Day 141: Short Cuts

"Wouldn't it be a trip if Alex Trebek bought a nude painting of me?"

It’s kind of fun to watch a film from years past and distinguish what aspects of it are precursors to the films we see today. It’s like an Easter egg hunt except without your family members obnoxiously competing for eggs. As you can imagine, most of these hints at the future are found within the work of directors who are institutions in the film realm. From Scorsese to Kubrick, the films of today are filled with their influence. Perhaps one of the more overlooked directors to have left his imprint on film is Robert Altman. Altman, a man with a deft eye for character, can arguably be seen as the grandfather of sprawling character pieces. If you look at the work of Paul Thomas Anderson, whose films like Boogie Nights and Magnolia contain a massive cast, you can see Altman bubbling at the seams. Yet, amongst film circles, Altman seems to be the odd man out when it comes to his holding on today’s films. If there was ever an Altman film that assisted in the formation of today’s foundation it would be Short Cuts.

Day 140: Somewhere

"I'm fucking nothing."

We live in a time where we stare in awe of most celebrities, who are in no place to dictate the way we live our lives. Yet, we refuse to allow ourselves to be exposed to the harsh realities of what it's really like to live in Hollywood and truly have that "live fast, die young" mentality. It's much more than just girls, cars, and drugs. Our protagonist, Johnny Marco, living in the famous Chateau Marmont, shows us that the true poison for most hot-shot actors nowadays is absolute loneliness. It's well known amongst my 7DC writers that I'm a rather large Sofia Coppola fan. My reasons for loving all of her films is the same reason why most impatient critics love to bash her films and accuse her of nepotism and her movies of self-indulgence. It's often said that her movies are incapable of being taken seriously because the characters in her film are unsympathetic due to the fact that for the most part, they always seem to be wealthy. I don't quite understand why that's a factor but I suppose it's a matter of opinion. Anyways, what I find interesting about this film is that I have a feeling that Ms.Coppola was aware of these criticisms of her characters and instead of switching gears, she perhaps creates her most unsympathetic character yet: Johnny Marco.

Day 139: Black Swan

"I just want to be perfect."

One of the most gut wrenching films I’ve seen has to be Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining. Certainly, there were ghastly elements to it that seared my eyes, but what was so suspenseful about Kubrick’s film is that he let it exist with no bounds. From Jack Nicholson’s larger than life performance to a telepathic child, the film lived off of the preposterous. This is all initially jarring, but the level of insanity the film reaches eventually gives way to an unpredictable sense of dread. Although there have been many films that have attempted to replicate the horror found within The Shining, only a handful of them have been able to match Kubrick’s controlled descent into madness. One such film would be Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan, a sexualized thriller set in the world of ballet.

Day 138: 9 Songs

"Exploring the Antarctic is like exploring space. You enter a void, thousands of miles, with no people, no animals, no plants. You're isolated in a vast, empty continent. Claustrophobia and agoraphobia in the same place, like two people in a bed."

9 Songs probably won't ever be critically acclaimed classic like other small low-budget indie flicks. It currently has a 25% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Nevertheless, it'll always be a classic in some sense. It's ability to spark debate on the role sexuality plays in cinema is a notable one. There certainly is a debate on what separates pornography from other more risqué editions of film. This is what makes 9 Songs so interesting. The film is more or less, about sex. There really isn't much of a plot and there really isn't much dialog either. There's not much character development, and there's not much acting either. Yet, I think it's one of the most brilliant things I've ever seen. And I'm almost certain that you will disagree with me completely.

Day 137: The Lives of Others

"The best way to establish guilt or innocence is non-stop interrogation."

One of my favorite pieces of pop art inspired by Pink Floyd is the image of a brick wall that’s completely covered in graffiti. Amongst the layered spray paint is a simple question that always made me wonder. Said question is: “Mother, should I trust the government?” This particular question carried significant weight prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall, where it wasn’t uncommon for the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) to investigate and vehemently follow the lives of their citizens in an attempt to assert control. Through mentally exhausting interrogation and the bugging of one’s home, the GDR were willing and able to follow those who they suspected were critical of their state, or looking to aide and embed a citizen across the border into West Germany. Rekindling the type of regime that existed in post-WWII Germany is Florian Henckel Donnersmarck’s amazing The Lives of Others.

Day 136: W.

- Mr. President, what place do you think you will have in history?
- History? In history we'll all be dead!

