I saw War of the Worlds 2023...

War of the Worlds: The Attack, directed by special-effects wizard, Junaid "Jay" Syed, who co-scripted with Tom (The Witches of Amityville) Jolliffe and Ritesh Rai, is (surprise, surprise) a retelling of H.G. Wells' classic, science-fiction/adventure novel. Where Wells' story is an allegory for the plague of imperialism, this 2023 version (like all prior) focuses on the basic horror of invasion, as it makes good use of the monstrous Martians in modern England. 

This version is also youth oriented, with its leads relegated to their teens: Sam Gittins as Herbert Wells (nice, eponymous label there), Alhaji Fofana as Ogilvy (another swell, nominal salute) and Lara Lemon as Hannah (a fine, congenial lass). It should be noted that the youngsters aren't bubble-headed or wishy-washy in their strive to survive. If anything, they're identifiable in both their inquisitiveness and resilience, even if older fans may feel jaded by the rejuvenated spin. 

But fear not: Older fans should be pleased that the novel's astronomer, Dr. Stent (renamed Stint) appears, played with proper calculation by Kathi DeCouto, as does The Artillery Man (called Ben Baxter), wracked with sorrow by Leo Starr, and Vincent Regan enters as the anguished padre/curate, who believes the Martians have manifested due to our sins. 

For those who appreciate quality creatures, The Martian reveal is most satisfying, even if unfaithful to Well's description, sporting a Cthulhu-like design, and the tendriled tripods spring straight from the source. These important elements allow the frenetic terror to flow as it should, with Heat-Rays blasting galore and London (and that which flanks it) falling fast. (I might add, The Heat-Ray depictions are more in sync with the novel's than in previous, film versions.) 

On another positive point, though CGI-laden, War of the Worlds: The Attack never looks rushed: that is, the War Machines stay sharp and formidable, even during their nocturnal prowls. This helps viewers absorb the subtle details of what creeps and stomps before them. Because of this, the melees become evermore jarring, in particular a helicopter joust that stands in lieu of the novel's Thunder Child sequence.

Some will deride this remake for no other cause than it's expected of them, but I'm confident that those detractors haven't read the book. To those who appreciate textual Wells (to those who truly know the subject matter), this redux will resonate, and when all is said and done, that's what counts. (PS: I'd love to see Syed, Julliffe and Rai tackle The Time Machine and/or The Invisible Man. I'm certain that they'd invest nothing less than respect to either.)

 

GOODBYE, MARLENE CLARK...

You were a faithful figure among supporting players, and the support you gave stood out, often eclipsing that of your primaries. 

Black Mamba, Night of the Cobra Woman, The Beast Must Die (aka Black Werewolf), Ganja and Hess (aka Blood Couple), Stop!, Beware! The Blob (aka Son of Blob), Enter the Dragon, Clay Pigeon, Incident on a Dark Street, For the Love of Ivy, Putney Swope, Newman's Law, Switchblade Sisters, The Landlord, The Baron, Lord Shango and Slaughter (with the late Jim Brown) comprise your fabulous features. 

The small screen proved just as fruitful with important roles on Sanford and Son, Bonanza, Highway to Heaven, Barnaby Jones, The Mod Squad, Flamingo Road, The Bill Cosby Show, The Rookies, Head of the Class, Marcus Welby M.D. and McCloud.

You gained deserved accolades from fans, but your deserved more than your received, Ms. Clark, for your charm and credibility made your characterizations provocative and empowering. To those of us who care, who can't help but remember (and we are, indeed, many!), you'll always be a big part of our hearts and imbedded in our souls. 

A MESSAGE FROM JOSHUA KENNEDY ON HIS FATHER, GUS:

 

A message from Joshua Kennedy on his father, Gus: 

David "Gus" Kennedy - The Man, The Myth, The Absolute Legend (September 3, 1950 - May 23, 2023)

Husband, Father, Basketball Athlete, Catholic Priest, Karate Teacher, Counselor, Shakespearean actor...all of these were rich chapters in the life he lived.

I always joked that he was "the REAL Most Interesting man in the World": I wouldn't be surprised that he was actually a secret agent all along...

Dad made time for anyone and everyone. He found joy in making people laugh and he had the innate ability to bring a smile to even the most tortured of souls. 

The man was a genius to fault--He never stopped giving...even on his deathbed, if asked, he would have gladly given the shirt off his back to a nurse if need be.

It is impossible to encapsulate his life in a post on social media. I'll just say we can ONLY hope to lead a life of generosity and laughter that he did. 

As per his wishes, there will be a future mass held in his honor--I will post about it when the time comes.

I imagine Dad walking up to the Pearly Gates where the main angelic security guard gets up and out of his chair: "Oh, man! Gus Kennedy?! I gotta shake this guy's hand..."

Dad will hold out his hand, then instantly slid it behind his ear: "Too slow, buddy!" 😊💓

GODSPEED, TINA TURNER...

