Day 78: The Social Network

"A million dollars isn't cool. You know whats cool? A billion dollars!"

Since February of 2004, Facebook has become one of the largest and most populated websites on the internet. Now with 500 million total users, the founder of the site, Marc Zuckerberg, has made his way toward billionaire status. I mean, think about it, when was the last time you went a whole day without checking your Facebook page? Its become a worldwide addiction and people can't get enough of it. With that being said, for those who love Facebook so much, I'm sure they're going to love David Fincher's upcoming movie, “The Social Network,” a real life story about the creation and developing stories around Facebook.

Day 77: Zodiac

"Hey Bullitt, it's been a year, you gonna catch this fucking guy or not? "

I am on a David Fincher high, probably because I need to see his newest film (The Social Network).

Zodiac is by said director and is based on the non-fiction book about the Zodiac killer. For those not familiar with the Zodiac killer this is his story. Zodiac was a murderer who every time he killed someone HE would call the police and if that wasn't enough he would write letters to newspapers taunting them about his killings.

Day 76: Tootsie

"Sandy, I'm not having an affair with the woman who went into my apartment earlier, alright? It's impossible."

Yeah that's right! Tootsie! It's a unique film. Easily one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. Dustin Hoffman does pull of the look which is surprising. Robin Williams would later do it and make Mrs. Doubtfire look like a living, breathing, functioning woman altogether but Tootsie was made in the '80s. I'm pretty sure the makeup used here was much more minimal than what's used in Mrs. Doubtfire. Plus, this looks way more realistic. It's actually conceivable. But anyways, let's get back to the story which is pretty unique. I mean who would've guess that a film about a man acting as a woman would have been a great way to talk about feminism? That's really what it is.

Day 75: Grizzly Man

"I'm in love with my animal friends. I'm in love with my animal friends! In love with my animal friends. I'm very, very troubled. It's very emotional. It's probably not cool even looking like this. I'm so in love with them, and they're so f-ed over, which so sucks."

Werner Herzog has documented some of the most unique people our world has to offer:For example, Russians who pray and ring ceremonial bells to their city at the bottom of a lake. Or a film on Klaus Kinski,his frequent collaborator and one of the most colorful actors in all of cinema, a former POW who turned down Raiders of The Lost Ark because the "script is as moronically shitty as so many other flicks of its ilk.". It's clear Herzog gravitates towards the people who are not afraid to live on the fringes, and his 2005 documentary "Grizzly Man" is no exception.

Day 74: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

 

"There never was much hope. Just a fool's hope." 

I decide which film I'm going to write about for this site by a fairly simple-sounding process - I check out imdb.com's top 250 movies list and try to get some inspiration to write something about a movie I really enjoyed from it.  It's really a lot harder than it sounds, however.  There are many great movies on the list, but which ones really mean something to me at this point in time?  Which ones can I write about without sounding boring or contrived?  Then I saw this one, the third installment in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King.  And I immediately thought to myself, "there we go!"  My goal for this site (although I'm sure the goal of our other writers are different) was to introduce some of our readers to interesting, less mainstream films that they might not have heard of yet.  There is definitely nothing wrong with popular movies (and I'll probably review some), but well...they're popular.  People are more likely to have seen them.  But this film, despite its immense popularity, is one that is important to my development as a movie-goer, and that is really as good of a reason as any to write about it for this blog.

Day 73: Being John Malkovich

"Have you ever had two people look at you, with complete lust and devotion, through the same pair of eyes?"

Who are we? This is a monumental question that stifles much of our teenage years as we experiment with hobbies, career choices, and even choices in mates. Yet, for all of the trial and error we work through in our early years, we still seemingly have that identity crisis ticking away. Granted, some people are more inclined to their established identity, but nonetheless, we all have realized shortcomings in the persona we’ve created. Thus it seems that for any given social situation, we can switch between an assortment of personas. Whether it’s a quiet evening at home or working the crowd at a party, we are inevitably changing ourselves based on the social cues that surround us. Harmless as it can be, we are never truly comfortable in our skin as our lives progress, a notion that is further magnified against a society obsessed with celebrity and established social norms. Writer Charlie Kaufman understands this as many of his films look at our fluid identity amongst the backdrop of a mind bending narrative. None of his films demonstrate the structure of an identity the most than “Being John Malkovich”, a film that is literally about consuming someone else’s identity as a means to escape one’s fledgling personality.

Day 72: In The Mood For Love

 "He remembers those vanished years. As though looking throusth a dusty window pane, the past is something he could see, but not touch. And everything he sees is blurred and indistinct."

In the Mood for Love is the perfect title for which the film it has been bestowed upon. The film is all about the mood, the feeling, the perception and readiness for love, and how it never comes to fruition. It is a deep wound that the film leaves when experienced correctly and fully. It is a film of such dramatic, such intricate yet bold styles that it is difficult to fully grasp the narrative the first, or even the first few times viewed. Much like how I had to see The Conformist a second time to even know why such magnificent frames were composed, Love provides a certain enigmatic, elliptical approach to storytelling that is not wholly impenetrable, but blurry and indistinct, just like our time worn memories of the past.

Day 71: Fight Club

"The first rule of Fight Club is: you do not talk about Fight Club.

The second rule is: you do not talk about Fight Club!"

This movie is not about fighting. Yes fighting is there, yes the title is about fighting, and yes the film does have numerous fight scenes, but this film is so much more. The film is about an unnamed narrator, Edward Norton, who's battling a bout with insomnia. He meets a girl Marla Singer, Helen Bothom-Carter, and they both are addicted to going to help groups.

Day 70: The Best of Youth

"Everything is beautiful."

Sometimes it may be hard to watch a six-hour film with subtitles and call it "short" but not only can I call it that, but I will say that it went by with satisfactory speed. Family sagas have always interested me. I even liked Danielle Steel's Jewels. (I know, I know, real men aren't supposed to like Danielle Steele.) But there's something about them I like. It's always good to move through different periods of history from the perspective of those affected, as opposed to those causing. But even in some of the more mediocre family sagas like Jewels there's sometimes an element there missing. It's a melodrama, but it's not emotional. The Best of Youth is different. Through the six hours, I laughed a few times, but I cried a few times as well. (I might be getting softer as I come towards the end of puberty. I thought this shit was supposed to happen with old women going through menopause but hey?)

Day 69: Titicut Follies

"Titicut Follies" is the most famous film you've never heard of. That's not entirely your fault, being that it is the only film ever to be banned(1967-1992) for reasons not to do with obscenity,immorality, or a threat to national security. In varicolored forms, Titicut Follies is a film that stands on its own.

Day 68: The Sea Inside

"When you can't escape, and you constantly rely on everyone else, you learn to cry by smiling, you know?"

Life is not a privilege, it is a right. It deserves to be lived to the fullest and be appreciated by all those who have it. But what if your given a life that seems to have everything you always wanted, only to have it all taken away from you in a split second? Ramon Sampedro, a former Spanish ship mechanic, was paralyzed in 1962 after a diving accident. He spent the next 29 years of his life in bed, campaigning to earn the right to end his own life. Sampedro was an intelligent man who did not allow his condition from stoping him inspire others and drawing attention to himself and the cause he was fighting for. Although Sampedro was given plenty of opportunities to convince the government that it was his right to end his own life, he was constantly denied. Finally, with the help of his colleagues, Sampedro was able to kill himself by consumption of potassium cyanide.

Day 67: Barry Lyndon

“I’m not sorry. And I’ll not apologize. And I’d as soon go to Dublin as to hell.”