I'll try my best to divorce myself from the natural political bias I'll have as I'm writing this. It shouldn't be too hard though because Oliver Stone's film is actually not that political. Instead we get a pretty friendly, and effective portrait of Mr. W. It's certainly something to watch. It's more personal than it is political and it's empathetic instead of critical. It balances humor and drama delicately, but perfectly. Instead of just a passing film in the pretty solid filmography of Mr. Stone, it's actually a joy to watch and, in my opinion, a classic in the genre of "political films."

Day 135: Zero Effect

"Fucking whales? Fuck the whales!"

Zero Effect is the directorial debut of Jake Kasdan (Freaks and Geeks, Orange County), son of legendary writer/director Lawrence Kasdan (Empire Strikes, Raiders of the Lost Ark), and it stars Bill "Chill" Pullman as the film's protagonist, Daryl Zero. Daryl Zero is a brilliant private investigator known for being very reclusive and having impeccable deductive reasoning. Due to Zero being a recluse, his assistant Steve Arlo (played by Ben Stiller in a co-headlining role) does the representative work in the field while Zero works from afar. Zero is basically a modern day Sherlock Holmes, and Arlo is his Watson. Both Watson and Arlo had to deal with the eccentricities of their employers and how it effected their private lives ( Dont know that much about Sherlock Holmes though. I've only seen the three episode television series that aired on PBS a few weeks ago). This dilemma comes to the forefront half-way through the movie where Arlo's girlfriend suggests that he retire, a decision Arlo has been struggling with for awhile. Why put up with a guy who writes terrible songs on his guitar and snorts amphetamines on a daily basis? Zero "needs" Arlo despite his actions and his unwillingness to show it.

Day 134: JFK

"Back, and to the left..."

I love me a damn good conspiracy theory. It’s not that they’re entirely realistic, but that they offer a different view on reality that’s seeded in our deepest worries. Is the government out to get me? Does the Illuminati actually exist? Perhaps that last one is farfetched or just idiotic, but nonetheless, conspiracy theories fuel what would otherwise be a flavorless debate on a questionable event in history. This is even more so when one considers that conspiracy theories themselves set forth their own kind of narrative. No one seemingly knows this more than writer/director Oliver Stone who, through his most impressive work, has spouted controversial sermons with guile. With films like Platoon and Born on the Fourth of July, Stone doesn’t shy away from his political beefs. Despite his political candor, Stone is at his best when he puts on his conspiracy theory detective guise in his three hour opus titled JFK. As you can imagine, assuming you’ve peeked your eyes into a history book, the title references America’s 35th president, John F. Kennedy. Kennedy was seen as a leader during a turbulent time, but his steadfast leadership has been overshadowed by his shocking assassination.

Day 133: Good Hair

Good Hair by Chris Rock is an interesting documentary. The backstory for it is quickly mentioned as you begin the film. Chris Rock's daughter, aware of the world she's grown up in, asks a completely logical question: "Daddy, why don't I have good hair?" And so, Chris Rock begins his quest. Why doesn't the average African American woman see her hair as "good" as her white counterparts?

Day 132: Capturing the Friedmans- (A Second Viewing)

"Can't you put your anger aside for one minute?"

Capturing the Friedmans is a deeply unsettling film on several levels. I have been putting off writing about it simply because I didn’t want to have to think about it anymore. I just wanted to move on, to act like it never happened, much like how the family in the film just wanted to have it be done with and get on with their lives, how they used to be, but they realize that’s no longer possible.

Day 131: Just One of the Guys

"Dresses like Elvis Costello, looks like the karate kid – I'm gonna get him."

Just One of the Guys is the first teen comedy in recent memory to use Shakespeare's Twelfth Night as a reference point. Guys influenced countless other studio execs to do the same, whether it was the "bigwigs" over at the Disney Channel who gave audiences the criminally overlooked "masterpiece" Motocrossed!, or whether it was the "tour-de-force" performance given by Amanda Bynes in She's the Man, Just One of the Guys changed the game when it came to adapting shit, and is one of the prime examples of a remake done right. Full analysis after the jump.

Day 130: The Counterfeiters

"I'm myself. Everyone else is everyone else."

