Movie Review: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012)

From the concept of a former president's double life as a monster slayer to the outrageously unhinged action sequences, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter will test your suspension of disbelief. Films of this nature are often hard to digest in the first place, but a more careful attention to creating a coherent narrative and a greater focus on explanation over theatrics would have better prepared the mind for the outlandish situations presented. Few rules are set for the abilities of our hero, even fewer for the foes, motives are blurry at best, and gravity (of any kind) rarely makes an appearance. There's a reason you've never seen two people fighting atop a stampede of wild horses - it's just not believable no matter how substantial the special effects.

When ruthless businessman Jack Barts (Marton Csokas) murders his mother (with a conspicuous bite that causes a sickness for which there is no febrifuge), Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) becomes obsessed with revenge. But on the night he finally musters the courage to kill Barts, he discovers his nemesis is actually an immortal vampire. With the aid of the mysterious vampire hunter Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper), Lincoln learns how to destroy the undead and becomes a skilled killer. Hiding his demonic exploits from his love, Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), Lincoln begins a career in law and politics. His successes in both his public and private endeavors brings the unwelcome attention of the deadly vampire leader Adam (Rufus Sewell), causing a war to ignite that will determine the very fate of mankind.

The extent of the ridiculousness in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter cannot easily be compared or understood. It's not dissimilar to director Bekmambetov's other wildly eccentric projects, although it is drastically less polished. He makes interesting choices with adaptations, but is starting to reveal himself to be limited to the creativeness of the source material and the level of over-stylized special effects he can fuse into the blueprint. As his selections become further and further disconnected from believability, the errors and ludicrousness are much more apparent. It's bad enough that history is being grossly (not cleverly) distorted; with the exaggerated fight sequences, physics-defying stunts (an occasional few of which aren't entirely disappointing), unconvincing CG medley, and superhuman abilities of a character defined as ordinary, this hopelessly silly premise repeatedly approaches insulting.

"Vampires are real, Mr. Lincoln," matter-of-factly states Henry. This line occurs early on, with an abruptness and a bluntness that establishes the general degree of hasty introductions for every character and setting. There's never time to absorb the elements of the supernatural, the twist on the historical legend, or the shocking physical strength and ninja-like agility of Lincoln (which never subsides, especially noticeable when he turns 50). Even the unique aspects of the bloodsuckers, including invisibility, acclimation to sunlight, and the invulnerability of vampires to other vampires, present themselves out of thin air and without explanation. Abraham is taken as a pupil instantly, a training montage materializes swiftly, and genuine danger seems remote. If it isn't peculiar enough hearing factual names, famous battle locations, and civil rights milestones mentioned in context with slaying monsters, or the use of recognizable comedy character actors (Alan Tudyk, Jimmi Simpson), or hilariously violent and intentionally gratuitous death scenes, the 20+ year gap in vengeance (the villains just ignore the hero for decades) and acrobatic duel atop charging stallions might do the trick.

- The Massie Twins (GoneWithTheTwins.com) Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

Best Scary Flicks for Family Fun

The latter part of 2012 featured the release of a trio of films that delivered family friendly frights. "ParaNorman" followed a young boy as he learned to adapt to his ability to communicate with the dead. "Hotel Transylvania" features hotel owner Dracula, who invites all of the famous monsters to his daughter's birthday party, only to find a human in the mix. In "Frankenweenie," a young scientist uses the power of electricity to bring his dead dog back to life. Though these movies are all animated, the list of scary movies suitable for children includes both live-action and animated classics.

Tim Burton directed "Frankenweenie" as well as "Beetlejuice," a 1988 film that sounds rather dark on paper but is comedy, right down to its unforgettable dinner dance scene. Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin star as the Maitlands, a married couple who are killed in a car accident and return to their former home as ghosts. When a new family moves in, led by insufferable parents (Catherine O'Hara and Jeffrey Jones), the Maitlands decide to spook them out of the house. The couple's gothic daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder), who can see ghosts, complicates matters. Michael Keaton's titular character is a smarmy "bio-exorcist" the Maitlands hire to help get rid of the family. Keaton is only onscreen for about 20 minutes, but those are the most iconic scenes of the film.

