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Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Are you interested in a PG-13 Terminator movie?
If you can block out the din of daily life around here, that wailing you can hear in the distance is the sci-fi geek crowd crying foul over the new Terminator movie.
Specifically, they’re upset that Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins (kind of a mouthful, innit it?) due out May of next year, will be rated PG-13.
This is similar to the hue and cry that was raised when Live Free or Die Hard came out with a PG-13 last year, but I thought that “controversy” was overblown. I liked the movie, but I didn’t sit there thinking, “Man, this would be SO much better if there were more blood and McClane said “f—-” a lot.” Instead, I was thinking, “Man, this would be SO much better if the villain were stronger and if the action weren’t so derivative.”
With the Terminator franchise, I think the complaints are more valid because the new movie is set during the big future war between man and machine, and rating a war movie PG-13 seems, well - stupid.
UPDATE: Commenter “Ronster” made an excellent point when he said: “To me, the diff on R and PG13 is whether the filmmaker intends the movie for an adult or non-adult audience, primarily, and in marketing, surprise/shock value, themes and approach. Ratings are about age-appropriateness, not about filmic quality… or at least, that’s what they USED to be about… “
One of the ratings boards’ failings, in my view, is that they tend to be lax on violence. If last year’s Beowulf had been a live action movie it would have been rated R without a doubt, and yet, because the violence was “digitized,” that makes it less impactful. Um … sure.
When it comes to Terminator that makes me wonder. The first Terminator would still clearly be an R now. But I have to wonder whether Terminator 2 would be rated R by today’s board since it doesn’t have a lot of graphic violence and there’s no sex. Yesterday’s R may be today’s PG-13.
That said, I have a bigger problem with the new movie, and I can boil it down to three letters: McG.
II”mm aallrreeaaddyyy ggettiinngg ttrreemmoorrss at the idea of that director bringing his ultra ADD style to this franchise. His Charlie’s Angels movies shot my optic and auditory nerves for weeks, with the sequel being so bad it made me think the second Legally Blonde was nearly a great movie. I wish the geeks would cry about McG more.
And I don’t know what possessed Christian Bale (who will play John Connor) to star in this movie with McG directing. I’m hoping he’ll snap and direct the movie himself when he realizes that McG’s takes only last four seconds max.
Do we need a PG-13 Terminator? Or another Terminator movie period, for that matter?
Permalink | Comments (7) | Post your comment | Categories: Coming Attractions
Today’s DVDs: Caution: Do not eat before reading
(Walks in DVD store)
OK, let’s see what we’ve got today on the new release wall. Hmmm.
First Sunday: January release with Ice Cube. Says “Comedy.” Kinda doubt it. Next.
I’m Not There: Well, this one I can kinda sorta recommend. It’s certainly bold and unique in its execution, by telling the story of Bob Dylan using actors of different ages, races and even genders. Unlike some critics, I don’t believe an innovative idea equals a great movie all by itself. There’s this little thing called execution that matters too, and that’s pretty uneven. Cinephiles should check it out just for Cate Blanchett’s amazing work, and Bob Dylan aficionados will get into it, but Scorsese’s No Direction Home was good enough for me. I’d give it a B-.
Over Her Dead Body: And her dead movie. Proof positive that Eva Longoria may be a babe, but she ain’t a movie star. What the heck is Paul Rudd doing in this? Did he smoke too many joints doing research for Forgetting Sarah Marshall?
Geez, this selection really stinks. You’d think this were the summer movie season or something.
PS I Love You: I never know what to make of movies that have Beatles songs in their titles but they aren’t Beatle movies. Do I give the movies credit for having good taste or do I sneer at them for associating Beatle tunes with mediocrity? I’d like to think this Hilary Swank vehicle is worthwhile, because it’s written and directed by Richard LaGravanese, who I really like. He made Freedom Writers with Swank, which was a solid little gem, but everything I’ve read about this movie screams “drippy melodrama.” Nah.
Oh, wait, I overlooked this one back here in the H’s …
The Hottie and the Nottie. Paris Hilton.
You know what folks? I’m sorry to have bothered you. Just go back and comment on one of my Iron Man posts or something. I really gotta go.
(Runs out the door searching frantically for the nearest bottle filled with a certain pink liquid)
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: On Video/DVD