Survival is often an ironic thing. Through hypothetical questions, sometimes we venture a guess as to how we’d react when placed in a moment of danger. Our answers, often shrouded in humanistic ideals, usually are placated with limits. We’re willing to go to one level, but never above and beyond to do something we find morally questionable. Oh, how things change when a hypothetical situation becomes reality. Suddenly what was an issue of won’t becomes a declaration of will. Of course the real life situations can vary, but there probably has been no survivor story that matches the fervor of the Holocaust. Now, usually when a film based on the Holocaust comes around, more often than not it’s treated as Oscar bait. Certainly, there are some films that exploit a mass murder for prestige purposes, but every once in awhile there comes a Holocaust film that’s intentions are honest and worthwhile. Enter in  The Counterfeiters, a game of survival that pits two Jewish prisoners against one another as their views of survival and morality clash amongst the S.S.’ brutality.

129: The Bourne Identity

"Everything I found out, I want to forget."

The first of the "Bourne" film series, The Bourne Identity is an action packed conspiracy thriller staring Matt Damon, Franka Potente and Chris Cooper. Released in 2002, I'd have to say that this is my favorite of the current three "Bourne" films, with the fourth set to hit theaters in July of 2012. The film is based off of Robert Ludlum's 1980 novel, which hoists the same name as the movie, along with the other two in the series.

Day 128: The Class

[no quote this time.]

Teaching students must certainly be a hard job. Why do they even bother? Is it from some sort of self-fulfillment? That really can't be it. The kids these people work with are at that tipping point. At around 12-16 you know nothing, and don't quite give a damn if you don't either. These aren't exactly the type of kids you want to teach. I mean, why not teach a class with older students? (Now that I think about it. He says he taught these students before but aren't teachers usually assigned to a specific grade and unable to follow a class? Anyways...) I imagine that people become teachers the same way they want to become lawyers or doctors. There was probably that moment when they were younger that triggered it. There was probably that moment where taught someone something special and it gave them a feeling of absolute worth. That person knows that one thing because you taught it to them. You've made an impression. I mean what more valuable thing is there than knowing that you left the earth leaving a mark behind?

Day 127: The Exorcist

"The Power of Christ compels you!"

I didn’t find the sound in The Exorcist to be that dynamic or interesting. In fact, had I not known that I was going to write a review for it I wouldn’t have remembered anything about it. Well, actually, I still don’t, really, and I paid special attention to it. The diegetic sound wasn’t all that good. The writing wasn’t magnificent. The delivery of the dialogue was nothing to go crazy about. The only thing that really peaked my interest was the backwards speak of the possessed girl. Then they went and explained it as backwards English, demystifying and therefore ruining that effect, too. There was lots of banging upstairs. It wasn’t mixed too well from what I recall.

Day 126: Catfish

"The Facebook family."

The methods that some studios use when marketing a film that isn't going to necessarily have you run to the theaters because of the star-studded cast, is going to attempt to reach you through the Internet. Especially nowadays since most filmmakers can find finance from people all over the web and still keep ownership of what they've created. We're entering that stage in film making where artistic integrity is beginning to once again be the most important aspect and money is slowly becoming a non-factor. Hollywood studios are having trouble selling movies that continue to pitch the same crap to audiences that are treated like idiots by these same exact studio companies. Think about it, were you as excited after watching the trailer for "Black Swan" than you were when seeing the 8-minute Comic-Con trailer for "Thor"? This is an exciting time in the genre and hopefully it'll  force studios to treat the audiences with respect and do something that they were once masters at: produce original films that force some sort of intellectual thought process. This takes me to this years Sundance hit, Catfish.

Day 125: The Bride Wore Black

"I am Julie Kohler."

Revenge films are slightly exploitative. They play on our attachments to good people by dropping them into horrific situations. Once we see these characters get violated, we often are thirsty for vengeance, a vengeance that must be achieved by any means necessary. Having this appeal allows us to ride along with our protagonists as they throw their moral conscience to the wayside and draw blood from those who did them wrong. Despite my interest in getting redemption, I often find myself asking one question: “What’s the price of revenge?” This question is often overlooked in most revenge films, especially the exploitation films that littered the 60’s and 70’s. Our characters don’t think twice about the violence that will be committed, nor do we as an audience. We gleefully follow along because we know those villains deserve it. Or do they? In most cases, the heinous acts done to protagonists in film are worthy of bloodshed, but can we knowingly go down a road to retribution if the motives of evildoers are ambiguous?

Day 124: No Country for Old Men

"What's the most you ever lost on a coin toss?"

After my first viewing of No Country for Old Men, I admit I was slightly disappointed, but more so due to my lack of ability in falling into the film than with the film itself. Please, let me explain. The film itself is good. It’s tight and well paced, on the slower side but with good reason, not only as a representation of the slower, more drawn out lives of the Texans that populate the landscape of the film, but also as a counterpoint to the rabid violence and tension that erupts frequently throughout the film.

Day 123: Juno

"Hi, I'm calling to procure a hasty abortion..."

Back in 2007, I was fortunate enough to attend a free preview screening of Juno. It stars Ellen Page, who you wouldn’t even recognize from her turn as a vicious vixen in Hard Candy, as a high schooler who gets pregnant. It is a quiet love story, an eccentric comedy, and a mature second feature from Jason Reitman, director of Thank You for Smoking and Up in the Air.

Day 122: Sex and the City 2

“Did I just f*** up?”

Every now and then there comes a movie that truly epitomizes the “girl power” train of thought; this is such a film.  First off let me just say that I made the mistake of watching this movie with a member of the opposite sex (obviously or why else would I choose it) and upon doing so opened up Pandora’s box of feminism.  It amazes me how you can take the most calm and chill of the female gender and introduce them to a man hating film, such as Sex and the City 2, and can watch them turn into something completely different.  Immediately came the bicker battle from hell as we engaged in debates that started off as simple and playful and ended up inquiring as to why we as humans exist.  **WARNING** This movie is a fight in a disc.

Day 121: Kramer vs. Kramer

"How much courage does it take to walk out on your kid?"

It’s kind of sad when a marriage disintegrates. Two people, who were once in love, are now bitter enemies fighting it out in a court of law for either money or custody of their offspring. One spouse’s intentions are probably their own, but at times it feels like the lawyer is the puppet master, making their client behave in ways that are meant to devalue their respective former lover. No matter how we cut it, divorce is a monstrosity. I say this from firsthand experience where my parents were at each other’s throats, just waiting for one another to make a misstep so they can run to their lawyer in attempt to have the gavel fall in their favor. Full well knowing the ramifications divorce can have on a family, I found myself undeniably connected to the 1979 film Kramer vs. Kramer, a film that magnifies the ruins of a once loving family.

Day 120: Aliens

"They're coming outta the walls. They're coming outta the goddamn walls. Let's book!"

I know, you're probably wondering why there is a review posted for “Aliens” before addressing the movie “Alien” first. Well, long story short, I found “Aliens” to be the better of the two and decided to jump right to the chase. That's not to discredit the first film of course, as I found “Alien” to be an enjoyable movie as well. On a personal level though, “Aliens” seemed to trump its predecessor. Known as “the Sequel King,” James Cameron may have been the biggest difference between both films. Although some see Cameron to a bit overrated as a director, he certainly did a job well done with with this movie  Taking over literally right where Ridley Scott left off with the first film, Cameron brings us back into the alien world for an unforgettable thriller.   

Day 119: Eastern Promises

"I can't become king if someone else already sits on the throne."

Eastern Promises is a good film. Good, not great. And one of the main reasons for that fact is that its director, David Cronenberg is a great director. Great, not good. Cronenberg has always been a favorite 
of mine, especially Videodrome. I love his old organic mutation/philosophical horror mode, but I respect his new direction. He is following a line of what he calls exploring transgressions. A History of Violence, thematically, is practically this films other half.

Day 118: Youth Without Youth

"Perhaps you'll take us back to a time before history."

I can't say you'll like Youth Without Youth because frankly, I'm not really sure I liked it. Sometimes the acting gets a little awry, sometimes the camera angles get too pretentious, and other times I wonder what the fuck is going on. Yet, at the same time, I had a rather emotional connection with the film and I loved its bizarre invitation to the outrageous. The score had something to do with this but I also think that some of the dream sequences do make up to something worth seeing. American critics didn't like it very much. It has a measly 30% rating on RottenTomatoes and some reviews are pretty scathing. I don't really think it's that bad but I guess I can't completely say it's quite good.

Day 117: Double Indemnity

"Do I laugh now, or wait till it gets funny?"

Double Indemnity is one of the best examples of film noir out there. To ask which elements of film noir were interesting in the film is simply to ask what was interesting about the whole movie. This film seethes, it festers in its own darkness. Film noirs are at their best when they portray the ordinary, generally decent people who are lured into a life of crime and violence due to human flaws and weaknesses. And those include greed, vanity, vengeance, and yes, love.

