The Incredible Hulk: Early Positive Reviews Hit the Net

When all is said and done, will The Incredible Hulk take the spot on our Fave Movies of Summer ‘08 listicles previously reserved for Indy and Spielberg? For months, the redo’s marketing, CGI, behind the scenes differences, and purpose have been scrutinized beneath formidable anticipation for The Dark Knight, Iron Man and Hellboy 2. Early reviews are hitting the Net and it appears that the latest Marvel tale, from director Louis Leterrier and star Ed Norton, is a worthy contender and then some. I’ve compiled excerpts from what’s currently being said on the Net. If you’ve attended an early screening, let us hear all about it in the comments, or email/Twitter us. This entire post is spoiler-free.

First off, The Incredible Hulk recently screened at the championed Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas and the locals and spies over at AICN report the following…

“I was afraid going into this movie that the CGI would take me out of the movie, but it never did. The cinematography and CGI were beautifully shot. I loved the Hulk as much in this movie as I did in the comic books. …Ed Norton was incredible as Bruce Banner. But the Hulk? The Hulk truly came to life for me for the first time on film. …Is it as wonderful as Iron Man? No, but it is still a pretty damn good superhero film that continues to give me hope for the future Marvel films in the works.” - CheriBomb

The following guy nitpicks at Liv Tyler’s performance (”she’s always out of breath…”), but he’s even more excited. Given his alias, I can only imagine where and in what circumstance he typed the following…

“Really, let’s not even worry about the thin plot, the point of anything Hulk is SMASH! …In short, the geekiest comparison I can make is to Star Trek:consider Ang Lee’s Hulk to be Star Trek:The Motion Picture, a long drawn out effects heavy cerebral film clearly crafted with a fetishistic love; and consider The Incredible Hulk to be The Wrath Of Khan:shorter, faster, pure ass kicking all the way through.” - The Human Burrito

Yes mom, I went to J-school to quote a spy named The Human Burrito. And if said spy is actually a plant dressed up like my favorite food, I have to say his Star Trek comparison still makes me want to check it out. Other spy reports: This next guy admits that the CGI Hulk is pretty, uh, CGI-y and yet the effects do not “distract” from the overall badassery. He also says that the film is chockful of Easter Eggs and gushing with geek references, something we keep hearing over and over…

“The real surprise for me was Tim Roth - he’s not been this good for years and he’s great as special forces soldier Emil Blonsky, even if his character does get lost a bit towards the end and he does look a bit like Harry Potter’s Dobby at one point. There’s one sequence in particular that has me drooling at the prospect of Marvel’s upcoming Captain America movie.” - rjl1138, NYC

Yeah, but what about Professor Dark and Serious Movies Only, will that chief like it? Probably not and who cares, but Massawyrm says…

“The Incredible Hulk fucking rules. …Every bit as good as Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk takes the material we all love, gets at the heart of what makes it tick and then puts it on the screen FOR ADULTS. It’s dark. It’s heavy.”

Oh, and what about AICN’s Harry Knowles?

“OH HELL YEAH!” - Harry Knowles [includes animation of himself turning into Hulk, makes token allusion to “creaming”]

Elsewhere, reactions are equally elated, like this one…

“Except for one or two quiet moments shared by Banner and his girlfriend while on the lam, Incredible Hulk doesn’t waste a single frame on dull talky exposition. It is all plot-driven and action-filled. In fact, unlike the much-hyped Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, The Incredible Hulk never runs out of steam.” - Sci-Fi Movie Page

Gives yet another new meaning to “Nuke the Fridge.” Here’s an exclusive mini-reaction via txt/Twitter to Slashfilm just seconds ago…

“It’s pretty awesome and that’s coming from a girl. The teaser at the end got me really excited too.” - Alana Taylor, Journalist, NYC

If a negative review(s) pops up, we’ll include it here, but for now, the buzz is on high. And we might as well tell you to stick around for the end credits. Also, the film’s ending is said to be a mega-highlight.

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Lou Ferrigno Smashes In On The Hulk!!

Lou Ferrigno to me was my idol when I was a kid growing up. He played one of my favorite super heroes in The Hulk and did it so convincingly that I wanted to be like Lou growing up. So imagine how exciting it was to finally have a chance to talk to someone you grew up idolizing. Yes, that last sentence launches me towards Planet Nerd, but I don’t care.

