Cool News
A Pair of looks at MYSTERY MEN!!!
Well folks, here we go... We've been hearing a few tidbits here and there about THE MYSTERY MEN, but here are the first two reports from the mysterious test screening up in Sacramento last night. As for as I know, this is the first screening of the film anywhere. According to both reports the film is running a bit longer than necessary, though neither mention where cuts should come, so this could be one of them Jeffery Jones comments from AMADEUS where one would retort, "Which notes?" After Robogeek came back a transformed toaster, he's been running a temperature ever since thus burning our precious toast on a daily schedule. Now I turn you over to... The UnNamed!
I'm all wired after seeing a preview of a crazy new movie called The Mystery
Men at the Laguna Hills UA. It had the weirdest cast I can ever remember
being in a mainstream film--Greg Kinnear and Ben Stiller and Geoffrey Rush
and Pee Wee Herman--they were all great. The best was Janine Garofolo--she
was hysterical, wielding a mean bowling ball. The story was something about
would-be superheroes saving the city, but the movie was much hipper than it
sounds. So much attitude. Stiller plays a guy named Mr. Furious. Pee Wee
Herman was really funny with silent but deadly powers. William H. Macy from
Fargo and Psycho was in it too--he played a character called the Shoveler
whose wife just didn't understand.
It dragged in a couple of parts--they should maybe cut 10 or 15 minutes, but
it was really original and it had a great look.
And now for the longer closer look at MYSTERY MEN from Kal-el
Just got done seeing a cool lil' flick you have mentioned in your sight before called MYSTERY MEN. And let me tell you... FUCK Superman,
Spidey, Wolvy, Linda Carter, the Fantastic Four, the Wonder Twins and every comic book hero/heroine you grew up with - cuz there's a new
"Kickin' Some Ass Team" cumin to a theatre near you! Let me tell you 'bout it...
On the doomed planet Krypton, scientist Jor-El had his unborn son Kal-El (still within his birthing matrix) placed on a hyperlight drive rocket.
With his wife Lara, Jor-El watched the ship depart as a nuclear chain reaction destroyed the planet Krypton. Jor-El targeted his son's rocket to
reach planet Earth, where he hoped his son would find a good life. Oh wait... wrong story... sorry. Let me start over...
It's happened again. For the hundredth time, I was "conned" by those little munchkins that carry the clipboard full of stupid questions and
names and was forced into a corner to hear his shpeel about some new movie. OK OK... all he had to say was "Hi, do you want to go see a free
movie?" and I was hooked. So sue me! I'm a geek!
The screening was held at the United Artists Laguna Village Theater in my lovely hometown of California's capitol, Sacramento. As with most
of these "free movies" I have gone to, the "unfinished and rough" speech was given beforehand. I don't care, as long as there isn't too many
"INSERT SPECIAL FX HERE" mentions running along the bottom of the movie. My friend and I watched this announcer mutant walk to the
back, passing a row of suits. "Hmmmm," I thought, seeing their beady little corporate eyes. "Am I to be a guinea pig in their maze of
corruption?" I then turned to my friend and saw that they had already got to him. The movie had started and I too was hooked.
Let me first state that overall the movie was a little too long, but the coolness factor and the comedy made me overlook it. This movie has so
many bad-ass people in it, bad-ass gadgets and set designs, my brain was frying from ultra-coolness! The movie is about a group of "wanna-be
superheroes" who feel it is their responsibility to save the world from mass destruction after the "real" superhero is, well, "missing." Harry,
think of when you were that chubby little kid who thought he was Superman (or whatever superhero you make-believed) in your backyard with
your friends but now at the age of 35 you still are playing it out - but for reals. No superpowers, no mental acuteness, just plain regular human
powers. Everybody knows you are just a silly human, except your own self. That's what MYSTERY MEN is about. That little section of your
brain that tells you, "Hey, you can be a superhero, no, you ARE a superhero, you can do it - believe! On that same note, "Talk Soup to Dear
God to As Good As it Gets to mucho $$!" Greg Kinnear, plays the "real" superhero - And he is good!!
As for the MYSTERY MEN themselves, each character is so colorful and gnarly, and so well done by the actor that plays them, I was in utter
bliss. The characters are as follows (hopefully I can get them all right...) Please forgive me if I forget - I'm still spinning from kicking some
Hobgoblin ass...
William H. Macy - fucking incredible as the Shoveler- a father and husband who's wife wants out of the marriage and is in complete denial. He
fights the bad guys armed just with a shovel!
Ben Stiller - as Mr. Furious! A man controlled by his ferocious anger. Think "The Punisher." And he has a cool motorcycle, as well.