Day 116: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

"Meet me...in Montauk."

It's said that Romeo and Juliet is the greatest love story told. Perhaps it is. After all, both went to extreme lengths to be with one another. Yet, had Romeo and Juliet spent more time together, instead of  a handful of fleeting days, their relationship would’ve hit some rough patches. Romeo would’ve found Juliet's neediness to be annoying, while Juliet would’ve surely started to hate Romeo’s behavior when he was around his brood of idiots. In the case of Romeo and Juliet, love isn’t treated like the ticking time bomb that it is in real life. Love came easy to them aside from their war torn families. In some ways it was a right, but in reality it’s a privilege that’s constantly evolving between two people. Literature purists can have Romeo and Juliet. In my mind, the most spot on story (or film for this  matter)  to cover the honest ups and downs of a relationship is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a film that features one of the best screenplays of the last twenty years.

Day 115: Island of Lost Souls

"You! You made us in the house of pain! You made us... things! Not men! Not beasts! Part men! Things!"

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I have a hard time getting into movies dated before or around the 1950's. Yes, I know that there are some classic films before that time period, and I have seen my share of them, but recently I've had a hard time sitting through movies from the early 1900's. With that said, one of my “personal” favorites from long ago is “Island of Lost Souls.” Released in 1932, it really isn't considered one of the best from its time, but every time I watch this movie (which has only been twice) I seem to always enjoy it to the max. Directed by Erle C. Kenton and written by Phillip Wylie, the film is an adaptation of H.G. Wells book “The Island of Dr. Moreau” published in 1896.  

Day 114: Cries & Whispers

"I could feel the presence of their bodies, the warmth of their hands. I wanted to hold the moment fast and thought, "Come what may, this is happiness. I cannot wish for anything better. Now, for a few minutes, I can experience perfection. And I feel profoundly grateful to my life, which gives me so much. "

In "Cries & Whispers" director Ingmar Bergman and his team used 400 different shades of red. "I think of the inside of the human soul," Bergman writes in his screenplay, "as a membranous red." Each shade of the human psyche is amplified, from warm Amaranth to searing Scarlet. The one thing that every Red shares in the film is a sense of emotional claustrophobia. We get a few respites, mainly through brief idyllic shots of gardens and gorgeous greenery. Bergman stated that all of his films can be though of in Black & White, with the exception of "Cries & Whispers. It is easy to see why. The colors are resonant motifs of death, loneliness, love,blood,and finally,spirituality. If membraneous red is the color of the human soul, Bergman explores all its psychological perceptions in beautifully rendered chromatic celluloid.

Day 113: 2046

"Everyone who goes to 2046 has the same intention, they want to recapture lost memories."

To me, a Wong Kar-Wai movie is almost a religious experience. I'm not very religious but a film by him is one that thrusts you fully into the scenes. The effort his cinematographer puts into the frames, the choice of the soundtrack, the swing and style of the women, and the comfort to play with chronology is fully engrossing. He's officially become my favorite film director. (Sorry, Scorsese.) Mr. Kar-Wai (would that be his last name, or is Kar his middle name?) makes films the way I see life. A fade of slow motion here and there, a beautiful tint of light to overshadow the scene, sex, and beautiful music. (Sex, the unfulfilled obsession of all boys my age, probably dominates the other areas but you get the idea.)

Day 112: Due Date

“Dad… You were like a father to me.”

From the director of “Old School” and “The Hangover” comes yet another tale of stupidity and hijinx.  For this one though, the big guns were brought out.  Two-time Academy Award Nominee Robert Downey Jr. and the new “it” in the world of humor, Zach Galifianakis, team up in the classic sane and anything but duo comedy.  The classic “Planes, Trains, and Automobiles” type of film is a blueprint that has been used frequently in the world of film.  Thus far it has not failed and so why not continue with the trend?

Day 111: Enter The Void

"Do you remember that pact we made? We promised to never leave each other."

Enter the Void is the incredible, and incredibly flawed, new film from Gaspar Noé. For fans of Noé’s previous work, I Stand Alone and Irreversible, the obscene and graphic thematic content of the work will not be surprising. Noé is an utterly uncompromising artist, for better or worse. There is much to love about this film, but also much to cringe at and be befuddled by. 

