Pads & Panels

Title: Warrior

Directed by: Gavin O’Connor

Written by: Gavin O’Connor, Anthony Tambakis, Cliff Dorfman

Starring: Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte, Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Morrison

Studio: Lionsgate

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

By the end of most fight films, there is a well-defined “good guy” and a well-defined “bad guy.” We know who to root for; we know who we want to see win. We’ve seen the good underdog work to overcome the odds, and we’ve seen dubious deeds by his opponent, cementing him as the oppressing evil that must be stopped in its tracks. In Warrior, this is not the case. By the end, we don’t know who we want to see win. We don’t know who to root for. We can’t fathom what will happen if either man loses. Warrior is, by far, the most distinctive fight film I’ve ever seen.

To even call Warrior a “fight film” doesn’t quite do it justice. It’s a drama, through and through – crafted by Miracle director Gavin O’Connor – though it truly earns the fight genre as well, with absolutely engaging mixed martial arts fights, choreographed and filmed exceptionally well. But at the center of it all we have three characters that we grow to care about – characters who are introduced by the tip of the iceberg. We see these characters first on the surface, and then as Warrior rolls along we learn more about them, about the plights that have landed them where we are today, and by the time it all comes to a head we are fully invested in them, which is as much as any film can ask. (more…)

Title: The Green Hornet

Directed by: Michel Gondry

Written by: Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg

Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Tom Wilkinson, Christoph Waltz

Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment

Film Rating:

Review by: Emmett Grady

January is usually a terrible month for new releases, so it’s surprising that The Green Hornet saw a January 14th release. But despite the troubled production and awkward release date, The Green Hornet is a refreshingly entertaining buddy comedy that more than makes up for the lack of quality last summer.

While not a substantial comic book film like The Dark Knight or Spider-Man 2, The Green Hornet entertains in its own mad-cap goofy ways, with guidance from Michel Gondry, strong performances, and Evan Goldberg’s and Seth Rogen’s script. (more…)

Title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Director: Edgar Wright

Writers: Michael Bacall, Edgar Wright

Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Evans, Brandon Routh

Producer: Universal, Scott Pilgrim Productions

Rating:

Review by: Bill Jones

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is 112 minutes of pure fun, plain and simple. In a world where comic book films have either hit the dramatic prominence and cinematic quality of The Dark Knight, fail trying, or lose themselves to bad jokes and shitty dialogue, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is the reminder that comic books don’t have to be serious; they can be a hell of a lot of fun, and their movie adaptations can play by the same rules. (more…)