On my weekly trip to the local library, a movie caught my eye. Why? It beared Stanley Kubrick’s name on it, so I scooped it up along with my other movies. A few of my colleagues consider Kubrick to be the greatest filmmaker of all time, and I scoff at this, considering the films I’ve seen of his don’t hold the merit that in my opinion, would warrant calling Kubrick the greatest of his profession. I admit to not seeing all of Kubrick’s films, and some I have to re-visit (Spartacus for example), so I was very pleased to have found one that has eluded me for quite a while: Barry Lyndon, which, might be Kubrick’s finest film I’ve seen to date.

Day 66: Man on Wire

"If I die, what a beautiful death!"

Up until a few years ago, I always saw documentaries as a nuisance on the film landscape. This was mostly under the guise that no one wanted to go to the cinema and learn. Of course this ridiculous perspective of mine worn with time as I grew older and expanded my cinematic tastes, but it was a perspective I gained as a child. Such a disdainful paradigm was most likely gained because I, like most people, probably have had no proper entry into the universe of documentaries. For the most of my life I always thought documentaries were on par with the outdated film reels we used to watch back in elementary school that were stuffed full of dry knowledge and continuity errors. Oh how ignorant we are in our youth.  Yet, what I have come to known is that documentaries often have more heart, more soul, and far more interesting angles than the work of fiction. There are very few documentaries that exemplify this notion more than “Man on Wire”, which makes for a great entry film in to the documentary genre.

Day 65: (500) Days of Summer

"You weren't wrong, Tom. You were just wrong about me."

First off, I want to bring to your attention that “(500) Days of Summer” is a movie that anyone can enjoy. Its boundaries reach far beyond the stereotypical “chick flick” feel that some think it has. Male or female, this film brings a very enjoyable story that all can appreciate. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel brilliantly portray their characters in two unforgettable roles, even receiving two Golden-Globe nominations.

Day 64 : The Lookout

"I have the money, I have the power!"

This movie was great. When I first heard how this movie was about short term memory loss I was excited, then I watched the movie. This isn't about Anterograde Amnesia this doesn't even say that it is.

Day 63: The Aviator

"They should remember him for what he was."

I've previously described all of Scorsese's crime films by calling them tales the mirror the mythological story of Icarus, writing, "They always push until the bricks come piling down and there isn’t anything else to push. It’s a constant game of gradual suicide." Remarkably, I'm surprised at how narrow I put that into focus. All crime films pretty much follow that with the exception of a few. But all of Scorsese's films pretty much fit that description as well. From Raging Bull to Shutter Island. Howard Hughes however is even more remarkable. Few metaphors can be more poetic that the image of flight. We've all dreamed of flying and we all wish to fly. So what better character is there than the aviation visionary, Howard Hughes?

Day 62: Paper Moon

"You already got bone structure. When I was your age I didn't have no bone structure. Took me years to get bone structure. And don't think bone structure's not important. People didn't decide to call me "Mademoiselle" until I was seventeen and getting a little bone structure."

The relationship between father and daughter is beautiful thing. Although, it’s sad to see that nowadays more men are afraid to be fathers to their young children due to immaturity and selfishness.  Peter Bogdanovich’s attempt to adapt the novel “Addie Pray” by  Joe David Brown, with the help of Alvin Sargent, was a success.  Paper Moon is filled with different shots and angles that say much more than any of the dialog could about the relationship between  Moses (Ryan O’Neal) and Addie (Tatum O’Neal). The father-daughter collaboration is main focus of the film and the fact that the two are actually related in real life, make the performances much more convincing and real. We don’t come to realizations until we’re put through a series of experiments that open our eyes to what’s actually important in life. Moses shares this feeling throughout the film and Addie is there push him towards that state of realization.

Day 61: American Beauty

"I feel like I've been in a coma for the past twenty years. And I'm just now waking up."

Is there an acting career more varied and successful than Kevin Spacey's? He's starred in critically acclaimed and successful movies like The Usual Suspects and Se7en, more obscure movies like Moon, and this movie, best picture winner American Beauty, which is arguably his strongest work. Written by the brilliant Alan Ball (who also created Six Feet Under, one of the greatest television shows of the 2000s) and directed by Sam Mendes, American Beauty is a brilliant story of self discovery and finding a way to appreciate the beauty of life.

