The How About Project Finale

This project was a failure. I think only two other people took part in it. But I stuck it out because I'm the kind of person who finishes everything he starts, or at least I try to. This final top 6 (2 x top 3) is nothing but a list of great pre-80s films that I haven't yet recommended but would like to.

I'll leave it all posted for a while, to trick myself into believing that someone might appreciate stumbling upon something here and give this past year of blogs a sliver of purpose. If you did read this blog, thanks.

I'm considering moving the whole thing over to a Facebook page since that seems to be where everybody is these days. I just can't help thinking I'll be wasting my time though. I'm considering it.

Apart from the following list, this is my final sentence on this blog. So how about you check out these babies:

12 Angry Men
Harold and Maude
The Poseidon Adventure
Army of Shadows
El Topo
Walkabout

Ciao.

TRAILER: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Hobbit? Never heard of it. Just thought it looked interesting and didn't want it to be ignored or anything.

TRAILER: Prometheus

I may actually geek out too hard next summer and hurt myself. Ridley Scott returns. Check this out:

TRAILER: This Must Be the Place

A non-blockbuster to look forward to in 2012? Something very unexpected in a what-the-heck, awesome kind of way? How about this:

TRAILER: The Dark Knight Rises

This is my third most highly anticipated film of 2012 and I'm dying to know how they've planned to surpass the previous film and Ledger's performance. Something tells me there are only hints here:

Poster Reveal: Prometheus

My second most highly anticipated film of 2012:

The How About Project Part 24 (of 26)

Twist my arm.

To prove I'm no Scrooge, here a few lesser known pre-80s Christmas films that may be worth checking out:

3: The Cheaters (1945)
2: Holiday Affair (1949)
1: Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1964)

You'll need a top-up after A Christmas Story and Rare Exports anyway, both of which should be on your annual holiday-movies-that-need-to-be-seen list.

Scorsese's Adventure

I am really looking forward to seeing Hugo. Partly because a children's film -- not to mention 3D -- is something that Scorsese has never done til now. Partly because it looks incredible. Word of mouth thus far is excellent.

And this, is how you sell 3D to those of us who couldn't care less about it:

Trailer: Brave

I can't help but think there must be more to this film than what this trailer lets on. It looks great -- Pixar-perfect -- but it seems to be lacking something.



I remain hopeful. I have faith. This is Pixar after all.

Evolution

These are my ten favourite television shows at the moment. Some of them are between seasons while others are currently airing episodes that are actually better than a lot of contemporary cinema. Only 10% of this list is of the "reality" variety:

Boardwalk Empire
Game of Thrones
True Blood
Homeland
Boss
The Walking Dead
Mad Men
Fringe
Have I Got News For You
&
Life's Too Short

4 of them are courtesy of Home Box Office, bringing some serious production value to the output. Most of these star actors more recognised for their film work. And more than a few of them are produced by big name Hollywood directors, incl. Frank Darabont, Martin Scorsese, J J Abrams, and Gus Van Sant.

I guess my point is, TV is finally improving. The standards have been raised thanks to cinema it seems. And its about time.

Any other TV shows you think we should watch?

The How About Project Part 23 (of 26)

Can you name any films starring Pre-Lecter Anthony Hopkins? How about pre-80s?

I've seen a few but thought it would be interesting to delve deeper into his early film career. Some rolls were indeed creepy, some expectedly high-brow. He even has a 70s disaster film under his belt. Here are a few you may want to check out:

3: Juggernaut (1974)
2: The Looking Glass War (1969)
1: Magic (1978)

A Few Awesome Behind-the-Scenes Photos (+ Bonus)

And to contrast the above, a gratuitous shot of Marion Cottilard whom I adore:

Sequel News Updated

And, even better...

Ridley Scott has confirmed that his next project as a director will be a follow-up to Blade Runner. The film is "liable to be a sequel", he says, and will not include any of the characters or actors from the original. Not a problem, says I.

What with his revisiting of the Alien universe with the upcoming Prometheus, this subsequent awesomeness will no doubt solidify Scott's god status with the genre fans.

Eye. 4. 1. Cannes. Nought. Weight.

Sequel News

Thus the new Bond film is named. To be directed by Sam Mendes. And starring a stellar cast including Craig, Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomi Harris, and Albert Finney. With a concentration on the characters and their backgrounds. Sounds intriguing, what with the hint of paranoia and pre-apocalypse the title suggests.

And Andy Serkis has signed on to play Ceasar once more in the Rise of the Planet of the Apes sequel. Thankfully, 'cause the end credits of that film promised us something very, very scary that would be great to see re-realised.

Trailer: Chronicle

Just when you think superhero films should take a bit of a rest, filmmakers start to up the ante. We get Nolan's continuing take on Batman and his soon-to-be-seen Superman, The Avengers is actually happening, and then we get something like this. Which has really got me stoked. I really dig the realistic take on the genre here; not just the use of found-footage, but how the young men use their powers the way horny, responsibility-forsaking young men probably would. 2012 is gonna be awesome.

