Taken

At Liam Neeson's present age, I would've thought that a physically demanding action role would have been out of the window. A lot of actors tend to wind their bodies down away from the body taxing fight scenes, running after people through crowded streets and jumping off bridges. Neeson then proves you wrong, and this is probably one of the finest films of his career. Yes, it even tops Darkman's action. Sorry, in my eyes, Jedi mentors don't cut it for me. Al Ghul's do, but that wasn't exactly a whole Neeson platform.

Taken, then. Written by Luc Besson (Leon, La Femme Nikita) and Robert Mark Kamen (The Karate Kid and er...The Transporter), Neeson is Bryan Mills, a former government operative who's adamant he's never going to go back to the life he once had for the chance of a sweet life with his daughter. A life made difficult by his ex wife (Famke Janssenomnomnomnomnom) who spoils her with lavish gifts and an extravagant lifestyle. In their world, money makes the world go round, and they have a lot of it. So with that, it's only fitting that said daughter (who, I must say, is one of the most spoilt little bitches ever to grace cinema) and friend wants to travel round the world to follow U2 on tour. Such a life! Of course, Daddy isn't happy with this decision as he knows exactly what the world is like, yet they travel to Paris anyway.

It's kind of a slow paced introduction to the characters but it magically changes at the drop of a hat as the girls get abducted for white slavery whilst on the phone to Neeson. It's from that point, and a perfectly delivered monologue from Neeson with a subtle ferocity, that the film really gets underway.

Action scenes are totally superb, I was watching and figured that this was the tale of Old Man Bourne as they are on a par with Ludlum's superspy. Yet, action doesn't make the film , and the storyline itself was well researched. I think I was more impressed at how clever it was than how kick ass the fights were. The infiltrations, the detective work, and the simple little tricks that are predicable as anything in this genre, truly surprised me.

The only thing I can suggest is that you get hold of a copy immediately and see it for yourself. I foolishly ignored it last year, and now my face has been slapped accordingly. It's only let down is the warm build up it takes, and if I could readjust the point for a Holly Valance appearance, I would. But if you really need to get away from Statham no-brainers, Neeson's your man.

4 battered slave traders out of 5

The Final Fronier (well Poster anyway)

Here's the official one piece to accompany the new movie. It's cool enough but I think for a movie like Star Trek a little more colour wouldn't go amiss. I'm not saying there's anything very wrong with it but I don't think it'll change anybody's mind about seeing the film (so I suppose rather a failure) - maybe if they'd added a green skinned alien hotty it may have helped...

What do you think?

Home by Gemma Hayes

Here is the latest music promo by Irish Indie princess (and potential ex wife of mine) Gemma Hayes. I include this vid simply as it's one that I couldn't get out of my head long after seeing it... however not necessarily for the right reasons. 'Home' has a fantastic concept and amazing imagery - right up to the first half of the song. Unfortunately after that it becomes a very standard affair. I suspect the film makers came into either some financial or serious time issues whilst in production but I can't help but feel this is a real wasted opportunity.

I can't seem to find out who directed it so if anyone knows please post in the comments below so I can amend the article.

LINK to Youtube clip of HOME

BLAMMO update

As my real world alter ego makes music promos for a living I often get asked which vids I enjoy myself. So I'm going to also add links to music videos that I think either have interesting concepts or simply just please me whenever there is a slow news day. These won't always be brand new (especially as YouTube and the PRS having sulking matches mean us in the UK are denied access to the majority of new videos) but won't always find repeated ad infinity on MTV.

Fists of Furry

Finally we get a trailer for Spike Jonze's children's fantasy movie 'Where The Wild Things Are' and I can't help but adore the look of it. It's both ridiculous and wonderful. It makes me wish I was a seven year old watching this on VHS at my Granny's house as she baked cakes and told stories. And if striped furry monsters aren't enough then check out the cast - Catherine Keener, Max Records, Mark Ruffalo, Lauren Ambrose, James Gandolfini... this is surely going to be a monster hit (sorry).

Watch the trailer here: QT Trailers

Gobstopper!