Day 60: Synecdoche, New York

 "I know how to do it now. There are nearly thirteen million people in the world. None of those people is an extra. They're all the leads of their own stories. They have to be given their due."

I think we’d all like to have a little more control in our lives. Maybe we’d like to be able to make millions, or defy the swift hand of death and disease. Yet, we really only have control over ourselves and that will never cease to be. But, some men and women make a living by controlling the lives of others. Said people are also known as writers. Aside from God, writers are one of the few entities that have control over their world completely. This is obvious not only because they construct the world their story takes place in, but also the characters that inhabit it. Furthermore, the writer dictates the actions and situations the characters find themselves in, and implicitly they understand everything that happens. This notion is something that escapes us in everyday life as we yearn for something meaningful to find in our lives. Perhaps writers are lacking any sense of internal locus of control, or maybe I’m reaching beyond the notion that writers just want to tell a story. But, in the case of Charlie Kaufman’s labyrinth film “Synecdoche, New York”, a sense of control very well may be the driving force behind the film’s main character, Caden Cotard (Phillip Seymour Hoffman). In “Synecdoche”, you’re guaranteed to see one of the most ambitious films within the last decade. Featuring the typical Kaufman mind fuck screenplay, “Synecdoche” is a film that is nearly impenetrable, as it throws countless thematic arcs at us and seemingly transitions through time at inordinate speeds. If you thought Kaufman’s previous work was mind boggling, it doesn’t come even close to matching the narrative structure he achieves here.

Day 59: The Breakfast Club

"We're all bizarre, some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all."

John Hughes' 1985 film “The Breakfast Club” is a story about five high school strangers who are nothing a like, but end up becoming the best of friends, forever known as The Breakfast Club. A lot of times we see movies about teenage drama that really don't portray a realistic scene of high school. Most movies are farfetched in there depiction of what going through high school is really like. On the contrary, “The Breakfast Club” depicts the true image very well. As for myself, I just graduated high school this past year, so I have a good picture on what it is actually like.

Day 58: One Hour Photo

"The things you're most afraid of have already happened."

First thing I would like to point out is that I am a Christopher Nolan fan. Robin Williams, who played Sy in this movie, was in a film by Nolan called "Insomnia". Without going into detail i will just say that both Insomnia and One Hour Photo came out within 1 year of each other and so I would compare them to each other.

Day 57: Mirror

"And the overwhelming joy is clouded by anticipation of awakening. At times something happens and i stop dreaming of the house and the pine trees of my childhood around it. Then i get depressed. And i can't wait to see this dream in which ill be a child again and feel happy again because everything will still be ahead, everything will be possible..."

Lillian Herman was giving a speech at a crowded lecture hall one afternoon when a young man stood up in the back and whined, "Why don't you endorse gay lib?"(considering she had publicly opposed many social injustices throughout her career). Hermann peered out out over her dark glasses, leaned over her cane, and responded in a brisk tone that "the forms of fucking do not require my endorsement."

Day 56: Days Of Being Wild

“Once, a person pointed at his watch and said to me, that because of that minute, he'd always remember me. It was so charming listening to that. But now I look at my watch and tell myself that I have to forget this man starting this very minute.”

Days of Being Wild is similar to Wong Kar Wai’s other films in that the cinematography plays a unique role in the story. All the exterior shots seemed to be constructed with such nuance and delicacy. It’s films like this that make me view cinema as “art.” It’s impossible for me to see this story exist in any other medium. Literature would be inadequate in detailing the visual nuances and illustrations would fail to appropriately maneuver through the apparent psychological whirlwinds the characters seem to be captured in.
(It’s such inadequacies in both mediums that make graphic novels and comic books particularly unique. Graphic novels are the closest you’ll get to combining al three faithfully.)