The How About Project Part 22 (of 26)

Catherine Deneuve. Was, is and always will be the rightful inhabitant of the space atop the French actress pedestal. The proof:

3: The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
2: Repulsion (1965)
1: Belle de Jour (1967)

Film News

River Phoenix looks to be returning to the big screen. Dark Blood, the seemingly paranoid, pre-apocalyptic film he was shooting when he died, is apparently being given the big edit and some added voice work to complete the movie's narration. Should be interesting.

And Batman fans should take note that IMAX screenings of Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol this holiday season, will include a 6-minute Dark Knight Rises "prologue". It remains unclear whether it will constitute separate footage from the upcoming sequel or if it is some kind of exclusive, extended trailer. And hopefully it won't be restricted to IMAX cinemas in the States.

The How About Project Part 21 (of 26)

Films based on comic books weren't rare before the 80s, especially in Europe, but those based on superheroes were another story. Christopher Reeve didn't appear as Superman until 1978.

Dig deep enough and you'll discover some real gems based on Golden Age and Silver Age heroes, and even villains.

Here are a few that I didn't know existed but would love to see, especially the Captain Marvel serial which was the first ever American comic book superhero to appear on the big screen:

3: Adventures of Captain Marvel (1941 serial)
2: The Wild World of Batwoman (aka She Was a Hippy Vampire) (1966)
1: Danger: Diabolik (1968)

Film News

Patty Jenkins will he directing the Thor sequel, scheduled for release in November 2013. She's best known for, or perhaps only known for directing Monster which helped get Charlize Theron her Oscar. Seems like a major step down, but maybe they've got something up their sleeves. Marvel's made some pretty sound decisions about things so far. It's great that they're concentrating on the characters but one also really wants to see the action ramped up a bit. Guess we'll have to trust them on this.

And looks like the Coen Brothers' next film will involve the 60s folk music scene. Remember what they did for bluegrass in O Brother Where Art Thou? Here's hopin' for another great original soundtrack on top of another great film.

Die Hard 5

It's happening. And the official title is A Good Day to Die Hard. (Sadly enough. Sounds like a rejected James Bond installment.)

The story will apparently involve John McClane heading over to Russia to spring his wayward son from jail only to get tangled up in another terrorism-based plot. Hijinks ensue.

This doesn't mean cosmonauts and lasers, does it? And will John be onto the vodka?

Teaser Trailer: The Avengers

My geek button is switched on. Oh man, is it switched on. Nothing else need be said.

Film News

The UK

For good or ill, The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence, has been unbanned in the UK. Apparently a result of an agreed removal of at least 3 minutes of the film to appease British censors. I for one will not be watching it as I don't think I can muster up the masochism needed to view a sequel.

And apparently in Wales, independent, low-budget Night of the Living Dead: Resurrection is being filmed. And no, it doesn't seem to be another sequel. Nor is Romero involved on any level. This will be a very British interpretation of the original and the director hopes people will see it with low expectations so that they're pleasantly surprised by the horror of it all. More importantly, is this Rutger Hauer?:

The How About Project Part 20 (of 26)

Couldn't help getting sucked into that Warrior trailer again. A must-see apparently. And while it's not a boxing movie per se, it does remind one that films involving said sport kind of constitute their own genre. The proof is in the tradition dating back nearly a century. Here's a few from before 1980 that you may not know about and may want to check out:

3: The Great White Hope (1970)
2: The Harder They Fall (1956)
1: The Set-Up (1949)

Trailer: The Grey

Haven't posted a trailer in a while. Maybe 'cause it's that slow season between summer and awards season. Who knows. The point of this being, Liam Neeson seems to be on a roll. Could this be the everyman version of Wolverine? Heck, is this the way Wolverine should have been portrayed? Colour me intrigued:

The How About Project Part 19 (of 26)

Lots of girls-with-guns films these days (ie. Colombiana, Hanna, etc). Some of them sexy and all of them filled with revenge. Turns out they're part of a tradition, generally believed to have started during the blossoming of the Hong Kong action film industry in the 60s. Yes, my eyebrow arched something awful as well.

Here is a good mixed lot released before 1980:

3) The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
2) Cleopatra Jones (1973)
1) Zero Woman: Red Handcuffs (1974)

Any you can recommend?

The How About Project Part 18 (of 26)

I love films where characters ride in trains. There's something kind of romantic about them. It may have something to do with me being infected with the travel bug a decade ago, but I think it has everything to do with the motion-vistas you get through large windows, the calming effect of the rails, and the introversion and inclination to tell stories. People always look calm and cool on trains (except for maybe Bruce Willis in Unbreakable). And there always seems to be something secretive going on. Trains make everyone interesting and everything mysterious.

Here are a few great pre-80s train films you may want to revisit or see for the first time:

3: Murder On the Orient Exress (1974)
2: Strangers On a Train (1951)
1: Night Train to Munich (1940)

From the Producer of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark

"My children, personally, whenever they want to watch a horror movie, I’m delighted, but I have two girls, so they don’t like the genre as much as I do. But, for example, we play very graphic horror video games together, so I am not the president of the parenting board. As far as I’m concerned, horror movies are great; monsters are an integral part of childhood..."

