MOVIE REVIEWS Pirates, Mutants, and Ringslingers: Welcome to the Summer Blockbuster Season, Poozers!

So I know I've been more or less slacking on the movie reviews lately. Amazing how much time a sequel novel can take up isn't it? (By the way, The Last Ascension: Book Two of the Mavonduri Trilogy is going great, never mind the fact that it's kicking my ass six ways from Sunday). But, despite the juggling act I've been consistently performing between my dayjob and epic fantasy trilogy about a war between werewolves and a pre-Atlantean race of werewolf hunters, I have been able to get out of the house and have a little "me" time at the movies. And all on a pretty tight budget.

On that note, I would encourage everyone to try and donate blood at your local movie theater if such services are provided. Why? Three reasons: it's a good cause, the snacks are usually pretty good and keep your blood sugar up (though I wish my blood bus would stock back up on those Burger King French toast sticks) and more often than not you get a free movie ticket out of it. Ah, the joy of perks.

Anyway, enough babbling about, it's time for my craziest blog post yet. After the Thor review, I realized that I needed to change up the game a little bit, and so decided to hold off on doing individual reviews until Deathly Hallows Part 2 and Captain America hit screens. Now, without sounding like I'm trying to "stick it to the man" (looking at you, Ebert), I thought it would be a great exercise for me personally to do a three-in-one compare/contrast trifecta review of three of the most diverse blockbusters coming out within a less-than-one-month period this summer. Namely, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, X-Men: First Class, and Green Lantern. Plus, it makes for a pretty nifty blog title, if I do say so myself. So, what better way to do it than to get to it?

STORY

• PIRATES: The cool thing about OST is that it completely broke off from where the original trilogy ended. This is a Jack Sparrow movie and it's just about as neurotic and eccentric as the Captain himself. Yet, for a director who's usually known for his work in musicals, Rob Marshall shows that he can handle a sweeping, epic story just as well as Gore Verbinski. While he may be a bit green to this particular genre, Marshall did a good job maintaining each of the major storylines.
  Hearking back to the first film, On Stranger Tides is a quest story in which all participants in the quest have a specific goal for the prize. Whether the reasons are personally, religiously or politically motivated, it is the idea of "the Quest" that makes this epic pirate fantasy a good epic pirate fantasy. While watching the film, I found myself engaged with the story. I tried to figure out where it would lead, what turns it would take and where it would end up. There were times that I'd go right and the story would go left, and there were other times where I could pinpoint certain plot points and though I knew it would go there I was still satisfied with how it unfolded.
• GREEN LANTERN: I think it needs to be said that I did read an early draft of the Green Lantern script that was leaked online, and I enjoyed it immensely. That being said, I was unfortunately underwhelmed with the final story as presented in the film. Yes, there were elements of that initial script in the final cut and yes, it is the first in the franchise but then again so was Batman Begins. I'm not trying to say that I didn't like it, because I did. But all the same, I wish that the script I had read had ended up onscreen. While watching the film I could tell that there were a lot of plot points that had been cut out for whatever reasons. Maybe it was to focus more on Hal's story, maybe it was for budget reasons, I don't know, I didn't make the film. But with a universe as rich as Green Lantern's, Warner Bros. could have done a lot better story-wise for this film.
• X-MEN: FIRST CLASS: Now, this was a story! I remember the day I went to go see this film that Billy Corgan (I think) had said that X-Men: First Class was "a Saturday morning cartoon mixed with a Nazi revenge thriller set against the Cuban missile crisis", and that's exactly what it was, and it rocked. The pacing was perfectly done, because there is a lot to tell in this film, and it kept my attention for the entire duration of the film. Probably the story's strongest pillar was the friendship between Xavier and Magneto, and how that played out over the course of the film and how it changed each of the men at the conclusion. Throughout the film you see them discuss the idea of mutation and how mutants can coexist alongside humans, if they even can, and you can tell that each man has been shaped by their life experiences, one for better and one for worse. Never mind all the continuity issues, this is a fresh start for the X-Men series. And I want to see where it goes.

