The Punisher is a remake of a 1989 flick starring Dolph Lundgren and is based on yet another Marvel comic. Besides the rather caricature supporting characters there is not much in The Punisher that points towards a comic adapted for the big screen. The main character, Frank Castle (Tom Jane), doesn’t even have super or special powers, although it is rather admirable that he manages to survive just about every attempt made on his life.
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It is always a lot harder to see an old movie if you have only been, like me, a movie fanatic for the past ten years. It demands a certain surrendering and adjustment to really appreciate a classic movie, because the pace and standards are so different compared to modern day films. I decided to set aside all knowledge of modern films (say: films released in the past thirty years) and dive into the classics I heard so much about, without actually having seen them. In my quest, I shall concentrate (though some may call this a serious restriction) on classic American cinema. I will try to discuss one work of the rich classic American cinema pallet each month.
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It is always a lot harder to see an old movie if you have only been, like me, a movie fanatic for the past ten years. It demands a certain surrendering and adjustment to really appreciate a classic movie, because the pace and standards are so different compared to modern day films. I decided to set aside all knowledge of modern films (say: films released in the past thirty years) and dive into the classics I heard so much about, without actually having seen them. In my quest, I shall concentrate (though some may call this a serious restriction) on classic American cinema. I will try to discuss one work of the rich classic American cinema pallet each month.
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When this third instalment came out, I was rather sceptical about it. Not that I didn’t like the previous two Blade movies – because I did – but more because I felt that the Blade formula had worn itself out. Wesley Snipes created a cool character, but him slaying all the big vampires and thwarting their big all-conquering schemes could not last forever. This movie should then become the magnum opus as he takes on the big kahuna himself: Dracula, freshly awaken from his ancient grave. Sadly, this movie turns out to be more a magnum painus in the assus.

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In a selfless act to explore the murky depths of obscure films, I have taken on the gruelling mission to submit myself regularly to what cinema has to offer on the lowest shelf and in its darkest recesses. Normal rules don’t apply here, neither do good taste and common sense; this is Cinema Obscura.

This self-imposed quest to the lowest depths of cinema made me ‘dig in the crates’ of the local video rental. The real dirt must be sought on VHS tapes, preferable in those big eighties-styled video covers, complete with corny punch lines to get you to rent it. Proud of having dug up some of the worst I could find, my surprise would only become bigger when the people at the video rental told me I could keep this undisputed work of art. Stating that I probably would want to put myself through such an ordeal only once in my life was to no avail. I had to take the sucker home to keep…

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Dutch Film Works recently released a box set containing four Jackie Chan movies from the early days of his career. I generally prefer these old Hong Kong flicks over martial arts movies made in Hollywood, so I decided to dive into Chan’s past and see what he’d been doing prior to Rush Hour and the likes.

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Don’t you just hate these lists at the end of an old year, or the beginning of a new year? Well, so do I, so that’s why I decided to bug you all by presenting my lists of the best and worst movies of the year 2004. A year that was characterized by big block-busters, sequels and remakes that turned out to be even bigger disappointments (or more specifically: an insult to the intelligence of many viewers). A year that was also filled with remarkable art-house films. Oh, and happy New Year!
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