Day 110: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Director Edgar Wright's adaptation of the Scott Pilgrim graphic novel series by Bryan Lee O' Malley is probably one of the quintessential films for the "nerds" born between the years of 1985-1990 (and I mean that in the absolute best possible way).  Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, released earlier this year, is an original, funny and charming film.  It's full of video game references, comic book style visuals, and humorous, witty dialogue.

Day 109: The Wrestler

"The only one that's going to tell me when I'm through doing my thing is you people here."

I’m not afraid to admit it. I was at one point a wrestling fan. Every Monday I’d come home from school and anxiously await for “Monday Night Raw” to flood my living room with the sound of body slams and feuds boiling. My mom never quite got the appeal of it as she constantly reminded me that it was fake. I knew it was fake, but that aspect never mattered to me. I was always able to get swept up into the action. Perhaps it was the melodrama, or the larger than life personalities. But, I think what got me so invested was a wrestler’s ability to put their body in harms way in order to give the crowd a pop. Sure, they may have been bulky men trying to fit into a speedo, but the grace and maneuvering they administered in the ring is reminiscent of the work of ballerinas. Their dedication and sacrifice is unmatched as they live on the road, hoping to feel the roar of the crowd via acts of mutilation.  Representing this commitment is Randy 'The Ram' Robinson, the main character from the underappreciated film The Wrestler.

Day 108: The Thin Red Line

"Private Witt: Do you ever feel lonely? 

First Sgt. Edward Welsh: Only around people. "

"The Thin Red Line" is perhaps Terrence Malick's most enigmatic picture, which is saying something if you're familiar with the works of the notorious recluse. Malick is the closest thing modern cinema has to the "poetic cinema" movement of yester-yore, releasing films that reflect an arcane vision of nature and life. Malick aims to tell stories in almost entirely visual terms, often filling the movies with coded images paired with evocative scores,dialogue becoming the last priority.

Day 107: Pirates of Silicon Valley

"This is better than Miss October. It's a computer."

Before there was The Social Network, there was this. With all the hype and buzz surrounding The Social Network—a film I have yet to see—how about we throw in a throwback to what is essentially the genesis of the personal computer. A film about Jobs, Wozniak, and Gates. So while The Social Network brings us back to those ancient years of the early 2000s, let's take a journey back to the prehistoric era of...the seventies. *cue music*

Day 106: I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell

"Oh, I'm onto your game, De Nils. Diamonds are worthless other than the value attached to them by the silly tramps you have brain washed into thinking that diamonds equal love. Guess what, sluts? Your quest for the perfect princess cut supports terrorism and genocide. Congratulations, your avarice has managed to destroy an entire continent!"

Now I was going to go with yet another horror movie in honor of Halloween and it is then that I realized that it is a new month.  Not only is it a new month, but a new week, hence it being my turn in the order.  But this is a movie review site, not a place for me to rant about the obvious so onto the actual review.

Day 105 : Breathless

"When we talked, I talked about me, you talked about you, when we should have talked about each other."

On the back of the "Breathless" Criterion DVD it says, "There was before Breathless, and there was after Breathless." Every few generations there's a film that changes every way we look at a film. Whether it be the stunning visuals that the Director of Photography is able to create, the sharp dialog that a screenwriter is able to construct, or the overall message that a film conveys in a matter of 90 minutes. The leader of the French New-Wave, Jean-Luc Godard, was able to combine all of those elements in only his first major motion-picture. Godard is famous for being a sort of pessimist when it comes to Cinema; he's always been interested in painting a moving picture for the crowd to admire instead of a narrative that has to include a traditional narrative or story.

Day 104: Paranormal Activity

"Well, whatever it is that's following me, it doesn't feel... it doesn't feel human. It feels like it's... it feels like a monster. I mean like, it wants to hurt me."

In the spirit of Halloween (it's tomorrow!) I thought it would be a great idea to focus on a horror film today. Instead of focusing on one of the classics like The Shining or Halloween, I'm going to write about a recent horror film that I think was slightly underrated by movie critics upon its release. 2007's Paranormal Activity, directed and written by Oren Peli, is probably one of the most hyped-up horror films of the past few years. It was theatrically released a year ago in October 2009 and managed to gross over 100 million dollars, ten thousand times it budget of 11,000 dollars. Because of word of mouth and the internet, Paranormal Activity because the most popular film of the 2009 Halloween season.