- Guillermo del Toro, on being asked whether or not children should be allowed to watch horror films

The How About Project Parts 16 & 17 (of 26)

Animation.

We all love Pixar. Everything they do is gold (except maybe the two Cars films). They've also raised the bar, pushing other studios to at least raise their own standards with regards to animated output. While Disney isn't as big and successful as they were a couple decades ago, they still score above average. And boy, have there ever been some fantastic animated foreign films in the last few years alone -- L'illusioniste and Waltz With Bashir to name a couple. I could go on and on.

But for now, here's my top 3 pre-80s animated Disney films:

3: Dumbo (1941)
2: Pinocchio (1940)
1: The Rescuers (1977)

And for the heck of it, here are 3 great pre-80s non-Disney animated films you may want to check out:

3: Watership Down (1978)
2: Yellow Submarine (1968)
1: Fantastic Planet (1973)

Assembling...

They've finally revealed the design of the Hulk that they will be using in the upcoming Avengers film. It's Kirbyesque in nature which will make it the best version yet of the character put on film. Very cool.

Here's an artist's rendition of the assembled heroes from which the Hulk design was taken:

I. Cannot. Wait.

The How About Project Part 15 (of 26)

I don't remember the first time seeing Julie Christie on screen, or when it was I developed my crush on her. But I do still get something akin to butterflies when she appears on screen these days; it's not very often and I think she still has that unique presence of hers that demands your attention. What an actress.

Here are 3 of my fave pre-80s films starring the great British talent:

3: Darling (1965)
2: Demon Seed (1977)
1: McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

Cap Poster From Tyler Stout

Love this. A little artistry goes a long way. Hope the film rocks...

The How About Project Part 14 (of 26)

Here are a few of my fave Shakespeare adaptations made before the 80s:

3: Hamlet (1948, directed by and starring Laurence Olivier)
2: Romeo & Juliet (1968, directed by Zefferelli and starring the incomparably gorgeous Olivia Hussey)
1: Macbeth (1971, directed by Roman Polanski)

Any other adaptations you can recommend? Perhaps of Bill's less familiar works?

Dogme 95 Continues

Just finished reading Richard Kelly's The Name of This Book is Dogme 95. It was an entertaining and informative book with an interesting structure. I read it because I count myself a fan of Lars von Trier and felt it pertinent to get a better grasp of the movement he helped spearhead more than a decade and a half ago. Also because I recently discovered that up to 60 films have been branded with the Dogme 95 label, at least according to IMDB. I thought there were maybe 20 at the most. So count me surprised, impressed, etc., by the staying power of the movement's influence.

If you're not familiar with the movement and its Vow of Chastity, you should really go and read up on it. The movement has inspired some fascinating films that will likely never stop stoking debate about cinematic worthiness and the state of filmmaking today. Those crazy Danes were on to something that not enough people -- supposed movie-lovers -- have still to take notice of. Filmmaking goes stagnant, even when the tech is evolving. Bay's Transformers series is the best example. Amidst all that kineticism on screen, there's just an inescapable, overriding disrespect for the audience, and sheer boredom. And things seem to be getting worse.

Go and watch a few of the Dogme films and begin a conversation with someone about film. I recommend starting with Festen (The Celebration), The Idiots, and The King is Alive. You may not "like" any of the films that you watch, but you will definitely form a respect and opinion about them. They will definitely make you think more about what constitutes artfulness and/or effectiveness in the filmic world.

Some more thoughfulness would go a long way to improving what we're watching.

The Hobbit!

Entertainment Weekly has a few first pics up of scenes from the The Hobbit. Only a year and a half to wait...

The How About Project Parts 12 & 13 (of 26)

At this halfway point I'm tempted to give Hitchcock another gander.

My fave Hitchcock in black & white:

3: Notorious
2: The Lady Vanishes
1: Psycho

And my fave Hitchcock in colour:

3: Rear Window
2: North By Northwest
1: The Birds

Trailer: The Last Circus

This film has had great word-of-mouth and it looks as bloody marvelous as it does insane. From the director of the criminally ignored (at least in North America and the UK) 800 Bullets, this film already feels like a gorgeous tattoo to the brain.

Malick's The Tree of Life in the Eyes of His Contemporaries

X-Men: First Class : From Comics to Film

Critically, where do I place it amongst the others in the franchise? It's on par with the second film and may be the best of the bunch in a lot of ways. I'm not going to review it as I'm biased about my X-Men entertainment. It's like sex or pizza: even when it's bad it's awesome. But I will say that I'll think of this new film as the Magneto movie more than anything. He's been the most consistent, coolest thing in all of the films and he deservedly gets full attention in the prequel, much thanks to the actors portraying him. We end up rooting for the guy and that complicates things for us in a very cool way, since he's known as the "bad guy". I love the film's setting and its rewriting of the Cuban Missile Crisis. I love Prof X's lechery and surprising naivety. Kevin Bacon was excellent as Sebastian Shaw although I was hoping for that signature widow's peak and ribboned ponytail.

