So, last week my movie options were - Robert Redford lost at sea or a 3 hour French lesbian drama. Obviously that was a no-brainer as I went and saw Blue is the Warmest Color.
Honestly, I'm always saying that I'll watch anything as long as it's not boring. If it's good, that's even better. At 3 hours, Blue could've tipped the scales into boredom, but it never even came close. The basic coming-of-age story is given quite the radical treatment. But let's see if I can dole out why it's as good as it is over the next few paragraphs.
Adele (played by Adele Exarchopoulos) is a high school student who is just living her life, doing her schoolwork, and hooking up with the cute boy from school. But things just don't feel right. And when she sees a girl with blue hair, all I could think of was Willow's response from seeing her vampire doppelganger in a Buffy episode - "I think I'm kinda gay." And then Adele starts searching for that blue haired girl by going to a lesbian bar. Emma (Lea Seydoux) is the blue haired girl, and she's everything Adele could possibly hope for. She's smart, artistic, worldly, and into her.
And here's where things intensify for the viewer. When Adele and Emma consummate their relationship, it's in a scene that feels like it goes on for about 10 minutes. Within the context of a 3 hour film, that's not too much, but when you're watching it, it's staggering. It makes you run the gamut of emotions when you see it, simply because of it's length. Obviously there's titillation. But then there's uncomfortableness, because you feel like you're intruding on a very intimate act. Then there's boredom - the scene is going on forever! Then there's the detached technical aspect - what is each person doing right now, where's the cameraman, who's doing the lighting? And then it circles all back around to just honesty. This is what these characters want, and we're just privy to to it. It's Verhoevenesque in that it extends the scene past it's normal stopping point in order to make you experience every emotion and feeling that wouldn't otherwise occur in anything shorter. It's also the scene that I think caused a few walkouts. (Wimps.)
But from this scene, Adele's and Emma's relationship is created and builds. Time passes, Adele becomes a teacher, and Emma an artist. Both are doing what they want to do. And that's when the trouble starts.
I hadn't really thought about it until now, but this is one of the things the film wants us to think about. Are we happy if we get the job we want? Adele is a teacher of young children. This is what she's been wanting to do for years. Emma is an artist (a painter), and she's starting to get recognized. One of them starts to feel down about their job. And I don't even want to say disillusioned, because they knew what they're getting into. But Adele doesn't know what she wants from her life anymore, and while she still loves Emma, she starts to lose sight of the treasures she has. And because she's not as mature as Emma, she doesn't know how to express her feelings beyond the surface ones. And because of that, she torpedoes the only relationship that has any meaning for her. It's devastating for both her and us. We want to reach out into the screen, grab Adele, and shake her, shouting, "Stop ruining the best thing that that's ever happened to you, let alone the only thing you really want."
This is a devastating film. Emotions are always out in the open. While Adele may have issues with expressing her thoughts, she has no problem expressing her emotions. If we weren't able to spend so much time with the characters, it's probable that we wouldn't care as much as we do. But we've been intimate with them. We know their friends. We know their jobs. We know their lives. Our feelings have now become part of the film. And that's why I think it's been as lauded as it's been.
I've seen two female lead performances this year that have been knockouts - Sandra Bullock in Gravity (I've always liked her as an actress, but even I didn't know she had that in her), and Adele Exarchopoulos in this. She goes from a student searching for her identity to a flawed human being who doesn't know why she made the mistakes she did, let alone how to recover from them. It's a tragedy of the highest order, and she so inhabits the character that we sympathize with her even though we've seen every misstep that she's taken.
Yes, the movie is long. Yes, the sex is graphic (hello, NC-17). Yes, it's not going to win the feel good movie of the year. But as a film, it grabs you, demands your attention, and leaves you with the lingering aftereffects of its story. Sometimes I just want a movie to just be good. This one is.
***1/2
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Day 710 - About Time
About Time
Richard Curtis has directed three movies - Love Actually, Pirate Radio, and About Time. Love Actually is one of my go to Christmas movies, because, well, it's just great. Pirate Radio has been sitting in my "to watch" stack for over a year (I'm just bitter because I never saw it in the theater). But I saw About Time tonight, and I'm both joyous and sad. Joyous, because it's one of my favorite movies of the year. Sad - because I feel like I'm the only person who actually went and saw it.
Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) is just your average, ordinary, slightly awkward guy. He's part of a loving family with Dad played by Bill Nighy (who, as always, knocks it out of the park). All he wants is a girlfriend, but he has some problems with his execution. But what would happen if he had a chance to do things over? And that's the secret his father reveals to him. The men in their family have the ability to travel through time. There are certain rules Tim has to follow, but nothing that really causes a lot of "Butterfly Effect." It appears that each family member has used this power in a different way (go for the money, read every book possible, etc). Tim really just wants to use it to help his love life.
But, hey, when the object of your affection is Rachel McAdams (who plays Mary), why wouldn't you want to do everything right? And that's what makes this appealing and not creepy. Tim is using his powers to make himself look good, sure, but he wants to make his relationship with Mary work. He uses his powers to build (not create) a life that is filled with love and joy and sometimes sadness.
And the reason we become so invested in Tim and his entire family, is because everyone that we meet is so well-defined. Besides his family, Tim and Mary's friends, Tim's co-worker, Tim's roommate, and so many others are given distinct personalities. Heck, Tom Hollander's Harry (the playwright Tim is sharing a flat with) is one of the surliest, funniest, and most honest characters I've seen in a while.
The idea of what would happen if we were given a second chance at certain things is incredibly appealing. The simple story of a man who takes those second chances, and then learns to appreciate the here and now, is even more appealing. The film is funny, touching, sad, and thoughtful, and sometimes all at once. It's never overwhelming, it's always smart, and it's filled with great characters. It's one of my favorite movies of the year, and I really can't recommend seeing it in the theater highly enough. But you've probably only got about a week or so to do that. So get on that.
****
Richard Curtis has directed three movies - Love Actually, Pirate Radio, and About Time. Love Actually is one of my go to Christmas movies, because, well, it's just great. Pirate Radio has been sitting in my "to watch" stack for over a year (I'm just bitter because I never saw it in the theater). But I saw About Time tonight, and I'm both joyous and sad. Joyous, because it's one of my favorite movies of the year. Sad - because I feel like I'm the only person who actually went and saw it.
Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) is just your average, ordinary, slightly awkward guy. He's part of a loving family with Dad played by Bill Nighy (who, as always, knocks it out of the park). All he wants is a girlfriend, but he has some problems with his execution. But what would happen if he had a chance to do things over? And that's the secret his father reveals to him. The men in their family have the ability to travel through time. There are certain rules Tim has to follow, but nothing that really causes a lot of "Butterfly Effect." It appears that each family member has used this power in a different way (go for the money, read every book possible, etc). Tim really just wants to use it to help his love life.
But, hey, when the object of your affection is Rachel McAdams (who plays Mary), why wouldn't you want to do everything right? And that's what makes this appealing and not creepy. Tim is using his powers to make himself look good, sure, but he wants to make his relationship with Mary work. He uses his powers to build (not create) a life that is filled with love and joy and sometimes sadness.
And the reason we become so invested in Tim and his entire family, is because everyone that we meet is so well-defined. Besides his family, Tim and Mary's friends, Tim's co-worker, Tim's roommate, and so many others are given distinct personalities. Heck, Tom Hollander's Harry (the playwright Tim is sharing a flat with) is one of the surliest, funniest, and most honest characters I've seen in a while.
The idea of what would happen if we were given a second chance at certain things is incredibly appealing. The simple story of a man who takes those second chances, and then learns to appreciate the here and now, is even more appealing. The film is funny, touching, sad, and thoughtful, and sometimes all at once. It's never overwhelming, it's always smart, and it's filled with great characters. It's one of my favorite movies of the year, and I really can't recommend seeing it in the theater highly enough. But you've probably only got about a week or so to do that. So get on that.
