The Movie: Flatliners, directed by Joel Schumacher
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: I had never seen the entire movie and had always been fascinated by it. She emphatically recommended it as a good movie about death.
Movies about dead people coming back to life are definitely right up my alley. Zombies, vampires, I'm there. Once upon a time, several years ago, I was channel surfing and hit someone broadcasting Flatliners right in time for Kevin Bacon's reanimation. I was hooked, but was unfortunately unable to watch the entire movie. After noting who was in it, I resolved to look it up later and see the whole thing.
Time has passed and I found out the title, but today was my first viewing of the whole thing. Flatliners was generally quite good with a few rough patches, those mainly stemming from holes in the story. The cast was pretty good for 1990, including Julia Roberts, a Baldwin brother, ever present Kevin Bacon and Kiefer Sutherland, never mind dear roly poly Oliver Platt. They played well together, I thought.
The movie was also visually strong, using an occasionally very dynamic camera to drive certain points home. I appreciated the use of different camera types to differentiate the dead world from the living, lending a sense of unreality to each. The way the handicam was used to create a sort of deadzone feel to those remaining on the living side was particularily impactful. Overall a good movie.
-182/365 down, 183/365 to go
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Gore turned up to 11.
The Movie: Final Destination 3, directed by James Wong
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: Yes, I know, it's always me. Morgan and Wong strike once more with death as their master plan. Yay!
I don't think human beings actually do explode like a water balloon full of blood and entrails, no matter how big whatever you drop on them is. Not that realism really matters in Final Destination's world, where death suspends the laws of physics to make a million to one chance actually happen. Though I felt that one of the deaths was uninspired (tanning bed), the rest were as refreshingly interesting as the mutilation of the casts from the first two movies.
These aren't films you watch to see a great plot or an interesting subtext. These are movies about teenagers being stalked by death. I'm certain that Morgan and Wong could manage some sort of message in there, but they know we're all in it for the exploding heads, smashed torsos and bisected bodies, never mind the explosions, dismemberments and the regular decapitations. It's the traps, death's devices that keep on coming back.
I love that this movie, like the previous one, was aware of its universe. There are references to the first movie, in fact the story of the first movie is retold as a clue to solving the problem of this third one. Not that it helps anyone very much, when all's said and done. The only problem I had with this third installment was a potential murder-one character was to cause the death of another, which seems a little sloppy to me. We didn't get to see the plan go down, though, so who knows. It may have been an accident waiting to happen. If you like the series, Final Destination 3 carries on the tradition. If you don't, don't bother-in between the deaths there's not a lot that you haven't already seen.
-181/365 down, 184/365 to go
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: Yes, I know, it's always me. Morgan and Wong strike once more with death as their master plan. Yay!
I don't think human beings actually do explode like a water balloon full of blood and entrails, no matter how big whatever you drop on them is. Not that realism really matters in Final Destination's world, where death suspends the laws of physics to make a million to one chance actually happen. Though I felt that one of the deaths was uninspired (tanning bed), the rest were as refreshingly interesting as the mutilation of the casts from the first two movies.
These aren't films you watch to see a great plot or an interesting subtext. These are movies about teenagers being stalked by death. I'm certain that Morgan and Wong could manage some sort of message in there, but they know we're all in it for the exploding heads, smashed torsos and bisected bodies, never mind the explosions, dismemberments and the regular decapitations. It's the traps, death's devices that keep on coming back.
I love that this movie, like the previous one, was aware of its universe. There are references to the first movie, in fact the story of the first movie is retold as a clue to solving the problem of this third one. Not that it helps anyone very much, when all's said and done. The only problem I had with this third installment was a potential murder-one character was to cause the death of another, which seems a little sloppy to me. We didn't get to see the plan go down, though, so who knows. It may have been an accident waiting to happen. If you like the series, Final Destination 3 carries on the tradition. If you don't, don't bother-in between the deaths there's not a lot that you haven't already seen.
-181/365 down, 184/365 to go
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Let that plane take off, you will not. (Yeah, I know you were expecting 'something on a something')
The Movie: S.W.A.T., directed by Clark Johnson
Recommendation: Von Gauzen
Reason: Dumb summer action blockbuster starring Colin Farrell.
There's not a lot of substance to this movie, though the action is quite solid. It's a pretty basic story with an interesting premise (criminal offers huge reward for his own release). It could have probably gotten as good as The Rock or Con Air, but falls short due to casting and action setpieces that just don't push far enough.
LL Cool J is never a mistake in a movie like this. He's genuine, funny and sweet while also being goddamn ripped. Colin Farrell's okay, so's Michelle Rodriguez, and Samuel L. Jackson knows his audience. I think that it's probably Farrell more than Rodriguez that's the not-quite-great part here.
This is a solid movie, just not a great one. It's a good standby to have around if you just can't get enough planes-landing-on-bridges in your life. Maybe you might one day have a craving for just some random Sam Jackson.
-180/365 down, 185/365 to go
Recommendation: Von Gauzen
Reason: Dumb summer action blockbuster starring Colin Farrell.
There's not a lot of substance to this movie, though the action is quite solid. It's a pretty basic story with an interesting premise (criminal offers huge reward for his own release). It could have probably gotten as good as The Rock or Con Air, but falls short due to casting and action setpieces that just don't push far enough.
LL Cool J is never a mistake in a movie like this. He's genuine, funny and sweet while also being goddamn ripped. Colin Farrell's okay, so's Michelle Rodriguez, and Samuel L. Jackson knows his audience. I think that it's probably Farrell more than Rodriguez that's the not-quite-great part here.
This is a solid movie, just not a great one. It's a good standby to have around if you just can't get enough planes-landing-on-bridges in your life. Maybe you might one day have a craving for just some random Sam Jackson.
-180/365 down, 185/365 to go
Friday, August 24, 2007
A worthy addition.
The Movie: The Simpsons Movie, directed by David Silverman
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: "I've been waiting for this ever since they announced that there could be a movie. We're going!"
I admit it took me a few minutes to warm up to the Big Yellow finally making it to the big screen. I was a little offput by the opening, but a few seconds after Bart impacted on the restaurant window, I was in. I don't want to write much about the actual content of the movie-I believe in being as spoiler-free as possible-so instead I'm going to talk about the conversation we had afterwards.
As we left the theater, we started talking about The Simpsons Movie, comparing it to the series. We agreed that the movie harkened back to the peak years of the cartoon, the fourth/fifth/sixth seasons. There was a bit of darkness, a little edge to the whole thing. They got to play a little with the sort of topics and scenes that can't really be pulled off on their small screen canvas. From there we started discussing South Park and the accompanying movie (the comparison is inevitable). I'm of the opinion that both Bigger, Longer and Uncut and the Simpsons movie are excellent examples of their respective series. South Park has always been about pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable humor-since the movie was released, the show has actually topped it in terms of the material they've taken on. The Simpsons may not be as edgy, but it's always been reliably sly.
Since it was launched on the Tracy Ullman show, The Simpsons has been a mainstay of television. It's definitely had its better days. I hope the movie is the return to those better days...I mean, who else should get a second (fourth) chance to jump the shark, right?
-179/365 down, 186/365 to go
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: "I've been waiting for this ever since they announced that there could be a movie. We're going!"
I admit it took me a few minutes to warm up to the Big Yellow finally making it to the big screen. I was a little offput by the opening, but a few seconds after Bart impacted on the restaurant window, I was in. I don't want to write much about the actual content of the movie-I believe in being as spoiler-free as possible-so instead I'm going to talk about the conversation we had afterwards.
As we left the theater, we started talking about The Simpsons Movie, comparing it to the series. We agreed that the movie harkened back to the peak years of the cartoon, the fourth/fifth/sixth seasons. There was a bit of darkness, a little edge to the whole thing. They got to play a little with the sort of topics and scenes that can't really be pulled off on their small screen canvas. From there we started discussing South Park and the accompanying movie (the comparison is inevitable). I'm of the opinion that both Bigger, Longer and Uncut and the Simpsons movie are excellent examples of their respective series. South Park has always been about pushing the boundaries of what is acceptable humor-since the movie was released, the show has actually topped it in terms of the material they've taken on. The Simpsons may not be as edgy, but it's always been reliably sly.
Since it was launched on the Tracy Ullman show, The Simpsons has been a mainstay of television. It's definitely had its better days. I hope the movie is the return to those better days...I mean, who else should get a second (fourth) chance to jump the shark, right?
-179/365 down, 186/365 to go
"Wolfman's got nards!"
The Movie: The Monster Squad, directed by Fred Dekker
Recommendation: My childhood.
Reason: I loved this movie when I was a kid. We used to bike down to the video rental store regularily to get it.
There's not a lot about this movie that gets very complicated. In the style of the Goonies and imitated by Monster House, Monster Squad's about a pack of kids who have decided to defend their town from classic horror monsters who've come to collect a mystical amulet for...something. Probably to make Dracula all-powerful. As Broomie put it, why is Dracula always the one in charge when the monsters get together? Given that his supporting cast in this movie is the wolfman, Frankenstein's monster, the creature from the black lagoon and the mummy, Dracula's sort of default leader. He can do all those handy things like speaking and making plans.
I would love to see more adventure horror movies aimed for kids. Monster Squad made the monsters both scary and easy to defeat-all it took was a bunch of kids brave enough to do it. I loved that message when I was a kid (and was fully prepared to boil down my mom's silverware at a moment's notice if it meant actually fighting the wolfman). Kid empowerment-the monsters might be scary, but you know how to beat them.
It's like It without the creepiness, the Goonies with a bit of an edge. There's a subplot about parents arguing or something, but whatever. The important part is the Monster Squad, the heroes of the day. They're not the tough kids, they're the smart, brave kids, and that's what really matters.
-178/365 down, 187/365 to go
Recommendation: My childhood.
Reason: I loved this movie when I was a kid. We used to bike down to the video rental store regularily to get it.
There's not a lot about this movie that gets very complicated. In the style of the Goonies and imitated by Monster House, Monster Squad's about a pack of kids who have decided to defend their town from classic horror monsters who've come to collect a mystical amulet for...something. Probably to make Dracula all-powerful. As Broomie put it, why is Dracula always the one in charge when the monsters get together? Given that his supporting cast in this movie is the wolfman, Frankenstein's monster, the creature from the black lagoon and the mummy, Dracula's sort of default leader. He can do all those handy things like speaking and making plans.