Gobstopper Trailer - watch more funny videos

Oh, how I wish Gobstopper was a real movie.Whoever had the genius idea of re-telling Charlie & The Chocolate Factory as a horror flick and got Christopher Lloyd as a right evil Wonka, really needs BLAMMO to buy them a drink. Yet, sadly it's an internet exclusive for a video site and we must turn our heads with a failed mutter of sadness as we can't get to experience this slice of awesome cake in a full feature. A heartfelt thank you though, to it's creators, spurring out original content to the internet legions that isn't a top ten list in any shape or form.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Disclaimer: I hated the idea of making this into a movie. I hated the idea of Zack Snyder making this into a movie. I hated the fact that it had to trim out the Black Freighter story from this movie. Otherwise I'm rather shocked to say not only is Watchmen not an utter travesty but it's actually a rather good film. But how good?

Well let's start with the casting. Not a foot wrong. The casting in Watchmen is just unbelievably good - where you'd expect a studio to demand a big name to play Rorschach they instead choose Jackie Earle Haley (who I last saw brilliantly play the paedophile in 'Little Children') and I can't stress enough how perfect this casting is. His journals sound like Batman from the Nolan movies, but genuinely psychotic. The kind of man driven mad enough to fight crime in a mask... but not have the lucky reserve of a butler and a billion dollars to keep him on the right side of society. In fact Jackie Earle Haley delivers my favourite line of the movie when his character finds himself behind bars: the cons that he himself had put away approach him and try to scare him but Rorschach simply turns and screams, "You think I'm stuck in here with you - BUT YOU'RE STUCK IN HERE WITH ME!!!". It's air-punchingly brilliant.

Also wonderful are the actors playing The Comedian (his look of joy as he burns Viet Cong with his flame thrower is stunning), Silk Spectre (II) and Dr Manhatten (portrayed by Billy Cruddup with the largest screen time for a big naked penis I've yet seen) however Patrick Wilson (also from Little Children) as Night Owl (II) gets the harder job of a more subtle and Everyman role and through this succeeds fantastically (especially as I felt the theatrical cut didn't really explore his character enough).

And this is where it's time to start bashing the movie. Yes it's rather unfair to start complaining stuff is missing from a story I felt was unfilmable due to the massive amount of information within its pages but I couldn't help[ but feel some really important stuff was, indeed, absent. Yeah the Tales of the Black Freight was sadly missed by us lovers of the original, but for those who haven't read Alan Moore's opus then I suspect you won't notice the space it left. Nor is it the hugely in depth history of the Minutemen (the original crime fighters) that is only present through a 30 second montage under the opening credits. No it's the important missing links to the actual main plot that become rather apparent in the last act where the 'heroes' fight their way to the villain's lair and undercover the dastardly plot. Suddenly the viewer starts to ask themselves why they are here, who this villain is and why we should care. When the final revelation is upon us we rather wish we could go back with Rorschach to kicking butt in the prison.

Regardless Watchmen is a real triumph. All the beautiful imagery is in it (from frames taken painstakingly perfectly from the art work of Dave Gibbons) and the brilliant visual parallels between watches and smiley faces that really need to be seen to be understood. The violence is shockingingly uber-violent and the direction of Zack Snyder actually, to my surprise, sits really well (with his slow motion spins and use of super close ups) within the feeling of the original story. Most importantly though, and in contrast to other Alan Moore Hollywood adaptations, Watchmen gets the point of the original text and sticks to it and that was the biggest surprise and triumph of all.

4 big blue cocks out of 5

Stallone gets Charisma

All this talk of the cast Sylvester Stallone's putting together for his movie, The Expendables and I was wondering that not only is it sounding very much like the movie a man's man would watch, but where the fucking hell are the women?

Fear not, the appreciative purveyors of the female form, for one can sit back in relief (maybe) and sigh for Charisma Carpenter (she of Buffy/Angel fame and probably some Veronica Mars) returns to a screen after the last time she was seen (by me) was in a Playboy shoot many years ago (fud-dud-dud-dud). In fact, it was always hard for me during Angel where I had to toss up between Cordelia and Amy Acker's Fred...oh god...

In other Expendable news: Stone Cold Steve Austin's signed on too, which I think is a genius masterstroke of a move! Now all we need is Vinnie Jones! But, I must remind you, Charisma Carpenter's signed on...Charisma....Charisma....

It's a Wonderland life...