Janeane Gorofalo - Definitely the best character! She's called the Bowler and is armed with an incredible bowling ball that has a killer skull inside
it. She drips with the sarcasm and one-liners we have come to like from her. Too cool!
Pee Wee Herman - The Spleen. The name says it all and I think I busted mine watching him....
There was also another actor and I can't think of his name and I know I should know it - well, he played the "Blue Raja." A grown man armed
with his mother's silverware (forks) he fights for justice! The dialogue between his mother and him is so funny!
And then there's the SHINE dude, Geoffrey Rush who plays the bad guy, Casanova Frankenstein. He plays it so well, so comic-bookish, so evil,
you want to jump out of your seat and kick his scrawny little ass. His henchman are these cool Elvis-type guys who remind you of the Foo
Fighters video...
There's a couple of other "Mystery Men" characters (Invisible Boy, and a "mysterious spanish dude" (no more said)) but these were the
coolest ones that made the movie so good. Whoever made this movie (no credits during the film) has got to be a major geek! What a great
concept - and to make it work with that range of cool actors, he should be hired to pick-up the Spiderman film - or any superhero film that
should be made! Oh and I forgot to mention the Smashmouth song... I haven't heard this one on the radio yet, but it's definitely gonna be on
one near you. Sounds a little similar to Walking on the Sun. Great song and works well with the film!
Well Harry - I tried to give you an overview of what I saw without any spoilers... I cannot wait for the finished product. I'm not sure when it's
going to open, I think in the summer...
I'm off to fight for the justice of all geeks around the world! Wish me luck and until next time...
Kal-El
-
+ Expand All
-
I can't wait for this movie. I've been a big fan of the comics, which is why I'm peeved about The Flaming Carrot absense! For those who don't know The Flaming Carrot is a kick ass vigilante(think Punisher by way of Madman) that wears a white button down shirt, red pants, green flippers, and has a giant carrot with an eternal flame at the top as a mask. It sounds silly, but the guy kicks ass. He uses bats, double guns, uzi's, tommi guns, etc. to whup some ass. I guess the suits figured he be too violent for the movie or they may have bigger plans for him. There is an action figure in the works so you never know.
-
I am hardcore looking forward to this...it looks funny and smart as hell. this will probably be the movie that everybody checks out, after TPM.
-
Shame on you for getting that wrong! You call yourself a geek? This is Apu/Moe/Chief Wiggum we're talking about! Also see Godzilla, Heat, and Grosse Point Blank. Great as the cast looks, he's the one who sold it for me. I can't wait til Azaria is the big star he deserves to be.
-
>>Also see Godzilla, Heat, and Grosse Point Blank.<< Correction. Do NOT see "Godzilla." Even if you're a big Hank Azaria fan, there are limits to what we should reasonably be expected to put ourselves through.
-
I really think putting the Flaming Carrot in this movie would have ruined the whole ambience. I mean, look at the characters: a guy who uses forks, a chick who uses a bowling ball, a guy who uses a shover...and a carrot with UZIS?!?! something doesnt fit there. i think these guys are going for the pitiful, rag-tag, mentally dillusional feel from the these charcters...not blood bath city. uzis dont get any sympathy from me.
-
Apr 30, 1999 7:34:20 AM CDT
Think how much better Godzilla could've been if Hank Azaria's ch
by martin q blank
... the only good scene in that film is the one where Azaria first chases Godzilla through the streets. That scene was FUN. Imagine if they'd made the film about Azaria's efforts to 'catch' Godzilla - on film.
-
Harry- Come on, the first review is so vague it could've been written based on the Entertainment Weekly article. The second sounds like a PR person wrote it- a few to many "I'm such a geek" sayings (doth protest too much?), and lots of nudge, nudge, wink, wink weak insults of the "corporate" NRG goons. Seems a little too forgetful of easily available info like actors names, and there's a plug for the soundtrack contained within the review ("stay tuned for that wicked new hit Smashmouth single, available on blah blah blah"). One last thing- hey Kal-El, Hobgoblin isn't one of your enemies, that would be Spider-Man. Next time, try dropping a few more "references" that would ring true with "the kids".
-
Where's the mention for the god of all comedy, Eddie Izzard? I swear he's in this film. And not a mention. Someone, please, have some common sense and mention the man.