I would love to see more adventure horror movies aimed for kids. Monster Squad made the monsters both scary and easy to defeat-all it took was a bunch of kids brave enough to do it. I loved that message when I was a kid (and was fully prepared to boil down my mom's silverware at a moment's notice if it meant actually fighting the wolfman). Kid empowerment-the monsters might be scary, but you know how to beat them.
It's like It without the creepiness, the Goonies with a bit of an edge. There's a subplot about parents arguing or something, but whatever. The important part is the Monster Squad, the heroes of the day. They're not the tough kids, they're the smart, brave kids, and that's what really matters.
-178/365 down, 187/365 to go
I have no idea what the hell happened, but it was so pretty.
The Movie: Zu Warriors, directed by Hark Tsui
Recommendation: Broomie
Reason: "It just looked so awesome on the shelf."
According to Imdb, Miramax picked up three previously released Chinese movies after the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. That sort of makes Zu Warriors the incomprehensible younger sibling to Hero and Shaolin Soccer (yeah, they optioned Shaolin Soccer, Hero and...this). I'm certain that Zu Warriors makes more sense within its cultural context, and certainly the dialogue must be better to those who speak Cantonese.
The movie's heavy on the special effects. It's like a live action Final Fantasy game, complete with shadowy magic effects and death-defying battles against massive evil creatures. In 2005 it would have been pretty impressive, but compared against more seamless productions in recent years, it falls a little short.
It's not a bad movie, just not a great one. It's a forgettable attempt at a wirework epic, probably doomed to fall by the wayside. Even Zhang Ziyi's presence couldn't make it interesting (not that she's much for saving any production she's in).
-177/365 down, 188/365 to go
Recommendation: Broomie
Reason: "It just looked so awesome on the shelf."
According to Imdb, Miramax picked up three previously released Chinese movies after the success of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. That sort of makes Zu Warriors the incomprehensible younger sibling to Hero and Shaolin Soccer (yeah, they optioned Shaolin Soccer, Hero and...this). I'm certain that Zu Warriors makes more sense within its cultural context, and certainly the dialogue must be better to those who speak Cantonese.
The movie's heavy on the special effects. It's like a live action Final Fantasy game, complete with shadowy magic effects and death-defying battles against massive evil creatures. In 2005 it would have been pretty impressive, but compared against more seamless productions in recent years, it falls a little short.
It's not a bad movie, just not a great one. It's a forgettable attempt at a wirework epic, probably doomed to fall by the wayside. Even Zhang Ziyi's presence couldn't make it interesting (not that she's much for saving any production she's in).
-177/365 down, 188/365 to go
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Cameron Bright + Julianne Moore = The ultimate missing child movie?
The Movie: Running Scared, directed by Wayne Kramer
Recommendation: The Internet!
Reason: I've read that this movie comes highly recommended as an action movie and as a tense drama.
This movie is what Crank should have been. Though Crank was solid, it lagged in parts. Running Scared does no such thing. The movie is a freaked out neo-noir fairy tale with a breakneck pace that combines horror, fantasy and other elements into a demented morality tale about shades of grey from dark to light. I'm not kidding on this. Running Scared is FAST.
Paul Walker is deadpan, but believable as Joey Gazelle, a low-level wiseguy with a wife and a kid. When he's given a gun to dispose of...well, that's how this whole thing starts. Where it goes from there is unexpected to say the least. It ignores the limits of sanity and breaks out the big guns, scrambling from one confrontation to the next. No one is safe, either-every primary cast member, from Gazelle's wife and son to his mob connections gets involved.
See it. You might not agree with me on how good it really is, but I can honestly say this movie pushes the limit the way recent action movies have been trying to. It succeeds. It does well.
-176/365 down, 189/365 to go
Recommendation: The Internet!
Reason: I've read that this movie comes highly recommended as an action movie and as a tense drama.
This movie is what Crank should have been. Though Crank was solid, it lagged in parts. Running Scared does no such thing. The movie is a freaked out neo-noir fairy tale with a breakneck pace that combines horror, fantasy and other elements into a demented morality tale about shades of grey from dark to light. I'm not kidding on this. Running Scared is FAST.
Paul Walker is deadpan, but believable as Joey Gazelle, a low-level wiseguy with a wife and a kid. When he's given a gun to dispose of...well, that's how this whole thing starts. Where it goes from there is unexpected to say the least. It ignores the limits of sanity and breaks out the big guns, scrambling from one confrontation to the next. No one is safe, either-every primary cast member, from Gazelle's wife and son to his mob connections gets involved.
See it. You might not agree with me on how good it really is, but I can honestly say this movie pushes the limit the way recent action movies have been trying to. It succeeds. It does well.
-176/365 down, 189/365 to go
Surprisingly not lame.
The Movie: Sky High, directed by Mike Mitchell
Recommendation: Me.
Reason: I quite like this movie a lot.
Sky High is one of those kids movies that gets overlooked. I wouldn't have seen it if a friend hadn't recommended it to me back when it was still in theaters. It's one of those movies that flew below the radar in spite of a good script, good cast and an interesting premise. It's about a superhero high school that divides kids with powers between the 'hero' class and 'hero support'.
This movie is campy. Gotta get that straight right off the start. It's campy, it's silly and it's fun. If you're looking for action movie cred or some other silly designation, you're not going to find it here. Instead, you'll get Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston being so All-American it hurts. Bruce Campbell and two of five members of the Kids in the Hall (betcha can't guess who, those little Disney-lovin' rascals) add a fun little dash of comedy in their supporting roles. Lastly we have the kids, the centers of attention, and they're not too bad either.
This movie is fun. It's not challenging, the subtext isn't anything weird or psychotic, it's just a fun way to spend some time. It's probably a lot better than that Tim Allen thing, Whoosh or whatever. Don't see that. See Sky High instead.
-175/365 down, 190/365 to go
Recommendation: Me.
Reason: I quite like this movie a lot.
Sky High is one of those kids movies that gets overlooked. I wouldn't have seen it if a friend hadn't recommended it to me back when it was still in theaters. It's one of those movies that flew below the radar in spite of a good script, good cast and an interesting premise. It's about a superhero high school that divides kids with powers between the 'hero' class and 'hero support'.
This movie is campy. Gotta get that straight right off the start. It's campy, it's silly and it's fun. If you're looking for action movie cred or some other silly designation, you're not going to find it here. Instead, you'll get Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston being so All-American it hurts. Bruce Campbell and two of five members of the Kids in the Hall (betcha can't guess who, those little Disney-lovin' rascals) add a fun little dash of comedy in their supporting roles. Lastly we have the kids, the centers of attention, and they're not too bad either.
This movie is fun. It's not challenging, the subtext isn't anything weird or psychotic, it's just a fun way to spend some time. It's probably a lot better than that Tim Allen thing, Whoosh or whatever. Don't see that. See Sky High instead.
-175/365 down, 190/365 to go
You will not find a better source of rippling biceps.
The Movie: Predator, directed by John MacTiernan
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: It's been awhile since she's seen Predator.
This is a movie that probably shouldn't have been good. It's a followup action vehicle for a rising star not known for his knockout acting ability. It's a movie about big men with big muscles and big guns shooting things in the jungle. Basically, it's simple.
Simple is all it needed to be, though. Arnold Schwarzenegger pulled out a genuinely decent performance as the commander of a massive pile of muscles and guns. His scenes facing off mano-et-alien against the Predator were actually pretty intense, helped along by the acting ability he managed to summon up. The rest of the cast was cliche, but they did it the right way, going full bore rather than trying to pretend they weren't a collection of genre tropes.
The creature that was created for this film is now fairly legendary. What was originally supposed to be some goofy ostrich-dog-cyclops thing became a musclebound hunter with ninjalike capabilities, a destroyer of xenomorphs and a truly formidable foe for anyone who faced off with it. This movie deserves to be the legend it is.
-174/365 down, 191/365 to go
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: It's been awhile since she's seen Predator.
This is a movie that probably shouldn't have been good. It's a followup action vehicle for a rising star not known for his knockout acting ability. It's a movie about big men with big muscles and big guns shooting things in the jungle. Basically, it's simple.
Simple is all it needed to be, though. Arnold Schwarzenegger pulled out a genuinely decent performance as the commander of a massive pile of muscles and guns. His scenes facing off mano-et-alien against the Predator were actually pretty intense, helped along by the acting ability he managed to summon up. The rest of the cast was cliche, but they did it the right way, going full bore rather than trying to pretend they weren't a collection of genre tropes.
The creature that was created for this film is now fairly legendary. What was originally supposed to be some goofy ostrich-dog-cyclops thing became a musclebound hunter with ninjalike capabilities, a destroyer of xenomorphs and a truly formidable foe for anyone who faced off with it. This movie deserves to be the legend it is.
-174/365 down, 191/365 to go
Metaphor? We don't need no stinkin' metaphor.
The Movie: Scream 2, directed by Wes Craven
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: Best slasher series in recent memory, part 2.
I won't expound on the virtues of Scream 2 much more than I did on the first one. When I first saw it at my favorite theater (which has since been torn down), I was on the edge of my seat. The movie was excellently done, ratcheting up the tension and playing by its rules quite nicely. The main cast returned to take on their roles again, which is always a big help.
Once more, Scream questions the nature of the genre it was undertaking, this time discussing the rules that apply to sequels. There's a conversation starter regarding whether or not sequels are as good as their predecessors. Randy, the avatar of us as the audience and in particular horror fans everywhere, sets out the rules for a sequel. The entire movie plays textbook perfect as a sequel, and it achieved its goal.
There needs to come a new Scream franchise. It's really important to horror movies at this point. We need less of the increasingly stupider Saw and Hostel series, and more creative, boundary-pushing horror. God help me, I almost think we need more along the lines of Rob Zombie's movies, as long as he's started figuring out this whole 'writing a goddamn ending' thing.
-173/365 down, 192/365 to go
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: Best slasher series in recent memory, part 2.
I won't expound on the virtues of Scream 2 much more than I did on the first one. When I first saw it at my favorite theater (which has since been torn down), I was on the edge of my seat. The movie was excellently done, ratcheting up the tension and playing by its rules quite nicely. The main cast returned to take on their roles again, which is always a big help.