On stage, you were glamour and passion rolled into one, garbed like Nyoka and fueled by an energy that would spur anyone to leap up and dance. 

As an actress, you were just as inviting, with Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome's Auntie Entity becoming the greatest femme fatale of any post-apocalyptic age. You were also amazing as The Acid Queen in Tommy and as The Mayor in The Last Action Hero, and let's not overlook that classic Pepsi commercial with David Bowie or that delightful cameo in Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Ah, but the way you belted out the theme for 007's GoldenEye, now that truly set the world ablaze!

We'll miss you from the bottom of our broken hearts, Ms. Turner, for you were a legend, a beauty and above all, the consummate queen of tantalizing talent: in other words, "simply the best!"

MEMORIAL DAY 2023: IN HONOR & RESPECT

I saw Little Mermaid '23...

Sometimes a person's passion for a particular genre or film, no matter how worthy such might be, can become so obnoxious that it leaves all associations unpalatable. Case in point: An individual I know (once perceived as a friend who, in truth, proved a deceitful foe) made me averse to Disney princesses and the like (as well as their hamming antagonists) by shoving them time and again down my throat, along with a sideline insinuation that by accepting them, I'd tap my (ahem) feminine side. (Hey, I'm content being a heterosexual, sigma male with borderline alpha traits. Absolutely nothin' wrong with that, folks. I don't ask others to go against their innate grain. Why shouldn't I be granted the same courtesy?) 

In this respect, Disney's stab at Hans Christian Andersen's recalcitrant tale, The Little Mermaid, is no exception in my repertoire of disdain. In fact, the promotional push I endured on this one was far worse than on any others. And mind you, it matters little to me if there are, indeed, intermittent changes/additions hooked into Rob (On Stranger Tides) live-action retelling. By its very nature (its very intent), I still find the flocculent design agitating, again due to the endless exaltation I've swallowed (or make that, choked on) regarding Disney's animated "classic." 

And I say this even in light of the movie's reputed "woke" cast, one that, for the most part, captures the rudimentary essence of the 1989 cartoon: Halle Bailey as Ariel (adorned by big eyes, resounding voice and reddish hair), Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric, Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, Jacob Trembly as Flounder, Daveed Diggs as Sabastian, Javier Bardem as King Triton; and so on and so forth. Yep, to my eyes/ears, the ensemble does a respectable job with the retread it's been dealt, mirroring characterizations that have irked me ad nauseum for far too long, so on that point, I'll offer no more. 

Getting back to my initial rave of associative dislike, I must say there was a time when I told myself that I liked the Disney/Jodi-Benson-led Little Mermaid and even bought several creampuff collectibles to prove my sheepish devotion. Its sugary, Alan Menken/Howard Ashman songs bounced in my head, in particular whenever I felt compelled to kiss a girl, et al, but damn it, I now know better. To paraphrase The Who, you fooled me once, but I won't be fooled again, and yet I still went to see this fetid thing, feeling obliged to review it. (It's a high-profile fantasy flick, after all.) 

But as I left the theater, I couldn't help but think I'd have been better off re-watching Curtis Harrington's haunting Night Tide or Agnieszka Smocznska's The Lure, a sexy, cult-horror-musical that redefines Andersen's motive much better than Walt-less Disney has. 

It's a damn shame when things like this happen due to personal quirks, but I must be honest regarding my disregard for a redux that I believe shouldn't have been redone even in '89. No matter how it's filleted, a Disney-fied Little Mermaid isn't my dish, and thanks to this (final?) gratuitous nail in the saga's soggy coffin, I can proudly say it shall never be. 

MARK JUSTICE'S THE DEAD SHERIFF SAGA

 

FAREWELL, RAY STEVENSON...

You played a mighty fine friend to Thor and possessed the breadth and brawn to make a most convincing Frank Castle in Punisher: War Zone. 

Your presence in RRR, the spine-tingling Outpost, The Three Musketeers '11, King Arthur '04, The Book of Eli, The Divergent Saga, Cold Skin, Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant, G.I. Joe: Retaliation and the Star Wars saga cannot be denied, either, not to mention your powerful performance as Titus Pullo on HBO's Rome. 

Black Sails, Vikings, Das Boot '18, The Walking Dead, Dexter, The Spanish Princess, The Other Guys, The Dwelling Place, At Home with the Braithwaites, Kill the Irishman, Accident Man, Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday, Big Game, Final Score, Memory, The Transporter Refueled, Reef Gate, Relix, Crossing Lines, Medici, Red Cap, The Return of the Native, Saints and Strangers, Life Line, Jayne Mansfield's Car, The Theory of Flight, A Woman's Guide to Adultery and Band of Gold rounded out your diverse resume, giving you eclectic guest-starring and ongoing stints that made you all the more familiar and appreciated among viewers. 

You had a ton more to give, but what you gave holds an unbridled virility that all can admire. Thanks for your displays of heroism, grit and conviction, Mr. Stevenson. You'll always be a big man who made a big mark in our lives. 

WISE WORDS: