Category Archives: Features
MyFilmViews Movie Products Blogathon
Nostra at MyFilmViews has started a blog-a-thon. In movie history there are these products everyone would like to get their hands on and try them out. Well, now is your chance by joining the movie products blog-a-thon!
Which movie would you find in your own Pulp Fiction briefcase? (one which you would treasure or is impossible to see because it is not available)
I’m split on whether I would want a film I have seen or one I haven’t. I think I would want a film that I haven’t seen from a director I’m unfamiliar with so I think it would be a contest between Ozu’s Tokyo Story and Cinema Paradiso. I hear they’re fantastic.
If you had a Back to the Future DeLorean, which movie related time period would you travel?
The seventies. That era from ’67 onwards to about ’79 is just terrific for films especially American ones. I’ve been trying to catch up with films from that era but I would love to see them as they were in the cinema. Films like Point Blank, Jaws, The Manchurian Candidate, The Godfather, The Exorcist, All The President’s Men, Halloween, Alien, Carrie, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Star Wars etc. That era really kicked off the type of filmmaking that’s so ingrained in our minds today.
If you woke up tomorrow morning and found out that you were living your own Groundhog Day and could only escape it by watching all the movies from a specific genre, which genre would you choose and why? And which genre would be your personal hell?
Science-fiction. It’s such an interesting and imaginative genre, the kind that relies on visuals to tell the story when it’s done well. The best thing about science-fiction is that it can be mixed with other genres to great effect so you get films like The Prestige, The Adjustment Bureau or The Matrix. It’s incredibly versatile.
My personal hell would be romantic-comedies. Good rom-coms are hard to find and so many of the modern ones are incredibly derivative and clichéd. Horror films would be a close second.
You have the Neuralyzer from Men in Black in your pocket. Which movie would you travel into to use it on one of the characters to change the movie in a fun or interesting way and what would happen because of the change you made?
I would use it on John Travolta’s Vincent Vega in Pulp Fiction and erase his memory so he wouldn’t have to go to Butch’s apartment. I liked that character (I liked all the characters in Pulp Fiction) so it’s a pretty selfish decision on my part. I’m not sure what it would change exactly because the movie plays with time but I’d like to see him and Sam Jackson’s Jules continue their hitman partnership.
If you would be able to enter the dreams of a famous movie character like Cobb did in Inception using the dream machine, which character’s dreams would you jump into to get to know that character better and what do you think their dream world would look like?
I’d want to delve into the mind of Al Pacino’s Michael Corleone, specifically The Godfather Part II. The choices he makes in that film are difficult and some of them are heartbreaking and I’d like to know what was going on in his head. Since he served in World War II, I wouldn’t be surprised if his dreams looked like a battlefield with mob bosses standing in his way.
Lacuna Inc, the company from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind just opened on the corner of your street. Which one movie memory would you delete to experience it for the first time again?
Die Hard. I grew up on those sorts of action-heavy films and they were a big part of my film experience growing up. The action in that film is great and it’s full of tension and surprises, you’re never quite sure how a scene will pan out. I’d want to experience that with fresh eyes.
Right next to Lacuna Inc, another company Rekall from Total Recall has opened as well. Which character in which movie would you like to be to experience it in first person?
Aliens. Probably from Ripley’s viewpoint. That film is sort of the jumping off point for first-person sci-fi shooters and I think the setting lends itself to being an immersive and scary environment. Who wouldn’t want to operate a gun that can shoot explosive rounds and has a flamethrower attached to it?! Or the the loader? (See below.)
Five things to think of when you’re watching Final Destination 5 3D
As I watched the latest Final Destination at a preview screening last week a few things crossed my mind as I was watching it, perhaps you can help me find the answers to them.
Why are the opening credits always the best example of 3D?
The rest of the film pales in comparison to the opening titles (which goes on for too long but makes great use of 3D) with it either not being notable or causing a little bit of motion blur whenever the camera panned (maybe that’s my eyes). Why can’t the film be up to the same quality as its opening titles?
It’s the fifth time Death has screwed up; does he do it on purpose?
Does he get bored? Does Death let people get away to inject some excitement in his life? If it’s someone/thing else then they have an awful sense of humour since in most of the characters in Final Destination films die anyway.