Day 103: The Ring

"Seven days..."

In the spirit of Halloween and all things creepy, today I bring a film that will make Japanese horror film purists cringe. The film in question is the American remake of The Ring. Now, I know before I’ve verbally assaulted American remakes of foreign films, especially from the horror genre, but this film is distinctively its own entity.  With eerie images and scenes saturated with hues of green, The Ring does what most horror films fail to do: establish a mood. This is a huge redeeming factor because horror films just rely on the fact that most people are afraid of the paranormal or strange. More or less, they just assume whatever creature they place on the screen will make the audience shiver. But, after years and years of horror films being released, we’ve seen the macabre numerous times, and we know it all too well. In the case of The Ring, we have what can be deemed as paranormal activity, if not the emergence of eternal damnation on Earth.

Day 102: Gattaca

"You want to know how I did it? This is how I did it, Anton: I never saved anything for the swim back."

From the minute of his birth, Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) was set out to live a lowly life. Living in the “not-so-distant future,” no longer does the color of your skin play a role in your social class and ranking. The world now revolves around DNA. Everything is technology based, right down to the birth of a new born baby and deciding the outcome of the rest of it's life. With the aid of genetic selection, babies can be programed with any trait and quality the parents desire. In Vincent's case though, his parent opted for a natural birth, which they quickly came to regret. Without genetic selection, Vincent was plagued with a high probability of mental illness and an extreme heart disorder. Even worse, Vincent's life expectancy was only 30.2 years.   

Day 101: Tetsuo, The Iron Man

"There's a piece of metal stuck in your head. If I remove it, you'll die. Think of it as artistically placed there."

You know you are in for a surreal movie experience when the film in question is advertised as "David Lynch meets David Cronenberg." Tetsuo, the Iron Man" details a "metal fetishist" who is involved in a brutal car crash, eventually meeting his death at the wheels of a salary man and his girlfriend. The salary man begins to notice a dynamic shift in his body: It is being slowly overtaken by scrap metal. As the film progresses, we begin to suspect that the "metal fetishist" is perhaps not fully dead,and is guiding his transformation fueled revenge.

Day 100: Ferris Bueller's Day Off

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

[I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that you expected me to use it as the quote.]

Most of Bueller's likability comes with Matthew Broderick's performance which is quite remarkable. I have yet to see Election in its entirety-always catch it in the middle or the end on TV- but I don't think he's done anything close to this good ever since. In any other movie, Ferris would still make a great character, but maybe a great supporting character. Broderick makes him a worthy and memorable leading player. He's slick but not too slick. Good looking, but not the pussy pretty boy (cough* ZacEfron*cough). Broderick also gives the character a little empathy in a script that's, for the most part, flawless yet doesn't necessarily provide it. John Hughes is particularly known for adding weight to stereotypes, showing that each clique is comprised of actual individuals with actual identities of  their own. The best example of this is clearly The Breakfast Club.

Day 99: Leaves of Grass

"My brother was killed with a cross-bow."

Following a day in which someone reviewed a movie as spectacular as Shutter Island is a difficult task. I easily could have gone with something that was both a blockbuster and critical success, but as I am in an Edward Norton stage, my reviewing is as well. The movie I selected is a little known film by the name of Leaves of Grass. It is a story of an Ivy League professor, Bill Kincaid, who has been duped into going back to his home in Little Dixie, Oklahoma. Upon arriving he finds out the initial reason for his return was not the truth. In fact, it was far from it. His twin brother Brady, whom he had not seen in years, has devised a plan to take down a local drug dealer and as a result of this plan hilarity ensues. Although this is the main plot point of the movie, there are a variety of different subplots involving Bill’s mother and a girl from the rural town.

Day 98: Shutter Island

"You're as violent as they come. I know. because I'm as violent as they come. Don't embarrass yourself by denying your own blood lust, son. Don't embarrass me. If the constraints of society were removed, and I was all that stood between you and a meal, you'd crack my skull with a rock and eat my meaty parts."

Martin Scorsese is a legendary filmmaker.  His career has spanned across five decades, and he has touched almost every genre of film possible during his time directing.  2010's Shutter Island, his latest film, is a dark thriller set in the 1950's in the sea off of Boston.  Leonardo Dicaprio plays Teddy, a Federal Marshal who is investigating the disappearance of a patient who escaped from a mental asylum on the movie's namesake.  He's accompanied by his new partner, Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) and soon uncovers what he believes might be a conspiracy to turn inmates into mindless killers.  He's also tortured by dreams of his dead wife, Dolores (Michelle Williams) who died in a fire a few years before the film takes place.

