#MTOS – Film Posters (19th May 2013)

Two years. Yes! That’s how long it has been since me and Rachel started working on our little weekly chat on films. Movie Talk On Sunday is still about two months away from its two year anniversary on 7^th August, but I wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been part of the initiative at any stage. I want to thank the people who have been with us right from the very start. We could never have become the talk of the town had it not been for everyone who promoted our chat over blogs, podcasts, and via tweets. We appreciate you all very much. A special thanks to all the hosts who have kept #MTOS alive and week after week have come up with new topics of discussions covering almost all aspects of films. A humongous thanks to anyone and everyone who has participated in #MTOS on any given Sunday. You are the reason we have grown over the past two years and continue to spread some movie love inside that alternate reality we so lovingly call Twitterverse.

Normally both Rachel and I prefer to stay away from hosting #MTOS. We both feel that we get enough ‘coverage’ being the founders that we really don’t want to take over a hosting spot of another film fan. But, closing in on to two years I personally requested Rachel that we both take two individual spots this session to host. I just felt that it was time we got a chance to play a little with our baby, so to speak.  

For those of you who are new to the concept of a twitter chat or to #MTOS, please click on the following links to find out everything you need to know;

What is #MTOS?

The Story of #MTOS so far.

#MTOS Twitter Handle

#MTOS in Posters

Film Posters have long been a special part of watching movies for me. My college room walls never had any bare spots, much to the dismay of the administration, as they were filled with film cuttings and posters. So, when the time to host came, I decided on Film Posters as my topic of choice. Over time I have written about Film Posters on my blog and you can find the links to those articles below (including the one on my college room);

Posters

Posters Unwanted

Posters: A New Wave

Keep Calm Goes to the Movies

The Return of Keep Calm to the Movies

It’s on theWalls: Film Decor

The questions for #MTOS on Film Posters to be held on Sunday 19th May 2013 are as follows;

1.    Is poster art dying, or do filmmakers still give it the importance it deserves? #MTOS

2.    What characteristics make a good film poster? #MTOS

3.    What do you think about posters that primarily consist of the film’s rating/reviews/award nominations? #MTOS

4.    Minimalistic posters: brilliant, a fad, artistic, or people just being lazy? Discuss. #MTOS

5.    Do you own any posters and/or have them up on your walls? Tell us about them. #MTOS

6.    Why do you think international posters of Hollywood films are so popular & desirable (eg: Polish posters)? #MTOS

7.    Mention/Share some film posters (good or bad) that have stood out in your mind and you always remember them? #MTOS

8.    Have you ever been convinced to watch a film purely due to its poster? Examples if you can remember. #MTOS

9.    Fan made film posters have gained popularity now. Do you feel they are more ‘original’ than the mass produced posters by filmmakers? #MTOS

10. The Good, the Bad, and the outright Ugly, share a few posters that fit in each category. #MTOS.

Thank you and see you on Sunday at 20:00 UK Time (which is 00:30 Monday morning in India)

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

Hansel and Gretel have a lot to thank Van Helsing. Had it not been for Helsing, Hansel and Gretel would have had a very hard time being accepted by the audience. Instead, having watched the trailer, the audience was ready for another Van Helsing like debacle, and what they got was exactly that, only this time they came prepared and thus the disappointment was much less. It should also be noted though that I prefer Van Helsing over this film.

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is tacky, and that is also where its charm lies. Left in the jungle by their parents to fend against an evil witch, H&G grow up becoming the numero uno witch hunters of the region. Everything that has to do with the basic concept of the film is fine. There are witches stealing children to perform a ritual on the night of the “blood moon” that makes for the primary situation bringing together the entire story. There is a whole back story as to why Hansel and Gretel were left in the jungle in the first place. There are some high paced almost dizzying action sequences. But, there is no heart. The film just never really reaches the level of an out-and-out action film all the while just tiptoeing over the dramatic aspects of the various relationships between the characters.

What further disappoints is the lacklustre performances by almost all the actors. Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton in the title roles simply never come across as real heroes, pretty much relying on the use of the F-Word every now and then to get some lame laughs. Peter Stormare’s town Sheriff is more or less similar to the roles he usually takes, so although there is a hint of familiarity benefiting his character, there is also the predictability factor working against it. 

I’ll admit that I do love the so called “twist” to the classic tale, but I did wish that Tommy Wirkola would have taken the film down a much darker route. Furthermore, the special effects are borderline acceptable.

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters makes for a fun Sunday afternoon watch. Lacking genuine scares and with a thin storyline, it relies heavily on the general concept of the film. With an ending that is sure to spurt out a sequel, we can expect some more witch hunting, hopefully with a bit of original wit and charm this time.

Rating 2.5/5

PS: I watched the movie in good ol’ 2D. Not only am I against the fad that is 3D, but I also feel bad for anyone who paid extra to watch this film in the third dimension.

Parker

I don’t have a problem when someone tries to make a B-grade 80’s style action thriller. I do get annoyed when they fail miserably in doing so.

Parker is your straight forward revenge drama. Our man Jason Statham plays, Parker, the thief with moral values. He’s the one who goes around saying that he only steals from those who can afford to get robbed and never harms anyone who doesn’t deserve it. Well, cry me a Robin Hood will you! The problem is that no matter how hard they try to make the hero smart, there are always basic commonsense issues that plague these films.

Take for instance when Parker goes on to do a ‘job’ with a bunch of new guys, who he’s never worked with, and isn’t too sure about. Obviously Parker isn’t a fan of the movies, because if he was, he would know that nothing good can come out of this scenario. Nevertheless, after the heist, in the car the suspicious teammates present Parker with an offer to join them for another job, which would require him giving up on his present loot. Now, any man with the slightest of commonsense would probably be like sure, there are four of these guys and one of me in a van and I am smart enough to see that they have guns in their hands, so I’ll just say yes for now, and if I’m not too comfortable I’ll think about it later, when I am safe. But that’s not how things pan out do they, because Parker must announce his code and be brave and go Bang! Bang! in the car and end up by the side of the road presumed dead by the rest.  

After that, it’s Parker trying to find the guys followed by Parker running around all macho and butch and trying to put things straight. In between all this we have Parker’s girlfriend, played by Emma Booth, who in all honesty is just there to show a tiny bit of nudity which really seemed miserably forced. A parallel story has Jennifer Lopez, yeah! She’s in this too, playing out an out-of-luck real-estate agent who ends up crossing her paths with Parker.

Aside from maybe a couple of brief action sequences that provide the thrills, there really isn’t much to the film. The acting is mediocre at best, and Michael Chiklis is simply wasted as the main villain. Nick Nolte has a small part, but again nothing that stands out. As much as I enjoy films with Jason Statham, Parker simply never even achieves the basic levels of expectations. Jennifer Lopez’s Leslie Rogers was the probably the only one that had a story line with some depth and interest. While the film has ample opportunity to make the ending dark and could have easily risen up with a few twists, instead everything is just kept simple, brain dead simple.

So, even if you are a Jason Statham fan, you won’t be missing much if you give Parker a skip. I suggest save your money on the theatre ticket or the DVD and go buy a Parker pen instead.

Rating: 2/5  

PS: While searching for a picture of the movie poster, I came across one that had the tagline "Payback has a new name", and you know what, in a nutshell they are right. It is a lot like the film Payback with a new name, only worse.