Once more, Scream questions the nature of the genre it was undertaking, this time discussing the rules that apply to sequels. There's a conversation starter regarding whether or not sequels are as good as their predecessors. Randy, the avatar of us as the audience and in particular horror fans everywhere, sets out the rules for a sequel. The entire movie plays textbook perfect as a sequel, and it achieved its goal.
There needs to come a new Scream franchise. It's really important to horror movies at this point. We need less of the increasingly stupider Saw and Hostel series, and more creative, boundary-pushing horror. God help me, I almost think we need more along the lines of Rob Zombie's movies, as long as he's started figuring out this whole 'writing a goddamn ending' thing.
-173/365 down, 192/365 to go
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Let there be knives!
The Movie: Scream, directed by Wes Craven
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: It's the beginning of the best neo-horror trilogy set to screen.
Scream changed my life. I count it, along with Schindler's List, Unbreakable, The Truman Show and Princess Mononoke as the most important movies I've ever seen. That isn't because of historical impact, entertainment purposes or emotional resonance-there are other movies that influenced me more in those respects. But these five films each changed the way I looked at film as an art form and a medium of expression. From M. Night's camerawork to Spielberg's fine use of color, I learned how beautiful movies could be. From Jim Carrey, the power a lead actor has to carry a movie. From Billy Crudup, Minnie Driver and Claire Danes, the importance of voice and script in animation. Wes Craven's Scream ushered me into the revelation that one of the most ill-regarded genres of film was capable of holding its own, asking complex questions and challenging the viewer to look deep into the screen. Scream awakened me to the potential of the horror genre and all of the twisty, fascinating gems within.
Well. Now that I've gone and gotten all sentimental on you, I suppose I should actually talk about the movie. Scream's a masterpiece, working both as a horror film and as an examination of the genre. I talked about the new wave of post-90's horror films when I critiqued Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. Scream was the gun that sounded go for those movies. Jason Voorhees and Leatherface were no longer the way to go with a slasher. Intelligent leads and smart killers using tools that Voorhees and company never dared dream of were the new direction. Movies became more self referential after Scream, most without the finesse of Kevin Williamson's deft writing. Guns and cell phones came into vogue after the killer terrorized Woodsboro with a ringing phone and was put down by a Final Girl's bullet. Scream even had measurable effect on the real world: Caller ID use tripled after its premiere, and two of the primary leads, Courtney Cox and David Arquette, got married.
The casting of this movie was likely the key to its success. Drew Barrymore was brought on board at the beginning of her mid-90's comeback. Neve Campbell was having plenty of success on Party of Five. Courtney Cox was pulling in viewers from the Friends crowd. The movie also launched Jamie Kennedy and Matthew Lillard back into the spotlight...which can be construed as possibly a good thing. At the very least, they were good in this one. At any rate, the cast meshed well. The performances were solid, even nuanced (particularily David Arquette's Dewey and Neve Campbell's Sydney). The cameos were appropriately subtle. They wrapped this movie into the glorious package deal that it is today.
-172/365 down, 193/365 to go
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: It's the beginning of the best neo-horror trilogy set to screen.
Scream changed my life. I count it, along with Schindler's List, Unbreakable, The Truman Show and Princess Mononoke as the most important movies I've ever seen. That isn't because of historical impact, entertainment purposes or emotional resonance-there are other movies that influenced me more in those respects. But these five films each changed the way I looked at film as an art form and a medium of expression. From M. Night's camerawork to Spielberg's fine use of color, I learned how beautiful movies could be. From Jim Carrey, the power a lead actor has to carry a movie. From Billy Crudup, Minnie Driver and Claire Danes, the importance of voice and script in animation. Wes Craven's Scream ushered me into the revelation that one of the most ill-regarded genres of film was capable of holding its own, asking complex questions and challenging the viewer to look deep into the screen. Scream awakened me to the potential of the horror genre and all of the twisty, fascinating gems within.
Well. Now that I've gone and gotten all sentimental on you, I suppose I should actually talk about the movie. Scream's a masterpiece, working both as a horror film and as an examination of the genre. I talked about the new wave of post-90's horror films when I critiqued Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon. Scream was the gun that sounded go for those movies. Jason Voorhees and Leatherface were no longer the way to go with a slasher. Intelligent leads and smart killers using tools that Voorhees and company never dared dream of were the new direction. Movies became more self referential after Scream, most without the finesse of Kevin Williamson's deft writing. Guns and cell phones came into vogue after the killer terrorized Woodsboro with a ringing phone and was put down by a Final Girl's bullet. Scream even had measurable effect on the real world: Caller ID use tripled after its premiere, and two of the primary leads, Courtney Cox and David Arquette, got married.
The casting of this movie was likely the key to its success. Drew Barrymore was brought on board at the beginning of her mid-90's comeback. Neve Campbell was having plenty of success on Party of Five. Courtney Cox was pulling in viewers from the Friends crowd. The movie also launched Jamie Kennedy and Matthew Lillard back into the spotlight...which can be construed as possibly a good thing. At the very least, they were good in this one. At any rate, the cast meshed well. The performances were solid, even nuanced (particularily David Arquette's Dewey and Neve Campbell's Sydney). The cameos were appropriately subtle. They wrapped this movie into the glorious package deal that it is today.
-172/365 down, 193/365 to go
Sky pirates! Fallen stars! Forgotten kingdoms!
The Movie: Stardust, directed by Matthew Vaughn
Recommendation: Broomie
Reason: Really, a lot of people should get that recommendation, but he bought the tickets.
There have been few good fairy tales told in recent years, at least on film. We've had the Shrek series, which have generally been solid. Amelie and Big Fish sort of stretch towards fairy tale territory. Otherwise, we've had The Brother's Grimm and a smattering of 'OMG I'm a princess' movies. And then, from Neil Gaiman's talented pen, we get Stardust. Gaiman's witty, charming writing combines with a solid director and a decent cast to almost live up to the standard of The Princess Bride.
In Gaiman's usual style, each character that stands at the forefront is unique, and none of them without purpose. In most tales, the guardian of the gate and the kidnapped princess would have been throwaway parts, to give the film some character. In Stardust, they are significant, important in many ways. The story is complete. There are no threads dangling.
The cast is charming. Claire Danes as the Star (literally a star, not just the female lead/star of the movie) was both witty and sweet. Charlie Cox as Tristran was intent, and he carried the movie quite nicely as the lead character. Michelle Pfeiffer played the witch well, and De Niro's sky pirate was inspired. It's from these last two that I hoped for the most, and while they didn't entirely disappoint, they could have done a little better. Not a lot, but a little (Pfeiffer, I'm looking at you in particular during the climactic final battle sequence).
I would recommend this film in a heartbeat to anyone who liked The Princess Bride and is looking for a similar experience. This movie isn't quite there, but it's very close. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
-171/365 down, 194/365 to go
Recommendation: Broomie
Reason: Really, a lot of people should get that recommendation, but he bought the tickets.
There have been few good fairy tales told in recent years, at least on film. We've had the Shrek series, which have generally been solid. Amelie and Big Fish sort of stretch towards fairy tale territory. Otherwise, we've had The Brother's Grimm and a smattering of 'OMG I'm a princess' movies. And then, from Neil Gaiman's talented pen, we get Stardust. Gaiman's witty, charming writing combines with a solid director and a decent cast to almost live up to the standard of The Princess Bride.
In Gaiman's usual style, each character that stands at the forefront is unique, and none of them without purpose. In most tales, the guardian of the gate and the kidnapped princess would have been throwaway parts, to give the film some character. In Stardust, they are significant, important in many ways. The story is complete. There are no threads dangling.
The cast is charming. Claire Danes as the Star (literally a star, not just the female lead/star of the movie) was both witty and sweet. Charlie Cox as Tristran was intent, and he carried the movie quite nicely as the lead character. Michelle Pfeiffer played the witch well, and De Niro's sky pirate was inspired. It's from these last two that I hoped for the most, and while they didn't entirely disappoint, they could have done a little better. Not a lot, but a little (Pfeiffer, I'm looking at you in particular during the climactic final battle sequence).
I would recommend this film in a heartbeat to anyone who liked The Princess Bride and is looking for a similar experience. This movie isn't quite there, but it's very close. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
-171/365 down, 194/365 to go
Delving deep into the ancestry of Reno 911!
The Movie: Super Troopers, directed by Jay Chandrasekhar
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: She just really wanted to watch it, I suppose, and with Final Destination 2 dying off on us, that's what we did.
So, yeah, trilogy week didn't exactly go off without a hitch. Final Destination 2's disc was incredibly trashed. Instead, so the movie train could keep running, I watched Super Troopers, an old favorite. It's the most likely predecessor to Reno 911!, not that that makes either movie or the TV show inferior. They're both very funny.
From the freakout of the stoners to the multiple drunk and sober brawls, Super Troopers was as fun as always. It's Broken Lizard's initial effort, preceding Club Dread and Beerfest, and I think it's probably the best (based entirely on hearsay, of course). It was a little clunky, but still funny.
-170/365 down, 195/365 to go
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: She just really wanted to watch it, I suppose, and with Final Destination 2 dying off on us, that's what we did.
So, yeah, trilogy week didn't exactly go off without a hitch. Final Destination 2's disc was incredibly trashed. Instead, so the movie train could keep running, I watched Super Troopers, an old favorite. It's the most likely predecessor to Reno 911!, not that that makes either movie or the TV show inferior. They're both very funny.
From the freakout of the stoners to the multiple drunk and sober brawls, Super Troopers was as fun as always. It's Broken Lizard's initial effort, preceding Club Dread and Beerfest, and I think it's probably the best (based entirely on hearsay, of course). It was a little clunky, but still funny.
-170/365 down, 195/365 to go
Monday, August 13, 2007
When the going gets lazy.
The Movie: Final Destination, directed by James Morgan
Recommendation: It's Trilogy Week!
Reason: This week I'm trying to push to catch up by watching trilogies! Starting with Final Destination, I'm going to try to get through Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Star Wars and a couple more. Woofun!
You can't get much more lazy than deciding that death is the villain of your horror movie. What a shock, really. It gets creative when you build a franchise around weird, wacky death scenes with shred of a plot holding them together. Though I've only ever seen Final Destination in theaters, I've always ended up eventually renting the sequels. Why's that? Like I said, the death scenes. The idea of death just getting really pissed off and deciding that all the jerks who've avoided deaths' ultimate plan are going to get _really_ dead for doing so is just a little funny.