Day 97: Singin' in the Rain

"Lina. She can't act, she can't sing, she can't dance. A triple threat!"

After already recommending two musicals in this site’s run, it’s easy to see I have a soft spot in my heart for films that perpetuate spontaneous singing and dancing. It’s kind of weird that this is a truth for me considering my love for minimalist films, but the style and grace that make up a musical are hard to resist. From the insane production values to the toe tapping songs, musicals will forever hit my film sweet tooth.  But, for as much as I adore musicals, there is one that captures my attention every time it’s on. The musical in question is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s musical cornerstones: “Singin’ in the Rain”.  Most people usually go the route of “The Wizard of Oz”, and deservedly so, but the infectious energy found in “Singin‘…” always bowls me over.  The root of the energy stems from the plot, which comes as a surprise considering the film was green lighted simply because the producers wanted to put the title song to use in an MGM picture. With this in mind, one would expect a paper thin concept, but that's not what we get.

Day 96: Mulholland Drive

"It'll be just like the movies. Pretending to be somebody else."

I feel that David Lynch will be remembered as one of the great film artists of his generation. He has developed a body of challenging and idiosyncratic films that roughly fall into several periods. Mulholland Drive is of his later works involving complex paradigm shifts and the blurring of structure and reality. It’s not his best by a long shot, but it is an extremely fascinating puzzle of a film and a major work in an oeuvre to be envied. I really don’t feel that there is much to write about the film itself. There are endless theories and assumptions people make, but I prefer to experience the film just as it is without too many questions. Sometimes Lynch just follows what he knows is right for his films, logic be damned, and that yields some interesting results. I feel that if Mulholland Drive will ever truly affect me or alter the way I perceive life it won’t be through extensive research and decoding, but on a very visceral, gut level.

Day 95: He Said She Said

"That's why God made other women. Because no matter how good a woman is, just around the corner may be a better one."

The romantic comedy, and romance genres in particular, are always a tricky genre. It's always predictable for the most part. Boy meets girl, they fall in love, and then they break up with the most probable possibility of getting back together. So what I ask for in a romantic comedy is not much. I don't even ask for that much humor. The truth is, the deeper you delve into the emotions of the characters, the more effort people try to put in convey the actual love that exists in the relationship on screen, the more serious the movie will be. I've never been in love, though I know it exists because I read Romeo & Juliet. Despite my inexperience on the matter, I can't really say that love itself is funny. It's complicated, kinda stupid, but not really funny. And the more a movie tries to show people in love, the less funny it'll be. So what I want from a romantic comedy? A little innovation.

Day 94: A Woman Under The Influence

"All of a sudden, I miss everyone..."

It's great. Watch it.


Further review pending.

Day 93: THX 1138

"We have to go back. This is your last chance to return with us. You have nowhere to go. You cannot survive outside the city shell. We only want to help you. This is your last chance."

Right before Mr. George Lucas showed us what happend "Once upon a time in a galaxy far far way", he gave us a film that was set in a dystopian future where human-controlled androids were the law enforcement and most humans were nothing but ginuea pigs living amongst each other. THX 1138 is a film that most people overlook in the science-fiction genre, which is understandable since the same director went on to create a trilogy of  immensly successful science-fiction films in the late 70's and early 80's. The impact that this film had on Lucas' later films is undeniable though; watching this movie made me feel that I was one of these trapped humans living a life of procedure and regulations. I'm personally claustrophobic, so watching these helpless indiviudals wander in an abyss of infinity for the majority of the film, had me anxious and figgity the entire time.

Day 92: Hoop Dreams

"People always say to me, 'when you get to the NBA, don't forget about me.' Well, I should've said back, 'if I don't make it to the NBA, don't you forget about me.'"

I decided it might be a little interesting to switch things up again this week. For my last three reviews, I've done a comedy (High Fidelity), an action/adventure epic (Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King), and a drama (American Beauty). I thought it would be a good idea to continue the type of variety my readers have possibly come to expect. Thus, this week's post focuses on a documentary, 1994's Hoop Dreams. This film follows two young Illionoisan boys through their high school years as they focus on their dream - getting recruited by a top college and eventually playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA).