Colin Firth Triumphs Again

Bloody good show, old chap!

Well, that's another week and another poll. Last weeks topic was "Favourite Actor/Actress" out of either The Kings Speech or The Fighter, and for all of who voted, heres a pat on the back. But of course, there could be only one winner and it was, without a shadow of a doubt, the excellent Colin Firth. So that makes it a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and now the prestiged Dude Meister Poll Award. And in joint second place, for any of you who care, were The Fighter stars, Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale.

Next up poll-wise will be something in conjunction with my recently published Troll article, so remember to vote on that. That's all for today, but come back very soon because I've got an exciting new project brewing in the fore front of my mind... Plus, tomorrow is Trailer Tuesday so you can expect some more analysing and dissecting of a recent trailer and my next RE:View is due soon, this time focusing on a certain downloadable game... Stay tuned people.

Trollers: Anonymous Comedians or Desperate Losers?

What's commonly known as the 'Trollface', associated with almost every Troll going.

Trolling: The act of purposefully antagonizing people on the internet, generally on message boards, to garner a reaction from the site's community.

The art of internet trolling is often that of complex integrity. But what is it that makes people want to log on to various websites, usually those they are the most uninterested in, and just piss people off? An unloved childhood? A constant need for attention? Or maybe just for some sought after laughs?

But before I delve deep into the inner minds of the modern day Troller, just imagine this: Something has gone wrong with your computer and you desperately need this (insert computer feature) that's stopped working . Unable to solve the problem yourself, you turn to the internet for answers. Naturally, your first stop is Yahoo Answers. Eager to fix the harrowing issue, you tap the question in with alarming speed and hit the enter button like there's no tomorrow. Then, with your question published you rapidly press F5 to refresh your page. 5 minutes pass, then 10... Your finger begins to ache when finally an answer appears. Sweat dripping across your brow, you read the fine samaritan's answer with increased anticipation. But this is no good samaritan, as your hope turns to anger when your mind makes the connection: I've just been trolled. More and more answers pop up, some linking you to the torturous Rick Roll vids, others making sarcy comments about your accidental misspelling. In the end, your question is never answered and your problem never rectified. Turning to violence you track down these Trolls and go on a murderous killing spree before turning your ( insert preferred weapon of choice) on yourself...

Okay, so maybe you're not going to go that far (kudos if you do though), but you get the idea of how infuriating these web-pests can be. Everyday, normal people looking for healthy discussion on the WWW are harassed and bugged by these people for no apparent reason other than simply existing. Do they seriously not have anything better to do? The truth of the matter is, if you ever do get Trolled, you've just got to picture the sweaty, greasy haired, wank-a-lot loner behind the screen, and think just how pathetic that loser is.

True 'Dat

I am, however, perhaps being a little naive about the subject. I mean, it's only a certain type of Troller I am describing above, not the whole Troller community. They're not all disgusting, asthmatic men, living in their Mum's basement playing World of Warcraft all day. Some of these guys can actually be quite funny when their sights are set on the right people. Uptight, internet know-it-alls deserve to be taken down a peg once in a while and as for those perves prowling Chat Roulette and Omegle: Yeah, they should get a Micheal Jackson GIF shoved in their faces when stroking their man parts.

Mayhap these cyberspace peeves are just looking for some justice: the nerd way. People who want to right a few wrongs of the internet, without resorting to the flimsy 'Report' button to get it done. Their methods are unorthodox and their reasons rather weak, but if  they can knock a few unlicensed cars off of the electronic highway, while adding comedy into the mix, then maybe these types of Trolls are worthwhile.

So whether it's the Greasy Loser or The Vigilante Geek you're dealing with, just take a minute to think of who's behind the keyboard and whether it's really worth the argument... Remember, the best way to deal with a Troll is to ignore them, no reaction=no satisfaction. Either that or summon Gandalf to turn them stone. Just personal preference, really. So stay safe out there while surfing and browsing, and teach those mean Trolls a lesson! And so to sing us out:

If you need some extra help with how to deal with Trolls, here's an in depth guide: Yeah here.

Trailer Tuesday: Captain America

So here's the first trailer (well, more of a TV spot) for Captain America The First Avenger, aired during the Super Bowl last weekend. From the 30 seconds given, it looks pretty sweet.


