I saw Red One

As an early-Christmas, imagi-movie gift, Red One, directed by Jake (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle) Kasdan and written by Chris (Fast & Furious) Morgan (based on a concept from producer Hiram Garcia), slides its merry way into theaters. It's a jaunty blend of Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, A Nightmare Before Christmas, Santa Claus (1959), Santa Claus: The Movie, and Ernest Saves Christmas, adorned by elements of Doctor Who (in particular, the story, "Once Upon a Time") and Mission: Impossible, each portion wrapped in festive, DC/Marvel garland that's trimmed with ample, steampunk, snow-globism. It's also aimed at kids, as well as adults, containing lots of silly splash for the former and lots of two-fisted gusto for the latter. 

J.K. Simmons plays the titular hero, a fit, no-nonsense Saint Nick, who acknowledges the gravity of his job and holds the unparalleled confidence to get it done ... until he's kidnapped. It's then up to Santa's ELF/Enforcement Logistics & Fortification (security) team, led by Dwayne Johnson's Callum Drift and Lucy Liu's Zoe Harlow, to get him back, abetted by crackerjack hacker and reluctant recruit, Chris Evan's Jack "the Wolf" O' Malley. O'Malley is incredulous to the whole affair (being a long-time Santa cynic), and so naturally clashes with the Kringle-devoted Drift, who, if the truth be known, has grown a tad disenchanted with his job, after witnessing man's inhumanity toward man one too many times.   

Kiernan (Mad Men) Shipka's Gryla, a shapeshifting ogre-witch, is responsible for the misguided abduction, and along the way, we get Kristofer Hivju's frightful Krampus, who sports just the right, gnarly looks to please monster-movie fans of all ages. (Comprising the supporting cast is Wyatt Hunt as young Jack; Wesley Kimmel as Dylan, Jack's son; Mary Ellis as Olivia, Jack's ex; and Bonnie Hunt as Mrs. Claus; along with an assortment of talented others who each lends a respectful, helping hand to the high-tech fable.)

In addition to the larger-than-life Krampus, Red One features Reinaldo Faberlle's Garcia the Polar Bear (perhaps the movie's top, CGI scene-stealer), joined by some humongous reindeer, ravenous hellhounds and really cool (pun intended), living/breathing, giant snowmen. The entrance of these entities adds much to the tall tale's punch, though the TARDIS-esque, toy-store passages were the towering highlight for me.

I guess one can deduce that I like Red One, even though my inner snob isn't suppose to, but since I dislike my inner snob, I'll take whatever criticism is thrown at me. You know, on further reflection, Red One does have a pervading, live-action, Rankin/Bass, The Year Without a Santa Claus feel about it, and if not for the slight cussing and over-the-top melees, the story would translate easily into a swell, 1960s/1970s, stop-motion event, though one, mind you, that would probably still rub all those humbugger snobs the wrong way.  

For those considering Red One for a view, if only to engage a little, Yuletide cheer, I say slip it on for size. If it doesn't turn out to be your all-time favorite, Christmas flick, so what? The odds still favor you'll appreciate its spirited tone. 

An Alternate Reality: Will the Next Live-Action Spider-man Spin Several Universes?

Will the next, live-action "Spider-man" movie spin several, alternate realities to weave its tale? 

It appears that a counterpart of Jamie Fox's "Amazing Spider-man 2" Electro will appear in the third Tom Holland adventure, and J.K. Simmons' J. Jonah Jameson is, of course, a carved-in-stone given. 

Now, Vincent D'Onofrio has expressed interest in reprising his role as Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin, from Netflix's "Daredevil" series. Whoa! Now, that would be a breakthrough and a half, maybe even an opening for an appearance by Charlie Cox's Man Without Fear in some down-the-line chapter. 

And let's not forget, Tom Hardy's "Venom 2" will feature Woody Harrelson's Carnage in a wide-range role, which means a Venom/Carnage/Spidey crossover can't be far off. Also, if Michael Keaton's Vulture appears in Jared Leto's Morbius adaptation, both hero and villain could co-headline in yet another sequel. But for even further, Marvel team-up excitement, there's that fan-salivating notion that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield might join Holland for Part 3. Yeah, wild! (Say, stick Miles Morales into there, as well. The more the merrier when it come to amazing Webheads.)

With DC/WB promising a Keaton/Affleck Batman overlap for "Flashpoint" (not to mention all that CW alternate-reality, character clashing), there's no telling how complex the competition could get.  

As an alternate-reality/crossover advocate, I'm in absolute favor of these mix-and-match scenarios. If there's any way to lure folks back into theaters (and ticket sales to soar), the parallel-universe gimmick is the best-bet way to go. 

An Alternate Reality #7: I saw Time Twist in Genisys...

When one travels through time enough times over, things are bound to get skewed. Parallel worlds emerge, and what we once thought to be reality has morphed into something new, braced by a new past and inevitably, birthing a new future.

This is the basis of Alan ("Thor: the Dark World") Taylor's sequel, "Terminator: Genisys". Incidentally, Genisys is a program linked to the infamous Skynet, which as any "Terminator" fan knows, spells trouble. To add to this, that essential, time-traveling element of mother/father/son resurfaces, with both a cyborg assassin and sentinel nearby, but now with the '84 classic's foundation hauntingly redesigned. 

In fact, the Terminator 800 dispatched to track and kill is now confronted by a mature edition, nicknamed "Pops", who we learn arrived a good number of years prior, prepared to face his imprint to protect Sarah Connor. The implication is clear: a Terminator-vs-Terminator confrontation is set, but thanks to Leata Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier's crackling script, this is only the beginning of the twisting, turning alternate-reality fun. 

Within the refurbished formula, our old favorites return, but in new forms. Now we have Emilia Clarke as the determined Sarah Connor; upcoming action star, Jai Courtney as the destined-daddy-to-be Kyle Reece; and of course, Arnold Schwarzenegger as the mechanical star attraction(s), yet again proving himself menacing, charismatic and when need be, humorous. 

Co-starring is Lee Byung-Hun as the liquefied T-1000 (a nice tribute to Robert Patrick); Matt ("Dr. Who") Smith as a most intriguing impostor with a most surprising secret; and J.K. ("Spider-man") Simmons as the insightful but tormented Detective O'Brien: a role originated by Lance Henricksen in the James Cameron original.

The revolutionary legend, John Connor, is now portrayed by Jason Clarke, who made a significant impression in last year's alternate-reality mega-hit, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes". What's unique about Clarke's portrayal is that he's not only the John Connor we've come to admire from past films, but this time he's recycled into a tenacious T-3000. The duality here isn't exactly Jekyll/Hyde, but the abrupt personality contrasts certainly insinuate such.

Clarke's altered guise is also the driving force behind the film's conflict. His villainous tenacity is relentless, but unlike with Terminators past, the Connor model exudes a calm, sinister charm, more in tune with a Bond villain than an entity manufactured to kill. 

As with any "Terminator" yarn, "Genisys" delivers exciting action sequences, and not just for the sake of hollow glitz. The escapades have a practical purpose, logically bridging events to the "present", while spewing a steady flow of alternate circumstances. 

Indeed, for fans of action-based science-fiction, "Genisys" will satisfy. Sure, it's not the breakthrough that the first two films were and nor does it try to be as boldly revisionist as "Salvation". That's okay. "Tarzan's Secret Treasure" isn't as innovative as "Tarzan and His Mate", but that doesn't make it any less worthy within its franchise. Also, more than the other sequels, "Genisys" returns to the roots of Harlan Ellison's "Outer Limits" stories: its mood contemplative and sometimes eerie, despite the blazing visuals. 

For die-hard "Terminator" fans (which includes even those of the wayward "Sarah Connor Chronicles"), this one demands a view and box-office support. Let's hope the fans back it. Though doomsday won't strike if this latest endeavor falters, it sure as hell wouldn't hurt, either, if it spawned another. The door is certainly open for a new path of thought-provoking thrills.