****
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Day 686
Uggh. I feel sick. I wanted to write about the Two Door Cinema Club concert I went to last week. It was great, by the way. But it was filled with lots of people under the age of 21. And at age 41, this is starting to get a little disconcerting. Although, nothing still angers me like a 6 foot plus behemoth pushing his way in front of all us tiny people. C'mon! Genetics have obviously been kind to you, you don't have to be a jerk about it. But the other thing about the young people there is something that happened that I don't plan on writing about (see, while that may be frustrating to the reader, I have some own limits to what I want people to read). But, needless to say, it was incredibly awkward, and while I found a strange workaround, it was still a surreal experience.
But the concert, and today have proven what I already know - I'm a coward. Not in everything, but in certain things. My mouth doesn't work the way I want it to many, many times. I have a hard time letting my brain shut down sometimes, and that seems to be one of the biggest problems. My social anxiety can be a crippling thing, and while I hate it, telling me to "Get over it" or "Just do it" ain't helping. It's really just something I live with. And, at times, I'm fine with it. I know what I can or can't do, and I just deal with it.
And, yes, this is a completely depressing post, but it's really just for myself (and possibly the seven followers I have on here), since I won't advertise this post on any social network.
Oh, and this video is the main reason why I wanted to see the band in the first place. My love of choreography and the bright colors make this massively addictive.
But the concert, and today have proven what I already know - I'm a coward. Not in everything, but in certain things. My mouth doesn't work the way I want it to many, many times. I have a hard time letting my brain shut down sometimes, and that seems to be one of the biggest problems. My social anxiety can be a crippling thing, and while I hate it, telling me to "Get over it" or "Just do it" ain't helping. It's really just something I live with. And, at times, I'm fine with it. I know what I can or can't do, and I just deal with it.
And, yes, this is a completely depressing post, but it's really just for myself (and possibly the seven followers I have on here), since I won't advertise this post on any social network.
Oh, and this video is the main reason why I wanted to see the band in the first place. My love of choreography and the bright colors make this massively addictive.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Day 672 - Convention season
I love the San Diego Comic-Con. I've been going every other year (or so) since 1996. There's a number of people who complain because they think it's gotten too media heavy,with less emphasis on comic books. My simple take on this is that when they expanded the convention center space they used all that extra space for pop culture, yet they've kept the same amount of space for comics and such. Since that was a lot of space back in the day, it's still a lot of space now. I'm still able to meet all the writers and artists I want to. I'm still able to get sketches, original art, autographs, and early issues of Amazing Spider-Man without sacrificing my love of pop culture. But, because I work at Carol and John's Comic Shop, going to a local comic convention just doesn't hold the same allure for me anymore. My list of back issues that I need gets smaller and smaller.
So I've been going to horror film conventions in the area. The short story for those of you who don't know - I have three notebooks that I filled with my reviews of all the films I watched during 1988 to about 1996. So whenever I meet someone who starred in a movie that I reviewed, I have them sign by that review. It's made for some interesting stories (of which, I will only be relaying some of the most recent here).
A month ago, I went to Horrrorhound Weekend in Indianapolis with my buddy Jason. Honestly, the main reason I wanted to go was because Monica Keena was going to be there. I'm a huge fan of Undeclared (Judd Apatow's followup to Freaks and Geeks). But there were plenty of other people there that I was happy to meet.
First off, was Katharine Isabell of Ginger Snaps fame. I've got to say, she's actually more gorgeous in person than in any picture I've seen. She was also very nice as she signed my Ginger Snaps DVD (she wasn't in any movies that were in the notebook, so sometimes I have to make do).
The next person was Dana Ashbrook (Bobby from Twin Peaks). By far (by far!) one of the nicest people I have ever met. He was incredible! I would go to a convention just too meet him again.
Then it was a sprint as I got Vivica A. Fox (she whispered some secret Quentin Tarantino info to me), Larry Drake (who doesn't love Darkman?), Gerrit Graham (Used Cars, and the awesome and awful TerrorVision), Megan Ward (Freaked), Barry Bostwick (we bonded over the SyFy Moby Dick movie), Chris Marquette (who signed my Fanboys DVD, but like I told him, I could have just as easily had him sign my Joan of Arcadia DVDs), Zack Ward (Titus' brother and, of course, A Christmas Story), and Sherilyn Fenn (who I've met before, but she was still very nice).