"In 1942, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is deemed physically unfit to enlist in the U.S. Army and fight the Nazis in World War II. Volunteering instead for Project: Rebirth, a secret military operation, he is physically transformed into a super-soldier dubbed Captain America. With sidekick Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), he fights the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving), Hitler's treacherous head of advanced weaponry, whose own plan for world domination involves a seemingly magical object known as the Tesseract." - Wikipedia Plot Summary

 Here's the rundown of what's inside:

• 0:04-A rather thin looking Chris Evans as Steve Rodgers/Captain America (maybe a different actor for the 'thin' parts) getting strapped into a body enhancing machine.
• 0:08-Guys smashing through windows, obviously.
• 0:09-More 'thin' Evans, this time with a doctor, presumably telling him what's going to happen in this machine.
• 0:14-One for the ladies; beefy Evans emerges.
• 0:16/17-First glimpse of the Cap in action, shield and all. Plus some fancy ass-kicking acrobats.
• 0:19-Jet plane fly over (presumably transporting the Cap) and very short blink-and-you'll-miss-it clip of Captain America on his motorbike with shit blowing up around him-awesomeness-and then him running through forests with more explosions and shield swinging.
• 0:21-Steve Rodgers, in army gear, leading a team into battle including an Asian, who knew?
• 0:22-Underwater outfit-less Cap smashing some subs (not the sandwiches).
• 0:23-Cap surrounded by flamethrower dudes.
• 0:24-Another very quick shot, this time giving us our first look at Red Skull, looking... uh, red.
• 0:25-Love interest Peggy Carter(Hayley Atwell) proving just how indestructible the Cap's shield really is.  
• 0:29-Title and release date (22 July 2011) show along with 'Real-D 3D' logo.

Yeah, pretty cool. Definitely looks like the focus is on WW2 and the Cap kicking some Nazi bottom, which is always a good thing. Let's just hope the focus will remain more on character, like in Iron Man, and won't get too distracted with explosions and action. That's it for this Trailer Tuesday, and, if you stick around long enough, this might even become a weekly thing...

RE:View: The Fighter vs The King's Speech

21 Oscar nominations, 4 Golden Globes and a Metacritic score of 167.
To say that the combined amount of accolades awarded to both movies is unimpressive, is practically blasphemy against everything that cinema stands for. So what is it that's has made these relatively low budget films into international successes?

  Of course, a film cannot be a good film without a compelling story, and both movies have it in abundance. The Fighter tells the true life tale of struggling boxer Micky Ward, as he clambers for fame all the while in the shadow of his former boxer brother, Dickie. But it's a troubled road to glory, as Micky must fight not just his opponents in the ring, but also his over pushy family in his personal life. The King's Speech, on the other hand, is all about King George VI, as he battles to overcome his confidence crushing st-st-st-stammer with the help of Australian speech therapist Lionel Logue during a pre-WW2 Britain. So, they're both true stories and, at heart, both about courage. But with overall development of that courage, I think The King's Speech does better with it's mind firmly set on the one goal, not the overarching challenges seen in The Fighter, but both deserve commendation for narrative.

    What surprised me about both films however, was the comedic side and how funny they actually were. I mean, who'd of thought that while watching a period drama invovling speech impediments, I'd be laughing 50% of the time? Or that out of the depressing themes (such as drug addiction and pressure) in The Fighter, such brilliantly funny moments could crop up? The King's Speech in particular has a genuinely unexpected and hilarious scene which I shan't ruin for you, but you'll know it when you see it..

 But possibly the greatest part of both films is the acting. The casting has been chosen very carefully in both cases, cultivating in some fantastic ensemble performances. In The Fighter's corner, you've got Mark Wahlberg as leading man Mickey Ward, allowing Wahlberg to really make up for previous mistakes such as The Other Guys and M.Night Shyamalan's god awful The Happening. Alongside him is the perfectly placed Christian Bale as Dickie Ward, the crack head older brother. It's really good to see Bale coming away from his action blockbuster, gruff guy roles to play the cooky and complex Dickie, with no husky voice to be heard anywhere. Then there's Amy Adams as love interest Charlene, changing up her whole 'good girl' setup for this well played 'sexy bitch' role. And of course there's Melissa Leo as pushy mum Alice, balancing the character perfectly with spite and remorse.