During my set visit for the upcoming comedy I Love You, Man starring Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Jon Favreau, Thomas Lennon, J.K. Simmons and Lou Ferrigno, Lou stopped by for a few minutes to chime in on the upcoming Incredible Hulk movie, his role in I Love You, Man and how he wants more than anything to dance with the stars.

Are you excited about “The Incredible Hulk?

Lou Ferrigno: I am very excited about the premier this coming Sunday. I was very happy to do the voice, because this particular movie will be leaning more towards the TV series. I am very happy to be involved with Edward Norton, and my favorite great director Louis Leterrier. People might think it’s cool. I think it could be a huge hit.

After all these years doing the “Hulk”, do you have a preference on how the Hulk is being depicted?

Lou Ferrigno: Well, I haven’t seen the movie. But I think it’s nice that the Hulk is nine feet tall instead of forty feet tall. I think Ang Lee did a great job, and that was more like the comic book. But this new one is more like the TV series. You have the cat and mouse chase. And I think the Hulk is more sympathetic. I was glad to be doing the voice, because the character will now be more believable.

And now you are playing yourself in “I Love You, Man”?

Lou Ferrigno: I am playing a part in the movie, but I can’t contractually say what it is. But it is a surprise. It’s a nice scene.

Why can’t you talk about it?

Lou Ferrigno: Because the contract is signed. I can’t talk about it until after the film is out.

Is it something so amazing that we can’t know about it?

Lou Ferrigno: It’s a requirement from Universal Studios that I can’t talk about my part. Everyone has signed one of these agreements. But you’ll find out in four days.

Are you talking about this movie, or “The Incredible Hulk”? I’m asking about your character in “I Love You, Man.”

Lou Ferrigno: I’m talking about the Hulk. You want to know about this movie? What about it?

Are you playing yourself in this one?

Lou Ferrigno: Yes. That is correct. It is another version of me. This is a great romantic comedy. It is completely different. It is a movie you have never seen before, because it deals with a lot of sexuality. The director is banging the max out of everyone. We get a chance to see so many funny scenes, because we have so many funny characters. My storyline has to do with the selling of my house. It had to do with the whole concept of the other characters respect for me, and how I interact with the other characters. It is extremely funny.

And you get in a fight with Jason Segel?

Lou Ferrigno: Yeah.

Do you kick his ass?

Lou Ferrigno: Looks pretty obvious, don’t you think?

Are you going to be doing some dance moves in this? We heard the wedding band singing a song about you.

Lou Ferrigno: Yeah. We filmed the dancing yesterday. It will be whatever they put in the film. Everybody is going to be dancing.

Are you a pretty good dancer?

Lou Ferrigno: Yes.

What about doing the comedy?

Lou Ferrigno: I love doing comedy. I did comedy for seven years on The King of Queens. I’m excited about doing this, because you are going to see a different version and side of me that you’ve never seen before. Also, I have always had an ambition to do Dancing with the Stars. I think this movie is going to put me on the map. We have a lot of beautiful brides maids dancing. We have this whole group dancing. When you have that much excitement, you never know what is going to come out of it. Plus, everyone is cheering, “Come on! Come on! Come on!” They want you to go, go, go! It can get out of hand. It was a good thing that there were a few gurneys here last night. They had to take someone to the hospital. There was a guy in there that is eight-four years old, and he was in there dancing too.

How is the body building going?

Lou Ferrigno: It is going great. I am involved with my website, louferrigno.com. I am also doing a shoot for Fitness Magazine. It is a father-son workout thing. I am very active with them. I write articles, and have been with them for thirty years.

So you workout with your sons?

Lou Ferrigno: Yes, they are very involved in it. One is eighteen and the other is twenty-three. They are both avid bodybuilders. And they try to emulate me. Of course they have a college education, this is just a camaraderie thing. Maybe its because I own a gym.

Are they going to enter any competitions like their old man?

Lou Ferrigno: Oh, yeah. Sure. But the old man is going to stand up.

What has been your favorite part about doing this movie?