Why does this franchise attract such bad acting?
Most of the actors (unless they’re playing a jerk/vapid hot girl) are stunningly bland and look like their uninterested in what’s going on. Perhaps there wasn’t much in the script to connect to (in fact there’s nothing to connect to) but c’mon, inject a little bit of life into these characters.
Is it fun to laugh when characters you don’t care about die?
The film quickly glosses over the idea of whether the characters deserve the fate that’s been dealt (It would be interesting to see a film where convicts/people who have done bad things escape death, what would they do to survive if they have little to no morality?) but is it funny to cackle at the screen once they meet their demise? Perhaps because they’re caricatures it makes it easier to laugh than not.
Should there be another one?
If another one is green-lit then what else are they going to do with it? Final Destination, along with Piranha, Resident Evil, Paranormal Activity and Saw are probably some of the most shallow and repetitive experiences around (even if you like what you see). How much more can you milk that formula before people move on to other things?
Quote of the week – Super 8
This following is just a sentence or a word that stood out from any film I saw during the week, the first post of this kind is Super 8 and there was one moment that had me chuckling to myself when [spoiler] Joe rescues Elle Fanning’s Alice by waking her up through a slap to the face [end spoiler] and says -
“I’ just doing the best I can to save you”
That line puts a smile on my face
Film festivals to look forward to in 2011
It’s that time of year where studios dust off their “Guide to winning an Oscar” manuals; George Clooney features in either a wry comedy or a political film (he has both!) and bloggers and film critics foam at the mouth as they predict award nominations.
I’d wager it’s been a good year for films (some early year/summer junk notwithstanding). Most of the films that could be in contention for awards haven’t been released yet but there’s a good chance that they’ll start creating buzz at these festivals.
Venice Film Festival
The first of its kind (staring in 1932), the Venice Film Festival was initially called the” International exhibition of cinematographic art” before it dropped that title and adopted the name of the city (much simpler). Its award is the Golden Lion (it has wings as well!) but the festival has been the Grim Reaper in terms of Best Picture aspirations with Sofia Coppola’s Somewhere, Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler and Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain failing to win Best Picture after their respective successes here. I think Oscar campaigners secretly hope that they don’t win but go to Venice to drink lots of wine and soak up the Mediterranean sun.
Runs from: August 31st – September 10th
Festival highlights: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Wuthering Heights, Ides of March, A Dangerous Method, Killer Joe, The Moth Diaries
Toronto International Film Festival
TIFF (shorthand) is considered to be the start of the American film festival season, mainly because it comes, er, before all the others. With films open to both critics and the public (similar to the London Film festival) winning at the TIFF can be a good omen. It was the turn of The King’s Speech last year and Slumdog Millionaire in 2008; if festivals could eat then this one would have pretty good taste in films. It’s also in Canada, so people are bound to be very nice to you if you go there.
Runs from: September 8th – September 18th
Festival highlights: Albert Nobbs, The Hunter, Shame, Moneyball, Ides of March, Like Crazy, The Artist, Anonymous, Drive, The Lady, Melancholia, Martha Marcy May Marlene.
New York Film Festival
The Big Apple is home to what’s considered to be the granddaddy of American film festivals. Its organised by the NYC Film society of Lincoln Centre, so if you thought Cannes was a bit snobbish and smug you’re probably right; it’s just not as snobbish or as smug as this festival. Still, the NYF showcases some of the hot titles coming off the festival circuit and unlike other festivals is not typically a submission festival, meaning established auteurs and stars get the spotlight here. Armond White will probably feature in some way, sending the snob and smug factor soaring past 11.
Runs from: September 30th – October 16th
Festival highlights: Carnage, My week with Marilyn, A Dangerous Method
BFI London Film festival
My home festival, well if you can consider the entirety of London as your home and one that’s considered not to be as important the rest because it’s not American. Regardless, it won’t have much, if any influence on Oscar prognosticators but it will showcase some terrific films, docs and releases that are entering the cinemas. Held in Leicester Square it can count Red Road, Persepolis and How I ended this Summer as its previous winners These aren’t films that have gone on to Oscar glory but winners that are reflective of a festival that encompasses a variety of films from several dozen countries.
