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Reviews and commentary by Tony Isabella
"America's Most Beloved Comic-Book Writer & Columnist"
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TONY'S ONLINE TIPS
for Monday, March 21, 2005
Every Tuesday, new poll questions are posted at our TONY POLLS page. We go for a mix of comics, movies, and TV-related queries. From March 8-14, the topic was science fiction, fantasy, and horror movies - and the actors who appeared in them - as nominated for the 2005 Saturn Awards by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films.
Here's how you voted...
BEST SCIENCE FICTION FILM
SKY CAPTAIN & THE WORLD OF TOMORROW.....43.48%
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.....38.04%
I, Robot (20th Century Fox).....7.61%
The Butterfly Effect (New Line Cinema).....5.43%
The Day After Tomorrow (20th Century Fox).....4.35%
The Forgotten (Sony Pictures).....1.09%
I've only seen one of these movies - I, ROBOT - and, since I didn't hate it, I voted for it. This was doubtless wrong of me, but being uninformed didn't stop millions of people from voting for Bush in the 2004 Presidential Election, so why should I let it stop me from voting on something that likely won't cause a millionth of the damage Bush will cause in the next four years.
BEST FANTASY FILM
SPIDER-MAN 2.....49.50%
Hellboy.....19.80%
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.....17.82%
House Of Flying Daggers.....11.88%
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.....0.99%
Birth.....0%
I saw the top three and voted for SPIDER-MAN 2. They got me twice - once with Aunt May's inspirational speech about everyday heroes and the second time with the runaway subway scene. In any other year, I would have gone with Hellboy.
BEST HORROR FILM
SHAUN OF THE DEAD.....42.05%
Dawn of the Dead.....12.50%
Van Helsing.....12.50%
Saw.....11.36%
The Grudge.....10.23%
Open Water.....6.82%
Blade: Trinity.....4.55%
I saw SHAUN OF THE DEAD and Van Helsing. I voted for Shaun because it's a terrific comedy and a terrific horror movie. But I want to say - again - that Van Helsing isn't as bad as many critics and fans made it out to be. It's got some good stuff which, while it doesn't overcome the not-so-good stuff, still makes it worth a viewing on a quiet Saturday afternoon.
BEST ACTION/ADVENTURE/THRILLER FILM
KILL BILL: VOL. 2.....48.84%
The Aviator.....11.63%
The Bourne Supremacy.....11.63%
National Treasure.....11.63%
Collateral.....9.30%
The Manchurian Candidate.....3.49%
The Phantom Of The Opera.....3.49%
I went with KILL BILL VOL. 2 on this one, surprised at how much I ended up liking the two-part movie. My initial reaction to the clips and trailers was negative.
Neither The Bourne Supremacy or Collateral blew me away, but they were both what I expected and wanted them to be: a couple of films to entertain me for a few hours when I was too tired or sick to do any writing.
BEST ANIMATED FILM
THE INCREDIBLES.....83.04%
Shrek 2.....12.12%
The Polar Express.....4.04%
Shark Tale.....0%
What can I say? THE INCREDIBLES might be the best animated film...ever. It ranks with the best of the Walt Disney film-length cartoons and with director Brad Bird's THE IRON GIANT. I'm hoping the Easter Bunny (i.e., Sainted Wife Barb) will be putting it in my Easter basket.
Shrek 2? It'd be the best animated film in almost any other year you could name. It's clever and funny on multiple levels with loads of sappy heart for the romantic in me.
[run Johnny Depp photo here]
BEST ACTOR
JOHNNY DEPP (Finding Neverland).....29.55%
Tobey Maguire (Spider-Man 2).....25%
Jim Carrey (Eternal Sunshine).....23.86%
Matt Damon (The Bourne Supremacy).....10.23%
Christian Bale (The Machinist).....5.68%
Tom Cruise (Collateral).....5.68%
It's probably good I only saw half of these movies because I'm told Depp, Carrey, and Bale are all terrific in their nominated roles. I had a tough enough time choosing between the other three actors, finally going with MATT DAMON.