And I loved all the significant moments that comprised a stellar ending. However. I hated Beast. January Jones was terrible as Emma Frost -- great-looking but awful line-delivery. Terrible instincts as an actress it seems, unless the editors had it in for her. Hated the choice of opening scene. And will always take issue with the lack of respect for the X-canon.

X-canon you ask?

I hereby provide an incomplete list of offenses committed by the storytellers of this otherwise effective installment. And I do so, not to nitpick or underscore my ubergeekness, but to hopefully entice those of you not familiar with the X-Men in print, to go and seek them out there. The X-canon is a rich and fantastic thing. No, an uncanny thing.

The Hellfire Club: Riptide and Azazel were never members and have zero connection to the Club in the comics. Riptide was a Marauder who helped massacre other mutants and once shredded Nightcrawler with ninja stars that his tornado-body created. Ahem. Azazel is Nightcrawler's father and a demonic mutant from biblical times. (Mind you, Mystique is Nightcrawler's mother so that could still happen in the movies.) The costumes in the movie are not the centuries-old, fetishistic period dress that helped define the Club in the comics. There is no Inner Circle as in the comics. Emma Frost's diamond form is a secondary mutation that shouldn't appear for another 40 years. Don't get me started on the aging thing.

Prof X: In the comics we've never seen him with hair (at least I haven't), he lost his ability to walk during a battle with Lucifer in India, and never knew Mystique as a child. Will he eventually father his insane son, Legion, with Holocaust survivor, Gabrielle Haller, as he does in the comics? Could make a good sequel.

Magneto: Whole awesome chunks of his story are never even mentioned. The first version of his Brotherhood consists of none of the people shown in the film, and should actually include his son and daughter, Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. The connection to Sebastian Shaw is created solely for the film.

Moira MacTaggert: Was never CIA. She is a Scottish scientist. She was the one Prof X actually met and fell in love with at Oxford. Eventually, long after the departure of Xavier, she has a son with her Scottish politician husband, and that son becomes the nasty reality-warping mutant, Proteus, who a team of X-Men, consisting of Wolverine and Storm, battle and kill.

Banshee: Should be around the same age as Prof X and Moira MacTaggert. He and Moira eventually become a couple. He was not a member of the first class and actually gets recruited alongside Wolverine, Storm, etc. later on in the series. Oh yeah, and he's famously Irish.

Darwin: Was one of a handful of X-Men recruited secretly between the first class and Wolvie's, who nearly all perished in their first battle against Krakoa, the Living Island. He survived, remains alive in the comics, and is a current member of X-Factor (alongside Banshee's daughter, Siryn, who does appear briefly in the second and third installments of the film series).

Havok: In the comics he is the younger brother of Cyclops. Chronology be damned.

Beast: What a mess. To really appreciate the character, check out his profile at Wikipedia. Too many anachronisms and liberties taken with this fabulous comic-book creation.

How great is it though, that on film the X-Men originate in the 60s just like they do in the source material? 'Tis a great film despite the license taken with the adaptation process. Action-packed and dramatic in the right places. Even funny where its needed.

Just don't get me started on the aging thing.

The How About Project Part 11 (of 26)

A little surrealism? Czech.
Pre-80s? Czech.
Award-winners? Czech.
Stirrers of controversy? Czech.

3: Loves of a Blonde (1965)
2: Closely Watched Trains (1966)
1: Daisies (1966)

Some really wonderful and crazy stuff from Czech filmmakers. How can you go wrong?

Rome

Danger Mouse meets Daniele Luppi, the Italian composer, to work on a record that honours their love of film, and in particular, the music of Ennio Morricone and the longlost greatness of the Spaghetti Western genre.

Mix in a little wicked Jack White and a tad gorgeousness of Norah Jones, and you have one of the coolest, moodiest, most original, and incredibly entertaining musical projects in what must be years.

Check this out if your love of music is as important as your love of film.

Needless to say, I want more of this kind of thing.

Review: Hanna

Admittedly, I would have gone to see Hanna just to watch Cate Blanchett do her thing. But then I saw the trailer and a tonne more reasons materialized. It's a good trailer.

Well I'm happy to report that the film is indeed a very good one, a unique one, a stylish one. It unfortunately feels like a sequel to a non-existent film that I'm not sure I wish existed. There's a lot of back-story that we as the audience are teased with incessantly; Blanchett's CIA agent burns important classified files, shoots people who know the details of the resurfaced plot right through the head, listens to snippets of dusty cassette tapes on camera for just enough time to make us salivate, etc. It's one great big tease for the entirety of the film. And when we do get some idea of what went down a little more than a decade prior to the goings on in this film? It's really not that fascinating. In fact, I found it all a bit cliche. Suffice it to say, that the upcoming Captain America film should be the only and last film to delve into the subject since it probably started the whole thing in print more than a generation ago, allowing it to become practically a sub-genre all its own.

When someone uses the words "super soldiers" in film these days I very nearly cringe.