Originally this was to be an X-Files episode. I'm glad that they didn't do it, since the movie is so original and interesting. The whole franchise is a real boon to the horror movie genre, since it was a fresh, creative idea when it first hit the screen. Aside from what is probably the most...inventive name for a romantic interest in a horror movie (Clear Rivers. Seriously.), the movie's packed with references to strange and unusual deaths. It makes a spectacle out of foreshadowing.
For turning the death clock up to eleven and having some pretty cool promotional items (tarot cards with the plane crash artistically represented on them), Final Destination is really a good movie. It's not an artistic movie, it doesn't have a lot to say, it's just a fun diversion for those of us who are entertained by Rube Goldbergesque death scenes.
-169/365 down, 196/365 to go
Recommendation: It's Trilogy Week!
Reason: This week I'm trying to push to catch up by watching trilogies! Starting with Final Destination, I'm going to try to get through Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Star Wars and a couple more. Woofun!
You can't get much more lazy than deciding that death is the villain of your horror movie. What a shock, really. It gets creative when you build a franchise around weird, wacky death scenes with shred of a plot holding them together. Though I've only ever seen Final Destination in theaters, I've always ended up eventually renting the sequels. Why's that? Like I said, the death scenes. The idea of death just getting really pissed off and deciding that all the jerks who've avoided deaths' ultimate plan are going to get _really_ dead for doing so is just a little funny.
Originally this was to be an X-Files episode. I'm glad that they didn't do it, since the movie is so original and interesting. The whole franchise is a real boon to the horror movie genre, since it was a fresh, creative idea when it first hit the screen. Aside from what is probably the most...inventive name for a romantic interest in a horror movie (Clear Rivers. Seriously.), the movie's packed with references to strange and unusual deaths. It makes a spectacle out of foreshadowing.
For turning the death clock up to eleven and having some pretty cool promotional items (tarot cards with the plane crash artistically represented on them), Final Destination is really a good movie. It's not an artistic movie, it doesn't have a lot to say, it's just a fun diversion for those of us who are entertained by Rube Goldbergesque death scenes.
-169/365 down, 196/365 to go
Fourteen and a half minutes in, the paradigm shifts without a clutch.
The Movie: The Host, directed by Bong Joon-ho
Recommendation: That darn internet again.
Reason: I'd heard about this groundbreaking monster movie and originally thought it was going to be just another kaiju movie.
Imagine, if you will, a giant monster movie with deep characters, a gripping plot and a clear message. Unlike many of the kaiju movies it was likely inspired by, The Host was a textured, complex film. It had emotion and depth, it was very impactful and it didn't pull its punches. If only action and horror films on the whole were more like it.
The family at the center of this film was the key, of course. Though the monster was impressive, it was the way the family pulled together to fight it that really made the movie great. In particular, Kang-ho Song carried the film nicely as the main character.
I wouldn't miss this movie for the world. It really is a good, solid film. I wish I'd not made the mistake of leaving it dubbed, because I imagine the real actors had a bit more emotion in their voices than the English voiceover actors did.
-168/365 down, 197/365 to go
Recommendation: That darn internet again.
Reason: I'd heard about this groundbreaking monster movie and originally thought it was going to be just another kaiju movie.
Imagine, if you will, a giant monster movie with deep characters, a gripping plot and a clear message. Unlike many of the kaiju movies it was likely inspired by, The Host was a textured, complex film. It had emotion and depth, it was very impactful and it didn't pull its punches. If only action and horror films on the whole were more like it.
The family at the center of this film was the key, of course. Though the monster was impressive, it was the way the family pulled together to fight it that really made the movie great. In particular, Kang-ho Song carried the film nicely as the main character.
I wouldn't miss this movie for the world. It really is a good, solid film. I wish I'd not made the mistake of leaving it dubbed, because I imagine the real actors had a bit more emotion in their voices than the English voiceover actors did.
-168/365 down, 197/365 to go
Whoever wins, we lose.
The Movie: Freddy vs. Jason, directed by Ronny Yu
Recommendation: D
Reason: She hadn't seen it before.
There are good movies, there are bad movies and then there are movies that are good for what they are. Freddy vs. Jason is a good Freddy movie, it's a good Jason movie, it's just not a particularily difficult or challenging movie overall. Is it ever pretty though. Gouts of blood, beautiful fire effects, the boiler room of everyone's nightmares...gives a person a chill, it really does. With Robert Englund reprising his role as Freddy yet again (and no one else could ever do it better) and a new, frighteningly huge Jason in place, the movie kicks off with an excellent summary of the pair's previous antics.
A lot of the movie is fairly straightforward. Teenagers do bad things emphatically, like smoking weed, drinking and having premarital sex. I do mean that, by the by, they jump into 'sin' with great gusto. Then Jason hacks them into tiny pieces. Some of them fall asleep, and Freddy does creative things with their heads. Eventually, rivalry over the victim-herd takes over and the apex predators collide in a reasonably spectacular showdown.
If you like Freddy or Jason, if you enjoy slashers and have a couple of hours free, this isn't a waste of time. The movie's entertaining and certainly fodder for discussion. There's a potential sequel in the works, which makes me very happy (especially since they talked about bringing in even more slashers-fingers crossed for Pinhead or Michael Myers!).
-167/365 down, 198/365 to go
Recommendation: D
Reason: She hadn't seen it before.
There are good movies, there are bad movies and then there are movies that are good for what they are. Freddy vs. Jason is a good Freddy movie, it's a good Jason movie, it's just not a particularily difficult or challenging movie overall. Is it ever pretty though. Gouts of blood, beautiful fire effects, the boiler room of everyone's nightmares...gives a person a chill, it really does. With Robert Englund reprising his role as Freddy yet again (and no one else could ever do it better) and a new, frighteningly huge Jason in place, the movie kicks off with an excellent summary of the pair's previous antics.
A lot of the movie is fairly straightforward. Teenagers do bad things emphatically, like smoking weed, drinking and having premarital sex. I do mean that, by the by, they jump into 'sin' with great gusto. Then Jason hacks them into tiny pieces. Some of them fall asleep, and Freddy does creative things with their heads. Eventually, rivalry over the victim-herd takes over and the apex predators collide in a reasonably spectacular showdown.
If you like Freddy or Jason, if you enjoy slashers and have a couple of hours free, this isn't a waste of time. The movie's entertaining and certainly fodder for discussion. There's a potential sequel in the works, which makes me very happy (especially since they talked about bringing in even more slashers-fingers crossed for Pinhead or Michael Myers!).
-167/365 down, 198/365 to go
Friday, August 10, 2007
"Can you tell me what's going to happen to me?"
The Movie: Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon, directed by Scott Glosserman
Recommendation: The internet.
Reason: I read some reviews mentioning this as a very smart horror movie.
The reason I love slasher movies so much is Scream. Wes Craven's trilogy of tongue-in-cheek slasher satire made me fall in love with the genre. Horror movies are so interesting to deconstruct. Their imagery is powerful, and if it's done properly, it resonates. Horror movies allow us to consider the nature of our fear, as well as how and why we soothe it. Behind the Mask subverts the genre while giving a dissertation on the horror movie, specifically the slasher maniac, as we know it. It is akin to Man Bites Dog, but Leslie Vernon, the killer in Behind the Mask, is a different kind of murderer. Benoit is a serial killer, an all too real evil in today's world. Leslie Vernon is a slasher, a figure of myth, with extraordinary capabilities and a deranged mind that is off the charts.
The film takes place in two parts, essentially. The first half is a camera crew's chronicle of Leslie Vernon's training and technique. This section is a like a dissertation on horror movie theory, and it's incredibly clever. The sanctity of the closet is discussed, as well as the use of body armor, flame retardant creams, theatrical makeup, the slow chase, the amazing disappearing-reappearing maniac and best of all, The Final Girl. It is nothing short of inspired. Vernon's mentor Eugene is a retired slasher, and I think his tale provided the most interesting twist in the movie. Eugene married one of his Final Girls, which I found to be a great climax to the morality play that horror movies are. The psycho, the slasher is seeking to create a truly formidable woman-Leslie even addresses this in his wonderful homage to the grooming and triumph of the Final Girl. Why wouldn't he want to 'capture' her in a marriage, once the blood has pooled and the police have arrived way too late?
The second part of the film is where the movie gets really subversive. The 'reality' cameras go away and the slashing really begins. There are still some excellent moments once the blood starts to flow, in particular the plea for benediction from the Final Girl, as though she is the Virgin Mary. There are parts here that are predictable, but they should be. This movie rises head and shoulders above most others, and I'm starting to hope that 'reexamining the genre' films start to come out in other areas. Action movies seem the most likely next candidates (and Hot Fuzz was a good start.) Fingers crossed, I suppose.
-166/365 down, 199/365 to go
Recommendation: The internet.
Reason: I read some reviews mentioning this as a very smart horror movie.
The reason I love slasher movies so much is Scream. Wes Craven's trilogy of tongue-in-cheek slasher satire made me fall in love with the genre. Horror movies are so interesting to deconstruct. Their imagery is powerful, and if it's done properly, it resonates. Horror movies allow us to consider the nature of our fear, as well as how and why we soothe it. Behind the Mask subverts the genre while giving a dissertation on the horror movie, specifically the slasher maniac, as we know it. It is akin to Man Bites Dog, but Leslie Vernon, the killer in Behind the Mask, is a different kind of murderer. Benoit is a serial killer, an all too real evil in today's world. Leslie Vernon is a slasher, a figure of myth, with extraordinary capabilities and a deranged mind that is off the charts.
The film takes place in two parts, essentially. The first half is a camera crew's chronicle of Leslie Vernon's training and technique. This section is a like a dissertation on horror movie theory, and it's incredibly clever. The sanctity of the closet is discussed, as well as the use of body armor, flame retardant creams, theatrical makeup, the slow chase, the amazing disappearing-reappearing maniac and best of all, The Final Girl. It is nothing short of inspired. Vernon's mentor Eugene is a retired slasher, and I think his tale provided the most interesting twist in the movie. Eugene married one of his Final Girls, which I found to be a great climax to the morality play that horror movies are. The psycho, the slasher is seeking to create a truly formidable woman-Leslie even addresses this in his wonderful homage to the grooming and triumph of the Final Girl. Why wouldn't he want to 'capture' her in a marriage, once the blood has pooled and the police have arrived way too late?
