Hey now everyone. Hope you had a good Halloween weekend (and watched lots of movies - I'm guessing horror, I didn't partake in that genre), ate lots and lots of candy, dressed up (or dressed someone else up) in great conceived costumes, and howled at the moon.
In our movie poll, your favorite Halloween themed movie, I got a lot of guff. I wasn't talking horror movies, I was talking Halloween themed: Halloween ideas, Halloween happenings, etc., which is why E.T. made the cut. The movie surrounds that time of year and the characters even go trick-or-treating, so that's why it made it. We got a total of six votes, a small drop off from last week. The winner was... well it was a three-way tie between Halloween, The Adam's Family and E.T. Make a difference, rock the vote!
Now to our movie review....
In our movie poll, your favorite Halloween themed movie, I got a lot of guff. I wasn't talking horror movies, I was talking Halloween themed: Halloween ideas, Halloween happenings, etc., which is why E.T. made the cut. The movie surrounds that time of year and the characters even go trick-or-treating, so that's why it made it. We got a total of six votes, a small drop off from last week. The winner was... well it was a three-way tie between Halloween, The Adam's Family and E.T. Make a difference, rock the vote!
Now to our movie review....
The Last Train Home
This movie is a documentary about a Chinese family and their struggle to make it home from the city where they work during the busiest time of the year in China: the Chinese New Year. Some people will know that I'm biased because I lived for a year in the country and experienced this migration. When I found out about this movie I knew I had to see it because I can relate to it. While others may not be able to relate to the film for that reason, it is still a great story.
The parents in the documentary are migrant workers who make clothing in a factory in the city of Guangzhou (which I have visited) about 2000 km southwest from their home town where their children, parents, and friends live. Their home town is a little village in the Sichuan Province of China (a province I've visited) where their children go to school and work on the farm. The documentary depicts how the parents migrate from Guangzhou to the Sichuan Province and how their daughter deals with living as a migrant worker while going to school.
Just because I've lived in China doesn't mean that someone who hasn't won't enjoy this story. It's a strong story about a family trying to deal with hardship and their falling apart. It becomes clear in the movie that the daughter resents her parents for leaving her and her younger brother at such a young age to make money for the family. At the same time, the parents found it extremely disrespectful that their daughter didn't acknowledge that what they were doing was for her benefit.
The director of the film, Lixin Fan, followed this family from 2006-2008 and filmed it beautifully. From my experience in the country, she showed the real China and the real people. There were no voice overs and very few moments where music influenced the way we were meant to feel. The real life characters and the natural story itself evoked all of the emotions we needed. Beautiful scenes of the countryside are scattered in between shots of the rough lifestyle of the migrant workers and the overcrowded, dirty cities.
"The largest human migration on the planet" is what Fan captured, and the main selling point of this film. She weaves the camera into the massive stampedes of people rushing to pile onto inadequately spaced trains. Some people wait five hours to get onto a train, others five days. Once on board, some travel six hours to get to their places of origin, others suffer weeks. Think Christmas on heroin. The scenes make you feel helpless and claustrophobic, not because of walls closing in on you, but because of humans shoulder-to-shoulder in every direction.
This heart wrenching story will make a poignant poke at your emotions. You want this family to work, but in reality, not Hollywood, things don't always go as we the audience want it too.
This movie is a documentary about a Chinese family and their struggle to make it home from the city where they work during the busiest time of the year in China: the Chinese New Year. Some people will know that I'm biased because I lived for a year in the country and experienced this migration. When I found out about this movie I knew I had to see it because I can relate to it. While others may not be able to relate to the film for that reason, it is still a great story.
The parents in the documentary are migrant workers who make clothing in a factory in the city of Guangzhou (which I have visited) about 2000 km southwest from their home town where their children, parents, and friends live. Their home town is a little village in the Sichuan Province of China (a province I've visited) where their children go to school and work on the farm. The documentary depicts how the parents migrate from Guangzhou to the Sichuan Province and how their daughter deals with living as a migrant worker while going to school.
Just because I've lived in China doesn't mean that someone who hasn't won't enjoy this story. It's a strong story about a family trying to deal with hardship and their falling apart. It becomes clear in the movie that the daughter resents her parents for leaving her and her younger brother at such a young age to make money for the family. At the same time, the parents found it extremely disrespectful that their daughter didn't acknowledge that what they were doing was for her benefit.
The director of the film, Lixin Fan, followed this family from 2006-2008 and filmed it beautifully. From my experience in the country, she showed the real China and the real people. There were no voice overs and very few moments where music influenced the way we were meant to feel. The real life characters and the natural story itself evoked all of the emotions we needed. Beautiful scenes of the countryside are scattered in between shots of the rough lifestyle of the migrant workers and the overcrowded, dirty cities.
"The largest human migration on the planet" is what Fan captured, and the main selling point of this film. She weaves the camera into the massive stampedes of people rushing to pile onto inadequately spaced trains. Some people wait five hours to get onto a train, others five days. Once on board, some travel six hours to get to their places of origin, others suffer weeks. Think Christmas on heroin. The scenes make you feel helpless and claustrophobic, not because of walls closing in on you, but because of humans shoulder-to-shoulder in every direction.
This heart wrenching story will make a poignant poke at your emotions. You want this family to work, but in reality, not Hollywood, things don't always go as we the audience want it too.
Guess the random movie quote that I picked straight from my mind...