CHARACTERS

• PIRATES: First off, let's just get this one little point out of the way: You can't go wrong with Jack Sparrow. Give Johnny Depp a little and he'll get a mile out of it. That being said, everyone else was fantastic. It was great to see Kevin MacNally back as Joshamee Gibbs, and even better to see him first as being innocent of being accused as Jack Sparrow (genius writing!!). Geoffrey Rush brought a freshness back to Barbossa after the writers reimagined him as a Royal privateer, peg leg and all, and that his relationship with Jack was reinvigorated by that fact. Penelope Cruz created the perfect female foil for Jack, with Angelica matching Jack wit for wit and line for line. Unfortunately, Ian McShane's Edward Teach/Blackbeard left more to be desired. After hearing all the characters hyping him up for his ruthlessness and depravity, I found him to be quite a decent fellow all things considered. But then again, following Bill Nighy as Davy Jones is a pretty big hat to fill.
• GREEN LANTERN: Despite all my gripes with Green Lantern's story, I thought the characters were phenomenal. Ryan Reynolds proved that he can balance cockiness and a sharp tongue with emotional gravitas and empathy, and I was very pleasantly surprised with Blake Lively (who happens to be exactly as old as I am, to the day no less) as Carrol Ferris. Peter Sarsgaard always makes for a great villain, and he pulled off the creepiness of Hector Hammond sinisterly well. Geoffrey Rush and Michael Clarke Duncan lended their perfectly selected voices as Tomar-Re and Kilowog, respectively, although Kilowog's design could have been more piggish. My favorite performance, however, was one we didn't get to see enough of: Mark Strong as Thaal Sinestro. You could really see the sincerity of his performance in his eyes, and you knew that when he spoke of the power of fear he spoke reverently of it. Parallax was not a very convincing villain, and not as credible nor immediate a threat as Hammond, but it did widen the scope of the film.
• X-MEN: FIRST CLASS: First of all, it was great to see Kevin Bacon acting again. Second of all, it was great to see Kevin Bacon be a villain. Third of all, Kevin Bacon speaks sehr gut Deutsche. Sebastian Shaw (played by Bacon) is a villain who can harness kinetic energy and repurpose it, a perfect dark metaphor for the early years of the Cold War. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we have James McAvoy as Charles Xavier. This was one of the performances I was very interested in seeing, and was thoroughly satisfied with. Xavier in the '60s was, essentially, a womanizer. Using mutation as a pickup line to get chicks? Brilliant! It shows that there can be a freshness to old characters while still staying thematically true to what drives them. But the real star of this film is Michael Fassbender's Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto. This is a man who has suffered more than any of the other mutants we meet in the course of the film. He travels the world looking for the man who killed his mother, and all the while struggling with what he is, thinking that he's the only one of his kind. And while this is essentially true, he struggles with everyone else's idealistic way of handling things. Fassbender uses his talent to present a wide-angle view of Magneto's narrow-mindedness, and provides more gravitas than any villain I've yet seen. But this film is chock-full of strong supporting characters in addition to the names that will be on the posters. January Jones really makes the phrase "ice queen" come to life (yes, I know she turns into crystal and not ice!) and Lucas Till gave one of the surprise performances of the film as Alex Summers/Havok. And enough can't be said for Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique.

LAST THOUGHTS & OVERALL CRITIQUES

• PIRATES: Probably the best "fourth film" in a given franchise that I've seen in all my years of movie going. Solid story, good character actors to give character performances, a fresh take on some old faces (I'm looking at you, Geoffrey) and a very interesting ending scene and after-credits scene to whet your fanboy brains about Pirates of the Caribbean 5. Not to mention the fact that it's now in the Top 10 All-Time Grossing Movies list. Gotta count for something, right?
• GREEN LANTERN: Unfortunately adequate. Grant Major did a hell of a design job and Reynolds and Strong gave very solid performances, but it seems to me like Warner Bros. could have risked more than they did and had the next Batman Begins on their hands. But, as a comic book fan, I did like it overall, and would go see it again.
• X-MEN: FIRST CLASS: Yes, yes, and YES. Finally, Fox got something right and breathed new life into the franchise by stripping it down and rebuilding it bit by bit. My only concern now is that the inevitable sequel be just as good if not better than this first. But that was a movie I thoroughly enjoyed, and will definitely go see again before Captain America hits theaters.