The second part of the film is where the movie gets really subversive. The 'reality' cameras go away and the slashing really begins. There are still some excellent moments once the blood starts to flow, in particular the plea for benediction from the Final Girl, as though she is the Virgin Mary. There are parts here that are predictable, but they should be. This movie rises head and shoulders above most others, and I'm starting to hope that 'reexamining the genre' films start to come out in other areas. Action movies seem the most likely next candidates (and Hot Fuzz was a good start.) Fingers crossed, I suppose.
-166/365 down, 199/365 to go
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Parody, done right.
The Movie: Hot Fuzz, directed by Edgar Wright
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: I love Shaun of the Dead, the earlier effort from these guys.
In Shaun of the Dead, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright created a movie packed with references to the zombie movies that had come before. Everything about the film was influenced by its predecessors. In Hot Fuzz, they did it again. With their trademark quick-cuts and the sort of speedy humor that you seem to only get in British film, they carried off the action genre with aplomb.
Every cliche is intentional. Viewers familiar with these guys will probably agree with that statement. Every reference you thought you caught really was a reference, from Romeo + Juliet to Point Break (though that one's pretty blatant). There's even the expected John Woo joke.
I really enjoyed this movie. Everyone should see it. These guys are a sly sort of funny, and always entertaining. I'm really looking forward to whatever they're up to next.
-165/365 down, 200/365 to go
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: I love Shaun of the Dead, the earlier effort from these guys.
In Shaun of the Dead, Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright created a movie packed with references to the zombie movies that had come before. Everything about the film was influenced by its predecessors. In Hot Fuzz, they did it again. With their trademark quick-cuts and the sort of speedy humor that you seem to only get in British film, they carried off the action genre with aplomb.
Every cliche is intentional. Viewers familiar with these guys will probably agree with that statement. Every reference you thought you caught really was a reference, from Romeo + Juliet to Point Break (though that one's pretty blatant). There's even the expected John Woo joke.
I really enjoyed this movie. Everyone should see it. These guys are a sly sort of funny, and always entertaining. I'm really looking forward to whatever they're up to next.
-165/365 down, 200/365 to go
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
C'mon wage slaves, say it with me: "I'm not even supposed to be here today."
The Movie: Clerks, directed by Kevin Smith
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: I'm a fan of Kevin Smith's work, ever since I saw Dogma. Clerks makes me smile a lot.
It's obvious, on scrutiny, that Clerks is a student film. The acting is not great, except in a few select cases. The film technique is pretty solid, with a few inspired shots. The script is a little...lofty, being that it's a movie about a convenience store clerk, modeled after The Divine Comedy.
Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson and Jason Mewes are the key to the reason this film is so popular. Without O'Halloran and Anderson's chemistry, Clerks wouldn't have made it out of festival showings. Jason Mewes' appearance as Jay made the movie the cult classic is it today. Though the whole cast gives it their best shot, these three are the best actors in the bunch.
Kevin Smith's primary strength seems to be his script. It's funny, philosophical and twisted in strange and bizarre ways. He creates interesting, human characters and puts them into the weird sorts of situations clerks often find themselves in. Every store has its milkmaids and egg sorters. I think it's the empathy Smith develops, more than anything else.
-164/365 down, 201/365 to go
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: I'm a fan of Kevin Smith's work, ever since I saw Dogma. Clerks makes me smile a lot.
It's obvious, on scrutiny, that Clerks is a student film. The acting is not great, except in a few select cases. The film technique is pretty solid, with a few inspired shots. The script is a little...lofty, being that it's a movie about a convenience store clerk, modeled after The Divine Comedy.
Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson and Jason Mewes are the key to the reason this film is so popular. Without O'Halloran and Anderson's chemistry, Clerks wouldn't have made it out of festival showings. Jason Mewes' appearance as Jay made the movie the cult classic is it today. Though the whole cast gives it their best shot, these three are the best actors in the bunch.
Kevin Smith's primary strength seems to be his script. It's funny, philosophical and twisted in strange and bizarre ways. He creates interesting, human characters and puts them into the weird sorts of situations clerks often find themselves in. Every store has its milkmaids and egg sorters. I think it's the empathy Smith develops, more than anything else.
-164/365 down, 201/365 to go
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
A prequel to a sequel of a remake.
The Movie: The Scorpion King, directed by Chuck Russell
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: It was pretty much a random pick.
So for those who are playing along at home, The Scorpion King is the prequel to The Mummy Returns (in which the Scorpion king is originally introduced, and some sort of horrid CGI abomination is wrought upon the world). The Mummy Returns is the sequel to The Mummy. The Mummy is a remake of The Mummy. Confusing enough for you? Good. The Scorpion King took a character that was vaguely interesting in his initial appearance and centered an entire movie around him. It also cut the crappy CGI and really changed the character.
In The Mummy Returns, Mathayas the Acadian is The Scorpion King, master of a horde of hideous jackal-faced beasts who ravage and destroy everything in their path. He is the evil that the heroes are struggling valiantly to stop. Interestingly, in the movie that centers around him, he is the hero, fighting to destroy a tyrant and despot. When I first saw this movie, I initially believed it was to be set at the peak of The Scorpion King's reign. Instead, it was set at the start. I think that was an interesting decision. If only it could have been followed by at least one more movie dedicated to the fall of the Scorpion King's idealistic youth, the decay of his mighty empire and possibly his descent into supervillainous madness.
The Scorpion King's main function was to get The Rock some film cred. His role in The Mummy Returns and the prequel were very important in launching his career. He's since become a surprisingly good action star, able to carry a movie at the very least. He has a good amount of charisma about himself. It's very refreshing.
-163/365 down, 202/365 to go
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: It was pretty much a random pick.
So for those who are playing along at home, The Scorpion King is the prequel to The Mummy Returns (in which the Scorpion king is originally introduced, and some sort of horrid CGI abomination is wrought upon the world). The Mummy Returns is the sequel to The Mummy. The Mummy is a remake of The Mummy. Confusing enough for you? Good. The Scorpion King took a character that was vaguely interesting in his initial appearance and centered an entire movie around him. It also cut the crappy CGI and really changed the character.
In The Mummy Returns, Mathayas the Acadian is The Scorpion King, master of a horde of hideous jackal-faced beasts who ravage and destroy everything in their path. He is the evil that the heroes are struggling valiantly to stop. Interestingly, in the movie that centers around him, he is the hero, fighting to destroy a tyrant and despot. When I first saw this movie, I initially believed it was to be set at the peak of The Scorpion King's reign. Instead, it was set at the start. I think that was an interesting decision. If only it could have been followed by at least one more movie dedicated to the fall of the Scorpion King's idealistic youth, the decay of his mighty empire and possibly his descent into supervillainous madness.
The Scorpion King's main function was to get The Rock some film cred. His role in The Mummy Returns and the prequel were very important in launching his career. He's since become a surprisingly good action star, able to carry a movie at the very least. He has a good amount of charisma about himself. It's very refreshing.
-163/365 down, 202/365 to go
Monday, August 6, 2007
If you can find two good souls...
The Movie: Taxi Driver, directed by Martin Scorsese
Recommendation: DKS
Reason: It's the Jodie Foster fan catchup we've got going, but also, it's Taxi Driver. I should've seen this long ago.
Taxi Driver is the tale of Travis Bickle, an angel of death trapped or sent to a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah. Scorsese's New York oozes sleaze and corruption, with only a paper-thin facade in place to falsify some sense of normalcy. New York seems to be Scorsese's modelling clay-from that city, he can evoke powerful imagery, whether the city is at the cusp of its birth (Gangs of New York) or reverberating with the wounded mood of the time (Taxi Driver). It is the quintessential city, practically the definition of the word in North America. New York is an essential character, as important as Easy, Wizard, even Travis.
Travis himself is a tortured and tormented symbol. Not quite a martyr to the sickness, he is instead a cure. Through the descent into madness, he struggles for goodness. He tries to find it, he tries to create it, and finally he decides it's time to die for it. DeNiro and Scorsese created a man who wasn't just a well acted, well rounded character, they created a man who symbolized the helplessness of the situation so many found themselves in at the time. Travis Bickle may not have been real, but the multitudes of wounded veterans of the Vietnam War were. The stories that came from that generation resonate even now, and I'm glad for films like Taxi Driver and Jacob's Ladder.
As usual, Scorsese's camerawork is spectacular. The movement he uses, the placement of his framing both subtly carry the viewers along Travis' charge towards dementia. In some places, the camera seems to be us, turning away as the scene becomes unbearable. In others, it is Travis, reflecting on the world around him. This movie was incredible, as impactful as Raging Bull. I'm glad I got to see it.
-162/365 down, 203/365 to go
Recommendation: DKS
Reason: It's the Jodie Foster fan catchup we've got going, but also, it's Taxi Driver. I should've seen this long ago.
Taxi Driver is the tale of Travis Bickle, an angel of death trapped or sent to a modern day Sodom and Gomorrah. Scorsese's New York oozes sleaze and corruption, with only a paper-thin facade in place to falsify some sense of normalcy. New York seems to be Scorsese's modelling clay-from that city, he can evoke powerful imagery, whether the city is at the cusp of its birth (Gangs of New York) or reverberating with the wounded mood of the time (Taxi Driver). It is the quintessential city, practically the definition of the word in North America. New York is an essential character, as important as Easy, Wizard, even Travis.
Travis himself is a tortured and tormented symbol. Not quite a martyr to the sickness, he is instead a cure. Through the descent into madness, he struggles for goodness. He tries to find it, he tries to create it, and finally he decides it's time to die for it. DeNiro and Scorsese created a man who wasn't just a well acted, well rounded character, they created a man who symbolized the helplessness of the situation so many found themselves in at the time. Travis Bickle may not have been real, but the multitudes of wounded veterans of the Vietnam War were. The stories that came from that generation resonate even now, and I'm glad for films like Taxi Driver and Jacob's Ladder.