Runs from: October
Festival highlights: n/a
Shot of the week – The Adjustment Bureau
Having watched George Nolfi’s The Adjustment Bureau again I was struck by one shot in particular. In the first half of the film we often find Matt Damon’s New York politician by himself, contemplating his future and his past. Without a family to lean on for support, he finds himself relying on his political rallies for it.
I like this shot, it says a lot about Norris in a very simple tracking shot. In what is a most humbling moment for him (losing a race for U.S Senate when he was several points ahead), he’s alone with his thoughts, amplified by the hall he’s solemnly standing in. He’s looking for someone to connect with and he finds it in the form Emily Blunt’s Elise.
Top five motion captured performances
With Rise of the Planet of the Apes opening in UK cinemas this week, I thought I’d take a look at five of the best motion-captured performances that have come our way since the technology’s inception. Feel free to agree or disagree in the comments below.
5. Dr Manhattan
He’s blue, he glows and he’s naked. He also happens to be the most powerful being in the universe. A combination of motion capture and CG head replacement (the body belonging to fitness model and actor Greg Plitt), Billy Crudup’s detached performance was enhanced by the visual effects and not sullied by it.
4. Gollum
Perhaps the first real evidence that motion capture could be executed and executed well. The final effect incorporated the performance of Serkis with animators inserting/adjusting footage where necessary. It’s a remarkable feat in visual effects that they created a character that emoted and had a personality of its own.
3. King Kong
A massive leap in motion capture from visual effects production house Weta and Peter Jackson, perhaps even more impressive than their attempts with Gollum. After the 1933 stop motion effects and 1975’s animatronics + man-in-a-suit, Kong found a look that suited him for a modern audience. Like Gollum, Serkis was the actor powering the CG creation, giving a performance full of rage but also solemn in other moments. Serkis’ and Weta’s work sold audiences on the romance between Kong and Ann Darrow (Naomi Watts).
2. Davy Jones
Quite possibly my favourite performance on the list (and they are all very, very good in that respect) but Bill Nighy’s captain of the dammed nudges it by being despicably evil and having a scott-ush accent. So good you could have mistaken it for makeup, Davy Jones was as close to photorealism a squid-faced, crustacean-pawed character could be.
1. Neytiri
A fantastic showcase for what motion capture can do when it’s utilised well, believably turning a 5ft 7in Zoe Zaldana into a 9ft + tall blue humanoid with a tail. An emotional and physical performance, Saldana’s Neytiri didn’t receive any love from award organisations but it opened doors, if not fully then partially, for the acceptance of a motion-captured performance in the minds of audiences around the world.
Top 12 most disappointing films of the year
A few of these films could feature on my worst of list at the end of the year but at the moment my feeling towards them is one of disappointment. I went to the cinema, sat in anticipation was underwhelmed/turned off/crushed by these films.
The Hangover Part II
Despite laughing at this film I was also completely bored by its insistence to repeat the original beat-for-beat. Despite its success I’m still nore sure comedy sequels can work or bring anything new to the table.
Sucker Punch
Sucker Punch is a bit of a mess isn’t? A gorgeous looking one but a mess all the same. I’m still amazed that they gave Snyder the Man of Steel gig.
Green Lantern
As bad as the reviews said it was? No, but a very, very average comic book adaptation.
Arthur
At the screening I went to people laughed, I must have a miserable sense of humour because I could not wait for this film to end.
Faster
Someone needs to give Dwayne Johnson a good action film to be in and not this boring nonsense.
Battle Los Angeles
Is it possible to suffer a concussion from the sonic bombardment that is Battle Los Angeles? Incredibly loud.
Paul
One of the biggest disappointments because I actually had expectations for it. Nowhere near as funny as it should have been.
The Mechanic
Jason Statham beats people up. Again.
The Green Hornet
Not horrible, just instantly forgettable.
Priest
Front-runner for the worst film I’ve seen this year. Hang your head in shame Paul Bettany
Red Riding Hood
Half an hour in and you should know the identity of the wolf. Indie (ish) soundtrack is also annoying.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Kids deserve better than this, they really do (reminisces about The Flight of the Navigator)
Top 10 films of the year so far
I won’t bother writing lengthy, verbose paragraphs, i’ll just let the pictures do the work. The top ten films I have seen theatrically this year in no actual order.