Here's a couple of stills from Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland that turned up on some website earlier. Now Lewis Carol's classic fairy tail seems so obvious a pairing for Burton that, for some reason, this hasn't really got me too excited. I know it should be amazing, I really do but unless it really focusses on the coming of age elements (like something like the amazing 'Company of Wolves') then maybe my lack of interest stems from the fact we've seen this story done so many times before and, maybe because of the video game that did he gothy approach well a good few years ago now, it's not like just Tim Burtoning it up will make it feel fresh.

Anyway enough of my scepticism. Enjoy the pics.

Rourke Is Russian!

Kind of unofficial breaking news, but I've just discovered that although nothing is set in stone officially as yet, you can expect some kind of announcement that Mickey Rourke will indeed be a part of Iron Man II! Whatever pay disputes from previous discussions have seemingly been nipped in the bud, and Rourke is here to play the Crimson Dynamo. Seeing as he's in Russia right now, promoting The Wrestler, I'd expect he's doing a little research...

It would be interesting to see how this develops, with talks of the Black Widow (Dushku...please...) constantly being tossed (not by me, you filthy animals) around, and which actual version of the Dynamo that's going to be used. There were twelve people in total who donned the suit, and if memory serves me correctly, "Petrovich" will be one of the most used names in the film. Apart from Stark, of course.

If I'm wrong, though, blame my source.

UPDATE: Following this revelation, another one surfaces straight after! Scarlett Johansson's The Black Widow! Not sure about this myself, I'm finding it hard to imagine her being an unrelenting, murdering operative, but we shall have to wait and see. There's hopefully a black leather jumpsuit involved somewhere and that will make The Count a very, very happy man, whilst I need to go cry into last week's episode of Dollhouse. I'm sorry, Eliza, so so sorry. Sad face.

Who's he 9mm?!

A little bit of Arnie talking about Terminator Salvation and his, sadly, very small role in The Expendables. It's more fun if you read it in a thick Austrian accent:

"I also just wanted to go back to your question because I forgot to answer your question about the Sly movie and about the Terminator movie. I have seen the movie, but I have not seen it as a finished product yet. I have not seen it yet with the Terminator special effects and some of the sound and the music is not in there yet and so on. So I really cannot comment on it, what the movie will be like as a finished product.

There's a rule that you never talk about a movie unless you have seen the finished product. But you know as I said to the director when they began that I wish them the best of luck, that I'm happy that they move forward with the franchise, I am very happy with where I am with my profession as the governor and they should try to find a way of doing a story that does not include me at all, not even one single shot in it. I don't believe in that. To kind of have them go out and promote the movie and say you know Arnold is in the movie and everyone thinks that I'm the Terminator and in fact you only see one second of me in there and so I don't think that's the right thing to do. And you know that's the danger of that, and that's why I feel reluctant to be part of the movie in the first place. So it doesn't get promoted that way.

But to talk about Sly's movie you know Sly and I we became very good friends over the last 10, 15 years, especially since the Planet Hollywood days. And we've traveled all around the world. and we've had a terrific time and so he was very helpful to me when I ran for governor. Or with any of the initiatives that were on ballot, he came to fundraising in different places and he was always there to pump up the people and all that.

So I... naturally when he asked me if I would do a cameo, which will just be something quick, like I walk out of a hotel or out of a office building and he will walk up and we will bump into each other and there will be some mumbling and then we will walk off (crowd laughs). So it will be something very simple, that will be again, just a cameo, so that's what we're going to do. I promised him I'd do that and I'm looking forward to that.

Ok? Good."

www.thearnoldfans.com/

Indianna Jones and the Story of how it Happened...

Wow this is absolutely fascinating stuff for anyone interested in writing stories, directing films or simply those who loved the three (there are ONLY three) Indiana Jones movies.

It's the transcript between Spielberg (director), Lucas (writer) and Kasdan (Screen writer) into how Raiders of the Lost Ark came about. As described by the blog (unto which you will find yourself if you click on the link) it's quite amazing first how many ideas are flung around the room between the two biggest film makers of the era and, also, how close to the finished character they already are at this, very, very early point.

Check it out: Mystery Man on Film blog

Direct Link to Transcript: Big file download

Fantastic Again?

Only a mere dirty, disgusting rumour at this stage in our lives, but 20th Century Fox is planning on lining up a reboot of Fantastic Four to erase the sweaty mess of the previous two films that had been released. Nothing's concrete as yet, and it may never, ever happen, but it's got to raise a few eyebrows at least.