As usual, Scorsese's camerawork is spectacular. The movement he uses, the placement of his framing both subtly carry the viewers along Travis' charge towards dementia. In some places, the camera seems to be us, turning away as the scene becomes unbearable. In others, it is Travis, reflecting on the world around him. This movie was incredible, as impactful as Raging Bull. I'm glad I got to see it.
-162/365 down, 203/365 to go
Sunday, August 5, 2007
So much more than what you think.
The Movie: Rear Window, directed by Alfred Hitchcock
Recommendation: AFI Top 100.
Reason: It's #48.
Disturbia was okay, but Rear Window just transcends. It's sweet, funny, poignant, entertaining, tense, suspenseful...it has all of the necessary parts to be an excellent film. And it is one. Grace Kelly and James Stewart were excellent leads in a story that's as much about our voyeurism as it was about Jeff's.
I don't even feel qualified to review this film. It was just great. The perspective-entirely from Jeff's apartment-was so well planned, the supporting actors did so much with so few lines and so much expressive acting, the characters were sympathetic...I could go on and on. The story was just so human.
I can't not recommend that everyone see this movie. It's just so good. For a film that's entertaining, thoughtful and interesting, I wouldn't look much further.
-162/365 down, 203/365 to go
Recommendation: AFI Top 100.
Reason: It's #48.
Disturbia was okay, but Rear Window just transcends. It's sweet, funny, poignant, entertaining, tense, suspenseful...it has all of the necessary parts to be an excellent film. And it is one. Grace Kelly and James Stewart were excellent leads in a story that's as much about our voyeurism as it was about Jeff's.
I don't even feel qualified to review this film. It was just great. The perspective-entirely from Jeff's apartment-was so well planned, the supporting actors did so much with so few lines and so much expressive acting, the characters were sympathetic...I could go on and on. The story was just so human.
I can't not recommend that everyone see this movie. It's just so good. For a film that's entertaining, thoughtful and interesting, I wouldn't look much further.
-162/365 down, 203/365 to go
It's better if you imagine that it's Rex Manning day, and you have to watch his movie.
The Movie: Grease 2, directed by Patricia Birch
Recommendation: H
Reason: I'm not really sure, aside from possibly thinking I hadn't already seen it. Yes, that's right. I've sat through Grease 2 twice.
Hollywood wisdom states that sequels are rarely as good as the original. We don't need to retread that ground, except to say that Grease 2 is the best argument I've ever see for that rule. It does everything wrong that a sequel can do. Most of the original cast, aside from a few sad hangers-on, are gone. The story is exactly the same. Tenuous attempts to connect it to the original come off as stupid (why does Sandi, the AUSTRALIAN GIRL have a cousin from ENGLAND? Could it be that they want another character with an accent?). Multiple attempts were made to recreate scenes from the original movie, instead of setting the sequel apart in any way. Oh, and the director of the second movie is the choreographer from the first one.
Michelle Pfeiffer is unconvincing as the greaser-hanger-on Stephanie. Maxwell Caulfield is probably the best casting decision in the movie, and he still sucks. He's the only thing that makes the movie remotely okay (see the title for the reason, and if you still don't get it, watch Empire Records). The guys playing the T-Birds are...just unbelievable as straight guys. The cameos by characters from the original movie come off as desperate and pathetic-Frenchy and the leader of the Scorpions? Seriously?
I don't want to really get into the singing, the acting, the plot, the shooting, the editing...the only solid part of the movie was, you guessed it, the dancing! The dance sequences were well choreographed, sweeping and ultimately horribly shot and edited. Though they were well done, they were confusing and disruptive to the flow of the film. What a shock.
-160/365 down, 205/365 to go.
Recommendation: H
Reason: I'm not really sure, aside from possibly thinking I hadn't already seen it. Yes, that's right. I've sat through Grease 2 twice.
Hollywood wisdom states that sequels are rarely as good as the original. We don't need to retread that ground, except to say that Grease 2 is the best argument I've ever see for that rule. It does everything wrong that a sequel can do. Most of the original cast, aside from a few sad hangers-on, are gone. The story is exactly the same. Tenuous attempts to connect it to the original come off as stupid (why does Sandi, the AUSTRALIAN GIRL have a cousin from ENGLAND? Could it be that they want another character with an accent?). Multiple attempts were made to recreate scenes from the original movie, instead of setting the sequel apart in any way. Oh, and the director of the second movie is the choreographer from the first one.
Michelle Pfeiffer is unconvincing as the greaser-hanger-on Stephanie. Maxwell Caulfield is probably the best casting decision in the movie, and he still sucks. He's the only thing that makes the movie remotely okay (see the title for the reason, and if you still don't get it, watch Empire Records). The guys playing the T-Birds are...just unbelievable as straight guys. The cameos by characters from the original movie come off as desperate and pathetic-Frenchy and the leader of the Scorpions? Seriously?
I don't want to really get into the singing, the acting, the plot, the shooting, the editing...the only solid part of the movie was, you guessed it, the dancing! The dance sequences were well choreographed, sweeping and ultimately horribly shot and edited. Though they were well done, they were confusing and disruptive to the flow of the film. What a shock.
-160/365 down, 205/365 to go.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Finally, something good.
The Movie: The Jacket, directed by John Maybury
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: Adrien Brody's part in The Village really appealed to me. Also, Keira Knightley.
Keira Knightley taking a swing at an American accent was a little jarring to me. Though hers was better than Hilary Swanks in The Black Dahlia. And guess what? That's my only major criticism of the movie! Huzzah! It's so refreshing to see something good today! With a slightly stronger supporting cast and script, this could have been a true classic, a suitable heir to Jacob's Ladder. It missed, but it was a near miss.
Adrien Brody really is compelling in this role. He's flexible, disappears entirely into the part and portrays everything so clearly that it's really wonderful to watch. He's unconventionally talented. Keira Knightley was a little awkward, but when she was in the role, there was no separation. As mentioned, the supporting cast was a little weak. Jennifer Jason Leigh was the strongest of them, with Kris Kristofferson not quite being as convincing as he could be. Daniel Craig got a quick doubletake, but he didn't stand out enough.
The movie was well shot, with apparently some method acting caught on screen. Adrien Brody spent quite a bit of time locked in his death-metaphor...er...drawer, and some of the effects of that lockdown made it into the film. It was really effective and obviously quite convincing.
-159/365 down, 206/365 to go
Recommendation: Me!
Reason: Adrien Brody's part in The Village really appealed to me. Also, Keira Knightley.
Keira Knightley taking a swing at an American accent was a little jarring to me. Though hers was better than Hilary Swanks in The Black Dahlia. And guess what? That's my only major criticism of the movie! Huzzah! It's so refreshing to see something good today! With a slightly stronger supporting cast and script, this could have been a true classic, a suitable heir to Jacob's Ladder. It missed, but it was a near miss.
Adrien Brody really is compelling in this role. He's flexible, disappears entirely into the part and portrays everything so clearly that it's really wonderful to watch. He's unconventionally talented. Keira Knightley was a little awkward, but when she was in the role, there was no separation. As mentioned, the supporting cast was a little weak. Jennifer Jason Leigh was the strongest of them, with Kris Kristofferson not quite being as convincing as he could be. Daniel Craig got a quick doubletake, but he didn't stand out enough.
The movie was well shot, with apparently some method acting caught on screen. Adrien Brody spent quite a bit of time locked in his death-metaphor...er...drawer, and some of the effects of that lockdown made it into the film. It was really effective and obviously quite convincing.
-159/365 down, 206/365 to go
They're like twins. Totally twins.
The Movie: The Black Dahlia, directed by Brian De Palma
Recommendation: L.A. Confidential. I believe they know one another.
Reason: I love noir, I loved L.A. Confidential, I love Mia Kirshner, I liked Carrie and Mission: Impossible. C'mon, this was practically a sure thing!
I've got to find some way to turn today around. The Night Listener was lukewarm, The Wicker Man BLEW and now The Black Dahlia somehow turned out uninteresting and horribly convoluted. It started nicely, it looked so right, they...okay, so they had some casting problems going on. Like Josh Harnett, for starters. Scarlett Johannsen. Hilary Swank. The feel that L.A. Confidential pulled off with aplomb was caught in bits and snatches here and there, mostly when the visuals were telling the story.
Unfortunately, once the look of the movie is overtaken by the performances and the story, the goodness evaporates. Don't get too attached to the story of the Dahlia herself-her life and death seem like afterthoughts, overwhelmed by subplots and rambling offshoots. One of the more compelling unsolved Hollywood murders is shelved to showcase Josh Harnett's inability to command the screen and Hilary Swank and Scarlett Johannsen slinking around in vaguely appropriate costumes (and in the former's case, a godawful accent).
If you look for the good, though, you can find it. Aaron Eckhart finds some soul and neurosis in the case the movie's supposed to revolve around. He digs deep to play his part and he would have made a much better protagonist than Harnett's soulful gaze. Mia Kirshner plays well, perhaps overworking her moderate screentime. In comparison to the other women in the picture she's a shining star. Rose McGowan, clocking in at around five minutes of screentime as Sheryl Saddon, has more personality than Hilary Swank's Madeleine Linscott. Let's not even mention Fiona Shaw utterly dominating the climax of the film, pushing the madcap campiness much too far and simultaneously ripping any possibility of one of the leads outshining her from their limp grasp. I don't know that those performances and the look of the film are enough to recommend it to anyone, though.
-158/365 down, 207/365 to go
Recommendation: L.A. Confidential. I believe they know one another.
Reason: I love noir, I loved L.A. Confidential, I love Mia Kirshner, I liked Carrie and Mission: Impossible. C'mon, this was practically a sure thing!
I've got to find some way to turn today around. The Night Listener was lukewarm, The Wicker Man BLEW and now The Black Dahlia somehow turned out uninteresting and horribly convoluted. It started nicely, it looked so right, they...okay, so they had some casting problems going on. Like Josh Harnett, for starters. Scarlett Johannsen. Hilary Swank. The feel that L.A. Confidential pulled off with aplomb was caught in bits and snatches here and there, mostly when the visuals were telling the story.
Unfortunately, once the look of the movie is overtaken by the performances and the story, the goodness evaporates. Don't get too attached to the story of the Dahlia herself-her life and death seem like afterthoughts, overwhelmed by subplots and rambling offshoots. One of the more compelling unsolved Hollywood murders is shelved to showcase Josh Harnett's inability to command the screen and Hilary Swank and Scarlett Johannsen slinking around in vaguely appropriate costumes (and in the former's case, a godawful accent).