Left to Right: Leo, Bale, Wahlberg and Adams

  Meanwhile, on team King, there's pretty much every respectable mature British actor out there. Colin Firth gives the performance of a lifetime as the lovable and reluctant king himself, making it easy to see why he's been nabbing all the Best Actor awards lately and Geoffrey Rush is just splendid as Lionel, the speech therapist, adding style and energy to the part. Helen Bonham Carter is her usually dignified self, acting as a great pillar for Firth to lean upon. Other highlights include Micheal Gambon (Dumbeldore) as predecessor and father, King George V and Timothy Spall's rather interesting take on Winston Churchill; no joke. Plus, Outnumbered's Ramona Marquez also makes a quaint appearance as a young Princess Margaret.

Left to Right: Rush, Carter and Firth

  The King's Speech uses this incredibly clean and simple style of direction, using close up facial shots to get across the characters emotions and feelings and doesn't waste time on busy and moving action scenes. The score is entirely original, with simple and charming melodies similar to those you'd hear those days. It's well fitted and helps to build emotion around the tale. Director Tom Hooper has really taken his time on such details as that and it shows throughout.

 The Fighter, on the other hand, opts for this kind of gritty style, often as if it was a documentary. This kind of stuff really shines during the boxing matches themselves, presented like original footage live from HBO in 1993. Here, director David O. Russel goes for the realism approach, drawing audiences into the story and it pays off all the better. The soundtrack is all what you'd expect from a boxing movie; rock-type uprising tracks  but with a feel sentimental ones thrown in too.

      These are both groundbreaking movies, no matter how much they differentiate from each other. At the end of the day, it really depends on personal opinion as to which one's the best. I found both to be profoundly moving, heartwarming and uplifting. Whether it was the charm of The King's Speech or the realism of The Fighter, both exceed in what they're trying to do and both actually teach you something, be it history or moral.

  I find it hard to pick between them, but if I was you I'd think "What is it I want to see now? A charmingly fun and moving period drama or a more modern uplifting tale of victory, family and fights?". But which ever one you don't choose immediately, make sure you catch it sometime, because you'd be missing out if you didn't.

The King's Speech: 5/5 Stars
The Fighter: 5/5 Stars

Wow, 2 hours that took. 2 hours! Glad to see the back of it to be honest with you, but I hope you like it none the less. I realise it's a bit sketchy and nowhere near the quality you'd find on official review sites or anything like that, but as long as you get what I'm putting across, I'm happy. Thanks for reading.

Sloooow Week and Other Subjects

Sup?

Insert Related Picture That I'm Too Lazy To Find, Here

Yeah, well sorry I haven't been giving this all the TLC I should have been lately, but I've been kind of busy/tired/stoned. Anyway, I should have a new RE:View up over the weekend, including not one but two critically acclaimed movies! 'Nuff said.

     Moving on, how about all that stuff in Egypt? Pretty crazy, huh? I guess this 'Pharaoh's not going to get a good afterlife, no matter how much they wrap him up. Yeah, bad puns aside, it's getting pretty serious out there. 8 dead, 890 injured and still stones (oh, how developed the Eastern world is) and gunfire being shared. I don't get why this Mubarak guy doesn't just flee now and get it over with, because it's got to happen sometime. Even if he just steps down now, there's still going to be violence toward him, let alone what it would be like in September when he plans to go. But I guess that's politics for you...

  Now, before I become a foreign correspondent on ITV news for my excellent analysis of current world affairs, I'd like to talk about everybody's favourite real life 'Super Hero', Phoenix Jones. According to the 10 votes counted, the majority of my readers think he's a pervert. So all my heartfelt stuff about how he's going against the flow and has humongous (metaphorical) balls really didn't sway any of you? Wow, really? No one? Oh hang on there was one vote for hero... No wait, I think that was just me. Damn, knew I shouldn't have included that last statement... But thanks to everyone who voted, even if you did use 3 computers to get your result.

  So don't forget to visit here on either Sunday or Monday for my head to head RE:View extravaganza, and have a good Friday.