lot of clothing. Not a complaint, just another weird aspect of the film. 

FINAL WARNING: The voiceovers are relentless and too many times they spelled it 

out as opposed to letting the actions of the characters speak for themselves. While the 

voiceovers were a prominent feature in the original it feels really overused here.

The look of the picture felt just like a continuation, no differences from the original. 

The now repetitive accenting of the colors felt too played out this go around, overused it 

added to the durative feel of this picture. 

This was an aggravatingly disappointing follow-up to one of the classic comic book films 

of all time. It dragged like a inchworm albeit it was only a hour and 45 minutes (and the 

film resolved its best storyline by the hour mark). I give it four and a half batarangs out 

of a possible ten.

C.J. Foxx Movie House Reviews #2: TMNT

Oh geez, where do I start.  With the negative rap sheet this film already owns, it will be hard to argue against the aforementioned critiques.  Especially because most everything you hear about this movie is true.  There is no real original content, plot holes galore, annoying moments involving forced references, and countless let downs.

Now that I have joined the masses, the masses with a valid point, I would like to say “It wasn’t that bad” and “It was fun, and I think it’s perfect for children.”  This was officially, and absolutely nothing but a retelling of the story.  Something that has been addressed at length throughout superhero movies and even throughout history:  all original stories have been written, we just recreate them all, putting new twists or “Shyamalan’s” in them.  This essentially took the cake.  Do you remember when you were younger (before the booze) watching a movie?  A movie that you looked forward to, maybe you watched the television show and became a fan.  (Bear with me) after watching and liking the cinematic version enough to say “it gave the show justice” and “the special effects were decent, I enjoyed the action and jokes.  Not the best film but I can’t wait to talk about it amongst my peeps.”  Then the next day at school the kids are taking it to town, tearing it apart, making a good argument.  Whether or not you grow some and stick up for it or not, is not the point.  Feeling you had a connection with this flick, and the general populace disagrees with your decision, that’s where I see many younger folk may stand on this encounter (Or, at least that’s what I may have assessed as a younger me).  Warning: If you flash forward ten years, in retrospect you might realize that those people were right and or feeling possibly cheated.

Before I return to thrashing this TMNT, I will bring to light some of the good points.  I like to form these type of reviews in what I call… a “crap sandwich” model.  The thing about a “crap sandwich” it has to consist of something different in the middle… something positive, or its just three layers of crap (Basically, I like silver linings.  In some instance they are incredibly hard to find.  This time, it wasn’t that difficult).  

The part I thoroughly enjoyed was the concept: flashbacks of the turtles through an actual upbringing, or childhood.  The idea of a half-rat half-human raising four son-turtles in the sewer does raise many humorous, interesting possibilities.  Other versions of the narrative, didn’t make as much of a focus on it, or don’t show as many stages of their life.   Watching a young Michelangelo jovially dancing to some old-school Gwen Stefani (luckily, there’s no new-school Gwen Stefani.  But seriously, that song is a benchmark for that time period [and is featured in the leaked Deadpool test footage].  I understand it because, Holla Back Girl wasn’t the worst song and it… was… everywhere.  At least everyone’s forgotten about that mind-numbing Crazy Town, Butterfly song.  Anyway…) it helped dive into the backgrounds of the individual personalities. 

In this new installment of the turtles they have never been so identifiably different from each other, even in their physical form.  For the most part, before this one, if the characters took off their masks no one would be able to tell the difference between the four.  A little more like the comics, the multiple team members and their recognizable range in personality was a major emphasis.  Reading an article some time ago (I want to give props, but can’t remember where or who.  I think it was on CBR) they discussed the garb each character sported and how it was a little excessive.  It was even more than expected, combined with the on-screen personalities (Donatello’s cliché dork stuff was the best if I had to choose)

The new Shredder is what I would expect the Shredder would look like in a 2014 TMNT movie.  As result of the new hero’s image and modern-ass-kicking ability, the next logical progression is “pumping up” the villain.  Supplying him with a new arsenal, I actually didn’t mind the small liberties stretching all the way to the Shredder’s weird magnetic blades. 

