The Incredible Hulk

Now is the season for movie studios to roll out their blockbuster comic book movies, and the field is a little crowded this summer, with three that I can think of offhand (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, and The Dark Knight). If you broaden the category to include superhero movies generally, than I guess you can add Will Smith's upcoming Hancock to the mix, bringing the total to four.

Marvel brought us Iron Man a short while ago, and now we have The Incredible Hulk, which sort of seems like a sequel to 2003's Hulk, but not really. New director, new leading man, new love interest, and it doesn't seem like the new story picks up where the last one left off, so I don't know what's up with that. The new one stars Ed Norton (Rounders), whom I LOVE. No movie he's in can ever be that bad. I must admit that the caliber of actors portraying these comic book characters is quite good. Norton takes the reigns over from Eric Bana (the last Hulk) as Bruce Banner, the scientist whose experiment goes horribly wrong, transforming him into a mammoth green monster. The movie opens with a refresher that rolls during the opening credits, if you pay attention. We see Bruce trying his experiment on himself, and then turning into the Hulk. Unbeknownst to Bruce, the experimental drug was intended to be used as a military weapon. Now that he has turned into the Hulk and fled, the Army is after him so they can refine the drug and begin using it. When we meet Bruce he is on the lam, hiding out in Brazil, working in a bottling factory and managing his "condition" with breathing techniques to avoid getting angry and hulking out. William Hurt (Mr. Brooks) is the Army general on his trail, and his daughter Elizabeth (played by Liv Tyler of The Strangers) is the lovely doctor and girlfriend Bruce left behind.

Ed Norton brings a quiet, sympathetic thoughtfulness to Bruce Banner, and he seems like more of a tortured creature than a terrifying monster. This is underscored by the relationship between Bruce and Elizabeth. Their scenes are sweet and tender, both when it's Bruce and Elizabeth and the Hulk and Elizabeth. The latter scenes reminded me of King Kong, watching this huge thing carry a woman in its arms. Despite relying heavily on obvious CGI effects, I still felt that the movie was very good and wasn't hampered by the apparent inauthenticity of the Hulk. You know what's funny though? When the Hulk busts out of his clothes, he manages to keep his pants on. LOL, how is that possible? I mean, I'm not saying I want to see what's underneath, I'm just sayin'. It doesn't make sense. Regarding the performances, Norton and Tyler had good chemistry together. Not much was required of William Hurt or Tim Roth (Gridlock'd) as the villains, but the presence of such accomplished actors can only enhance a movie. All in all, The Incredible Hulk is a worthy addition to the field of comic book flicks coming out this summer.

The Happening

Poor guy. I don't know whether director M. Night Shyamalan should consider himself lucky or snake-bitten. His first chance at bat (The Sixth Sense) resulted in a home run, while his subsequent films have ranged from solid (The Village, in my humble opinion) to average (Signs). I think he will forever be held to the standard he established with The Sixth Sense, which is somewhat unfortunate. I considered that movie to have been groundbreaking, and it's one of my all-time favorites. It's almost unfair to expect Night to duplicate his initial success, but he's become sort of a joke in some circles.

Regarding his latest effort, The Happening, I must say that I enjoyed it. My opinion is not the prevailing sentiment, but I stand behind it. To each her own. I thought the movie was very high-concept on an micro-level, but I know others will take issue with the overarching outer concept, which is a bit fairy-tale ish. I apologize for the cryptic review, but I really don't want to spoil the movie. The Happening chilled me to the bone. Maybe that's lame on my part, but the concept of the movie was horrifying to me, and if it ever really happened in real life it would be the worst thing the U.S. has seen since 9/11, EASILY. Marketed as Night's first R rated movie, opening on Friday 13th, The Happening was absolutely frightening. It basically explores what could happen if Mother Earth decided to punish her children for their misdeeds. Yeah, chew on that one for a second.

As I've mentioned before, I enjoy the psychological questions that doomsday movies present, and there were plenty of moral dilemmas and tough choices raised by the movie. The sense of urgency and panic in the movie resonated deeply with me, and I was on the edge of my seat throughout. Mark Wahlberg is an effective leading man, though he delivered some lines with a little to much wholesome innocence, if that makes any sense. Maybe I'm just used to him playing a bad ass.

Of course this movie is not on the level of The Sixth Sense, and we should stop holding Night to that standard and just enjoy his movies for what they are. For all of you that see this movie, hit me up, I'm curious as to what you think. tanyarlane@gmail.com

The Strangers

Yikes! This one gave me the heebie geebies, I can't lie. The Strangers tells the story of an estranged couple's absolutely terrifying night in a secluded cabin. James and Kristen have attended a friend's wedding, and are spending the night in a cabin belonging to James' family - one where he spent his childhood. We learn that something is wrong with this couple fairly quickly. It seems that Kristen has refused James' marriage proposal, and the two must spend an awkward night together in the cabin. Don't worry, I didn't spoil anything for you: that little detail means nothing. Anyway, I mention that part of the story because it sets the stage early for the nature and progression of their realtionshiop, as events force them together, physically and emotionally. The movie is tinged with sadness from the very beginning. Although the pair have recently ended their relationship, their love and concern for one another is evident throughout the movie. Anyway, on to the stuff you really care about. I'd say that on a scariness scale of 1-10, I'd give it an 8. I think that's pretty good. I can't give it a perfect 10, because certain parts (as with most horror flicks) exasperated me. It started off pretty strong because it was realistic. James and Kristen pretty much reacted the way you or I would. They were placed in a fucked up situation and were at the mercy of others, essentially powerless. Let me tell you about the plot quick-fast, it's really simple: a family (mom, dad, and teenage daughter) are terrorizing James and Kristen. Why? No reason. And that's the scary part. I think it makes us feel better as human beings if we can look at tragedy and say, "well, they did it for revenge, or for money, etc..." When Kristen asks the strangers why they are doing this to her and James, the answer is simple and chilling: "because you were home." Oh shit! I just scared myself. I'm sleeping with the light on.

Sex and the City

The mother of all "chick flicks" arrived and took theaters by storm. Much hyped, highly anticipated, Sex and the City met expectations - both from a financial standpoint and in the minds' of fans. I wasn't an ardent viewer of the show, but I have the first couple of seasons on DVD and knew enough about the series to keep up. The movie did a good job of explaining each character's backstory and history for any first-time viewers. Samantha is as sex-crazed as ever, Charlotte the embodiment of sophisticated motherhood, Miranda the analytical, self-absorbed ladder-climber, and Carrie, the complicated fashionista that holds them all-together. I know that was a corny synopsis, but gimme a break. I'm not trying to do an in-depth character analysis here! They're all a little more complex and not as one-dimensional as I just described, but you get the idea. Call me a slacker, but I'm not going to spend any more time on this review. It is what it is. I think if you were a fan of the show, you won't be disappointed with the movie. Most people were pleased with it. One thing I have to take issue with is the insane level of excitement expressed by some women. One said it was women's version of the Superbowl. Pump your brakes sweetie. More estrogen than the studio audience at the Oprah show, but it was a good time.