Apart from that disappointment, I thoroughly loved this movie. Blanchett was wicked on multiple levels, thriving on the secrets of her character and on the rare chance to be villainous. Her lip-quivers, at every attempt to rein in emotion, just gave me goosebumps. Young Ronan, who plays the titular character, simply surpasses herself and seemingly goes beyond the requirements of any actress in terms of physicality and daring. Bana too, did a fine job although his character had the unfortunate task of revealing the aforementioned "experimentation", making me like him a bit less, albeit unfairly. Who I really loved, were many of the super-creepy, supporting characters. And when I say creepy, I mean creepy, like borderline Lynchian creepy. And there's a bunch of them scattered throughout the film. Like bugs in the underbrush of Baba Yaga's forest.

Which brings me to one of the two things people are going to go on about after watching this film: the fairy tale imagery. At times it's very subtle and at other times it's very in your face. It's definitely not something you're going to miss so you'll be faced with the decision to either love it or hate it when pondering whether or not the movie works for you. And in my case, I loved it. Princess, evil step-mother with mirror, fearless woodsman turned to fearless knight, cottages in dark forests, wolves, and henchmen, among others. Thrown together into a contemporary setting where the only rule is break as many necks as you can to stay alive.

All supported by the most incredible sound mixing and sound editing. Listen carefully as the sounds of helicopter blades transform into a Chemical Brothers tech-blast. Marvel at a knife-thrust punctuating a turntable explosion. And then opt for stewing in the breathless silences. I'm going to be tempted to watch the film with my eyes closed at some point, I just know it.

I recommend the film for its creepiness factor, for its near 2 hours of young girl beating the shit out of burly dudes, for its supreme gift to the ears, for the performances, and for a lot of the cool camerawork laden with some unexpectedly fine images. Pity about the story. (God, I hope they're not thinking prequel as a remedy.)

The How About Project Parts 9 & 10 (of 26)

Got some catching up to do due to recently moving home again and not having a computer hooked up. Thus, a couple of more obvious choices:

Italian films (pre-80s):

3: La Strada (1954)
2: Caligula (1979)
1: The Bicycle Thief (1948)

Akira Kurosawa:

3: Seven Samurai (soon to be remade yet again, so watch Kurosawa's first if you haven't yet)
2: Rashomon
1: Ikiru (a personal fave)

Dear Ndugu

I took my own advice and watched About Schmidt again. It's been a few years.

And despite my efforts, I found myself wiping tears from my eyes. Embarrassing? Who cares. That last letter to Ndugu that Schmidt narrates (after all the ironic, hilarious letters thoughout the film) is just gut-wrenching and then when you least expect it, sheer happiness sneaks in, the yearned-for cure, and finally causes the man to break down and weep. It's powerful stuff via understatement and you have to appreciate it.

Which got me thinking about other films that cause grown men to revert to sobbing boys. I'm curious to hear what others have to suggest before I list a few that I love and that have affected me blubberingly over the years.

Confessions?

The How About Project Part 8 (of 26)

Oops. Forgot about "the project".

So an easy one for me this time around. My three favourite Jean-Luc Godard films. Considering I haven't touched on the French New Wave yet, it seems a better than right thing to do.

3: Le Mepris (Contempt) (1963, with Bardot in full colour)
2: Les Carabiniers (The Riflemen) (also 1963, in black and white)
1: Alphaville: Une Etrange Aventure de Lemmy Caution (1965, with Anna Karina in black and white)

Ah, Bardot and Karina. Two of the most gorgeous women ever to grace the silver screen. The french knew how to cast films, and still do.

48 fps

That's right folks. Peter Jackson is filming The Hobbit at 48 frames per second. (And in 3D which won't bother me as long as I have the option of seeing it in 2D.)

Even clearer and and more astounding visuals in our genre flicks? Yes, please. Let's just hope that the theatres are able to keep up with the tech. I've read elsewhere that other tech-savvy filmmakers are aiming at a 60 fps rate. How cool would that be?

It may even mean the invention of a new home entertainment format to replace blu-ray. Who knows.

The Hobbit keeps getting more and more exciting...

How Great Is This Behind the Scenes Photo?

I love me a quiet evening of Kurosawa, and Toshiro Mifune was the man. I'm pretty sure this is a pic from the filming of Sanjuro, although it could be from Seven Samurai. Let me know if you know. For now, let's just enjoy its coolness.

R.I.P. Sidney Lumet

A great director has passed away. Best remembered for his astonishing films from the 70s, including Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico, and Network, which I recently watched for the first time and loved, he made a good number of other gutsy films over the decades which we should all seek out and watch. Deathtrap is first on my list, with a very non-supermanish Christopher Reeve. Any other recommendations?

The Cure For Sequelitis

Part sequel, part homage, part satire, part spoof. I'll say nothing else about what's embedded below except that I'd like to see more of this kind of thing if it means sidestepping the actual making of unnecessary sequels.

When Harry Met Sally 2 with Billy Crystal & Helen Mirren from Billy Crystal

The How About Project Part 7 (of 26)

Films with nuclear power plants as their settings, made before 1980. Cautionary tales or films too easily forgotten?

3: Incident At Browns Ferry (USA Documentary, 1977)
2: Fiend Without a Face (UK, 1958)
1: The China Syndrome (USA, 1979)

Yes, The China Syndrome starring Jack Lemmon, Jane Fonda, and a wickedly bearded Michael Douglas. Check that one out if only to witness the beard.

R.I.P. Elizabeth Taylor

A true legend. Her screen presence was commanding and, I dare say, addictive. Cat On a Hot Tin Roof is the first of her films that comes to mind when pondering her extensive career. I've never seen Cleopatra, so I'll be remedying that as soon as I can. She was a talented actress. I think I speak for the boys when I say she was also quite a looker back in the day.

Sheathing the Claws

Darren Aronofsky is no longer directing what will be a new stand-alone Wolverine film, featuring the character's time in Japan.

While reports say it is because Aronofsky does not want to commit to a job that keeps him away from his home and family for nearly a year, I suspect there's something more to it. (I'm surprised no one's yet theorized that the filmmakers may suddenly be steering clear of Japan what with all the ongoing turmoil there, creating a domino effect that has effectively halted production of the film.)

Aronofsky directing the world's favourite feral mutant felt too good to be true anyway, so really, I'm not that surprised. Just really disappointed. I was looking forward to finally getting one really great X-Men film.

Pessimistically (and because it's 20th Century Fox), I predict his replacement will be very underwhelming, as will the film.

And Japan could use some love right now.

What crap news.

The How About Project Part 6 (of 26)

Having finally read his entertaining and inspirational memoir, My Last Sigh, I felt compelled to recommend my favourite Luis Bunuel films this week. Highly, highly recommended especially if you've yet to experience his work:

3: The Great Madcap
2: The Exterminating Angel
1: The Phantom of Liberty

Of course, you really can't go wrong with any of his films. These just happen to be my faves thus far.

Review: Battle: Los Angeles

People "watching" an audio-decribed version of this film are gonna be so pissed at the redundant description of everything that happens. Shit, nothing annoys me more than when film characters tell me what I can see as plain as day with my own bloody eyes, as if I'm a complete idiot. And throughout a whole damn film. As if the filmmakers assume I'm going to miss something, that something's going to go right over my head. Because I couldn't possibly piece together an action flick with crappy dialogue and near non-existent character development all by myself.

This flick was awesome to behold. The action is superbly directed and just owns our eyeballs for the near two-hour stretch. But. There's nothing iconic to take away from the film. It feels like you've seen it all before, somewhere. So kudos to the filmmakers for their skills, but shame on them for their lack of creativity.

Sure, there are iotas of uniqueness planted amongst the frenetic grit of what is essentially a war film, including a few interesting weapons, a new take on the oft-interpreted hazard that is our mobile networks, and a fresh look at what our water could mean to life on other planets. But. Nothing that really grabs a guy hoping to be bowled over by what's been billed as a fresh look at the alien invasion genre which is really starting to wear thin.

Why oh why won't a studio step up and give us what we really want? We go to the cinema after all, in the hopes of seeing a spectacle unlike anything we've seen before. Not something that censors itself, in all likelihood as early as the writing stage.

Visual flair saved this movie. I'll probably watch it again a few years from now, but man, could these guys have been any more apathetic about their script? Could they have been any more allergic to ingenuity?

Squirrel!

Someone at National Geographic knows how to have fun. They went and built a floating house based on the one in Pixar's Up. And not only did it truly fly, with passengers, but it broke some kind of record for the most balloons ever used.

Forget about bungee jumping. Let me in on the real life hunt for Kevin.

Awesome.

Review: The Adjustment Bureau

Here's one of those films that never floors you. It has no big "wow" moments. It lacks sex and violence and spectacle. And its finale is ridiculously (and ironically) predictable.

And yet its a highly entertaining film.

Because the desperation of the characters, which is at the core of the story, is a gradual thing that becomes more and more intense and even believable without being over the top. And the "wow" moments are little instead of big, and I would argue more effective, for having more to do with the romantic chemistry of the leads. And the film is sexy instead of visually explicit; its violence is rare and purposeful; and the spectacle is in the scope of the ideas being played out and discussed on screen. The end of the film? While predictable, offers a payoff the audience (most of the audience?) yearns for.

I seem to admire Matt Damon more and more. Even when he's running the hell out of the camerawork here, there's not a hint of Jason Bourne. He's really great in this movie and I believe every aspect of his character, flaws and all. And Emily Blunt just continues to arouse me on so many levels. She too is fantastic and constructs such a perfect chemistry with Damon that you'd imagine it could not have happened with any other actor. Together they make this movie what it is -- a romance. One of the best I've seen in a while. A romance laced with just enough sci-fi, action, and mystery, to make you forget you're watching a romance. Until the greatest moments of the film hit you over the head, which are really nothing more than Damon and Blunt expressing their love for one another.

Sure, there are a few nagging elements that keep me from absolutely loving The Adjustment Bureau (I found Roger Sterling distracting, and I sometimes found myself suddenly not listening to the dialogue of a new scene for want of piecing together the short expository scene that preceded it, and I think I would have liked just a bit "more" of an ending, etc.), but I'm still recommending it highly (the senate run montage near the beginning of the film, as well as Terence Stamp as the bureau's "hammer" are such first-rate bonuses that I have to mention them).

