The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers (2002) - Aaron Neuwirth

The Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers

2002

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Elijah Wood, Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Miranda Otto, Brad Dourif, Christopher Lee, Sean Astin, Karl Urban, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, John Rhys-Davies, David Wenham, Hugo Weaving

Rated:  PG-13

I want to hear more about Sam.

           ~Frodo Baggins

Aaron Neuwirth is back...which is no surprise.  However, he's not the world's biggest LOTR fan either, which may surprise...it may not.  I think the retrospective benefits greatly from having someone of his perspective that isn't a hater, he's just not the rabid fan.  And this piece is pretty terrific.  Check it out...also check out OUT NOW WITH AARON & ABE every week on the HHWLOD Podcast Network and drop by THE CODE IS ZEEK for his reviews and bloggings as well as Why So Blu.

Ranking Riddick's Chronicles

And now Riddick meets the wonderful end of the road series ranking.  This is a series that I think is mainly just "ok".  Its not outright amazing or anything, but if you check out Pitch Black or Riddick, I think you'll enjoy the time you're spending.  It has one batshit crazy entry in Chronicles as well.  Will we get any more adventures?  Do we need them?  Well, I don't think we really do, but if they want to venture down the path of what works for the series, then I'm down. 

Movie Review: RIDDICK

Riddick
2013
Director: David Twohy
Starring: Vin Diesel, Katee Sackhoff, Dave Bautista, Matt Nable and Karl Urban
Rated: R

When the chains come off...you go...in the first 5 seconds.
                         ~Riddick

Riddick is a true sequel to Pitch Black.  We're back to simple, clear stakes storytelling surrounded by effects, action, suspense and monsters filling the runtime.  As a matter of fact, the only convoluted or complexity in the film comes when trying to tie it to the previous entry, funny enough.  However, that world looks a lot more appealing in its cheaper form, too.  Oh and we get a Karl Urban cameo, so it can be forgiven.  If Pitch Black was Alien, then Riddick is clearly Aliens.

Riddick Retrospective: THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK

The Chronicles Of Riddick
2004
Director: David Twohy
Starring: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Thandie Newton, Alexa Davalos, Keith David, Colm Feore, Judi Dench, Linus Roache
Rated: PG-13

You made three mistakes. First, you took the job. Second, you came light. A four man crew for me? Fucking insulting. But the worst mistake you made...empty gun rack.
                                     ~Riddick

Okay.

Where to begin...

After some success boosting Vin Diesel along the way to superstardom, there was leverage to revisit he and Twohy's Riddick character again.  This time in a proposed trilogy.  What they wound up with was ambition of colossal proportions and a film that almost could have been a trilogy itself.  The film is covers far too much ground and lays down an abundance of exposition.  A sequel to Pitch Black?  Far from.  In terms of considering this film as a sequel to that film, then its actually quite terrible as it loses all the simplicity and realism that made that one tick.  The is a jump off the deep end in comparison.