Hi everyone, this is Balcony Betty, here at Movie Goer Grim’s request to review a pair of movies this month. It is my understanding that this is to be a joint review, featuring all three of The World of Myth’s movie critics. First, this month I am going to review the recently released movie, “Fantastic 4.” This is another in a continuing string of movies based on popular comic books. While it does follow the typical plot of good guys battling their arch nemesis, with the fate of the world in hanging in the balance, this major battle takes place in the last forty minutes or so. The majority of the movie is dehttp://jayzohub.com/darkmythproductions/theworldofmyth/images/voted to how four people adjust to having amazing, super-human abilities and the drastic changes those abilities cause in their day to day lives, as well as with their interpersonal relationships. I enjoy this genre of movie as a whole, and when you have a script with believable dialog and character quirks that enable the viewer to care about them, then you have a truly enjoyable movie. I found “Fantastic 4” to be one of these movies and so I gave it 3 ½ howls of pleasure—I mean, come on, the movie was good, but it wasn’t fantastic.

For my second movie this month, I felt compelled to express my thoughts on a movie previously reviewed by The Gurl of Myth back in April. This past month I was finally able to sit down and watch “AVP: Alien vs Predator” and I must say that I do not agree with her review. Please be forewarned, if you haven’t seen this movie yet and still plan to, this review does contain some spoilers. To begin with, it isn’t a battle between the aliens and predators, it is more of a test of manhood for the predators, and the pyramid is their hunting ground. Although humans do trigger the booby trap that brings the mother alien out of a deep freeze, they wouldn’t have been able to activate it without the predators “turning on” the pyramid. And, even though humans pick up the predators guns, thus beginning the “hunt mode” of the structure, thinking that they are ancient artifacts, I believe the predators kill them because, according to the pyramid’s history and design for use, the only humans in the pyramid were used as sacrifices, to breed the aliens. As to the previous statement that this movie did not follow along the other “Alien” and “Predator” movies, if you truly think about it, you will find that ultimately it does. The predators are the ultimate hunters and what better prey than the aliens. During the course of the movie you learn that there was more than the one pyramid originally, but if the predators failed in killing all of the aliens, the pyramid and surrounding civilization was destroyed to insure the safety of the planet.

Enter the “Predator” movies; thinking that all of the pyramids have been destroyed, the predators hunt us. That takes care of one precursor movie; on to “Alien.” If you pay attention and know the movie that started it all, you will see the tie-ins between “AVP” and the “Alien” series. For starters, “AVP” takes place 33 years prior, roughly, before “Alien.” The man who funds the expedition in “AVP” is one Charles Bishop Weyland and ‘The Company’ from “Alien” is Weyland. Also, the android from “Aliens” and “Aliens3”, ‘Bishop’, was played by the same actor, Lance Henriksen, who in a way reprises the role as Charles Bishop Weyland. I found this movie to be a great creature feature and the special effects were superb. The end of this flick also gives an opening for a possible sequel or a possible explanation as to the end of the predators. All things considered, I gave “AVP” three howls of pleasure.

So, until next time, this is Balcony Betty saying, get out there and enjoy a movie in a darkened theater; you never know who you might meet. See ya in the balcony.

Take it away, Grim...

Hey Boys and Girls! This is Movie Goer Grim, here with you this month to review two new movies that have just been released on DVD.

The first movie we are going to grade is Hideo Nakata’s, "The Ring Two." Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) moves to a small Oregon town with her son, Aidan, to start a new life. When a few locals are killed and a strange videotape reappears, Rachel begins to realize that trouble has followed her from Seattle.

This time, the Producer of "The Ring" brought in Hideo Nakata, who was the director in the original Japanese version, "Ringu." Takashi Shimizu, who did the first film as well as "The Grudge," tried to fix his error in "The Grudge" by bringing in Nakata, but that was a fatal mistake. The only thing that seemed to be in this second flick’s favor was the return of the screenwriter, Ehren Kruger. He did the best he could to top 2002's film, but it was to no avail.