Well, that's it for me for now (I do have a book to write, after all). Stay tuned to the MAVONDURI TRILOGY OFFICIAL BLOG for more Book 2 News and Movie Reviews. Next month is going to be one hell of a joyride as we say goodbye to Harry Potter with Deathly Hallows Part 2 and hello to the First Avenger with Captain America. Be sure to be following me on Twitter @Mavonduri, and why not add me on Facebook?

By the way, I just finished watching The Social Network with my brother, and....Inception was better. Night folks!!

NOTES FROM THE JOURNALS OF PROF. CILLIAN R. KHANDJIAN -- A preview of "THE LAST ASCENSION"

These documents I have recovered are fragmentary at best; not surprising since they are many thousands of years old. The most complete work is that of Hâr-Mathion Mavonduri’s youth, which has no doubt been compiled and seen by many in the decades following my death. However, as I delved further into the Last King’s history, the documents became scarcer and the picture less complete. Even so, by the time of Hâr-Mathion’s reign as King of the Wolven, the only certifiable source materials that can be counted as one hundred percent credible are Mathion’s own journals and accounts given by his son Ser-Mathios.

...

The translation of “Wolfsbane” that I have employed is not simply practical or a matter of convenience. Upon examination of the description of the plant in question as identified in the documents as Íneña or “the Leaf (i.e. ‘flower’) of Íne,” it can be safely assumed that they are one and the same. The Wolfsbane or monkshood plant (aconitum lycotonum is probably the most likely candidate for its exact identification) can have leaves of a blue or purplish hue and hangs low like the hood of a monk (hence the moniker “monkshood”) and secretes a poison harmful to humans. The Wolven’s immune system is apparently able to metabolize this poison and negate the effects of the werewolf’s toxic bite. In addition, the Wolfsbane poison is actually harmful to the Kânín themselves—understandable now why they would burn fields of these plants as a preemptive battle strategy.

This is another quality of the heretofore “mythical” beast that I cannot find in any research conducted on lycanthropic attributes in the victims. This “toxic saliva” is only found in a wholly unrelated species of giant lizard (or dragon according to some reports) from an island in the far Pacific. I can confidently say that this is not a form of the rabies virus common in most species of wild canines or rodents. Nevertheless, as I further comb these fantastic documents I am learning about a world from before our own, as alike and different to it as one can imagine.

Many details from this point forward are scant or untranslatable, although I have done my best to translate given the very limited amount of documentation in my possession. Where there is not sufficient translatable material, I will attempt to fill in the gaps with my own assumptions, incorrect as they might be.

The God of Thunder Strikes Like Lightning (SPOILERIFIC REVIEW)

So the summer movie season has officially begun, and I have to say it's off to a thunderous (pun intended) good start. Kenneth Branagh's THOR is a true scifi/fantasy epic, blending seamlessly into the Marvel Cinematic Universe while standing on its own at the same time. Now, no film is perfect and THOR is no exception. But it's certainly a movie worth checking out.

THOR plays into the "ancient astronaut" theory very well and believably, portraying the mythic Asgardians as extremely advanced extraterrestrials (but not "alien" in the traditional sense). The titular protagonist, portrayed surprisingly well by relative (but not for long) unknown Chris Hemsworth, is a valiant, courageous yet arrogant warrior, albeit with good intentions. I have to admit, the casting of Hemsworth was my biggest concern about the film, and I am very pleased that those fears were allayed. Hemsworth proved himself capable of handling the God of Thunder's arc on the same level as Robert Downey Jr. did with IRON MAN, and that's saying something. Hemsworth hits all the right notes in this film, from where his arrogance consumes him in the beginning to that pivotal moment when he steps in front of the Destroyer, realizing that true strength stems from humility and self sacrifice. And every moment in between. While this isn't your Shakespearean "thee" and "thou" Thor (try saying that three times fast), the oddity in his speech and his actions compared to his earthly companions is exactly what should be expected, and uproariously funny to watch at times. Not to mention what is probably Branagh's most genius move as director on the project, to have the God of Thunder taken down by a Taser. Irony doesn't get more epic than that!