I personally thought that they weren't the total abominations that people made it out to be, they managed to capture the team spirit of the books rather well, yet it wasn't anywhere near as "fantastic" as it could have been. It came close with Rise Of The Silver Surfer, but wimped out with Galactus turning out to be just a cloudy entity, instead of the planet eating monolith with a massive purple helmet (innuendo inexcusable and inescapable) we all know and love. Of all of the Marvel character movies, this was sadly one of the weakest.

Maybe it's too soon for a reboot, just as The Incredible Hulk was. Are studios and comic companies wanting all of their films to be the next Dark Knight now? This shouldn't be the case with the FF. Their adventures are often thrown into the colourful cosmos or alternate realities, not just situated defeating the big bad in the middle of the city. That's where it should be headed towards.

Fantasic Four is all about the fantastical. It's playing with characters in unbelievable situations, meaning we would very much like to see Reed Richards build a gigantic construct that opens up an interdimensional gateway to the Negative Zone, stopping Annihilus, Blastaar and other cosmic entities from enslaving our planet. Here is also a note. If you intend on making the definitive movie version of Doctor Doom, don't make him a pussy. This guy's the ruler of Latveria, he has equal the intelligence of Reed and anyone who constantly refers to himself in the third person is instantly cool. There are unlimited possibilities with this team, you'd have to agree that someone out there is itching to see it done right. Find them. Now.

Where is Blammo?

Sorry for the lack of updates - I've been extremely busy with work over the last week (with the only time off involving ninja training and mountain adventures) and will be away on production until Tuesday. Fear not BLAMMO will be back with news and reviews before you can say 'The Daily Mail hates The Watchmen almost as much as it loves the late Princess Diana'.

New Terminator: Salvation trailer

Okay I'm finding it harder and harder to not get excited about this movie. Like everybody else I was initially sickened then, when Bale came on board, confused and now... well it really does look like we may have the opportunity to eradicate the bad taste of Terminator 3 from our mouths at last! Yeah there are some real Michael Bay style shots going on in this trailer (look at the nasty overcranked camera pans and the obligatory burning tyres on road scenes) but all you bastards that went out and bought Transformers are directly to blame for the studios thinking that's the kinda shit we want to see. So go punish yourselves as you feel fitting for the crime. Then come back and check this out...

Faith in Wonder Woman

This is some cool news for Dushku fans! Following the prolonged rumours about Joss Whedon's on/ off love affair with a feature length Wonder Woman movie, WENN.com have announced that Lynda Carter (the goddess who played the titulat (fnaar) character in the 70s tv show) has declared her blessing for the Buffy actress. Just more rumours at the moment of course but any excuse to post a picture of Wonder Woman and BLAMMO is here to appease those masses, driven mad through the denial of such photographs on lesser film blogs. Yeah.

"Lynda Carter has officially passed the Wonder Woman baton to actress Eliza Dushku, insisting she'd make a great comic book heroine.

Carter, who played the iconic character on TV in the 1970s, insists the world needs a new Wonder Woman - and if reports suggesting director Joss Whedon is set to launch a new franchise with Dushku are correct, the original star would be thrilled.

She tells WENN, "I've always liked Joss, and Eliza would make a great Wonder Woman."

Carter has even offered her services to help groom the next Wonder Woman.

She adds, "People worry about, 'I really helped with this movie and I didn't get paid,' which I could care less about. People don't usually contact the original people to find things out because they're afraid of being sued claiming it was their idea. I hope if they make the movie it makes a bajillion (millions) dollars, which means they'll continue to make them." http://www.wenn.com/

Star Trek Next Generation movie rumour!

Just a quick one here guys but according to a few sites online some one at WonderCon has let slip that JJ Abrahms' new Star Trek movie may have some connection with the Next Generation characters... to the point that people are discussing they may be involved in a follow up movie or TV series. Now this doesn't make any sense whatsoever to me (why put all the effort into re-establishing the new crew if the next movie will mean establishing another one again?) but I'll keep reporting it as the rumours come...

EDIT: Okay latest story is that it's just a reference to characters from TNG. That's a strange way to fuck with canon and all that but I admire the tenacity!