For the most part, the movie was ‘OKAY’. I jumped a few times throughout the flick, but it was just not what I was expecting in this sequel. It did not have the fire that the first one had, and most of the top climax scenes were predicable. I can understand now why the film had such a short run in the theaters. So, for "The Ring Two," I give 'Two' howls of pleasure.

And last, but definitely not least, we look at Frank Miller's, "Sin City." This is an adaptation of Frank Miller's Graphic Novels, based in the fictional town of Basin City, a.k.a. Sin City. Bruce Willis stars as a cop with a bum ticker and a vow to protect a sexy stripper (Jessica Alba); Mickey Rourke as an outcast misanthrope on a mission to avenge the death of his one true love (Jamie King) Goldie; and Clive Owen as Dwight, the clandestine lover of Shellie (Brittany Murphy), who spends the night defending Gail (Rosario Dawson) and her 'Old Town Girls' from a psycho cop (Benicio Del Toro)! Also staring Devon Aoki, Alexis Bledel, Nick Stahl, Michael Madsen, Carla Gugino, Michael Clarke Duncan and Elijah Wood!

This movie had to be one of the coolest films I have ever seen. Most comic book movies this year have been a disappointment, but this one lives up to the hype! It felt like Miller’s stories came to life and we were watching an animated Graphic Novel. And let's not forget there were more big name actors in the movie than you would find at a S.A.G. Awards.

With great writing, superb acting and fantastic directing, this makes "Sin City" a Kick Ass movie! So, this film I give Three strong Howls of Pleasure!

Hey, don't stop reading just yet--we've got one more reviewer up to bat. To finish out the duties for this month's review, I'll hand it over to Reaper Rick. Welcome back, dude and Happy Birthday to ‘The World of Myth’!

All right, you guys, I'M BACK! That's right, Reaper Rick is 'In Da House!' Yeah, they tried to keep me out, what with Grim bringing in a newby to do his reviews for him, but that's all over, now, baby! For the Anniversary Issue they decided to bring back the 'heavy duty' boys. So, let's see what's up, eh?

First of all, I decided to go a different way, this issue. I mean, you already got two reviews of current (more of less) movies. Yea, I saw "Sin City" and it was way cool--I have never seen a comic book come to life like that--but Grim already put his two cents in on that flick, so I'm reverting back to the past. Anybody can see a current flick, either in the theatre or on DVD, but no one ever talks about older movies that are still worth watching, not to mention they are in the 'cheap seats' in your local video store.

This month I'm picking one of my favorite film stars and am going to review a couple of his older efforts, Some of you may have never heard of these flicks, but if I do say so, you should check them out!

Rutger Hauer has been around for some time and has starred in so many films, I can't even remember all of them. But, to name just a few (and his most recent role was in none other than "Sin City" itself), he was in "Blade Runner" and "Blind Fury," as well as the two I'm going to review for you. One of them takes place a few hundred years ago and the other, well, it takes place sometime in the distant and desolate future.

First, "Flesh and Blood" (1985) stars Hauer with a succulent Jennifer Jason Leigh in a medieval adventure that has a lot of...well, 'flesh and blood' in it. Hauer is the leader of a band of mercenaries during the middle ages, who travel across Europe, going from war to war, hiring themselves out to the highest bidder. In this particular war, the leader of a large city who has been displaced, wants his city back and promises Hauer and his band of cutthroats they can pillage the city for two days if they win it back for him. Hot Damn! That's what we like to hear, so of course, after a long, bloody battle, Hauer and his cronies storm the city and...well, they do what mercenaries have done to conquered peoples since time began. They do such a good job of it, in fact, that the city boss decides to get rid of them before they completely destroy his once beautiful city.

Conspiring with the mercenary captain, the city leader captures Hauer and his buddies and they are stripped of their weapons and kicked out to fend for themselves, with no loot, no food and no prospects. Bummer.

Now, the city guy has a clever son (he would have been a computer nerd in today's society), who is to marry a lovely young virgin (Jennifer Jason Leigh). On the way to meet her new husband to be, her caravan is attacked by none other than Hauer and his band of (newly formed) highwaymen. Not surprisingly, Hauer falls for the delectable virgin and while the band decides to ransom her back to the rich lord to get back at him for throwing them out of his city, Rutger has other ideas.

Now, while there are lots of really gross scenes in this flick, like when the plague hits and people are dropping like flies, and plenty of bloody battle scenes, there are a few actual tender, even romantic love scenes between Rutger and Jennifer. You might think, considering the type of movie this is, that love scenes would be totally out of place. Surprisingly, they are not. If you don't count when Jen is raped, the love scenes are quite well done, keeping to the time frame of the movie and are done tastefully, even romantically. (Sigh).

Anyway, I don't want to spoil it for you, but Jen's young beau (who didn't even like her in the beginning) comes after her and there is another good battle scene, with our young hero getting pretty busted up in the process. This is a great, old fashioned flick with plenty of action (some of it pretty gross, so be warned if you are at all squeamish!), as well as some well done, touching moments, and Rutger is in his prime. I have to give "Flesh and Blood" Four strong Howls of pure, screaming pleasure!

Okay, jumping ahead now a few years, as well as a few centuries, we find the movie, "The Blood of Heroes" (1987). Hmm, seems to be lots of 'Blood' in these flicks, eh? Anyway, this takes place in a distant (we hope) future, where all of the big cities are underground. That's where the rich people live, while the rest of us scrape out a meager survival amid a barren, blasted landscape, topside. Joan Chen is the female lead in this one and the same director did this movie and "Blade Runner", so you know it's a good copy.

So, the people left topside only have one thing to look forward to in their miserable lives--watching a bunch of guys beat themselves to bloody pulps in a game called 'Jugging', of which Hauer is (not surprisingly) a top player. The game consists of two, four player teams (men and women), along with a younger, smaller player, called a 'Quick', whose job is to (while beating the total crap out of the other team's quick) snatch up a dog skull and place it on a stake at the other end of the field.

Now, this may sound simple, but the other team's players are all trying to stomp the opposing 'quick' into the bloody ground with chains and spiked poles as he (or she) attempts to get by them to win the game. It's great! Like a bunch of Ultimate Fighters going at each other while two little guys are playing a game of tackle basketball beneath them. But, hey, I'm getting away from the review.

It turns out that in the underground cities, 'juggers' are prized combatants, treated like old world gladiators and Hauer was, at one time, himself a famous underground jugger, until he pissed off some piss ant prissy lord and was banished top side. For years, Hauer has been making the rounds of the poor 'dog towns', playing different juggers and building up a good enough team to return to 'Red City' and offer the professional Juggers a challenge.

When his team's quick is injured and unable to continue playing, Joan Chen joins up with them and they battle their way across topside (jugging, that is), until they reach 'Red City' and offer up a challenge to the 'big juggers.' The only reason their challenge is accepted is because the piss ant who sent him away recognizes Hauer and wants to see him really 'busted up' in another game.

Now, the only complaint I have for this flick is that it is a bit predictable. I mean, you fully well KNOW that they are going to win their big challenge game, right? What would be the point of the movie if they went to all of that trouble and then blew it, at the end. But, and believe me here, the action in this game is so freaking intense that you actually forget what you 'know' will happen and you just sit there, watching the blood fly and the bodies hit the ground, and when the crowd starts stomping their feet and cheering and you see Chen just beating the holy fracking crap out of that little shit--well, damn, you just want to join in stomping and yelling yer fracking head off to cheer them on! Really Cool!

Anyway, this is another good, old fashioned flick. No CG, so special effects, just plenty of blood spilling, gut wrenching action. And only because the ending is predictable, but still a rousing, good movie, I give "The Blood of Heroes" Three and a Half jumping up and down, kicking and screaming, freaking Howls of pleasure! Damn, I'm all worn out, now.