Through the grapevine, I heard grumbles about the April O’Neal’s (or Megan Fox) part, but this as well was a non-issue.  In my oh-so-humble opinion, no problem with this movie ever involved her.  There is one exception, not directly related to her.  When Fox meets the turtles for the first time, there is all this unnecessary jumping and shouting, kind of an awkward meeting.  Then April faints, which reminds me of the 90’s film (who did a better first encounter scene). This faction was done poorly and was unbelievable to a certain level.  I don’t believe it was Fox’s delivery but it had a strange taste.

With a more mature subject matter growing in kids movies, I had hopes they were going to make a more gruesome, gritty version, possibly like the comics. 

Side note: I didn’t know if it was intentional, but in the comics, Raphael (in a Days of future Past feel) has to use time travel to avoid the slaying of his three brothers.  In this timeline Raph loses an eye and wears an eye-patch.  In the film, during one of the flashbacks, one of them as an adolescent, is wearing one (I think it was Raphael, no matter what it reminded me of the comic). 

Instead, it was one of the most family friendly showings I’ve seen in a while.  Unlike the new comic movie trend, the new Ninja Turtle did not push that envelope.  Possibly hindering it, the fighting scenes and “ninja” aspect (along with some other dynamic aspects) left a little to be desired. 

This leads me to the biggest conflict I felt existed within, the Splinter situation.  Although this is not the direct issue, I am under the impression that the original back-story (the one obviously recreated in the cartoon) Splinter is a man turned rat.  In all of the movies he is a mutated rat (he transforms into a really cartoonish rat in the newest one).  I understand, it is much easier to tell that version of the story, but the idea that the man-rat just found an instructional karate book, and taught all of his students… that was a little difficult to endure. 

Once again, my ignorance may be my downfall, was there a cinematic ban on Rocksteady and Bebop?  I was expecting looking for a reference for even a future appearance or even a nod to them which I did not identify.  Being two of my favorite all-time villains/henchmen, I have always wondered that.  If they do incorporate them in the next one, that will be a challenge, adjusting their backstories to fit. 

I repeat, this movie is ideal for children and there was just enough entertainment to get the adults through to the end.  I give it five and a half gamma rays out of a possible ten.

C.J. Foxx 

Author of Super-Hero Bowl VI
@CJFoxxAuthor on Twitter
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C.J. Foxx Movie House Reviews #1: Guardians of the Galaxy

The first hour of “Guardians of the Galaxy” was on par with any other good sci-fi flick you could watch.  The crescendo Marvel had skillfully constructed finally has come to an apex.  I wondered if this fell flat on its face according to my expectations, would people own up to it?   Or, would they figure they were in too deep, buying all the merch, buffing up on all the books even the original GOTG (before the re-boot, where none of the cinematic characters existed).  All of those posts, all of the retweets… quoting “I AM GROOT” at every plausible scenario.  Even if it was a horrible production, owning a story that made no sense, had unlikable characters and made no attempt to adhere to the canon already established, jaded fans and Marvel would continue cramming this down our throats.

Fortunately, this was none of that.  The movie was a spoonful of sugar enveloped in honey and did I mention the spoon was made of licorice.  I may have gone into this picture with the wrong attitude but I couldn’t help but think of one thing:  After Marvel’s (and DC’s) initial success and their reign had covered multiple generations.  There was a time and place where they took a leap of faith that led us to this movie. 

Figuring their younger audience had grown into adult readers, an industry had fully taxed all the original storylines.  The answer was to use previously explored genres (like science-fiction, fantasy, horror, detective stories, etc.) and make a mash-up of grander sorts, a more experimental approach.  Things of this nature were incorporated into the stories before, but until this point it wasn’t as strong as a focal point.  In Marvel, the original Guardians of the Galaxy, Silver Surfer, Dr. Strange, Ghost Rider, The Secret Defenders, The Mighty Thor, Deathlok, S.H.I.E.L.D (or Strange Tales), The Days of Future Past, the whole 2099 chapter, etc., are some prime examples.  The reason why I’m giving this half-cocked history lesson is because… it was successful.  It was successful then and it was successful now. 

That same decision retained the older readers, creating a broad spectrum of ideas for younger readers to choose from while supplying the story arcs for years after, but in my opinion, the most important was creating a higher echelon of evil or super-villain.  The most identifiable change in this transition: the standard of what a comic book hero was.  Spider-Man, Iron-Man, The Hulk, Fantastic Four, The X-Men were built on the traditional bullet-points of what a hero stood for: extraordinary things happening to ordinary people.  Introducing heroes as a group of aliens that flew spaceships saving the galaxy instead of earth, Norse gods from another realm protecting our way of living, protagonists using dark magic or sorcery for good, these characters helped make the modern mold of hero.