Eventually Monica Keena showed up. She was very pleasant. I did not get a photo. I'll leave it at that.
Finally, I discovered the deal of the day. Sean Clark, the writer of a film called The Black Waters of Echo's Pond, was selling DVDs and BluRays of the film, and if you bought one, Danielle Harris, James Duvall, and Electra and Elise Avelon would sign it for free. I still haven't watched the movie yet (I'll probably get around to it in a couple of years).
I spent a lot of money at the show, but not as much as I brought, so I was able to have some extra cash to have a good meal at Red Lobster. I can be a simple man with simple needs.
This last Friday Cinema Wasteland started. The "get" for this convention was Dee Wallace. Obviously, Elliot's mom in E.T., but for me, the decision was between Critters and The Howling. But also, I was going to meet Chester Turner the mastermind behind one of the rarest VHS movies ever - Tales From the Quadead Zone.
And Chester was a real nice, soft-spoken gentleman. I bought the DVD of Quadead Zone even though I may never watch it, simply for the curiosity value.
Dee Wallace was a sweetie. I had her sign by Critters, and she got to tell me that she's taken more recent "evil" roles because she was tired of the "good" roles. I followed that with a visit to Donna Wilkes. She even read my review of Jaws 2 saying, "Yep" then signing it. I got a picture with her, and when I left I forgot one of my notebooks. She actually ran after me to give it back. My friend Laura had the best statement - "She got up from behind her table to bring your notebook to you? That's so cute! I wish I had gotten a picture of that." Donna Wilkes is awesome!
The last autograph of the day was Stephen Macht. I could have gone the easy route and had him sign by my review of The Monster Squad, because we all know Wolfman has nards. But instead, I went with Graveyard Shift. It's an awful movie, but it does have a tremendous performance by Stephen, which I mentioned. We had a great laugh about it, and he is simply a fantastic guy.
And a visit to the Wasteland wouldn't be complete without some purchases, and my very best one was a VHS copy of the movie Dudes with Jon Cryer, Daniel Roebuck, and Catherine Mary Stewart. It really is an undiscovered classic that has never been released on DVD. But I also bought a copy of Lon Chaney's He Who Gets Slapped. I saw it last week, and it made such an impression that I may even watch it again in the near future.
So two conventions in the last month. I may have spent more money than I needed to, but I had some great times, hung out with some good friends (Thanks Jason, Joe, and Laura!), and met a lot of cool people. And admission for both those shows was the same as it would have been if I went to Wizard World Columbus. I feel I made the right choice.
So I've been going to horror film conventions in the area. The short story for those of you who don't know - I have three notebooks that I filled with my reviews of all the films I watched during 1988 to about 1996. So whenever I meet someone who starred in a movie that I reviewed, I have them sign by that review. It's made for some interesting stories (of which, I will only be relaying some of the most recent here).
A month ago, I went to Horrrorhound Weekend in Indianapolis with my buddy Jason. Honestly, the main reason I wanted to go was because Monica Keena was going to be there. I'm a huge fan of Undeclared (Judd Apatow's followup to Freaks and Geeks). But there were plenty of other people there that I was happy to meet.
First off, was Katharine Isabell of Ginger Snaps fame. I've got to say, she's actually more gorgeous in person than in any picture I've seen. She was also very nice as she signed my Ginger Snaps DVD (she wasn't in any movies that were in the notebook, so sometimes I have to make do).
The next person was Dana Ashbrook (Bobby from Twin Peaks). By far (by far!) one of the nicest people I have ever met. He was incredible! I would go to a convention just too meet him again.
Then it was a sprint as I got Vivica A. Fox (she whispered some secret Quentin Tarantino info to me), Larry Drake (who doesn't love Darkman?), Gerrit Graham (Used Cars, and the awesome and awful TerrorVision), Megan Ward (Freaked), Barry Bostwick (we bonded over the SyFy Moby Dick movie), Chris Marquette (who signed my Fanboys DVD, but like I told him, I could have just as easily had him sign my Joan of Arcadia DVDs), Zack Ward (Titus' brother and, of course, A Christmas Story), and Sherilyn Fenn (who I've met before, but she was still very nice).