-
It's about time the whole superhero genre got the tweaking it deserves, and Mystery men looks like the movie to do it. Hank Azaria looks hilarious in pics I've seen and the entire cast is cool. Plus, I hope this is the comeback movie for Pee Wee. I don't care what the man did in a porn theater, he's funny as all hell. This is my most highly anticipated comedy of the summer. Austin 2 sounds good, but I have a feeling the Man of Mystery is going to wear out his welcome this time around. the first one was killer, but that's a hard concept to keep fresh. Then again, Mike just might be the man to pull it off. Oh well. Mystery Man is gonna be good. I know it in my heart.
-
Flaming Carrot didn't just use uzis - he once killed a load of footless aliens using only a spoon!!
Incidentally, the creator Bob Burden has a web site "www.flamingcarrot.com" check it out!! -
Does this remind anyone else of "The Civic Minded Five", you know Four Legs Man, Captain Mucilage, Carpeted Man, Feral Boy, and Jungle Janet from Thi Tick? I love silly super heroes. I can't wait until this come out!
-
This movie could not come out soon enough. Maybe Universal could open it against Star Wars- a bit of the 'ol counter programming... My stomach hurts from wanting to see this flick so bad. Other than THE MOVIE, this is the one must see this summer. It really doesn't help to see these positive reviews... It only makes waiting harder.
-
One of the insiders said the movie had, "so much attitude." Could is possibly be anyone but some executive for the movie writing that review? I mean, come on, the entire review sounded like when a motivational speaker at high school would try to talk the "kid's" language.
-
had already been optioned as a film by another company when this Universal project came around, therefore...no can include. Personally, I'm still waiting for The Tick live action film, as well as Captain Sternn. Bring'em on!
-
It's got a super cast but a weak script and a first-time director. I want this movie to work, but I'm ascared, pa.
-
http://www.universalpictures.com/mysterymen/
-
Hey Kal-El,
The guy who plays Blue Raja in Mystery Men is Hank Azaria. He does many of the voices on The Simpsons, most notably Apu. You have seen him as the reporter in Godzilla, the barefoot houseboy in Birdcage and in tons of films such as Quiz Show, Great Expectations, Homegrown, Grosse Pointe Blank, Anastasia, and Pretty Woman. He is also a semi-regular on Mad About You, he plays the dog walker (and also is Helen Hunt's squeeze off screen).
P. -
Can't wait to see this one!
-
Goddamn that second one was so obvious. Still looks cool though.
-
It's so great that they're finally making a Tick movie! Oh ,wait. Mystery Men, you say? Sorry, wrong title, same premise.
-
Hey, fellow geeks...this is a young, hip "with-it" fellow filmgoer just like you! Oh, I totally saw this new movie! It's um..."the bomb". Is that what the young kids are saying? It was totally "cool" and "awesome"! Go spend your money and see it! Also, be sure and watch lots and lots of MTV and drink Coca-cola! It's what all of us young geeks are doing, right? Right? GET THAT REVIEW OUTTA HERE!!!!
-
"I'm all wired after seeing a preview of a crazy new movie"..."but the movie was much hipper than it sounds. So much attitude."..."it was really original and it had a great look." ..."cuz there's a new "Kickin' Some Ass Team" cumin to a theatre near you!"..."I'm off to fight for the justice of all geeks around the world!" --Damn that's some weak shit.
-
Apr 30, 1999 2:14:19 PM CDT
Damn you corporate suit fucks. Martin Q. Blank also sounds like
by paragonian
I don't know of any "real" reviewer that's gonna remember that much information while trying to enjoy the film. Sounds like a great cast and concept though, better than most crap comic book films. Damn you corporate fucks, stick to Wall Street with all the other non creative, no personality stoned faced money grubbers where you belong. By the way, as long as you just tell a good story and support your artists, you'll be fine. Stop analyzing the audience and your quarterly earnings and tell some good fucking stories.
-
Um, does anybody know about another movie with the exact same premise but staring Heather Grahm and some other hot up and comers (Seth Green maybe?) I read it a year ago and I know the screened it, but I haven't heard anything since. It is the exact same movie by the way. Except in the Specials, the 8th rate super heroes are finally getting their action figures. It was very funny. So, any news on it?
-
all pee wee did was jerk off, just like you do. he was one of dopey socity's victims. cause dopey society needs its victims.
-
The first one may or may not be real. The second one is complete horseshit. A pox upon the marketing scumfuck who wrote it. Harry I can't believe you don't see it for what it is. Come on buddy, I've come to expect more from this site.
-
...it's really bad when Wes Studi is confused for "some spanish dude." Wes Studi is one of the most underrated actors of the '90s, giving excellent performances in Dances With Wolves, The Last of The Mohicans, Heat, and most of all, Geronimo. Please start giving this great actor the recognition he truly deserves. And other Native American actors like Graham Greene, Rodney A. Grant, et al.