Lou Ferrigno: Everything, because I get a chance to show off what I am capable of doing. I know The King of Queens was a comedy, but this is taking it to a different level. You will get to see the silly side of me. You will get to see the angry side of me. You will see the anxiety side of me. I have put a lot of quality work into this film, and it gives me a chance to expand on my character.

So, you want to do Dancing with the Stars?

Lou Ferrigno: Of Course! I want you guys to start an online campaign to get me on the show.

In the song that we hear the band Ok Go singing about you, they mention the Hulk. Is one of these guys a huge Hulk fan?

Lou Ferrigno: I think so. This does have a lot to do with my lifestyle. That is at the center of this film. Lou lives in this huge mansion, but he wants a bigger house. This shows all of the interaction and what goes on in my real life in this film. You have to see it, because it is very funny. And I am very happy to have a director like John Hamburg, because he is a wonderful writer. He knows how to wring the best out of everyone. The thing I have noticed about this shoot is that all of these characters are very funny in the script. But these actors take it to another level. I’ve even surprised by myself.

Jason Segel and Paul Rudd love to go off script. Are you there with them when they start improving?

Lou Ferrigno: That’s what makes this film so unique. We have such good actors. They allow me to reach my max, because everyone is effected by the acting. This is a great cast. You have Rashida Jones beside Jason and Paul. You have Jane Curtain. And especially J.K. Simmons. That is a great cast. A great pick of a cast. Sometimes you have one or two characters that don’t really fit in a film. This one? It’s all magic.

Do you have any scenes with J.K.?

Lou Ferrigno: Yeah. I pulled him on the dance floor yesterday. Very funny.

What are you working on next? We saw some clips on line that you may be showing up in American Gladiators.

Lou Ferrigno: Yeah, I did a promo American Gladiators. It’s to promote the Hulk movie, because they are both produced by Universal Studios. It is sort of like hype for the movie. I am excited about the Hulk, because it has been so long. Young kids would like to see the continuum. I think this is going to take it to the next level. Because we were such a hit with the TV series. Its all about power, and kids love power. “Spider-Man” and the Hulk are Marvel’s two biggest franchises. I’d like to see it continue, because it is a positive thing for the environment. Especially all over the world, and for the kids.

Working with Bill Bixby, and then working with Ed Norton. Was it surreal at all?

Lou Ferrigno: They are very similar in that they are both fine actors. Working with Ed is going to be closer to the series. I think we are going to surprise a lot of people, because he rewrote the script himself. And he knows what the character should be. That is important for the film.

Lou Ferrigno crushes you with his manhood in 2009.

How awesome would it be to see Lou Ferrigno accidentally rip off some tiny little dancer chick's arms? E-mail your support to: george@latinoreview.com

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The Red Pill: 10 Films Guaranteed To Blow Your Mind

If you were offered the chance to learn the truth…would you take it?

My English teacher once told me that good short stories were the ones that spoke to universal truths.

These were the stories that go beyond mere characters and their antics through an imaginary universe. They offer an insight into the human condition: what is life? what is truth? what is reality?

The same could be said for memorable films. Only films convey their meaning in a more sensory way - using both audio and visual elements to enter the mind of the viewer.

And perhaps even shift your perspective.

The following 10 films are chosen because they shed light on the forces at work within our lives, this very moment. They use satire and metaphor to approach the truths that would otherwise be too difficult to understand, or too terrifying to comprehend.

Most of all, these films challenge you to wake up.

The Truman Show (1998)

Jim Carrey plays Truman Burbank, the first child ever legally adopted by a corporation. His entire life is constructed inside a gigantic set, encompassing the picturesque town of SeaHaven. Everything is artificial — from the buildings, to the people, to the very sun above his head.

It’s too easy to call the film a satirical extension of “reality television.” Instead, Peter Weir deftly uses the motif of reality TV to present the “un-realities” of our own world. How the majority of us are psychologically controlled, through fear and comfort to, as Cristof says, “accept the reality of the world that we’re given.”

Read more: The Meaning Of The Truman Show

I Heart Huckabees (2004)

Imagine you were experiencing an existential crisis. But rather than work through it yourself, you hire existential detectives to help you track down the source of your suffering. Imagine one of those detectives is Dustin Hoffman with a bad haircut.