Eventually Monica Keena showed up. She was very pleasant. I did not get a photo. I'll leave it at that.
Finally, I discovered the deal of the day. Sean Clark, the writer of a film called The Black Waters of Echo's Pond, was selling DVDs and BluRays of the film, and if you bought one, Danielle Harris, James Duvall, and Electra and Elise Avelon would sign it for free. I still haven't watched the movie yet (I'll probably get around to it in a couple of years).
I spent a lot of money at the show, but not as much as I brought, so I was able to have some extra cash to have a good meal at Red Lobster. I can be a simple man with simple needs.
This last Friday Cinema Wasteland started. The "get" for this convention was Dee Wallace. Obviously, Elliot's mom in E.T., but for me, the decision was between Critters and The Howling. But also, I was going to meet Chester Turner the mastermind behind one of the rarest VHS movies ever - Tales From the Quadead Zone.
And Chester was a real nice, soft-spoken gentleman. I bought the DVD of Quadead Zone even though I may never watch it, simply for the curiosity value.
Dee Wallace was a sweetie. I had her sign by Critters, and she got to tell me that she's taken more recent "evil" roles because she was tired of the "good" roles. I followed that with a visit to Donna Wilkes. She even read my review of Jaws 2 saying, "Yep" then signing it. I got a picture with her, and when I left I forgot one of my notebooks. She actually ran after me to give it back. My friend Laura had the best statement - "She got up from behind her table to bring your notebook to you? That's so cute! I wish I had gotten a picture of that." Donna Wilkes is awesome!
The last autograph of the day was Stephen Macht. I could have gone the easy route and had him sign by my review of The Monster Squad, because we all know Wolfman has nards. But instead, I went with Graveyard Shift. It's an awful movie, but it does have a tremendous performance by Stephen, which I mentioned. We had a great laugh about it, and he is simply a fantastic guy.
And a visit to the Wasteland wouldn't be complete without some purchases, and my very best one was a VHS copy of the movie Dudes with Jon Cryer, Daniel Roebuck, and Catherine Mary Stewart. It really is an undiscovered classic that has never been released on DVD. But I also bought a copy of Lon Chaney's He Who Gets Slapped. I saw it last week, and it made such an impression that I may even watch it again in the near future.
So two conventions in the last month. I may have spent more money than I needed to, but I had some great times, hung out with some good friends (Thanks Jason, Joe, and Laura!), and met a lot of cool people. And admission for both those shows was the same as it would have been if I went to Wizard World Columbus. I feel I made the right choice.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Day 668 - The Best Films I've Seen This Year (so far) - Part 2
Alright - it's a Wednesday morning, and I'm watching Married...With Children. That seems appropriate when writing about the best movies I've seen so far this year. Let's jump right in (and this is in the order I've seen them in).
Spring Breakers - Harmony Korine's surreal masterpiece is one of the most subversive movies to ever have been given a wide release. The fact that it had Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens toting guns in bikinis was only to bring the audiences in the theaters. James Franco's gonzo performance was what kept them there. It's not a perfect movie (it does meander at times), but when it hits, it's a home run.
Mud - Matthew McConaughey is just pumping out solid movies one after another. And he isn't even really the star of this film. It's Tye Sheridan as the young kid, who, with his best friend, Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), stumble upon Mud (McConaughey) and try to help him out as he's hiding from people who want him dead. And all that's almost incidental to the coming-of-age story that plays out. A compelling look at families in disarray, what the truth is, and where one's loyalties really lie.
Before Midnight - Richard Linklater's (and Ethan Hawke's and Julie Delpy's) third film in the series takes place 9 years after the last one, and the two characters are hitting a rough patch in their relationship. As with the previous two films, this one is massively dialogue heavy. But the ideas expressed and the emotions that are portrayed are some of the most honest in just about any film. And from a movie nerd standpoint, one of the opening scenes, with its long, unbroken take is just fabulous. So far, my favorite film of the year.