Basically, it's a pretty great thing to want to embrace romance where and when you weren't expecting to find it. I doubt it was Philip K. Dick's intention to pull on our heartstrings, but the adaptation here works.

Let's just call it insightful and get back to the snogging, shall we?

Short Review: True Grit

Finally watched it and I have to disagree with many that it's the Coen Brothers' best work. While a fine, entertaining, and poignant film, it comes nowhere near the greatness of No Country For Old Men, or O Brother Where Art Thou? which are my faves.

I loved Hailee Steinfeld in the film and think she should have been nominated for a Best Actress Oscar rather than the Supporting Oscar. She was in practically every scene and held her own against the likes of Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Josh Brolin. I look forward to seeing her in something else.

I loved much of the cinematography, and thought the shootouts were particularly well shot. In good ol' Coen Brothers fashion, the film was funny and violent in equal measure. And maybe that's why I love them so damn much. I can think of no other filmmakers who can combine comedy and threat so well.

I have some minor problems with the film, including being annoyed by much of the garbled dialogue (mostly on Bridges part), and I found the general pacing of the film a bit off. But the look of the film, and the writing, more than made up for the foibles.

I love me my Coen Brothers. Even a satisfactory film by them is leagues ahead of nearly everything else being produced in Hollywood. True Grit was not satisfactory, it was very, very good. If anything, it's making me want to go back and watch Miller's Crossing and Blood Simple, to see just how much the boys have grown.

Books

I've recently caught up on some much needed reading, mainly of books that have been gathering dust on their shelves for too long. Two of those books were bios of a couple of my all-time favourite people in cinema: Buster Keaton and Luis Bunuel.

Sadly, Edward MacPherson's account of Keaton's journey through famedom, Tempest In a Flathat, turned out to be less a biography and more a review of Keaton's full slate of films. While it starts out well enough, providing details of Keaton's start on the Vaudeville stage alongside his family, the book quickly becomes a checklist of his work in cinema, giving synopses of Keaton's better-known films sprinkled with some behind-the-scenes stories that, while certainly funny, are inexplicably sped through. Sure, I learned a few interesting things about Keaton, but nowhere near enough. At best, the book has given me the itch to go back and watch some of my favourite silent films all over again.

The other book, Bunuel's memoirs titled, My Last Sigh, is a book I can't recommend more highly. In contrast to the Keaton bio, Bunuel turns the most mundane episodes of his life into epiphanies worth sharing with his readers. His was a life filled with humour, strange dreams, beauty, war, protest, and poetry. He says a great deal about the Surrealists, about the previous century's politics, and about religion. He shows us around a Paris that tried so hard not to change. He scares us with his firsthand account of Civil War-Spain. He sheds some light on the reality of Dali. He even reveals his love for swords sheathed in walking canes, among other passions. It's rumination of the most entertaining kind. More importantly, he shares with you his thoughts about all the incredible films he's made over the years, including the origins of some his greatest and most daring screen images and moments. I urge you to find this book and savour it.

Then go out and buy the Criterion versions of all Bunuel's films, and the biggest collection of Buster Keaton films that you can find. That is, if you want to love film even more than you do now.

The How About Project Part 5 (of 26)

Great movies about television, made before the 80s? Here are a few:

3: Medium Cool
2: A Face In the Crowd
1: Network

Got me thinking about other television-themed films, and am about to watch Broadcast News, which I've never seen. Any others you can think of that you'd recommend?

Results

Half right. Turns out I should have picked what I preferred rather than what I thought the Academy would.

Did better than the wife though.

Predicting the Oscars

There were years in the past where friends and I would attempt to predict the Oscar winners. Sometimes with rewards, sometimes just for the fun of trying to predict and understand just how Hollywood sees itself. Funnily enough, I'm not very good at predicting the Academy Awards, and to prove it, I'm going to make my predictions public this time around. I've seen the majority of the films nominated including 4 of the 5 full-length documentaries, but only a couple of the short films, and I'm not seeing True Grit until Tuesday, the day after the awards ceremony. This should be fun...

Best Pic: The Social Network (although I prefer The King's Speech).

Best Director: A toss-up between Fincher and Aronofsky. I'm gonna say Fincher, although I prefer Aronofsky or Hooper.

Best Actor: Colin Firth (although I wish he had won last year instead)

Best Supporting Actor: I'm actually thinking John Hawkes (although I think it should go to either Bale or Rush).

Best Actress: Natalie Portman

Best Supporting Actress: Hailee Steinfeld (although Bonham-Carter was excellent).

Best Animated Feature: Toy Story 3 (although I prefer How to Train Your Dragon).

Best Foreign Language Feature: In a Better World

Best Feature Documentary: Exit Through the Gift Shop (I think Restrepo is very deserving as well).

Best Original Screenplay: The King's Speech

Best Adapted Screenplay: The Social Network

Best Art Direction: Inception

Best Cinematography: True Grit

Best Costume Design: The King's Speech (although it'd be great if I Am Love won).