Of course, a leading man is only as good as the cast around him, and this is one hell of a cast. Not enough can be said for Tom Hiddelston as Loki, who's first minutes of screentime are all played through his eyes. While Loki is indeed the god of mischief, Hiddelston adds gravitas and sympathy to the role, and I can't remember ever really feeling for a villain before. Having been kept from the truth about his origins, one can see why he would go to the lengths that he does, all for the approval of his adoptive father.

Speaking of Anthony Hopkins, he gives Odin Allfather the theatrical credit this film needed for audiences to get their heads into it. While Odin is king of Asgard, his stoic persona can be, and is, shattered by his sons' actions. When it falls to Odin to pass judgment on Thor for his defiance, unlike the trailer which showed him stripping Thor of his powers with authority, in the actual cut Hopkins is shown in apparent physical as well as emotional pain. This gives the character of Odin more substance than I think most people thought he was going to have.

The trio of Natalie Portman--excuse me, Academy Award-winning Natalie Portman, Kat Jennings and Stellan Sarsgaard make up Thor's earthly companions Jane Foster, Darcy Lewis, and Erik Selvig. Researching Einstein-Rosen Bridges (aka wormholes), they encounter Thor in the desert and are soon entangled in the events unfolding as Thor seeks to reclaim his hammer Mjolnir and with it his powers. Dennings is, appropriately enough, mostly comic relief, and Sarsgaard's Selvig is the access character for everyone else in the film to the Norse myths and legends about the Asgardians.

Branagh shows tremendous poise in the Asgardian half of the film, it's only in the earth portions of the film that one can see a few chinks in his directorial armor. Branagh has a natural knack for classically epic filmmaking, as he proved in MARY SHELLY'S FRANKENSTEIN (one of my favorite films). However, he makes up for those flaws with some surprisingly well-placed comedic timing that will definitely appeal to the general audience.

It was great to see Clark Gregg back as Agent Coulson, as a way to tie THOR with the rest of the MCU. And not to mention (SPOILER!!) a cameo from Jeremy Renner as "Barton" (hint hint).

I think the thing that made this movie a real treat was the design. Branagh's sense of scale in this film is beyond anything I've seen in a comic book movie to date, and was really breathtaking to see. I don't know how he did it, but I loved the melding of the seemingly ancient and highly advanced (with a few Futhark runes thrown in for good measure here and there). Asgard, Jotunheim, and earth, how they're all interconnected through the Bifrost (rainbow bridge) but a wholly fascinating way that makes me want to explore it more.

All in all, THOR has successfully kicked off the summer movie season, and is definitely worthy of repeat viewings if anything for all the details that you would've missed on the first go-round. On a scale of "meh" to "epic", THOR is most definitely epic.

Fanboys' Delight: The Summer Movie Season Part 1- Here Come the Heroes

Every year, Hollywood studios save their biggest guns and most lucrative franchises for the months of May, June, and July (sometimes August). This is the time when fantastical stories (GREEN LANTERN, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2), mythic figures (THOR, CONAN THE BARBARIAN) and iconic characters (TRANSFORMERS 3, CAPTAIN AMERICA, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 4) take center stage. But not every movie is guaranteed to be a surefire win of epic proportions. And thus, the double-bladed irony of what is known as "fanboyism".

For the sake of my fingers, I'm going to split this into two posts. In this one, I'll be covering the 3 major superhero tentpoles of summer 2011. Read on (possible spoilers ahead!) and enjoy...

As a fantasy author, I'm constantly researching the histories, languages, cultures, architectural styles, and most importantly the mythologies of ancient civilizations for inspiration in THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY's own mythology (case in point, I have a sketch of the werewolf fortress of Ak'horokaš, and it drew heavy inspiration from Mayan and Aztec architectural design--more on that later). At the same time, I'm also an ardent comic book geek. I've always sided more with DC than Marvel (that's for another day!!) but when it comes to Norse mythology I just can't say no. There's something inherently appealing in there that makes it easy to understand why Marvel turned one of the Norse's greatest heroes into one of it's most beloved comics. And with Kenneth Branagh bringing the God of Thunder to life for his silver screen debut, I have very high hopes for this movie. Branagh, coming from a theatrical background, knows exactly the right amount of prose to use, and how much of that "high style" tone to incorporate as well, something he's very skilled at. Also, this is Branagh's biggest movie since he directed "Mary Shelly's Franeknstein" with Robert De Niro, a film I thoroughly enjoyed.
THOR is a big risk for Marvel, which is currently really pushing it's "Marvel Cinematic Universe" (and the AVENGERS film that will be a direct result of it next summer), mainly because the general audience hasn't seen their version of the character before, aside from vague memories of the original "Amazing Spider-Man" cartoon. But the premise of a god who has to learn how to be a hero by being human, and overcoming his own arrogance, is compelling enough so that when the action kicks in we'll already be enjoying the ride. Tom Hiddleston has been getting rave reviews for his performance as Thor's scheming brother Loki (appropriately, the Norse god of mischief), so I'm very excited to see how he plays his role.

And with Anthony Hopkins as Odin...well, need I say more?

Keeping the Marvel theme going, let's talk CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, shall we? I'm not going to lie, I was never into the guy in the comics. No, I'm not saying I didn't like him, I just didn't get him. But after seeing the latest trailer, I'm actually pretty intrigued to see this. Chris Evans, while not the first choice I would've made in casting the Cap, seems eager to get away from Johnny Storm, and he's got a great supporting cast around him to help him do just that.

Hugo Weaving always plays a damn good villain, and with Tommy Lee Jones and Stanley Tucci there's a pretty good chance that this movie can be just as enjoyable as THOR. Joe Johnston, the director responsible for THE MUMMY and more recently G.I. JOE and THE WOLFMAN, is sort of a hit-or-miss director and doesn't have me as excited for Captain America as I am for Thor. But there's no doubt that this movie will be a huge hit after the killing of Osama bin Laden, not only here but around the world as well. Amazing how things work out sometimes, isn't it?

As I've said, I'm more of a DC fanboy than a Marvel fanboy, which is why I'm most excited for Warner Bros' GREEN LANTERN. Call it my Most Anticipated Superhero Movie of 2011. The Green Lantern comics have a rich history and complex mythology to stand on, and despite the fact that he's a so-called "second tier" hero compared to DC's big three, that puts absolutely no pressure whatsoever on Hal Jordan to stand next to them, because his story as it has developed over the last forty someodd years is one of the most unique in comics. Whereas Superman and (until recently) Batman are the sole heralds of their insignias, Hal Jordan is a Green Lantern, one of only 3,600 sentient beings given the responsibility of wielding a tool of near-limitless power, a ring that, according to Tomar-Re (voiced by Geoffrey Rush), "turns thought into reality" through the user's willpower. But there's a catch: in order to access the ring's capabilities, the wearer must possess the ability to overcome fear, in the comics and film personified by a demonic being of pure yellow energy known as Parallax.
Now, while my preferred choice for Jordan was Bradley Cooper, I think Warners and director Martin Campbell (of James Bond fame) made a very shrewd casting call by giving the part to Ryan Reynolds. While mostly known for his comedic timing, Reynolds has proven his dramatic mettle in such films as the AMITYVILLE HORROR remake and the more recent BURIED. Reynolds has that right blend to make Jordan fearless, and cocky because of it, which of course gets him in as much trouble as it does help his willpower as a Lantern. Surrounding him, like Chris Evans with CAPTAIN AMERICA, is a finely well rounded cast (Mark Strong as Sinestro!!!).

Peter Sarsgaard, always a favorite actor of mine, gets his turn as a villain as Hector Hammond, and he looks grotesquely amazing from what I've seen thus far. Add the voice talents of the above-mentioned Geoffrey Rush as Tomar-Re and Michael Clarke Duncan (who better?) as Kilowog, Jordan's fellow Corpsmen, and you can bet that GREEN LANTERN is going to be the surprise hit of summer '11.

