Showing posts with label King Kong. Show all posts
Showing posts with label King Kong. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 05, 2024
Brides of Kong
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Going Ape for Kong: Skull Island
Minor spoilers follow for Kong: Skull Island.
The original King Kong (Merian C. Cooper, 1933) was a masterpiece of fantasy, adventure, imagination and romance; it remains the standard for films of its genre, and indeed ranks highly in the western canon of film, genre or otherwise. While Kong: Skull Island (Jordan Vogt-Roberts, 2017) does not reach the lofty heights of the original, it is nonetheless a thrilling, rollicking adventure of the type we see all too rarely these days. Simply put, it's an old-fashioned tale of man vs. nature, told with modern-day flourishes and a refreshing lack of irony.
In the closing days of the Vietnam War, a the men and women of shadowy U.S. government program called Monarch seek to prove the existence of colossal monsters around the planet. With new evidence from cutting-edge (for the time) satellite imagery, Monach is given the go-ahead to investigate the mysterious Skull Island, one of the last unexplored places on Earth, a rocky archipelago surrounded by a continuous storm system. The expedition goes awry almost immediately as the explorers encounter an enraged King Kong, who swats their helicopters from the sky like they're toys.
Most of the survivors realize that the mission is a wash and escape from Skull Island is now the top priority. But Colonel Packard (Samuel L. Jackson) wants revenge and vows to kill Kong even though his plan threatens the survival of the entire team. Which of the dozen or so expeditionary survivors will live through the onslaught of giant spiders, insects, octopi and Kong himself? And how will Hank Marlow (John C. Reilly in a scene-stealing comic relief performance), a pilot shot down over Skull Island in 1944, help or hinder them?
The best adventure films give you a set of protagonists to root for, set against formidable challenges in an exotic environment. Kong: Skull Island uses those tropes with skill and authority. Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson (as a British commando and a photojournalist, respectively) make an engaging, sympathetic and platonic screen couple. Supporting players make up a mix of Vietnam veterans and Monarch scientists, led ably by the always entertaining John Goodman. The film does not fall prey to the so-called "idiot plot;" each character's actions is believable in the context of their situation, and even Jackson's character is given ample motivation for his choices; he's not insane, he's simply in error. And it's easy to feel that many in his position would have made the same mistakes.
Kong: Skull Island isn't a classic in the vein of the original - who could ever match that ending? - but it is a worthwhile, well-made action-adventure monster movie. Three and a half skulls out of five!
The original King Kong (Merian C. Cooper, 1933) was a masterpiece of fantasy, adventure, imagination and romance; it remains the standard for films of its genre, and indeed ranks highly in the western canon of film, genre or otherwise. While Kong: Skull Island (Jordan Vogt-Roberts, 2017) does not reach the lofty heights of the original, it is nonetheless a thrilling, rollicking adventure of the type we see all too rarely these days. Simply put, it's an old-fashioned tale of man vs. nature, told with modern-day flourishes and a refreshing lack of irony.
In the closing days of the Vietnam War, a the men and women of shadowy U.S. government program called Monarch seek to prove the existence of colossal monsters around the planet. With new evidence from cutting-edge (for the time) satellite imagery, Monach is given the go-ahead to investigate the mysterious Skull Island, one of the last unexplored places on Earth, a rocky archipelago surrounded by a continuous storm system. The expedition goes awry almost immediately as the explorers encounter an enraged King Kong, who swats their helicopters from the sky like they're toys.
Most of the survivors realize that the mission is a wash and escape from Skull Island is now the top priority. But Colonel Packard (Samuel L. Jackson) wants revenge and vows to kill Kong even though his plan threatens the survival of the entire team. Which of the dozen or so expeditionary survivors will live through the onslaught of giant spiders, insects, octopi and Kong himself? And how will Hank Marlow (John C. Reilly in a scene-stealing comic relief performance), a pilot shot down over Skull Island in 1944, help or hinder them?
The best adventure films give you a set of protagonists to root for, set against formidable challenges in an exotic environment. Kong: Skull Island uses those tropes with skill and authority. Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson (as a British commando and a photojournalist, respectively) make an engaging, sympathetic and platonic screen couple. Supporting players make up a mix of Vietnam veterans and Monarch scientists, led ably by the always entertaining John Goodman. The film does not fall prey to the so-called "idiot plot;" each character's actions is believable in the context of their situation, and even Jackson's character is given ample motivation for his choices; he's not insane, he's simply in error. And it's easy to feel that many in his position would have made the same mistakes.