Best Editing: 127 Hours

Best Score: The Social Network

Best Song: Who cares, because they never get it right.

Best Makeup: Barney's Version (at least it should).

Best F/X: Inception

Best Sound Editing: Inception

Best Sound Mixing: Inception

Tomorrow, we see just how oracular I am...

Trailer : I Saw the Devil

Since leaving Korea and moving to the UK, I think I've seen less than a handful of Korean films, based on rare recommendations from friends and what little positive press there was finding its way over here. There seemed to be a dry spell after years of some incredible, often groundbreaking releases from directors such as Park Chan-wook, Lee Chang-dong, Kim Ki-duk, Bong Joon-ho, and Kim Jee-woon among others. Seems 2010 was a return to form for the Korean film industry and this film in particular has been getting a lot of attention internationally. I can't wait to see this:

More I Saw the Devil Videos

Mission Accomplished

Today, I watched Top Gun. For the first time.

And I know what you're thinking. It was just one of those movies that eluded me. Strangely enough, for decades. I just never got around to watching it.

And the rumours I've heard are true. The flight scenes hold up pretty well, and much of the rest of the film is just a short step away from being homoerotica. Geez, have you seen it as an adult?

But the best part has to be the inclusion of Tom Skerritt in the film as Viper. Man, he's so frickin' cool and underrated, it's ridiculous. And he just seems to pop up in some of the most amazing places.

Vintage Bruckheimer.

The How About Project Part 4 (of 26)

Jack Nicholson simply killed in the 80s. Here are a few films from the 70s -- post-Easy Rider, pre-Shining -- that I think you should search out and watch, that is, if you love the guy as much as I think you do:

3: The Fortune
2: Carnal Knowledge
1: The Passenger

Then go watch About Schmidt one more time. Just for the hell of it. And be amazed.

X-Trailer

I love the setting and that they're seemingly playing around with history here, but nothing about this film has wowed me yet. What say you my fellow X-Geeks?

Trailer : Submarine

'Bout time I posted a trailer for a British film, yeah? This film did well during the festival rounds and I think it looks rather promising. What do you think?

The How About Project Part 3 (of 26)

This is very one-sided. But I'll keep at it.

This time around, it's my top 3 alien invasion films that were later remade.

3: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978, the first remake)
2: The Thing From Another World (1951, remade as The Thing in 1982)
1: War of the Worlds (1953)

Get crackin'. And would you recommend others?

Short Film : Sasquatch Birth Journal 2

I'm going to have to find out if this is a sequel or not. In the meantime, please enjoy this short film by the recently unheard of Zellner Bros., recently shown at the Sundance Film Festival. It was evidently done on the cheap, but I love the angle, the frame, and the gist of the thing. It's original.

Trailer : Hanna

Here's another non-comic-book actioner that I'm really looking forward to seeing this year. Partly because it's got Cate Blanchett in it. The bestest actress alive. But also because it looks kind of awesome in a Jason Bourne meets Let the Right One In kind of way. With original music from The Chemical Brothers? Sold.

January's Big Recommend

If you love cinema and literature then you must search out and watch the utterly unique pseudo-documentary, Double Take, directed by Johan Grimonprez.

Based on a short story by Jorge Luis Borges, the film presents a speculative narrative where 1960s Alfred Hitchcock, in the midst of directing The Birds, encounters his double, a man similar to him in every respect apart from looking older and hailing from the 1980s.

The film uses lookalikes, voice impersonators, as well as rare and popular reels of Hitchcock footage that is edited, remagnified, and interwoven to tell the story. All the while, the film is reexamining the history of America's Cold War with Russia, from the late 50s up until the death of Hitchcock. Using old news and documentary footage, the director establishes an indelible allegory which illustrates how the two superpowers were essentially mirror images of themselves, wielding fear across oceans. While we are entertained by Hitchcock's brief, very personal and fearful encounter with his doppelganger (he, coincidentally, being a master of the fearful) we are made to rewitness the very public confrontations of the other set of massive doubles. And there are other "doubles" hinted at throughout the film; an infinite regression of doubles if you will, which would no doubt make Borges smile.

Some of the newer camera work doesn't gel as well as one would like with all the borrowed stuff. And even some of the Hitchcock footage seems poorly edited. But you have to give Grimonprez some credit for trying something new and fascinating.

It took a while to figure out where he was going with this project of his, but Grimonprez does go somewhere interesting filmically. Lots of homage, quirk, and eye-opening moments make this a must-see for those looking for a challenge or at least something different. A definite rarity.

X-Men: First Class : Debut Screen Shots

Anyone who knows me well, knows I've been an X-Geek since primary school. I was okay with the first film, loved the second, am increasingly bothered by the third during subsequent viewings, and think Wolverine was a bit of a waste.

I had hope for this prequel until I started seeing pics of the cast in costume. I'm disappointed to say the least. Except for this pic:

I had forgotten that Kevin Bacon would be portraying Sebastian Shaw. How cool is that? And I had no idea January Jones would be so very yummy in the role of Emma Frost. The Hellfire Club. On the big screen. Wicked.

I wonder if this will be yet another comic-book film where the villains steal the show.