From Up on Poppy Hill - Goro Miyazaki (Hayao's son) directed this highly melodramatic animated film. It's yet another coming-of-age film on this list, and it reminded me of a 1950's Douglas Sirk film, but with more lightheartedness and not as much tragedy.
The Hunt - Mads Mikkelsen plays a kindergarten teacher accused of sexually molesting a child. Really inspiring, right? It's simply a powerful film, made all the more gripping because of what we, the audience, know. Never boring, never preachy. Just a tough, suspenseful film that tests its characters, and lets you know, sometimes there isn't a bad guy, and that can be more heartbreaking.
The Way,Way Back - Oh, Sam Rockwell will you finally be Oscar-nominated for your role as water park manager in this film? I hope so. And as inspiring as he is, Steve Carell plays the most loathsome character he's ever portrayed on film, and does a great job at it. Deftly mixing humor and pathos, it was one of my most anticipated movies of the year, and it didn't disappoint one bit.
You're Next - Probably the lowest on my favorites list, it's still one of the most fun horror films I've seen in a long time, although that's probably because I don't seek them out that often. Plenty of fist pumping, yelling at the screen in encouragement moments, and a heroine who kicks major, major butt - that's what I wanted. And explanations for the bad things that happened was icing on the cake.
The Family - Luc Besson's newest film is still sticking with me. Tonal shifts aplenty. Funny at times (but never really hilarious), suspenseful when I wasn't expecting it to be, and shockingly brutal towards the end. I didn't know what I was getting into, and I'm still not sure even now. But it was nice to see Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert DeNiro play a loving couple (even if they were mobsters in witness relocation).
The Spectacular Now - A high school kid in a small town is an alcoholic, and on the rebound falls for a smart girl. An absolutely no-holds-barred look at young love, young heartache, and second (and third) chances. Sometimes circumstances say we can't see ourselves the way others see us, and that's what this movie is telling us. The performances are uniformly amazing, and with a touch of hope at the end, it's so, so satisfying.
And now it's time to go to work.
Spring Breakers - Harmony Korine's surreal masterpiece is one of the most subversive movies to ever have been given a wide release. The fact that it had Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens toting guns in bikinis was only to bring the audiences in the theaters. James Franco's gonzo performance was what kept them there. It's not a perfect movie (it does meander at times), but when it hits, it's a home run.
Mud - Matthew McConaughey is just pumping out solid movies one after another. And he isn't even really the star of this film. It's Tye Sheridan as the young kid, who, with his best friend, Neckbone (Jacob Lofland), stumble upon Mud (McConaughey) and try to help him out as he's hiding from people who want him dead. And all that's almost incidental to the coming-of-age story that plays out. A compelling look at families in disarray, what the truth is, and where one's loyalties really lie.
Before Midnight - Richard Linklater's (and Ethan Hawke's and Julie Delpy's) third film in the series takes place 9 years after the last one, and the two characters are hitting a rough patch in their relationship. As with the previous two films, this one is massively dialogue heavy. But the ideas expressed and the emotions that are portrayed are some of the most honest in just about any film. And from a movie nerd standpoint, one of the opening scenes, with its long, unbroken take is just fabulous. So far, my favorite film of the year.
From Up on Poppy Hill - Goro Miyazaki (Hayao's son) directed this highly melodramatic animated film. It's yet another coming-of-age film on this list, and it reminded me of a 1950's Douglas Sirk film, but with more lightheartedness and not as much tragedy.
The Hunt - Mads Mikkelsen plays a kindergarten teacher accused of sexually molesting a child. Really inspiring, right? It's simply a powerful film, made all the more gripping because of what we, the audience, know. Never boring, never preachy. Just a tough, suspenseful film that tests its characters, and lets you know, sometimes there isn't a bad guy, and that can be more heartbreaking.
The Way,Way Back - Oh, Sam Rockwell will you finally be Oscar-nominated for your role as water park manager in this film? I hope so. And as inspiring as he is, Steve Carell plays the most loathsome character he's ever portrayed on film, and does a great job at it. Deftly mixing humor and pathos, it was one of my most anticipated movies of the year, and it didn't disappoint one bit.