1) "Somebody's poisoned the water hole"
2) "I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."
3) "Get that corn outta my face! "
4) "Remember, Sully, when I promised to kill you last?" "That's right, Matrix! You did!" "I lied."
5) "I can't, Billy... you already cut me too deep. I think I'm dying here, man!"
*Good luck, have fun. Don't hurt your brain to much...
Netflix Instant Watch of the week: Cool World. Okay, so I'm a sucker for cartoons. One of my favorite movies, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, mixes cartoons and people. Cool World is the same way, except these cartoons are a little more risque then Roger and his friends. Brad Pitt plays a detective in the cartoon world and tries to send back a cartoonist who thinks he created this Cool World. The movie's animation is great but it definitely doesn't mesh well with the humans. However, like I said, I'm a sucker for cartoons.
Netflix DVD of the week: The Fall. Now this movie can be played instantly or on DVD. I've found it's hard to find movies that are JUST DVD. The Fall is about a stuntman who gets hurt and has become suicidal while in the hospital. He meets a little quirky girl who connects with him as he tells her a story that she creatively imagines. This movie is beautiful to behold. I believe it is first art, movie second because of its great shots, color combinations, set pieces and costumes. It is adventurous and the ending is well worth the wait. Check this little guy out.
Now some movie news.
Thanks everyone, happy reading...Thanks to the editor- and vice-chief Amy.
2) "I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries."
3) "Get that corn outta my face! "
4) "Remember, Sully, when I promised to kill you last?" "That's right, Matrix! You did!" "I lied."
5) "I can't, Billy... you already cut me too deep. I think I'm dying here, man!"
*Good luck, have fun. Don't hurt your brain to much...
Netflix Instant Watch of the week: Cool World. Okay, so I'm a sucker for cartoons. One of my favorite movies, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, mixes cartoons and people. Cool World is the same way, except these cartoons are a little more risque then Roger and his friends. Brad Pitt plays a detective in the cartoon world and tries to send back a cartoonist who thinks he created this Cool World. The movie's animation is great but it definitely doesn't mesh well with the humans. However, like I said, I'm a sucker for cartoons.
Netflix DVD of the week: The Fall. Now this movie can be played instantly or on DVD. I've found it's hard to find movies that are JUST DVD. The Fall is about a stuntman who gets hurt and has become suicidal while in the hospital. He meets a little quirky girl who connects with him as he tells her a story that she creatively imagines. This movie is beautiful to behold. I believe it is first art, movie second because of its great shots, color combinations, set pieces and costumes. It is adventurous and the ending is well worth the wait. Check this little guy out.
Now some movie news.
True Grit, new release date
If some of you haven't seen a Coen brother's movie, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND DO IT. They have so many great ones (Fargo, A Serious Man, No Country For Old Men, The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where 'Art Though, Raising Arizona, I didn't like Burn Notice though) and they've made another called True Grit. The movie is already making Oscar buzz and no one has even seen it yet. It stars Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski, Iron Man, Tron), Matt Damon (Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, The Departed, The Bourne Trilogy) and Josh Brolin (The Goonies, Milk, No Country for Old Men). I'm super pumped for it and can't get enough news, images, and trailers. The movie has now been moved from Christmas to December 22nd, CHYEA! Check out the trailer
The Dark Knight Rises, rumors on female leads
I'm also very excited for the new Batman movie, now dubbed The Dark Knight Rises. Rumors have come about that Charlize Theron (Monster, Hancock, Mighty Joe Young), Vera Farmiga (The Departed, Running Scared, Up in the Air), and Kaci Thomas are all sparking interest. Each actress has seemed to be pinned to specific characters, so who knows how strong this rumor is. I honestly don't think I'd like to see Charlize Theron. Her face and style are too recognizable, as the other two ladies aren't embedded in my brain as, "Oh that was the girl in..." and "I only see her as that..." Check out the rest of the article on Slashfilm.com http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/11/02/batman-rumors/
If some of you haven't seen a Coen brother's movie, GET OFF YOUR ASS AND DO IT. They have so many great ones (Fargo, A Serious Man, No Country For Old Men, The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where 'Art Though, Raising Arizona, I didn't like Burn Notice though) and they've made another called True Grit. The movie is already making Oscar buzz and no one has even seen it yet. It stars Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski, Iron Man, Tron), Matt Damon (Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, The Departed, The Bourne Trilogy) and Josh Brolin (The Goonies, Milk, No Country for Old Men). I'm super pumped for it and can't get enough news, images, and trailers. The movie has now been moved from Christmas to December 22nd, CHYEA! Check out the trailer
The Dark Knight Rises, rumors on female leads
I'm also very excited for the new Batman movie, now dubbed The Dark Knight Rises. Rumors have come about that Charlize Theron (Monster, Hancock, Mighty Joe Young), Vera Farmiga (The Departed, Running Scared, Up in the Air), and Kaci Thomas are all sparking interest. Each actress has seemed to be pinned to specific characters, so who knows how strong this rumor is. I honestly don't think I'd like to see Charlize Theron. Her face and style are too recognizable, as the other two ladies aren't embedded in my brain as, "Oh that was the girl in..." and "I only see her as that..." Check out the rest of the article on Slashfilm.com http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/11/02/batman-rumors/
Thanks everyone, happy reading...Thanks to the editor- and vice-chief Amy.
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