Marvel relied on the same savvy formula again, the same leap of faith.  Guardians of the Galaxy, like Thor, was a linchpin in making this whole new Marvel-Cinematic-Universe/Avengers initiative work.  Having to satisfy not just the fans that have already jumped this hurdle but fast-tracking a whole new movie-audience through it had to have been a tall order.  In the midst of watching, I felt they passed that test with flying colors, broadening the horizons of the novice to moderate fans.  At times the story glossed over, revealing insight on the Celestials, the Nova Corps, and a background to the Infinity Gems.  Fans of the original content may have wanted a bigger segment dealing with their importance of these items, but instead was met with a plethora of good jokes and enjoyable characters.  The story was predominantly centered around the shipmates and their meeting. 

The importance of FRIENDSHIP, and none of them had any friends until the GOTG formed concept wore me down a little bit.  Drax was a family man with a wife and child (he talks about it a skillion times in the flick, I guess understandably) until they were murdered (basically, a cosmic version of the Punisher) and had no friends, killing his way to the person who had robbed him of his family, Ronan the Accuser.  Rocket, a spliced science experiment with an inferiority complex that only rivals Napoleon.  His biggest claim to fame was “escaping twenty-two prisons” with Groot, one of the rarest most undecipherable aliens.  Gamora, a killing machine, abducted and trained by the enemy.  On the run and as a fugitive, she separates herself from her past, corrupted life, you guessed it… she’s alone on her voyage.  Peter Quill (or Star-Lord): as a child abducted by aliens, trying to find himself, going through an identity crisis every second of the film.  Through the uproar created by a discovered gem, a series of events unites the rejects.  Individually they are extremely flawed and vulnerable, together they’re a lovable, quirky family.  I get it.  I just think they stretched a little too far for the family friendly grab.  Trust me, they mention friendship, being friends and an honorable death, alongside friends one too many times.

The most enjoyable scenes involved the absolutely light-hearted, free flowing, funny dialogue between lovably crafted characters.  The movie gives proper homage to each individual and in exchange for a detailed, elaborate structure, heroes and villains told their stories through natural, unforced, and hilarious interactions. 

Oddly enough, when it contrasted the family friendly aspects, the movie was at its best.  There was a moment where Groot, in a violent outrage, savagely impales a whole platoon of soldiers and thrashes them around.  The rest of the team stops in their tracks.  They observe the tree monster with a prolonged caution, amazed at the brutality…only to be met with a giant childish “Groot did good?” like grin on his face (in case you didn’t know by this point, Groot doesn’t talk, except when he repeats “I am Groot.”  Best job ever: spend half a day in a studio recording three words.  Thanks Vin, the checks in the mail). 

Peter (who establishes himself very early as the captain, or the Han Solo of the group) and Rocket (the snarky co-pilot) could be viewed as a pair of bad parents, babysitting three socially dysfunctional aliens (Drax, Gamora and Groot) constantly getting themselves into superhero hi-jinks.  During these giant cataclysms the subtext was coated in a palatable chemistry disguised as bickering between the actors.  At one time Rocket, as a joke during the melee, he tricks their captain into stealing a prosthetic leg from an amputee.  The constant running joke, and marketing campaign, was that they were a bunch of “A-holes.”  Star-Lord leaves an immature, last-resort message with Nova Corps.  The viewer gets to watch the message being delivered through the ranks, it reveals along with other stuff, Star-Lord admitting to be an “A-hole” but not being a “100 % Dick.”  As the Guardians battle and peril is faced, Nova Corps is nowhere to be found.  They predictably arrive at the last minute to help.  Then Star-Lord shouts in delight, like it had meant the world to him “They got my dick message.” 

The jokes were a little racier than I first thought they would be, but in my subjective opinion it was tastefully done.  After the initial conclusion and as the after credit ending concluded I wondered what part the others will play in the Infinity Gem saga.  I also began to hope the next puzzle pieces, or Phase 2 in this modern universe will be as efficient in its adaptability and its cleverness.  I give it seven lightsabers out ten lightsabers.  

C.J. Foxx 

Author of Super-Hero Bowl VI
@CJFoxxAuthor on Twitter
C.J. Foxx Like us on Facebook

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