-
Get the stick out of your rumps. Who cares if the second review was written by some corporate guy. Why worry about what the studio wants you to think about Mystery Men? Aren't you capable of waiting until you SEE the film and then forming your own opinion? Are you scared a blurb is going to color your movie-going experience? Christ, what, an industry suit-wearer can't be a film fan, too?
Anyway, to the people who are comparing the Mystery Men to the Tick, the MM preceed the Tick. Their first appearance was in the Flaming Carrot book. The Tick creator, Ben Endlund, or something, was/is a friend of the Flaming Carrot's creator. Kitchen Sink Press has always published the same basic type of comic: irreverant. The Tick and MM and Flaming Carrot are all cut from the same cloth. Besides, the Tick really does have super-powers, the MM don't. Their the same side of the same one-sided coin. So, forget MM being a Tick rip-off! -
I find it almost a compliment that many of you thought that I was some PR plant or corporate ninny when I wrote that MYSTERY MEN review... In reality, I am a junior at Cal State Sacramento majoring in Marketing who loves everything about film. This proves my education is going somewhere and the money thrown into my education by my parents, is money well spent.
After I saw MYSTERY MEN, I was excited and I knew the first person I wanted to tell was Harry. Wanting to write my review in the style that I have come to know and like on Harry's sight, I sat down in the mindset of what I thought was that of the "geek." You few saw through that... In all honesty, I enjoyed the film. It was incredible. The acting, the story, everything about it (and I knew I should have known Hank Azaria's name - I was way too excited) was one that made me remember of going to the movies as a little kid and walking out of the theatre believing I was that character I had just seen on the big screen.
As for the first review, I don't know anything about it. But the theatre was packed and I'm sure there were more of Harry's fans sitting amongst me. Thank you all again for your "PR flack" retorts and your "pox upon the marketing scumfuck" slayings - In the future, I will write from the heart, not pretending to be the "geek" I am aiming to be.
Soon to be "a corporate fuck,"
Kal-El -
HEAT is a rip off THE KILLER.When they discuss that cops &robbers are the same,this all happens in the KILLER.And anyways,it's 3hrs long,LA TAKEDOWN was only 90min,so why make it 3hrs. MYSTERY MEN is gonna FLOP!!!!!,everybody in this movie is a nobody,they're only good for background roles.
-
ON WELLS site he says it's better than JEDI but worse than EMPIRE & STARWARS.That means it's gonna be crap.MATRIX HAS WON!!!!!!
-
I just checked out Mr. Showbiz, and Jeffrey Wells never made that statement. To quote from his site: "Word from one guy who's seen it: "Better than Jedi -- not as good as Star Wars or Empire". One guy, eh? Which one guy would that be?
I'd rather quote Steven Spielberg: "It's just like Christmas without the bad bits". -
JOHN,SPIELBERG is the idiot that gave us that scene in LOST WORLD where a little girl beats up a rapter,the most stupid scene of all time.If SPIELBERG Likes PHANTOM,i'd be very worried!!!!!!
-
That's right, you are their king! Now shoo!
Readers Talkback
User Login
Top Talkbacks
- Whitney Houston 1963 - 2012 -- 439 total posts 165 posts
- WTF HOLLYWOOD: SOLARBABIES -- 144 total posts 142 posts
- Herc’s Seen Tonight’s Return Of THE WALKING DEAD!! Discuss Also DOWNTON ABBEY, FEAR FACTOR, PAN AM, ONCE, SIMPSONS, DYNAMITE, LUCK, SHAMELESS, BAIT CAR, THE GRAMMYS And More!! Sunday Is Sweeps Day 11!! -- 153 total posts 138 posts
- Avid Comic Reader Hercules Does Battle With Tedium During Kevin Smith’s COMIC BOOK MEN! -- 55 total posts 47 posts
- There's a STAR TREK video game that is going to lead into JJ's STAR TREK 2 apparently... -- 196 total posts 45 posts
- If the Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day drops her pen, pick it up, but don’t look at her legs or else it will be on your record. -- 60 total posts 36 posts
- New JUDGE DREDD post production footage pops up -- 127 total posts 36 posts
- I am The Behind the Scenes Pics of the Day! No, I’m the Behind the Scenes Pic of the Day! -- 35 total posts 35 posts
- To Commemorate The 3D Release Of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE, George Lucas Wants You To Know...Greedo Shoots First!! -- 513 total posts 29 posts
- The Sensorties Revisit The Friday Docback (And Still Smell)!! DOCTOR WHO Story #7 Again, The Coming Of Season/Series 7, And More!! -- 117 total posts 26 posts