I don't know a lot about punk rock, but The F Word looks really good.
It makes me wonder if Will Smith ever thinks he just don't understand.... (clever, right?! I know)
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
A Little Anarchy: Trailer of the Week
I don't know a lot about punk rock, but The F Word looks really good.
It makes me wonder if Will Smith ever thinks he just don't understand.... (clever, right?! I know)
I Laughed...I Cried
The other night, I was doing some homework and participating in some good-natured procrastination. And somehow, I was simultaneously reminded of how much I love film and how much I hate a lot of current Hollywood. Don't get me wrong -- I'm not one those film buffs that thinks every commercial endeavor is crap. I like artless, shoot-em-up movies and predictable romantic comedies as much as the next gal. But there are some things that I hate (hate hate hate). In addition to snakes, mice in my bed, and natural disasters, I hate pointless remakes and book butchering.
We'll start with the former...I'm sure that you have heard about the remake of Footloose coming out. Why you would remake Footloose is a mystery, but why you would make it exactly the same is original is simply unfathomable. Yes, there are only so many original stories floating between studios. And when the stories run out, you must reuse an old one. Accepted. But, for pete's sake, do something new! For instance the recent Hairspray is, of course, a remake of John Waters' Hairspray, but the two films are very different. The original is edgy, with a lot of sexual humor, while the new one is pop-ish pulp. Footloose is not re-imagined. It just re-filmed. Observe:
Coming blood-curdling remakes include Taps and possibly The Thin Man. I'm angry enough about Taps, but I pray that The Thin Man never ever gets a reboot. There should never be another Nick and Nora Charles. Ever.
And the later...I feel the need to warn you that the following will be a passionate rant, which you may or may not appreciate. I can't keep it bottled up. While on a break from reading, I indulged in one of my favorite methods of procrastination, watching trailers, and I came across this one for One for the Money:
This movie is based on the first book of one of my favorite series -- Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. It is about an out of work Jersey girl, who takes a job as a bounty hunter in a pinch. Queue shenanigans. The books are hilarious and completely evoke what it is to be "Jersey." And now it's being turned into a crappity crap movie starring Katherine Heigl. Even if I didn't strongly dislike Katherine Heigl (which I do, becasue, well, she's Katherine Heigl), she couldn't play Stephanie Plum. Her impression of a Jersey Girl is horrible and kind of insulting. Beyond that, none of the characters were cast correctly, especially the 100% Italian American McSteamy cop Joe Morelli, who will be played by Dublin native Jason O'Mara. It's a damn shame... Ok, I'm ok. I'll cool it.
But then, every once in a while, like those moments when you see an adorable little kid being adorable and you think that the world may not suck, I see something that makes me remember why I love movies so much. This time, it was examining the pure artistry that goes into different aspects of filmmaking and learning to appreciate the parts that aren't film at all, like the sound design. Sound design didn't really come up until the 70s, the first sound designer being Walter Murch, who worked on The Conversation in '74 and Apocalypse Now in '79, among others. Those are probably two of the most famous sound designs and I never really appreciated them. The things that sound designers mix together that most audience members will never notice is amazing. For instance in the final scene of Silence of the Lambs, Skip Lievsay increases the intensity by adding a low wolf growl under the other effects while Clarice is walking into Buffalo Bill's basement. You don't hear it but you feel it. And the sound designer for Star Wars, Ben Burtt, mixed the Tibetan, Mongolian, and Nepali languages to recreate "Ewokese." Would you think of that? Neither would I.
Things like these remind me of the artistry and innovation that has gone into films. Even if there are remakes of already mediocre movies or the slaughter of good books, there are also the classics and the wonderful new films that creep through. It's a beautiful thing. And it makes me thankful that I am (1) a film buff and (2) not planning to make a career in Hollywood.
Things like these remind me of the artistry and innovation that has gone into films. Even if there are remakes of already mediocre movies or the slaughter of good books, there are also the classics and the wonderful new films that creep through. It's a beautiful thing. And it makes me thankful that I am (1) a film buff and (2) not planning to make a career in Hollywood.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Sweet. British. Gay. Romance. Trailer of the Week
Newcomers Tom Cullen and Chris New star in Weekend.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
The Weathly and The Help: Downton Abbey
Lately, I've been into a very specific genre -- film and television (mostly television) that juxtapose the wealthy and their help. Whereas in many films/TV series, the upper and lower classes pass in and out of each others' lives, work together, etc., these people live together. They are constantly entwined in each others' lives, and yet always separate.
There are few aspects that usually appear in these films/TV shows. There is always a matriarch
who holds onto the traditional ways, mostly those of being haughty, while a younger member of the aristocracy tries to mix with the lower class, either for fun or genuine interest. Many times, the aforementioned matriarch is played by the great Maggie Smith. Usually, there is also some sort of scandal in the aristocracy that inevitably must be cleaned up. In general, those in the lower class are nicer, although there are always the evil, conniving ones, while those in the upper class are either flaky, coarse, or stifled, showing that it ain't easy to be rich.
In my "research" I have found a few particularly good examples: Gosford Park, 2010 British Miniseries Upstairs, Downstairs, and my personal favorite, PBS Masterpiece Downton Abbey.