I Heart Huckabees is a quirky, rabbit hole of a film. Many of the characters, from the smarmy marketing executive (Jude Law), to the angry nihlistic firefighter (Mark Walberg) act out the various philosophies of the past thousand years.

Read more: Essay on I Heart Huckabees

Waking Life (2001)

What if you were chained in a dimly-lit cave your whole life where you saw only shadows of real things reflected on its back wall?

Suddenly you’re free and come into the sunlight. Would you recognize this new world as more real than your cave world? Would you be able to wake up?

Talk about a mind trip. Richard Linklater’s film Waking Life, is both visually beautiful and intellectually stimulating. The filmmakers use a ground-breaking technique (at the time) called ‘rotoscoping’ to colour over the images to create a dream-like animation.

Just a few of the ideas covered in unbroken dialogues: dreaming versus reality, existentialism, buddhism, situationism, post-modernism, the list goes on.

Read more: Essay on Waking Life

The Matrix (1999)

For obvious reasons, this was a paradigm-shifting film in the world of movies. But it also introduced a whole generation (myself included) to question the nature of reality. What is real? And how do you know it’s real?

The film’s other great contribution to mass society was the possibility that an unseen force is controlling our destiny. Morpheus reveals the ultimate truth that Neo’s mind can barely process: the Matrix is control. And the only way to break free? Open your mind.

Read more: Collection of essays on The Matrix

Dark City (1998)

Do you ever feel like you’re playing a role? Released 1 year before The Matrix, another film introduced the concept of a hidden beings controlling the destiny of humanity.

Dark City follows Rufus Sewell, a man framed for murder, as he’s pursued by faceless super beings that can manipulate time. Unfortunately for the beings, the protagonist is unwittingly gifted with their own powers of psychokinesis, and a challenge for domination ensues.

Read more: Dark City on Wikipedia

American Beauty (1999)

Horny suburban dad obsesses over his daughter’s friend, a vapid cheerleader. But there’s much more to this dark tale of the American dream gone awry.

Notable elements of this award-winning film include the dehumanizing effects of consumerism, the repressed sexuality of a gay military man, and the pot smoking defiance of Ricky Fitts, who sees the beauty of the entire universe in a single, swaying plastic bag.

Read more: American Beauty and the Idea Of Freedom

Fight Club (1999)

“Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don’t need. We’re the middle children of history, man. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War’s a spiritual war… our Great Depression is our lives.”

Tyler Durden’s words ring true in this dark, angry look at young people’s failures to interact with the value system they’re expected to uphold. Far from being a manifesto for violence, the film is rumination on the lengths we will go to experience real emotion, even if it means (metaphorically) bashing someone’s head in.

Read more Fight Club: A Ritual Cure For The Spiritual Ailment Of American Masculinity

Donnie Darko (2001)

Sometimes, to make something better, you’ve got to burn it all down and start over. Such is the relationship between Graham Greene’s The Destructors, and the cult classic Donnie Darko.

The film seamlessly weaves together notions of God, the non-linear nature of time, mind-control, and the freakiest bunny mask you’ve ever seen. It may take multiple viewings to discern a few messages from this multi-layered flick, but each time around will be just as rewarding.

Read more: Essay on Donnie Darko

Brazil (1985)

A dystopian, black comedy, Brazil reveals the terrifying indifference of bureaucracy in a totalitarian state. Although director Terry Gilliam claims never to have read 1984, the themes are too similar to dismiss.

Sam Lowry, a government cog in their machine, habitually escapes his dead-end job by imagining a fantasy world of romantic struggles.

Unfortunately, the system roots out dissidents with fervour. The villains in the film are neither malicious nor sadistic, they are merely doing their jobs.

Read more: Analysis of Brazil

Network (1976)

The news stopped being about enlightening the masses a long time ago.

Instead, news attempts to portray a world view that allows those in power to stay in power. This is never more true than 30 years after the film Network was released, when Howard Beale proclaimed “I’m mad as hell, and I’m not going to take it anymore!”

He called for viewers everywhere to stand up, and demand democratic control over their lives once again. The irony is even more biting when it’s revealed democracy, along with nations, peoples, and countries, no longer exists. The only thing left: the global system of finance.

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