Kong: Skull Island isn't a classic in the vein of the original - who could ever match that ending? - but it is a worthwhile, well-made action-adventure monster movie. Three and a half skulls out of five!
Monday, January 02, 2006
How I Spent My Solstice Vacation
In a couple days I start my new job, so it seems appropriate to report on some of my activities since leaving Hole's back in October.
Caught in the act of housekeeping.
Naturally, I spent some time catching up on a few unfamiliar activities, including helping Sylvia with the laundry.
Jeff, Colin and Pete prepare for another round of violent role-playing.
I had plenty of free time for social activities, participating in a number of healthy roleplaying sessions. (During this particular adventure, we had to slaughter several astronauts who were possessed by evil alien beings.)
After seeing King Kong.
Sylvia and I took in a few movies, both at home and at the theatre. I really enjoyed King Kong, particularly the New York sequences and the magnificently staged climax, while Sylvia found the extensive CGI distracting.
Sylvia and the goat.
On Christmas Eve, our friends Colin and Julie were kind enough to invite us over to their acreage for snacks and companionship. There, Sylvia was introduced to this charming baby goat.
Too much cuteness can cause acute nausea.
...no, we are not getting a goat.
Sylvia rips open her presents.
Later that evening, we travelled to Sylvia's parents' place to open some Christmas presents.
Beware falling wrapping paper.
The following morning, we repeated the task at my parents' abode.
Earl prepares for the New Year's Eve gathering.
Sylvia and I decided that we should try to host some sort of event this year, which gave me a reason to vacuum.
Woods Bros. Representin', Yo!
Sean came over to help.
Battle of the Seans!
Sean was beside himself before the event.
Sylvia looks on in horror as Sean gulps down a whole bottle of champagne!
But a little liquid courage went a long way.
Earl and Sylvia pose (photo by Sean Woods).
Sylvia and I were looking forward to a better year. 2005 was a little rough, from Lois' passing to family health problems to my own career changes.
Sean catches a bubble (photo by Mike Totman).
With the right attitude, however, such challenges can be overcome.
More tomfoolery in 2006!
Our friends Carl and Suzanne, Mike, and Jim and Marcia joined Sean and Sylvia and I for the passing of one year to the next, and while the gathering was small, I think everyone had a good time. I know I certainly did!
Sylvia and I have resolved to have more fun in 2006, and to respond more effectively to crises. I thought perhaps we might use our place to host Cranium tournaments, so watch this space for dates and times!
Caught in the act of housekeeping.
Naturally, I spent some time catching up on a few unfamiliar activities, including helping Sylvia with the laundry.
Jeff, Colin and Pete prepare for another round of violent role-playing.
I had plenty of free time for social activities, participating in a number of healthy roleplaying sessions. (During this particular adventure, we had to slaughter several astronauts who were possessed by evil alien beings.)
After seeing King Kong.
Sylvia and I took in a few movies, both at home and at the theatre. I really enjoyed King Kong, particularly the New York sequences and the magnificently staged climax, while Sylvia found the extensive CGI distracting.
Sylvia and the goat.
On Christmas Eve, our friends Colin and Julie were kind enough to invite us over to their acreage for snacks and companionship. There, Sylvia was introduced to this charming baby goat.
Too much cuteness can cause acute nausea.
...no, we are not getting a goat.
Sylvia rips open her presents.
Later that evening, we travelled to Sylvia's parents' place to open some Christmas presents.
Beware falling wrapping paper.
The following morning, we repeated the task at my parents' abode.
Earl prepares for the New Year's Eve gathering.
Sylvia and I decided that we should try to host some sort of event this year, which gave me a reason to vacuum.
Woods Bros. Representin', Yo!
Sean came over to help.
Battle of the Seans!
Sean was beside himself before the event.
Sylvia looks on in horror as Sean gulps down a whole bottle of champagne!
But a little liquid courage went a long way.
Earl and Sylvia pose (photo by Sean Woods).
Sylvia and I were looking forward to a better year. 2005 was a little rough, from Lois' passing to family health problems to my own career changes.
Sean catches a bubble (photo by Mike Totman).
With the right attitude, however, such challenges can be overcome.
More tomfoolery in 2006!
Our friends Carl and Suzanne, Mike, and Jim and Marcia joined Sean and Sylvia and I for the passing of one year to the next, and while the gathering was small, I think everyone had a good time. I know I certainly did!
Sylvia and I have resolved to have more fun in 2006, and to respond more effectively to crises. I thought perhaps we might use our place to host Cranium tournaments, so watch this space for dates and times!
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