BEST ACTRESS
UMA THURMAN (Kill Bill: Vol. 2).....48.15%
Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine).....24.69%
Ziyi Zhang (House of Flying Daggers).....18.52%
Nicole Kidman (Birth).....3.70%
Julianne Moore (The Forgotten).....3.70%
Blanchard Ryan (Open Water).....1.23%
I voted for UMA THURMAN. Okay, yeah, hers was the only one of these films I've seen. No matter. She absolutely ruled the big screen as the Bride.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
ALFRED MOLINA (Spider-Man 2).....42.35%
David Carradine (Kill Bill: Vol. 2).....25.88%
Gary Oldman (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban).....14.12%
Giovanni Ribisi (Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow).....11.76%
Liev Schreiber (The Manchurian Candidate).....3.53%
John Turturro (Secret Window).....2.35%
I could've voted for any of the top three vote-getters with a clear conscience; they were all superb. But ALFRED MOLINA made Doctor Octopus much more than a mere super-villain and that's why he got my vote.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
DARYL HANNAH (Kill Bill: Vol. 2).....37.18%
Angelina Jolie (Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow).....29.49%
Irma P. Hall (The Ladykillers).....12.82%
Meryl Streep (The Manchurian Candidate).....11.54%
Kim Basinger (Cellular).....6.41%
Diane Kruger (National Treasure).....2.56%
Daryl Hannah was wonderful in Kill Bill Vol. 2, but IRMA P. HALL was even better in The Ladykillers.
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A YOUNGER ACTOR
DANIEL RADCLIFFE (Prisoner Of Azkaban).....61.25%
Perla Haney-Jardine (Kill Bill: Vol. 2).....15%
Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland).....13.75%
Emmy Rossum (Phantom Of The Opera).....6.25%
Jonathan Jackson (Riding the Bullet).....2.50%
Cameron Bright (Birth).....1.25%
I only saw two of these movies, so my choice was going to be between Radcliffe and PERLA HANEY-JARDINE. Radcliffe brought a neat seething anger to Harry Potter this time around, but something about Haney-Jardine just got to me.
Moving right along...
Today will be your last full day to vote on the current TONY POLLS questions, which concern the battle for Superman between DC Comics and Jerry Siegel's heirs, the new LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES by Mark Waid and Barry Kitson, Frank Miller's SIN CITY, the possible return of the Valiant (Comics) Universe, and which of various items you'd like to see me review in future columns. You can make your selections at:
www.worldfamouscomics.com/tony/poll
Tuesday will bring new questions and, though I haven't written them yet, it looks like they will all be comics or comics-related questions. Watch for them.
Thanks for spending a part of your day with me. I'll be back soon with more stuff.
Tony Isabella
<< 03/20/2005 | 03/21/2005 | 03/22/2005 >>
Discuss this column with me at my Message Board. Also, read Heroes and Villains: Real and Imagined.
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THE "TONY" SCALE
ZERO: Burn your money before buying any comic receiving this rating. It doesn't *necessarily* mean there's absolutely nothing of value here - though it *could* - but whatever value it might possess shrinks into insignificance before its overall awfulness.
ONE: Buy something else. Maybe I found something which wasn't completely dreadful in the item, but not enough for me to recommend it when there are better comics available. I only want what's best for you, my children.
TWO: Basic judgment call. I found some value, but not enough to recommend it. My review should give you enough info to decide if you want to take a chance on it. Are you feeling lucky today, punk? Well, are you?
THREE: This denotes something I find perfectly respectable. There are better books out there, but I wouldn't regret buying this item. Based on my review, you should be able to determine if it's of interest to you. Let the Force guide you.
FOUR: I recommend anything earning this rating. Unless you don't like the genre, subject matter, or past work of the creators, I believe you'll enjoy this item. Isn't it uncanny how I can look right into your soul that way?
FIVE: Anything getting this rating is among the best comicdom has to offer. You should buy/read this, even if the genre/subject matter doesn't appeal to you. It's for your own good. Me, I live for comics and books this good...but not in a pathetic "Comic-Book Guy" sort of way.
Please send material you would like me to review to:
Tony's Online Tips
840 Damon Drive
Medina, OH 44256
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