Tim Burton was behind another hair-raising family friendly film, though he served as the co-writer and co-producer on this title. "The Nightmare Before Christmas" is a stop-motion animated film featuring Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King, as he pursues his dream of being Santa Claus for a change in holiday pace. The residents of Halloween Town are darkly rendered but have a wide range of personalities that make it easy for children to find a favorite. Sally, Jack's love interest, assembled like Frankenstein's monster out of rag doll parts, has a sweet and protective disposition. The only character that might spook small children is Oogie Boogie, a singing and dancing bogeyman who threatens Santa. This film achieved cult status, and is particularly popular around the Halloween season.

"Hocus Pocus" is another popular film with a Halloween theme. The 1993 live-action movie starts in the past, during the times of the Salem Witch Trials, and introduces the Sanderson Sisters. The trio of sisters (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) is caught sucking the life out of children to gain eternal youth and beauty. While attacking one girl, the witches turn her brother, Binx, into a cat. The witches are killed by a mob, but issue a curse that if a virgin lights a candle during a full moon, the sisters will return. That happens in the 1990s when Max (Omri Katz) lights the candle to impress a girl and lures the witches onto the trail of him and his kid sister Dani (Thora Birch). The children, aided by the talking cat Binx, attempt to outwit the witches.

"The Witches," Jim Henson's classic film based on a Roald Dahl story, is much more sinister than "Hocus Pocus." A young boy (Jasen Fisher) stumbles upon the fact that a group of women has formed a witch society and is planning to turn all the world's children into mice. It is up to the boy and his plucky grandmother (Mai Zetterling) to take down the head witch, portrayed by a delightfully evil Angelica Huston. There are some genuine scares in this film as the witches' true appearances are less than pretty.

"Gremlins" has a pair of teenagers spending the night evading creatures somewhat more scaly than the characters in "Witches." After Billy (Zach Galligan) receives a mysterious Mogwai named Gizmo, he's told three rules for the upkeep of his new pet: don't get him wet, don't feed him after midnight, and never expose him to sunlight. After the first two rules are violated, Gizmo sprouts some new Mogwai, who have a much meaner disposition. It's a race across town for Billy to destroy the evil Mogwai and keep his friends and family safe.

When selecting a family friendly movie with scary elements, it's important to consider the ages and specific fears of the children involved. While "Arachnophobia" is appropriate for most ages, it wouldn't be wise to show it to a child who is already afraid of spiders. For the best message, choose films where the heroes, with the help of family or friends, win in the end. Providing useful articles, reviews and writings on movies and films online.

Tyler Perry's Newest Release of the Madea Movies

Tyler Perry has done it again in the latest of the Madea movies, "Madea's Witness Protection." The beloved wise-cracking African-American grandma is again making her presence known on the big screen. Played by the ever prolific and talented Tyler Perry himself, Madea opens her home to a family on the run from the Mob. Comic genius Eugene Levy plays the CFO of a New York investment house who is framed and accused of defrauding churches and charities. The boisterous "real-life" household of Madea forces his family and hers to learn some invaluable lessons. George Needleman, a high level CFO in New York City, is accused of spearheading a Ponzi scheme involving the mob. This forces his family into the witness protection program. Madea's house down south with her brother, Joe and nephew Brian is a place that absolutely no one will think to look for them.

While not necessarily intended to be Christian films, most Madea movies usually feature a distinctive Judeo-Christian worldview. "Madea's Witness Protection" takes a positive approach to the very touchy issues of race relations and shows how the average person can overcome racial bigotry by cultivating compassion and understanding. The character of Madea in Tyler Perry movies embodies a number of other themes, including: a teaching experience for living "The Golden Rule" within the family, letting go of excessive materials, and offering productive alternatives for dealing with anger. Madea helps to answer the question-Does God "punish us" for our sins? Other reinforcing moral qualities teach to welcome strangers, respect elders, and honor parents. Although Madea's character may reflect some irony with her Christian charity, she holds conviction not to be too self serving.