You're Next - Probably the lowest on my favorites list, it's still one of the most fun horror films I've seen in a long time, although that's probably because I don't seek them out that often. Plenty of fist pumping, yelling at the screen in encouragement moments, and a heroine who kicks major, major butt - that's what I wanted. And explanations for the bad things that happened was icing on the cake.
The Family - Luc Besson's newest film is still sticking with me. Tonal shifts aplenty. Funny at times (but never really hilarious), suspenseful when I wasn't expecting it to be, and shockingly brutal towards the end. I didn't know what I was getting into, and I'm still not sure even now. But it was nice to see Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert DeNiro play a loving couple (even if they were mobsters in witness relocation).
The Spectacular Now - A high school kid in a small town is an alcoholic, and on the rebound falls for a smart girl. An absolutely no-holds-barred look at young love, young heartache, and second (and third) chances. Sometimes circumstances say we can't see ourselves the way others see us, and that's what this movie is telling us. The performances are uniformly amazing, and with a touch of hope at the end, it's so, so satisfying.
And now it's time to go to work.
Monday, September 30, 2013
Day 666 (oooh, scary!) - The best films I've seen in 2013 - so far (Part one)
For all the hotly anticipated films that were supposed to come out this year, my favorites (with a couple of exceptions) have been some of the smaller films that have been critical hits, but maybe not seen by everyone.
I figure, why not start with a couple documentaries (I mean, nothing's gonna get people to read this like reading about movies they'll probably never watch in the first place. Right? Right?0
Adjust Your Tracking - About people (guys) who still collect videotapes. Mostly horror films. Just enough history to keep you on your toes, but filled with wonderful and sometimes hilarious stories from the collectors themselves.
Stories We Tell - Sarah Polley looks back at her mother around the year that she (Sarah) was born, and tries to find out if her dad is her real biological father. Fascinating, thoughtful and compelling. Never has a smile told so much.
And now I'll jump in with the blockbusters that were my my favorites of the year.
White House Down - Die Hard in the White House. This was an action movie that knew exactly what it wanted to give the audience and made no apologies about it. This was an infinitely better film than the last Die Hard movie. the only thing against it (being derivative is not a knock on this film) is that the last 10 minutes are way too schmaltzy.
Pacific Rim - Giant Robots vs Giant Monsters directed by Guillermo del Toro. Yay!
Furious 6 - These Fast and Furious movies just keep getting better. Yes, this series adheres to its own line of physics and a mangling of the time/space continuum (yes, that was the world's longest airline runway, and I don't care), but the action is tremendous, The Rock was one of the best additions to a franchise - ever, and when I wasn't cheering at the screen (which really did happen), I got one of the most pleasant surprises ever, with an ending that was shocking and had not been ruined beforehand. It was a great moviegoing experience.
More tomorrow (maybe even in the morning - we'll see how I feel)...
I figure, why not start with a couple documentaries (I mean, nothing's gonna get people to read this like reading about movies they'll probably never watch in the first place. Right? Right?0
Adjust Your Tracking - About people (guys) who still collect videotapes. Mostly horror films. Just enough history to keep you on your toes, but filled with wonderful and sometimes hilarious stories from the collectors themselves.
Stories We Tell - Sarah Polley looks back at her mother around the year that she (Sarah) was born, and tries to find out if her dad is her real biological father. Fascinating, thoughtful and compelling. Never has a smile told so much.
And now I'll jump in with the blockbusters that were my my favorites of the year.
White House Down - Die Hard in the White House. This was an action movie that knew exactly what it wanted to give the audience and made no apologies about it. This was an infinitely better film than the last Die Hard movie. the only thing against it (being derivative is not a knock on this film) is that the last 10 minutes are way too schmaltzy.
Pacific Rim - Giant Robots vs Giant Monsters directed by Guillermo del Toro. Yay!
Furious 6 - These Fast and Furious movies just keep getting better. Yes, this series adheres to its own line of physics and a mangling of the time/space continuum (yes, that was the world's longest airline runway, and I don't care), but the action is tremendous, The Rock was one of the best additions to a franchise - ever, and when I wasn't cheering at the screen (which really did happen), I got one of the most pleasant surprises ever, with an ending that was shocking and had not been ruined beforehand. It was a great moviegoing experience.
More tomorrow (maybe even in the morning - we'll see how I feel)...
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Day 665 - The Alloy Orchestra scores Metropolis, Phantom of the Opera, and HE Who Gets Slapped
I first saw the film Metropolis in either high school or college. It was the two hour version, which was the only version available at the time. And I thought it was amazing. There is a reason why it's considered a masterpiece (set design, striking performances, general awesomeness). And since they've recovered 25 more minutes of film that had thought to have been lost, it really is even better. So, now I have a videotape of the 2 hour version, and the DVD of the 2 and 1/2 hour version. And now I also have a CD of the Alloy Orchestra's score of the extended version, because I got to see them perform it last night. While I was a little tired during the first hour of the film (it was a long work day), the final hour and a half was one of the most amazing combinations of film and music that I've ever experienced... until tonight.
But first - "ALLOY ORCHESTRA is a three man musical ensemble, writing and performing live accompaniment to classic silent films. Working with an outrageous assemblage of peculiar objects, they thrash and grind soulful music from unlikely sources."
That's from their website, and it's completely accurate. Heck, I got to see one of the guys show off his Stradivarius saw!
Tonight was a Lon Chaney double feature - Phantom of the Opera and HE Who Gets Slapped. Phantom was just like Metropolis - solid start, but amazing finish. However, there was a 75 minute break between both movies, and I seriously considered just skipping out. I'm so glad I didn't.
HE Who Gets Slapped is a fantastic film! Lon Chaney plays a scientist/inventor who loses both his work and his wife to the same man. Finding the tragic humor in all of this he becomes a clown whose routine is that he gets slapped. He finds love again, but other forces, both old and new, keep it from him.
Even if this film had no score it would be tremendous. The story is poignant, dramatic, and tragic. The acting is uniformly strong, with Chaney giving a standout performance.
But the real winner was The Alloy Orchestra's score for this film. It was, in my mind, even better than their score for Metropolis (and like I said, I bought that immediately after watching the film). I found myself tapping my feet at times, nodding my head to the rhythms, and leaning forward just so I could hear that tiniest of bits better. It wasn't just a performance, it was an experience.
I really can't recommend these guys enough. Any lover of great films should at least see them once. Suffice to say, any time they come back to Cleveland, I'm clearing my schedule so I can see them again (and again).
But first - "ALLOY ORCHESTRA is a three man musical ensemble, writing and performing live accompaniment to classic silent films. Working with an outrageous assemblage of peculiar objects, they thrash and grind soulful music from unlikely sources."
That's from their website, and it's completely accurate. Heck, I got to see one of the guys show off his Stradivarius saw!
Tonight was a Lon Chaney double feature - Phantom of the Opera and HE Who Gets Slapped. Phantom was just like Metropolis - solid start, but amazing finish. However, there was a 75 minute break between both movies, and I seriously considered just skipping out. I'm so glad I didn't.
HE Who Gets Slapped is a fantastic film! Lon Chaney plays a scientist/inventor who loses both his work and his wife to the same man. Finding the tragic humor in all of this he becomes a clown whose routine is that he gets slapped. He finds love again, but other forces, both old and new, keep it from him.
Even if this film had no score it would be tremendous. The story is poignant, dramatic, and tragic. The acting is uniformly strong, with Chaney giving a standout performance.
But the real winner was The Alloy Orchestra's score for this film. It was, in my mind, even better than their score for Metropolis (and like I said, I bought that immediately after watching the film). I found myself tapping my feet at times, nodding my head to the rhythms, and leaning forward just so I could hear that tiniest of bits better. It wasn't just a performance, it was an experience.
I really can't recommend these guys enough. Any lover of great films should at least see them once. Suffice to say, any time they come back to Cleveland, I'm clearing my schedule so I can see them again (and again).
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