Stay tuned for the next edition of FANBOYS' DELIGHT, where I'll give my thoughts on X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON, PIRATES OF THR CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES, CONAN THE BARBARIAN and of course, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2

The Fantasy Genre, Post-Harry Potter

First off, let me start by saying that I am SO excited for the climactic conclusion to the Harry Potter film series. A huge thank you goes out from me to both JK Rowling and Steve Kloves for writing these stories and mythology for both print and film. But I digress...

With the release of "HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 2" on July 15, a long, prosperous and truly epic era of fantasy literature finally comes to and end. This sort of seminal event is of the once-a-generation variety of rare, and most of us have grown up with the series since elementary school. It's been a wild ride no doubt but there is a question to ask: What will succeed Harry Potter?

Right now we have Twilight, the Inheritance Cycle, and others dominating the fantasy genre, but none of them have had the impact comparable to Harry Potter or even Lord of the Rings, which I would say are the two most influential works of fantasy literature of the past 60+ years. I have never, and WILL never, hid my disdain for Twilight, but rest assured there are for very specific reasons for that disdain. I will not delve into them here.

Since MATHION: BOOK ONE OF THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY has seen its release, it has (for the most part) been welcomed with considerable praise. I could not be more grateful to those who took the time to not only read the book but review it. Both the positive and negative reviews are welcomed, as the positive reviews give me great confidence as I continue writing, and the negative reviews keep me from getting too far ahead of myself. I hope, to all of you who are looking forward to "THE LAST ASCENSION: BOOK TWO OF THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY", that I can live up to your expectations, and that you enjoy reading these books as much as I enjoy writing them.

I will never make any attempt at comparing THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY to any previous work of the fantasy genre in terms of being "the best", for lack of better expression. That determination can only be made by YOU, the readers and critics and fans. So the answer to my question, "What will succeed Harry Potter?" I will leave for the readers to answer.

But I hope to God no one says "Twilight"...freaking fangirls man.

Excerpt from UNSEEN- Chapter I of THE LAST ASCENSION BOOK TWO OF THE MAVONDURI TRILOGY

Chapter I – Unseen
Five hundred and eighty-three years after the Battle of Ak’horokaš…

§Hâr-Tharion, Ser-Mathion, and Ser-Mathios were riding along the Red Mountains, returning home after holding council with Belevâk, the Mountain-lord of Hádakaš. Belevâk was now very old. Having been nine hundred and six years old during the time of the Great Alliance, he was now eleven years shy of his fifteenth century, and there was far more grey to be seen in his hair than when Mathion first met him. Mathion had changed as well. No longer counted among the “young people” of Ánovén, Mathion had only the year prior reached the age of one thousand, during the course of which he had garnered many victories against the Kânín.  
§His son Mathios was now four hundred and twenty-eight years old, and a perfect replica of Mathion himself at that age, save for Mathios’s red hair. For much of the last ten years, Mathios had spent his time in Kôvudén, joining the Watchers guarding King Lehadi X. As a result, he had adopted many Kôvudénean customs, and now rode with his sword sheathed behind his back.
§Tharion, by the grace of Ka’én, was now one thousand, five hundred and twenty-four years old, the oldest King of recent memory. Not only was his sheer age a rarity, but Tharion did not succumb to senility nor dementia, two maladies which often plagued many of the Elders in their waning years, as had been the case with Mahavir of the clan of Úrevos. Tharion was neither crippled nor bent with age, but tall and proud as ever, save that his hair had now become as white as Elekan’s fur. Some said that it was not simply by the grace of Ka’én that Tharion had lived for so long, but that Mathion’s Wolfstone had blessed his entire family.

The MATHION Twitterview

Well on Sunday the world got it's first real look at MATHION: BOOK ONE OF THR MAVONDURI TRILOGY. How else can you really put it? Novel Publicity, and William Linde in particular, were gracious hosts and I was introduced to a wide audience of fantasy authors and readers alike, who's love and respect for the genre really touched me. It was a challenge keeping all of my responses down to one tweet though! If you missed the big day, fear not, I've got you covered. I've posted the first 4 questions from the twitterview here, the rest you can find here: on Novel Publicity's website.

Get your copy of MATHION today via Nook or Kindle and witness the beginning of the saga!