Senna
Great racing driver, fantastic documentary
Rango
Thank God Gore Verbinski did this film and not another Pirates of the Caribbean.
Hanna
Its Bourne meets… [add whatever film with a child assassin here]. Peculiar film.
Insidious
A horror film that relies on suspense and doesn’t try to rip someone’s tendons out of the heels…and is much better off doing so.
Attack the Block
A brilliant film? No. A very enjoyable one? Most definitely
Thor
A shade better than X-Men: First Class and heads, shoulders, knees and toes above Green Lantern, it can be clichéd and very conventional but it’s lots of fun.
13 Assassins
Slow build up, thrilling last forty minutes or so, this how you do extended action sequences Mr Bay.
Never Let Me Go
A fine sc-fi/drama hybrid that didn’t make a big splash in cinemas
Little White Lies
Too long? Yup. Overly Sentimental ending? Absolutely yes. Still better and funnier than most dramas Hollywood pushes out.
127 Hours
Stunning experience, you could call it gimmicky filmmaking, I wouldn’t
What they said about…Green Lantern
I haven’t done this feature as often as I would have liked (once!) but on both occassions the film in question has managed to disappoint critics. Will Green Lantern follow the same trajectory as Sucker Punch and crash and burn in cinemas? Probably not, it’s been heavily marketed and that usually means that the opening weekend will be respectable (apparently it’s on track to gross $58 million in the US). The true test will come in the following weeks, if word of mouth is as bad as critics’ take on the film then I can’t see it being one of the top grossers of the summer. Warner Bros will be expecting this one to at least make its budget back (somewhere between $150 to $200 million).
I’ve mentioned Green Lantern a few times and was hoping the Martin Campbell who directed Casino Royale and The Mask of Zorro would turn up. I guess he didn’t. I’ll be going to see it (my friend seems to be excited by it), so I’ll be able to give my own opinion on it soon enough.
Here’s a few quotes from a sample of reviews:
Martin Campbell made Zorro and Bond work as contemporary heroes, but doesn’t quite have the feel for poor old Hal Jordan. Green Lantern is dazzling in pieces, but we’ve seen too many sharper versions of the superhero origin story in the last few years. It’s not Jonah Hex, but the battery runs low too quickly.
Read more at Empire
Muscular, well-cast launch of a proposed new franchise can’t help but replay a lot of familiar notes.
Read more at THR
At this point the best I can hope for is that the movie makes enough to warrant a sequel and somebody else can come in and make a good Green Lantern film using the excellent existing elements.
Read more at BadAss Digest
In a summer stuffed with superheroes, this underwhelming offering will likely leave you jaded. How it could have used some of Thor’s charm and The Green Hornet’s chutzpah.
It’s not entirely Green Lantern’s fault that it’s the third superhero film to hit theaters in the last two months, or the 30th or so in the last decade, but at this point in the genre the same old origin story simply isn’t enough. Instead of being bold with Green Lantern’s out-there source material, Campbell and company have reverted to the tiresome, too-familiar mean.
Read more at Cinema Blend
Campbell’s successful re-booting of the James Bond franchise in Casino Royale may just have been the thing that helped greenlight Hal Jordan and his inter-galactic friends. He brings the same ‘less frills, more thrills’ approach to bear here.
Read more at Den of Geek
There are movies willed to life by the passion of their creators, and there are movies like Green Lantern, which are willed to life strictly by market forces.
Read more at The AV Club
I have no idea how Green Lantern purists will react, but the film as it is remains a weird combination of ghee-whiz kid-friendly superhero antics and truly disturbing horror elements. That the film is not quite the triumph we wanted may be tragic. That the film as it stands works at all may qualify as a miracle.
Read more at Mendelson’s Memo’s
Not quite the mammoth disaster that some are labelling it, nevertheless, Green Lantern is a big disappointment and has to rely constantly on its star to make things work and compensate for a weak script and a director who is clearly ill at ease with CGI. Reynolds should use that magic ring of his to summon up a new agent who is capable of finding him a big-screen role (and potential franchise) worthy of his talents
Read more at HeyUGuys
And I thought the film had a singular identity in a genre flooded with derivation, which is no small feat.
For me, it’s great summer fun.
Read more at InContention