Day 55: The Big Lebowski

The Dude: "Fuckin' Quintana...that creep can roll, man."


Walter Sobchak: "Yeah, but he's a pervert, Dude."


The Dude: "Yeah."


Walter Sobchak: "No, he's a sex offender. With a record. He served 6 months in Chino for exposing himself to an 8 year old."


The Dude: "Oh!"


Walter Sobchak: "When he moved to Hollywood, he had to go door to door to tell everyone he was a pederast."


Donny: "What's a ... pederast?"


Walter Sobchak: "Shut the fuck up, Donny."

Fuck. Such a powerful word yet it can easily be relied on too much to make something feel convincing, especially in the world of Comedy. The Big Lebowski uses the word more than any movie I have ever seen. In this case, it makes every line in the film that much more enjoyable. I mean really? Do you actually think this film would be as hilarious without Walter repeatedly telling Donnie to shut the fuck up? I didn’t think so either. The Big Lebowski is so much more than a dark comedy; it’s a reminder that the Coens are masters at making the most idiotic characters seem like the triumphant heroes. Who else can make a film that revolves around a deadbeat middle-aged man fighting nihilists and Pornography executives, in order to get back his rug? The list is short and so are the reasons why you can watch this movie and not die laughing after every scene. Okay, I should probably control my inner fan boy and actually attempt to review this film.

Day 54: Amélie

"Amélie has a strange feeling of absolute harmony. It's a perfect moment. A soft light, a scent in the air, the quiet murmur of the city. A surge of love, an urge to help mankind overcomes her."

Since the dawn of cinema, the films most adored by critics and called "the greatest movies of all time" have been dramas. The Godfather, Schindler's List, and Goodfellas, among other (great) films, are filled with crime, anger, pain, and sadness. 2001's Amélie, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, manages to be a truly special film while focusing mainly on the positive aspects of life and human emotion - love and happiness. Anchored by lead actress Audrey Tautou (who plays the title character) Amélie is lighthearted, funny, charming, and heartwarming all at once, and in a unique way.

Day 53: Gilda

"I hate you so much that I would destroy myself to take you down with me." 

Maybe it’s just me, but does Hollywood now only seem to have bombshells that can’t act? Obviously there are outliers amongst the Hollywood starlets, but to me, in a film world more focused on the teen demographic and inducing erections in teenage boys, some actresses have no depth beyond the lushness of their lips. What happened to actresses that could stun you with their beauty, but knock you on your ass with their acting ability? Where are the Monroes, the Rogers, etc.? Instead, we’re stuck with women who are being exposed by the Michael Bay’s of the world to be only worth the amount of sex appeal they can bring to a film. Sex certainly sells, but now it lacks any semblance of substance. We have to go back to the 60’s, 50’s, and even 40’s to see a woman whose buxom persona didn’t outweigh her acting ability. You know what, let’s do that. Let’s go back in time and look at a film that features a woman that ignites the screen, but does so without having to constantly bite her lower lip or feel the need for a nip slip. Said movie is the underrated 40’s noir “Gilda”. “Gilda” is one of those gems from the 40's that seems to be overlooked simply because it doesn't have a Clark Gable nor the award prestige, but I would say it’s one of the best films to hail from that time period.

Day 52: The Air I Breathe

"Sometimes the things you can't change end up changing you."

Continuing along with my recent journey through independent films, this week brings me to a directorial debut of Jieho Lee, who not only directed “The Air I Breathe” but also wrote the script along with Bob DeRosa. As an independent movie, it really boasts a stellar cast. Starring in the movie is Brendan Fraser, Keven Bacon, Forest Whitaker, Andy Garcia, and Sarah Michelle Gellar. The amazing part is that all of these characters have a large effect on the story. It's not often that you find a movie where so many people affect its message. A typical movie layout would be a protagonist vs. antagonist, but Jieho Lee went in a whole new direction.