If you look for the good, though, you can find it. Aaron Eckhart finds some soul and neurosis in the case the movie's supposed to revolve around. He digs deep to play his part and he would have made a much better protagonist than Harnett's soulful gaze. Mia Kirshner plays well, perhaps overworking her moderate screentime. In comparison to the other women in the picture she's a shining star. Rose McGowan, clocking in at around five minutes of screentime as Sheryl Saddon, has more personality than Hilary Swank's Madeleine Linscott. Let's not even mention Fiona Shaw utterly dominating the climax of the film, pushing the madcap campiness much too far and simultaneously ripping any possibility of one of the leads outshining her from their limp grasp. I don't know that those performances and the look of the film are enough to recommend it to anyone, though.
-158/365 down, 207/365 to go
I do not have a thing for Nicolas Cage
The Movie: The Wicker Man, directed by Neil Labute
Recommendation: The internet.
Reason: The Best Scenes from The Wicker Man
I swear, I could watch Leelee Sobieski get kicked in the face all day. I used to think she might be a decent actress in years to come, but damn was I ever wrong. I mean it, in a movie like this it's hard to pick out a particularily bad actor, but jeez. Leelee stole the show. Nick Cage at least got to stomp around punching people while wearing a bear suit. Sobieski just sucks.
You really don't _need_ to see The Wicker Man. Youtube has it right-the scenes in that now-famous clip are the best of the whole thing. Putting yourself through it is an exercise in torment. I watched it because of the video, and because I'd heard the original was unsettling and creepy. In this...mockery...we get Nicolas Cage assaulting children and kicking Leelee Sobieski in the face. No, I'm not going to stop mentioning that. She really is terrible.
I can only assume Molly Parker was involved in this travesty under duress. That's what I'm choosing to believe, since she's one of my favorite Canadian actresses. I just don't know what else I can possibly say. Watch the Youtube clip. It's all there. I seriously can't improve on the 'commentary' as presented in those two and a half minutes. If you're entertained by Nick Cage punching women while in costume, this is really the movie for you. Oh yeah. And Leelee Sobieski getting kicked in the face.
-157/365 down, 208/365 to go
Recommendation: The internet.
Reason: The Best Scenes from The Wicker Man
I swear, I could watch Leelee Sobieski get kicked in the face all day. I used to think she might be a decent actress in years to come, but damn was I ever wrong. I mean it, in a movie like this it's hard to pick out a particularily bad actor, but jeez. Leelee stole the show. Nick Cage at least got to stomp around punching people while wearing a bear suit. Sobieski just sucks.
You really don't _need_ to see The Wicker Man. Youtube has it right-the scenes in that now-famous clip are the best of the whole thing. Putting yourself through it is an exercise in torment. I watched it because of the video, and because I'd heard the original was unsettling and creepy. In this...mockery...we get Nicolas Cage assaulting children and kicking Leelee Sobieski in the face. No, I'm not going to stop mentioning that. She really is terrible.
I can only assume Molly Parker was involved in this travesty under duress. That's what I'm choosing to believe, since she's one of my favorite Canadian actresses. I just don't know what else I can possibly say. Watch the Youtube clip. It's all there. I seriously can't improve on the 'commentary' as presented in those two and a half minutes. If you're entertained by Nick Cage punching women while in costume, this is really the movie for you. Oh yeah. And Leelee Sobieski getting kicked in the face.
-157/365 down, 208/365 to go
I'm not sure I'm comfortable with the subtext here.
The Movie: The Night Listener, directed by Patrick Stettner
Recommendation: Nobody!
Reason: I was vaguely aware of this movie when it was quietly released, and I was interested in Toni Collette's other work after seeing Little Miss Sunshine.
This film was a good way to pass some time. I can't really give it overwhelming praise, but it was a good, understated movie that was perhaps a little shallow for its subject matter. The search for identity and truth amidst the turmoil of the loss of a relationship is great fodder for a film of depth. Unfortunately, through either the scripting or the direction, The Night Listener simply didn't reach far enough.
Robin Williams was incredibly low-key in this film, so restrained, in fact, that he was almost unrecognizable. That's a good thing, because he managed to be believable, intelligent and sympathetic. Toni Collette on the other hand, was a mess. I don't just refer to the situation of her character, more to the misuse of her presence. She's a good actress, very solid as we've seen in Little Miss Sunshine. I don't believe she was given good direction here.
The pacing of the film was a little off too. With so much time spent on the 'opening', so to speak, the real meat of the story was left off to the bitter end. The result came across a little anemic. However, it did have its good points. The subtlety with which the relationship between Noone and Jess was treated was excellent. The 'investigation' Noone undertakes was realistic and made some degree of sense. Sandra Oh's character was a bright spot of interest. The film wasn't all weak, but it wasn't strong, either.
-156/365 down, 209/365 to go
Recommendation: Nobody!
Reason: I was vaguely aware of this movie when it was quietly released, and I was interested in Toni Collette's other work after seeing Little Miss Sunshine.
This film was a good way to pass some time. I can't really give it overwhelming praise, but it was a good, understated movie that was perhaps a little shallow for its subject matter. The search for identity and truth amidst the turmoil of the loss of a relationship is great fodder for a film of depth. Unfortunately, through either the scripting or the direction, The Night Listener simply didn't reach far enough.
Robin Williams was incredibly low-key in this film, so restrained, in fact, that he was almost unrecognizable. That's a good thing, because he managed to be believable, intelligent and sympathetic. Toni Collette on the other hand, was a mess. I don't just refer to the situation of her character, more to the misuse of her presence. She's a good actress, very solid as we've seen in Little Miss Sunshine. I don't believe she was given good direction here.
The pacing of the film was a little off too. With so much time spent on the 'opening', so to speak, the real meat of the story was left off to the bitter end. The result came across a little anemic. However, it did have its good points. The subtlety with which the relationship between Noone and Jess was treated was excellent. The 'investigation' Noone undertakes was realistic and made some degree of sense. Sandra Oh's character was a bright spot of interest. The film wasn't all weak, but it wasn't strong, either.
-156/365 down, 209/365 to go
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Puppies turn into dogs that get old and die.
The Movie: Josie and the Pussycats, directed by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont
Recommendation: Me
Reason: Cause it's one of my favorite movies of all time, and one of the few that I really would watch anytime.
For some damnable reason, people insist on saying this is a bad movie. Their reasons range from shallow characters to bad acting to the rather overwhelming product placement, and I really could go on. I'm not going to write a specific rebuttal to any particular critique, just a sort of general love letter to the movie. Josie and the Pussycats is cheerfully wicked, taking sly shots at the MTV generation, the recording industry and MTV itself. From in-jokes about bandmembers (nobody likes the bassist) to a shamelessly shattered fourth wall ("I'm here because I was in the comics"), Josie and the Pussycats is a refreshingly self-aware musical comedy.
More than anything else in this movie, I appreciate Rachael Leigh Cook's Josie. Everyone else is good, but she really takes it away. It's the little things, the looks, the raised eyebrows, the delivery of her lines (see the title for my personal favorite). She's personable, she's cute, she's a good girl with a good heart and Cook brings that all out in her performance. I'd argue that the two dimensional characters that she and her costars create are necessarily so-the source material isn't particularily deep, so why would the film carry that expectation?
As Valerie, Rosario Dawson reminded everyone that she existed. That can never be a bad thing, ever. Her characterization is probably the deepest of the three-she gives Valerie a story and a backbone, without leaving the bonds of the role she's expected to play in the plot. Tara Reid is at her most tolerable here as Melody the sweet dunderhead. Without any heavy expectations set on her, like 'acting' or 'staying sober', she turned in a bubbly, cheerful performance.
The costumes, the set dressing, the product placement! Logos EVERYWHERE! There are mascots in the end credits, and everything anyone touches, holds, walks on, walks past...you get the idea, this movie is SATURATED with corporate miscellania. That manic devotion to the emblems of consumerism has a purpose (and was entirely done of the director's own volition. Nobody paid for commercial consideration in this film). There's an obvious difference between dull little Riverdale and the glitz, glamor and orange of 'the big city'. When Valerie, Melody and Josie are housed in a corporate-overridden hotel, those ads take on an interesting new meaning. Josie, destined later in the film to briefly become a superficial bitch, is surrounded by makeup ads from Revlon. Melody, a silly little pop-tart, gets the nutritionally questionable McDonalds ads. Valerie is lodged with Target, an allusion to her future as the primary problem for the movie's antagonists.
And speak of the devils. Wyatt Frame and Fiona. Could you get a more pathetic pair of silly little losers? Alan Cumming lays into his role as Wyatt with abandon, chewing up the scenery left right and center. He just looks so greasy and evil, and his tone is so wonderfully villainous. Nevermind getting some of the better lines in the film ("Put the chevy to the levy"). Much as I hate Parker Posey (and I do. A lot), she's good as Fiona. She, Alexander and Alexandra are the weakest points of the film, but they're just a little less four-color than the rest of the gang. That's sort of the point here. This movie isn't about real people. It's not even about fake people. It's a comic book, alive on screen, and an Archie one at that. This isn't Catwoman, slashing wholesale at a comic that wasn't that good to start. This is Josie and the Pussycats, an Archie comic about a band that solves mysteries.
The music was written and performed by some talented musicians. Kay Hanley, lead singer of Letters to Cleo, took on the role of Josie's voice, and Adam Duritz, Babyface and Adam Schlesinger contributed to the songwriting process. Their work resulted in catchy songs, not only from Josie and the Pussycats, but from DuJour, the parody-heavy boyband that shows up early in the film (C'mon people, 'Backdoor Lover' was comedy gold).
At the end of all of this humongous volume, all I can say is that this really isn't the awful movie people make it out to be. I love it, you could even say I'm passionate about it. It's sweet, funny, cheery and it doesn't require a PhD in anything to understand the point-it's stated outright, actually, for those who are having trouble keeping up. So that's my piece. I hope I might've encouraged one or two of you to give Josie another chance.
-155/365 down, 210/365 to go
Recommendation: Me
Reason: Cause it's one of my favorite movies of all time, and one of the few that I really would watch anytime.
For some damnable reason, people insist on saying this is a bad movie. Their reasons range from shallow characters to bad acting to the rather overwhelming product placement, and I really could go on. I'm not going to write a specific rebuttal to any particular critique, just a sort of general love letter to the movie. Josie and the Pussycats is cheerfully wicked, taking sly shots at the MTV generation, the recording industry and MTV itself. From in-jokes about bandmembers (nobody likes the bassist) to a shamelessly shattered fourth wall ("I'm here because I was in the comics"), Josie and the Pussycats is a refreshingly self-aware musical comedy.
More than anything else in this movie, I appreciate Rachael Leigh Cook's Josie. Everyone else is good, but she really takes it away. It's the little things, the looks, the raised eyebrows, the delivery of her lines (see the title for my personal favorite). She's personable, she's cute, she's a good girl with a good heart and Cook brings that all out in her performance. I'd argue that the two dimensional characters that she and her costars create are necessarily so-the source material isn't particularily deep, so why would the film carry that expectation?
As Valerie, Rosario Dawson reminded everyone that she existed. That can never be a bad thing, ever. Her characterization is probably the deepest of the three-she gives Valerie a story and a backbone, without leaving the bonds of the role she's expected to play in the plot. Tara Reid is at her most tolerable here as Melody the sweet dunderhead. Without any heavy expectations set on her, like 'acting' or 'staying sober', she turned in a bubbly, cheerful performance.
The costumes, the set dressing, the product placement! Logos EVERYWHERE! There are mascots in the end credits, and everything anyone touches, holds, walks on, walks past...you get the idea, this movie is SATURATED with corporate miscellania. That manic devotion to the emblems of consumerism has a purpose (and was entirely done of the director's own volition. Nobody paid for commercial consideration in this film). There's an obvious difference between dull little Riverdale and the glitz, glamor and orange of 'the big city'. When Valerie, Melody and Josie are housed in a corporate-overridden hotel, those ads take on an interesting new meaning. Josie, destined later in the film to briefly become a superficial bitch, is surrounded by makeup ads from Revlon. Melody, a silly little pop-tart, gets the nutritionally questionable McDonalds ads. Valerie is lodged with Target, an allusion to her future as the primary problem for the movie's antagonists.
And speak of the devils. Wyatt Frame and Fiona. Could you get a more pathetic pair of silly little losers? Alan Cumming lays into his role as Wyatt with abandon, chewing up the scenery left right and center. He just looks so greasy and evil, and his tone is so wonderfully villainous. Nevermind getting some of the better lines in the film ("Put the chevy to the levy"). Much as I hate Parker Posey (and I do. A lot), she's good as Fiona. She, Alexander and Alexandra are the weakest points of the film, but they're just a little less four-color than the rest of the gang. That's sort of the point here. This movie isn't about real people. It's not even about fake people. It's a comic book, alive on screen, and an Archie one at that. This isn't Catwoman, slashing wholesale at a comic that wasn't that good to start. This is Josie and the Pussycats, an Archie comic about a band that solves mysteries.
The music was written and performed by some talented musicians. Kay Hanley, lead singer of Letters to Cleo, took on the role of Josie's voice, and Adam Duritz, Babyface and Adam Schlesinger contributed to the songwriting process. Their work resulted in catchy songs, not only from Josie and the Pussycats, but from DuJour, the parody-heavy boyband that shows up early in the film (C'mon people, 'Backdoor Lover' was comedy gold).
At the end of all of this humongous volume, all I can say is that this really isn't the awful movie people make it out to be. I love it, you could even say I'm passionate about it. It's sweet, funny, cheery and it doesn't require a PhD in anything to understand the point-it's stated outright, actually, for those who are having trouble keeping up. So that's my piece. I hope I might've encouraged one or two of you to give Josie another chance.
-155/365 down, 210/365 to go
Once more, porn.
The Movie: All American Girls Part One, director unknown.
Recommendation: Porn of the month!
Reason: 70's porn is sometimes a little...daunting.
So...my reviews of porn are going to be pretty short until I see something really spectacular. This one was alright, nicely shot, decent actors, moderate plotting and very little offensive content. It was a little surprising, actually, to see that the 'old' porn was better than the newer stuff. At least in the '70's the 'actresses' didn't look like realdolls.
-154/365 down, 211/365 to go
Recommendation: Porn of the month!
Reason: 70's porn is sometimes a little...daunting.
So...my reviews of porn are going to be pretty short until I see something really spectacular. This one was alright, nicely shot, decent actors, moderate plotting and very little offensive content. It was a little surprising, actually, to see that the 'old' porn was better than the newer stuff. At least in the '70's the 'actresses' didn't look like realdolls.
-154/365 down, 211/365 to go
"Is this actually happening? Is this movie actually real?"
The Movie: Cry-Baby, directed by John Waters
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: "Oh, just watch. Trust me."
I could have sworn I hallucinated half of this film. It just seemed so unreal, so bizarrely perfect that I didn't believe I was actually seeing it on the screen. I haven't seen any of John Waters work before, though I've been peripherally aware of the movies he's done. Oddly, I didn't know Hairspray (the original) was his film until I checked out his filmography on Imdb-I knew about Pink Flamingos and Serial Mom. Now that I've seen his work, I know that Waters is the sort of director I like.
Cry-Baby's a weird as hell movie that subtly and not-so-subtly lampoons Elvis's movies, teen-rebel movies, James Dean, Grease and the list goes on. It's quick paced. I'd even call it lean. Waters exaggerates the 'falling in love in an instant' schtick that so many romantic movies try for, and does so in such a way as to thumb his nose at all of them. Johnny Depp is the perfect beautiful boy in the lead role, shimmying like Elvis and smoldering like James Dean. I think it was here, with Cry-Baby, that John Waters found Depp's potential as an actor. Depp plays weird well and with great gusto, taking on quirky characters and giving them depth and life. His character, Cry-Baby, is an overblown mockery of the antiheroes John Waters is satirizing, and Depp plays it note-perfect.
Waters' reputation precedes him, but one transvestite-eating-dog-doo scene (not in Cry-Baby, that's from Pink Flamingos) does not make an entire career. I recommend this movie to those with sharp eye and an appreciation for this sort of over-the-top production. Anyone without a vague sense of what's being mocked here need not apply.
-153/365 down, 212/365 to go
Recommendation: Dee
Reason: "Oh, just watch. Trust me."
I could have sworn I hallucinated half of this film. It just seemed so unreal, so bizarrely perfect that I didn't believe I was actually seeing it on the screen. I haven't seen any of John Waters work before, though I've been peripherally aware of the movies he's done. Oddly, I didn't know Hairspray (the original) was his film until I checked out his filmography on Imdb-I knew about Pink Flamingos and Serial Mom. Now that I've seen his work, I know that Waters is the sort of director I like.
Cry-Baby's a weird as hell movie that subtly and not-so-subtly lampoons Elvis's movies, teen-rebel movies, James Dean, Grease and the list goes on. It's quick paced. I'd even call it lean. Waters exaggerates the 'falling in love in an instant' schtick that so many romantic movies try for, and does so in such a way as to thumb his nose at all of them. Johnny Depp is the perfect beautiful boy in the lead role, shimmying like Elvis and smoldering like James Dean. I think it was here, with Cry-Baby, that John Waters found Depp's potential as an actor. Depp plays weird well and with great gusto, taking on quirky characters and giving them depth and life. His character, Cry-Baby, is an overblown mockery of the antiheroes John Waters is satirizing, and Depp plays it note-perfect.
Waters' reputation precedes him, but one transvestite-eating-dog-doo scene (not in Cry-Baby, that's from Pink Flamingos) does not make an entire career. I recommend this movie to those with sharp eye and an appreciation for this sort of over-the-top production. Anyone without a vague sense of what's being mocked here need not apply.
-153/365 down, 212/365 to go
Big shark. Fangs.
The Movie: Megalodon, directed by Pat Corbitt
Recommendation: H
Reason: "This is the best low-budget, direct-to-video shark movie I've ever seen."
H and I share a certain terror about sharks. When we were kids, we both had a similar aversion to the deep end of the swimming pool. It's our pet theory that we saw Jaws and were permanently scarred. We've coped, in our own ways. I've conquered my fear of the deep end of the pool, but you won't catch me swimming in the ocean anytime soon. H watches bad shark movies. I think her decision is more entertaining.
The 'Megalodon' the title sequence refers to is a specimen of carcharadon megalodon, a long extinct ancestor of the modern shark. In the movie it...and trust me, it's hard to even type this...escapes from a heretofore undiscovered 'secret ocean', which has been sealed off from the 'overworld' since time immemorial. As you may have guessed, this is a B-Movie that's serious about shrugging off suspension of disbelief as something other people do.
That's about all the summary Megalodon needs. It's a B-movie with B-grade special effects and B-grade acting. It's campy, dumb and unintentionally funny. There is a hugenormous shark that eats a lot of people and things, and probably some hamfisted environmental message somewhere in there. Something about things man was not meant to see, I don't know. I have to agree with H, though. This is probably the best direct-to-video shark movie I've ever seen.
-152/365 down, 213/365 to go
Recommendation: H
Reason: "This is the best low-budget, direct-to-video shark movie I've ever seen."
H and I share a certain terror about sharks. When we were kids, we both had a similar aversion to the deep end of the swimming pool. It's our pet theory that we saw Jaws and were permanently scarred. We've coped, in our own ways. I've conquered my fear of the deep end of the pool, but you won't catch me swimming in the ocean anytime soon. H watches bad shark movies. I think her decision is more entertaining.
The 'Megalodon' the title sequence refers to is a specimen of carcharadon megalodon, a long extinct ancestor of the modern shark. In the movie it...and trust me, it's hard to even type this...escapes from a heretofore undiscovered 'secret ocean', which has been sealed off from the 'overworld' since time immemorial. As you may have guessed, this is a B-Movie that's serious about shrugging off suspension of disbelief as something other people do.
That's about all the summary Megalodon needs. It's a B-movie with B-grade special effects and B-grade acting. It's campy, dumb and unintentionally funny. There is a hugenormous shark that eats a lot of people and things, and probably some hamfisted environmental message somewhere in there. Something about things man was not meant to see, I don't know. I have to agree with H, though. This is probably the best direct-to-video shark movie I've ever seen.
-152/365 down, 213/365 to go
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