Downton Abbey is particularly interesting because it deals with many different issues. It's about with the family and estate of Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville), who is married to an American (Elizabeth McGovern), and has three daughters and a bevy of servants. While "His Lordship" is relatively kind and always gives a hand to a friend in need, regardless of his station, his mother (but of course, Maggie Smith) insists that everything always be as it always was.
The first episode takes place on April 16, 1912. Anyone? Anyone? Right! -- the day after the Titanic sank. Soon we learn that (1) the family's cousins died on the ship, (2) that the eldest daughter was betrothed to the eldest cousin (erk), and (3) that this now means that the family fortune will go to another distant cousin, possibly leaving the daughters with nothing.
The last episode of the first season takes place on the day that England enters World War I. Throughout the season, the family and their staff have to deal with matters of inheritance, the heart, and social and political changes. Said distant cousin, aka Cousin Matthew, turns out to be a working class lawyer, who serves as a bridge between the upper class and the audience, as the customs of the aristocracy are as foreign to him as they are to us. Eventually, the youngest daughter gets into politics and women's rights, egged on by the family's new chauffeur, an Irish socialist. Perhaps, that could lead to dealings with the Irish War of Independence that we all know is coming in 1919. (cough - Guests of a Nation - cough. Ahem, sorry, itchy throat) Meanwhile, of course, there are a series of hijinks related to a dead Turk, scheming sisters, and the race to wed.
Through all this, in the bowels of the mansion, the servants are working away to make sure the house runs smoothly. They have to deal with their own relationships, whilst acting as surrogate family members to those above deck. What I thought was interesting was how some of the servants, particularly the butler, feel no resentment towards the family, indeed feeling a genuine connection instead. If the family is hurt, the staff feels the pain as well.
But if none of that interests you, watch it for the clothes. Oh, the clothes! The aristocrats' wardrobe will have you salivating. The style on this show is impeccable and the ornate dresses and jewelry the women wear are enough to send you reeling.
For all interested parties, both Gosford Park and Downton Abbey, Season 1, are on Netflix.
There are few aspects that usually appear in these films/TV shows. There is always a matriarch
who holds onto the traditional ways, mostly those of being haughty, while a younger member of the aristocracy tries to mix with the lower class, either for fun or genuine interest. Many times, the aforementioned matriarch is played by the great Maggie Smith. Usually, there is also some sort of scandal in the aristocracy that inevitably must be cleaned up. In general, those in the lower class are nicer, although there are always the evil, conniving ones, while those in the upper class are either flaky, coarse, or stifled, showing that it ain't easy to be rich.In my "research" I have found a few particularly good examples: Gosford Park, 2010 British Miniseries Upstairs, Downstairs, and my personal favorite, PBS Masterpiece Downton Abbey.
Downton Abbey is particularly interesting because it deals with many different issues. It's about with the family and estate of Lord Grantham (Hugh Bonneville), who is married to an American (Elizabeth McGovern), and has three daughters and a bevy of servants. While "His Lordship" is relatively kind and always gives a hand to a friend in need, regardless of his station, his mother (but of course, Maggie Smith) insists that everything always be as it always was.
The first episode takes place on April 16, 1912. Anyone? Anyone? Right! -- the day after the Titanic sank. Soon we learn that (1) the family's cousins died on the ship, (2) that the eldest daughter was betrothed to the eldest cousin (erk), and (3) that this now means that the family fortune will go to another distant cousin, possibly leaving the daughters with nothing.
The last episode of the first season takes place on the day that England enters World War I. Throughout the season, the family and their staff have to deal with matters of inheritance, the heart, and social and political changes. Said distant cousin, aka Cousin Matthew, turns out to be a working class lawyer, who serves as a bridge between the upper class and the audience, as the customs of the aristocracy are as foreign to him as they are to us. Eventually, the youngest daughter gets into politics and women's rights, egged on by the family's new chauffeur, an Irish socialist. Perhaps, that could lead to dealings with the Irish War of Independence that we all know is coming in 1919. (cough - Guests of a Nation - cough. Ahem, sorry, itchy throat) Meanwhile, of course, there are a series of hijinks related to a dead Turk, scheming sisters, and the race to wed.
Through all this, in the bowels of the mansion, the servants are working away to make sure the house runs smoothly. They have to deal with their own relationships, whilst acting as surrogate family members to those above deck. What I thought was interesting was how some of the servants, particularly the butler, feel no resentment towards the family, indeed feeling a genuine connection instead. If the family is hurt, the staff feels the pain as well.
But if none of that interests you, watch it for the clothes. Oh, the clothes! The aristocrats' wardrobe will have you salivating. The style on this show is impeccable and the ornate dresses and jewelry the women wear are enough to send you reeling.For all interested parties, both Gosford Park and Downton Abbey, Season 1, are on Netflix.
Film Thought
Which Cagney movie has Panama Smith in it? Hmmm [IMDb lookup] Oh, The Roaring Twenties -- that's the one where he dies in the end. Oh wait, he dies in The Public Enemy...and White Heat...and Angels with Dirty Faces......Ouch
Sunday, September 4, 2011
A Whole Movie in Two Minutes! Trailer of the Week
The trailer to The Double, starring Richard Gere and Topher Grace. Yes, it seems like whole movie is jammed into this trailer, but at least it's exciting!!!
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