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What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

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This is one of the first Spider-Man comics I remember reading...although my copy did not have a cover.

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Hot Tub Time Machine

There's nothing redeeming about any movie that is full of anachronisms, as Dan Nichols can attest. While that's not the worst part of the film, it shows the little effort the writers put into developing this comedy. Relying instead on overt visual references to the 80s and the comedy "skills" of Rob Corddry and Clark Duke, Hot Tub Time Machine gives a bad name to time travel and comedic films.

The film posits itself as the next Hangover as it sports lewd humor coupled with bravado. Four friends take a trip to a ski lodge to relive old memories - little did they know they'd be reliving the past! What ensues are sight gags, ribald one-liners, and a feeble attempt at dime store existentialism. This has certainly been one of the worst movies I've seen so far this year. Skip it.

Greenberg

From American shlock to American shucks: Noah Baumbach's "Greenberg" is a touching if not haunting look at the middle-aged American male in the 21st Century. Ben Stiller delivers his best performance since "Heavyweights" in a story that follows Roger Greenberg as he comes to terms with what his life is after years of wondering what his life could have been.

Stiller really delivers in this film after years of horrendous Stiller comedies. Anyone who has seen "The Squid and the Whale" or "Margot at the Wedding" will know what to expect from a Baumbach film. The characters are quirky and the interactions are realistic. The film really benefited from the addition of Greta Gerwig, queen of the mumblecore movement. She brought a depth and a sense of tenderness that balanced Stiller's neurrotic, disjointed Greenberg. It's a realistic drama with touches of comedy that creates a striking dialogue on the world we live in. See it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=fsN0UewDBTI

Off the Shelf

Marvelman (or Miracleman) returns to print...

...but there are still so many questions.

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32vpgNiAH60&feature=player_embedded

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

World War Hulks

Variant cover art by David Finch

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Repo Men

Jude Law does his best impression of an action star in "Repo Men" which hits theaters today. Set in the near future, Law works as a repossession expert - only he's repossessing organs for The Union as opposed to cars or houses for banks. The Union is a major corporation which sells artificial organs - usually on credit. If you default on that credit, Law and Forest Whitaker swoop in to take them back. What unfolds over the course of two hours goes like this: Man works for system, man wants out of system, system makes man need system, man rejects system and sets out to bring the system down.

The film is basically a mix of Blade Runner, Minority Report, and Vanilla Sky - not an exact ripoff any of the three, but thematically similar. "Repo Men" doesn't reinvent the genre, nor does it add anything new. The action is well choreographed, the special effects are well done, and the overall concept is interesting. The most exciting sequence is a slight homage to "Oldboy," but aside from that there's no reason anyone should pay to see Jude Law pretend to be an action star. Skip it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=jl9Nvg4yuus

Thanks to Bill Mead for additional support in this review.

Off the Shelf

Guardians of the Globe teasers
(a la the recent Avengers Promotion)

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMDXLrTs6Lo&feature=player_embedded

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

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I wish that old bag of bones was Aunt May and not Madame Web...

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Green Zone

The ultimate Bourne team reunites for a snoozer of a war thriller: Matt Damon hunts for WMD while Iraq festers after US occupation. Greg Kinnear plays a conniving Pentagon Special Intelligence lackey who is obsessed with finding WMD or at least saying WMD have been found. This conflict is played out over two hours.

Paul Greengrass has showcased excellent directing ability in the Bourne films, but there isn't much of that on display here. The film is slow and the only thrill presented is whether or not Damon can expose the cover up - and if you've followed the Middle East saga you'd know the answer. The film attempts to create heroes in a situation where there can be none. The operations in Iraq continue to this day, indicating there is no happy ending just degrees of failure.

The film plays like the Bourne franchise-lite and will probably draw unfair comparisons to "The Hurt Locker." The plot is uneventful, and generally depressing when thought of in context of the present day Middle East situation. It's not worth the price of admission or the wasted Tuesday evening spent seeing it early. Skip it.

She's Out of My League

For fans of "Undeclared" it's great to see Jay Baruchel getting work, especially lead roles. "She's Out of My League" doesn't serve Baruchel well and is one of the worst movies I've seen this year.

The premise of the film asks whether or not a lady who is seemingly hot can have a lasting relationship with a geek. This movie breaks all the rules! The comedy in this film is forced or completely lacking. The cameraman from "Cloverfield" steals a lot of screen time because he plays like a fat Napolean Dynamite. The female lead is eye candy, but not much else - irritating if anything. The film had real potential but became an exaggerated attempt at proselytizing the audience to the detriments of superficiality. *SPOILER* Even the big break up scene feels forced as a means of showing that people and relationships are more than just hot bodies and cool jobs.

This waste of screen time made me hate movies, people, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Skip it.

Gotta cleanse my cinematic soul:

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=FNQowwwwYa0

Zettwoch!

AIGA Art Party invite by Dan Zettwoch

Off the Shelf

Create Your Own Kick-Ass Trailer - Submit your trailer to win tickets and other cool prizes!

If you haven't seen the shocking and hilarious Kick-Ass trailers yet, now is the time!

Star Clipper is your official St. Louis KICK-ASS HQ! Learn all about this unconventional film, based on the Marvel comic by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr. We want YOU to create your very own Kick-Ass trailers featuring a self-styled super hero! The trailers will be featured on our Kick-Ass display at Star Clipper and winners will receive prizes including the new Kick-Ass hardcover, gift certificate, movie passes and more. The most kick-ass trailers will even have a chance to be featured on the air and the big screen!

Please keep your trailers 90 seconds or less. Don't hurt yourself (or others)! E-mail a link to your trailer to info@starclipper.com and we'll take care of the rest!

Not sure how to get started? Here are a few ideas to get you going: life's a party until you meet the Mardi Brawler; the skies burn with the might of The Aviator; and hell hath no fury like Templar!

Don't have a video camera? Go to www.iwillkickass.com and become a Superhero Instantly! Plus you'll be entered for a chance to win a cameo in Kick-Ass 2, the comic.

Sponsored by Star Clipper

http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=LX72nSFGCUc


http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=z_Deo6Msw20


http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=R75tD8iHTro

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What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

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Alice in Wonderland

Say you want to create a sequel to one of the most cherished fantasy tales of all time. The protagonist is older but has forgotten the legend and mystique of a faraway land. Unless the hero regains form, the antagonist will continue a tyrannical reign that destroys fun, laughter and imagination. This adaptation will be directed by one of the most popular directors of the past 30 years, someone who infuses creativity and absurdity into a fresh take of a storied character. This movie shall be called "Hook."

It took a little while for the realization to set in that Tim Burton's "Alice in Wonderland" is just a retread of Steven Spielberg's Peter Pan sequel. What didn't take long was an overwhelming sense of boredom to settle in as I watched the film. I left the theater unfulfilled and disappointed. Had I not known Johnny Depp was portraying the Mad Hatter (due to Depp being the only actor heavily promoted before the film's debut) I easily would have mistaken him for Dave Foley. This led me to revisiting thoughts I had while watching "Public Enemies": I just don't find Depp to be that good of an actor. He's interesting and quirky, but he isn't as enthralling as Matt Damon, Edward Norton or Robert Downey, Jr., to name a few of his contemporaries.

The production design, sets, and costumes are masterfully composed, but the animation, especially in 3D is lacking (considerably so when compared to Avatar). The performances are mostly dull, save for Helena Bonham Carter and Crispin Glover. All of the familiar Alice characters are there, but the film lacks depth and true substance. Skip it.

The Ghost Writer

Roman Polanski returns after a five year hiatus with a suspenseful, cunning political thriller that's just short of being a masterstroke. The film features a talented cast, lead by Ewan McGregor. McGregor is working as a ghost writer for the former prime minister of the United Kingdom.

McGregor quickly goes from author to detective as he begins unearthing an intricate plot that may have caused the demise of his predecessor. The performances are all strong and the film delivers on the suspense. The plot may be a bit far fetched, but is rooted in current events giving it an air of authenticity. The final scene nearly sours the taste of the film, but the final 3 minutes won't ruin an otherwise great movie. See it.

What Shapes A Young Brian Spath?

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