Perry has said in various interviews that he pulled from the various personalities in his own family to create his alter ego, Madea. However, he confesses that his childhood was difficult. "I was quiet and always felt out of place my entire life. We grew up poor, but somehow I always knew that I could have a better life. No one around me believed that. I ended up keeping all my dreams to myself because whenever I'd share them with people they'd end up tearing them apart." Yet even with all the emotional despair he suffered as a child, Tyler Perry is still able to create humorous characters like Madea who has developed into a beloved character with a fan base all her own.

"Madea's Witness Protection" is due for release on June, 29. As an American comedy-drama film directed, written, and produced by Tyler Perry, this will be the fourteenth film in Perry's film franchise, and the seventh in the Madea franchise."Madea's Witness Protection" is the fourth Tyler Perry film not adapted from a play alongside The Family That Preys, Daddy's Little Girls, and Good Deeds. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.

The Business of Movie Theaters: Films or Food?

Not so long ago people went to the movies to, well, see the movie. Now it's almost as if the movie has become secondary to the food and arcade games that most theaters have on offer. Montreal, as was the case in most cities, had its fair share of movie theaters - we didn't call them cinemas, to us they were movie theaters, plain and simple - both in the downtown core and in the suburbs.

These were often elaborately designed single-screen theaters showing films every night and offered matinees on the weekends and during school holidays. I recall the price being 75 cents before seven o'clock at which time the cost of admission shot up to a whopping $1.25! For that princely sum movie patrons were treated to a cartoon - usually a Blake Edwards'Pink Panther short which worked well in Montreal as it could be used in both French and English theaters given the lack of dialogue - in addition to the main feature.

But the price is not the issue; the price of everything has gone up over time. What has changed is the focus from movie house to all round food and entertainment center. Not all that long ago your admission fee got you into the theater to see the movie. There were, of course, snack bars where you could buy soft drinks, popcorn, candies and chips. But these were just for convenience because many people, perhaps most, brought their own snacks to the movie. I'm not talking about smuggling in contraband Twizzlers or Reese's Pieces, sneaking past ushers who look like they want to pat down movie goers. The goodies people brought to the theater were most welcome; after all they had paid their admission. It was a movie theater, not a restaurant - it was a Bring Your Own Food establishment

Movie goers would bring in, openly and honestly, snack items such as a box of a dozen Dunkin' Donuts and Dairy Queen milkshakes. Others brought submarine sandwiches or even hamburgers. Some folks even made special snacks at home and, along with a thermos of coffee settled in to enjoy the movie and munch on a ham on rye.

These days the film is almost an afterthought; once you get past the vast array of food on offer at exorbitant prices and run the gamut of the umpteen video games in the lobby, you can finally settle down to watch the feature.

The Movie business has changed. Long gone are the days when movie theaters were in the business of selling admission to films and providing convenience snack bar counters, but were BYOF! Providing useful articles, reviews and writings on movies and films online.

Daniel Craig's Start in Showbiz

With the release of "Skyfall," Daniel Craig has cemented his reputation as an exciting and talented addition to the James Bond franchise. His selection was a surprise to fans, many of whom had a tough time getting used to the first blonde actor to take on the role of the suave secret agent. However, Craig's portrayal of 007 has won audiences over. The success has also garnered up a good deal of interest in his start in the entertainment world.

Daniel Craig began acting at the age of six. His mother was responsible for fostering his interest in the stage with frequent trips to the Liverpool Everyman Theatre. Throughout his younger years, he appeared in several school plays. When he was 16, Craig auditioned for the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain. He was accepted in 1984 and subsequently moved to London to focus seriously on his acting career.

As part of the National Youth Theatre, Craig was able to tour Europe and Russia, fine-tuning his acting skills in the process. After four years, he succeeded in gaining entrance to the Guildhall School of Music & Drama where further training would introduce him to a new wave of top British actors, including Alistair McGowen, Ewan McGregor, Joseph Fiennes, and Damian Lewis.

The advanced instruction and career contacts paid off. Craig graduated in 1991, and he appeared in his first motion picture a year later. "The Power of One," starring Stephen Dorff and Morgan Freeman, turned out to be a lackluster adaptation of the popular book by Bryce Courtenay. Thankfully, it didn't slow down the young actor's career.

Throughout the 1990s, Craig stuck mainly to television roles in series like "Our Friends in the North" and "Tales from the Crypt." It wasn't until playing Alex West opposite Angelina Jolie in "Laura Croft: Tomb Raider" that his movie career really took off. Playing the underhanded treasure hunter-and rival to Britain's female counterpart to Indiana Jones-led to a role in the Tom Hanks hit "Road to Perdition" in 2002.

Craig's first award-nominating roles would come in 2004. The first was as sly cocaine dealer XXXX in "Layer Cake." This frantic, complicated story takes audiences deep into the British Mafia, where favors are owed and respect is earned and burned in a moment. The second was as Joe, a would-be rescuer and witness to a fatal accident in the drama "Enduring Love." Craig received European Film Award nominations for Best Actor for his work in both movies.

In 2005, Craig starred in Steven Spielberg's "Munich," the story of the five men hired to kill the assassins responsible for killing 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics. Craig starred alongside Eric Banna and Geoffrey Rush in the drama that went on to be nominated for five Oscars and two Golden Globes, and it also won the AFI Film Award for Movie of the Year.

The next year would see Craig's debut as British spy, James Bond, in the twenty-first official movie in the series. "Casino Royale" wasn't just the first time a blonde James Bond hit the screen. It was a reboot of the Bond experience, resetting the clock on the spy's years in service and establishing a new canon for the franchise.

Despite critics and fans struggling to accept these new changes, "Casino Royale" opened to great success. The film has earned just short of $600 million in sales worldwide, and at the time was the highest-earning movie in the series. The studios were shocked when the movie's popularity was surpassed by "Quantum of Solace" in 2008.

Originally resistant to be tied into a long-term contract, Craig was dismayed when studios put the brakes on James Bond installments while the economy teetered. Unlike other leads for the franchise, Craig did not put his acting on pause during his contract. From 2008 to the release of "Skyfall" in 2012, the actor starred in four major films, including the English version of the popular Swedish trilogy "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," as well as the science fiction favorite "Cowboys & Aliens."

Looking back on his long and varied career, many wonder how Daniel Craig joined the ranks of Hollywood's top actors. With his reserved demeanor and knack for staying out of celebrity gossip, Craig certainly seems to have the level of professionalism it takes to make it big. His talent in action, adventure, drama and even fantasy roles show he has the talent to continue making great films for years to come. It's humbling to realize he got his start on a typical stage in primary school among a crowd of six year olds. Providing useful articles, reviews and writings on movies and films online.

Bill Cunningham New York

The best documentaries are the ones that leave you feeling like you've had a religious experience - that you've either just encountered a holy person or experienced a conversion to some new cause or idea that had been previously unexplored. The best documentaries transcend the subject matter and touch another place altogether - that spiritual place. And so it is with Bill Cunningham New York, a delightful documentary directed by Richard Press about the octogenarian New York Times photojournalist who comes across as a monastic figure whose sanctuary is couture.

Prior to seeing the picture, I didn't know Bill Cunningham's work, but being a longtime reader of the New York Times, I was aware of his street photos, which have been a regular feature in the Style section for over thirty years, and the tension between ubiquity (he's a respected sage in the fashion industry) and anonymity (he's a discreet man who shuns the spotlight and money in order to enjoy guiltless freedom in what he does) is at the core of the movie and the man.

Cunningham was born and raised in Boston, and retains the distinctive accent where Central Park becomes Central Pahk. After dropping out of Harvard, he moved to New York, where an uncle who worked for Bonwit Teller, the high-end department store, took him in and got him a job as a stock boy. Cunningham's interest in fashion worried his family, who no-doubt feared that he was gay. Finally, tiring of his family's pressure to get a "straight" job, Cunningham moved out of his uncle's place in 1949 and found an empty space on East 52nd street where he set up a hat shop and designed under the name William J.

After a hitch in the army, Cunningham came back to New York where he began his career in journalism. He got on with Women's Wear Daily, and was given carte blanche to write about whatever interested him. When WWD wouldn't publish a piece he'd written about Courreges, the French designer, he quit.

In the 60's, Cunningham worked for the Chicago Tribune in their New York office. In 1966, he met a photographer named David Montgomery. When Cunningham expressed an interest in taking pictures, Montgomery gave him an Olympus Pen-D half frame camera and told him to use it like a notebook. Thus equipped, he entered a new phase of his career.

Cunningham took Montgomery's advice to heart, and it was during this time, as he was getting acquainted with the camera, that he had an epiphany. He wrote about this moment in a 2002 piece for the Times - "I realized that you didn't know anything unless you photographed the shows and the street, to see how people interpreted what designers hoped they would buy. I realized that the street was the missing ingredient." That realization, that the street was where fashion was worked out, led to an obsession with the streets of Manhattan, which became a kind of laboratory for Cunningham, who documented the daily fashion experiments, looking for patterns.

In the 70's, Cunningham started taking photographs for the Times, but it wasn't until 1978 - after a chance encounter with Greta Garbo and a nutria coat she was wearing - that he landed his current gig, covering the streets and the galas and the shows - the Bill Cunningham holy trinity of fashion.

Bill Cunningham New York is a mixture of talking head interviews, decades old archival footage of Cunningham, and present day coverage of the man on his daily rounds. Amazingly, Cunningham - nearly 80 at the filming of the picture - still gets around Manhattan on his trademark bicycle, moving from street corner to street corner to capture a few frames of some article of clothing or an accessory that catches his eye.

The man who emerges from all of this attention is a purist completely uninterested in industry politics, self-promotion, or celebrity. For him, it's all about the clothes...of others. Cunningham lives a Spartan existence. His apartment is a tiny studio at Carnegie Hall that has no kitchen or bathroom (he showers and takes care of other business in a common bathroom in the hallway). He sleeps on a makeshift cot. The rest of the living space is occupied not with furniture and art, but filing cabinets filled with prints and negatives - his experiments.

Cunningham dresses conservatively, and could easily be mistaken for a retired professor or accountant but for his trademark blue smock. Some years ago, he stumbled across the smock - designed for institutional use - in a department store section devoted to uniforms. It's a light jacket that Cunningham favors for its many pockets (to hold film and other paraphernalia) and rugged construction (his camera, which dangles from his neck like a giant medallion, is hell on coats). It looks like something Chairman Mao might have favored.

Cunningham has stripped his life down to the essentials so that he can devote as much of himself as possible to the documentation of what people are wearing. He's that rare person who, early on, discovered his calling, and has let nothing distract him from it. Seeing him at Carnegie Hall Towers, once can't help but view him as a kind of secular monk and Carnegie Hall as his monastery. Cunningham and his elderly neighbors, nearly forgotten artists from the mid-twentieth century, are as delightfully anachronistic as an encounter with a Franciscan monk or the Amish.

The difference with Cunningham is that, though he may not be of the world, he's definitely in the world. We see him in the offices of the Times, playfully bantering with co-workers. We see him in Paris at a major show, where a young gate-keeper keeps in out on the sidewalk until an older co-worker pushes her aside, declaring Cunningham to be "the most important man on earth." We see him on the street, dialed in like method actor or ballplayer, looking for that thing.

Bill Cunningham New York has blown the cover of its subject, but his loss of anonymity is our great gain. Providing articles, reviews and writings on movies online.