Hello to all, I have returned. The creative juices are flowing and the film watching has gotten back up to its normal pace of "as often as possible." Not gonna lie, I fell into a little movie drought and lost motivation but I'm back at it. Watched Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, which is part of my quest to see the AFI top 100 movies of all time (42-100). I also had the pleasure to see the hit documentary Waiting for Superman at the Colonial Theater. If you live in or around Phoenixville get your behind into a seat for a film there.
To recap, the last Movie Poll was Matt Damon's Best Film(s). It was a tie with two votes each for The Bourne Trilogy and The Departed, both stellar films, and Rounders getting one tally (that would be my vote). Do your part and vote!
Now for what you've all really been waiting for...
127 Hours
Directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, 28 Days Later, Trainspotting, The Beach) the movie tells the story (based on true events) of Aron Ralston, played by James Franco (Pineapple Express, Spider-Man), a man who lives for adventure and is off spending a weekend hiking in Utah. One misstep changes his entire vacation as he falls into a gorge and has a boulder pin his arm down and has him trapped. With food rations depreciating and water diminishing, he looks back on his life and tries to figure out how, and if, he'll ever get out. Cringing ensues.
I enjoyed thoroughly what Danny Boyle did with the camera, and what the editor created as well. The first part of the film was a great little montage of life and our protagonist getting ready to embark on what he didn't know was going to be a brush with fate. There was one stunning shot of James Franco on this giant boulder and a 360 degree spin, allowing the audience to engulf the setting of vast, dry, rolling land. It spins to Franco and has him set to the left of the screen. Something about the way that was filmed stood out for me, like we were getting a sense that it was not just the character we need to be thinking about but also what's around him.
As the story goes, similar to that of Titanic, it's not a spoiler to tell you that he cuts his arm off. The movie is just the anticipation of this ridiculously flabbergasting event, making you think what is it going to take for a person to cut his own arm off. He imagines different scenes of his life, family, friends, past events... some happy, some sad. He also video tapes himself, again, sometimes almost drawing tears, but also drawing laughter. The idea of films based on true events always have me guessing what was added to the story to dramatize it and what in fact truly happened.
The scene of Franco cutting his own arm off is so cringe worthy and intense, highly intense. You know this scene is coming, so you are just wondering how he's going to pull it off. In the almost 15 minute scene, my muscles were tensed, teeth were clenched and my heart was racing. The sound effects used to help the audience feel what the pain may have felt like are so powerful. The acting of course is so believable I almost thought Franco may be actually cutting his arm off. I have a weak stomach as well when it comes to blood and gore, so I may have gagged a little. The scene pulled off what is so hard to do, making the audience feel a physical reaction as well as an emotional reaction.
127 Hours from what I've heard is going to get a nomination, but may not have what it takes to be best picture. With the one man show Franco put on I also won't be surprised if he gets a nod for best actor.
Netflix Instant Watch of the Week: Banlieue 13. I've always been an advocate for mindless action movies with great one liners. This sort of falls into that realm. Great mindless action. This film has some of the greatest action ever, lots of great choreographed hand to hand fighting. No good one liners, well because it's all in French. Still great action flick.
I enjoyed thoroughly what Danny Boyle did with the camera, and what the editor created as well. The first part of the film was a great little montage of life and our protagonist getting ready to embark on what he didn't know was going to be a brush with fate. There was one stunning shot of James Franco on this giant boulder and a 360 degree spin, allowing the audience to engulf the setting of vast, dry, rolling land. It spins to Franco and has him set to the left of the screen. Something about the way that was filmed stood out for me, like we were getting a sense that it was not just the character we need to be thinking about but also what's around him.
As the story goes, similar to that of Titanic, it's not a spoiler to tell you that he cuts his arm off. The movie is just the anticipation of this ridiculously flabbergasting event, making you think what is it going to take for a person to cut his own arm off. He imagines different scenes of his life, family, friends, past events... some happy, some sad. He also video tapes himself, again, sometimes almost drawing tears, but also drawing laughter. The idea of films based on true events always have me guessing what was added to the story to dramatize it and what in fact truly happened.
The scene of Franco cutting his own arm off is so cringe worthy and intense, highly intense. You know this scene is coming, so you are just wondering how he's going to pull it off. In the almost 15 minute scene, my muscles were tensed, teeth were clenched and my heart was racing. The sound effects used to help the audience feel what the pain may have felt like are so powerful. The acting of course is so believable I almost thought Franco may be actually cutting his arm off. I have a weak stomach as well when it comes to blood and gore, so I may have gagged a little. The scene pulled off what is so hard to do, making the audience feel a physical reaction as well as an emotional reaction.
127 Hours from what I've heard is going to get a nomination, but may not have what it takes to be best picture. With the one man show Franco put on I also won't be surprised if he gets a nod for best actor.
Netflix Instant Watch of the Week: Banlieue 13. I've always been an advocate for mindless action movies with great one liners. This sort of falls into that realm. Great mindless action. This film has some of the greatest action ever, lots of great choreographed hand to hand fighting. No good one liners, well because it's all in French. Still great action flick.
Netflix DVD of the Week: Little Miss Sunshine. A great quirky movie, with that small indie feel. A great cast telling a bizarre story. The movie is about a families journey to get their daughter Olive to a talent/beauty pageant. The father is a motivational speaker struggling to provide for his family, all the while trying to teach them of his theories. The mother seems normal and rational, minus the fact that she and her husband are constantly fighting. The son has taken a vow of silence until he hears of his acceptance into the Air Force. The uncle is recently discharged from the hospital for a suicide attempt after the man he loved ran off with someone else. The grandfather is a heroin addict, and little Olive is the glue that keeps the family together. Yea its crazy, but it's feel good.
Now a little movie news...
Spider-Man...On Broadway??? You know it!
Spider-Man "Keep the Dark out" is in fact the name of the new Broadway play that is about a year late. The play was supposed to go into production about a year ago, but it ran out of money. Julie Taymore (Across the Universe, Frida) is helmed to direct it. The "play", if that's what it can be called, is set to the original soundtrack of Bono and his U2 buddy The Edge. I really dislike U2, but I'd definitely go to check this out. I'm not even kidding you, 60 Minutes did a great little 15 minute piece on the show that is set to start in the next few weeks after it had its first live dress rehearsal. The video from 60 Minutes at Slashfilm.com http://www.slashfilm.com/60-minutes-musical-spectacle-spiderman-turn-dark/#more-93217
Spider-Man "Keep the Dark out" is in fact the name of the new Broadway play that is about a year late. The play was supposed to go into production about a year ago, but it ran out of money. Julie Taymore (Across the Universe, Frida) is helmed to direct it. The "play", if that's what it can be called, is set to the original soundtrack of Bono and his U2 buddy The Edge. I really dislike U2, but I'd definitely go to check this out. I'm not even kidding you, 60 Minutes did a great little 15 minute piece on the show that is set to start in the next few weeks after it had its first live dress rehearsal. The video from 60 Minutes at Slashfilm.com http://www.slashfilm.com/60-minutes-musical-spectacle-spiderman-turn-dark/#more-93217
The Hosts for the 83rd Academy Awards are...
This years Academy Awards will be hosted by two people. The first is the main star of our reviewed film above, James Franco. The second, and the one I'm much more interested in is the one, the only, Anne Hathaway. I have a huge crush on her ever since I accidentally turned on Ella Enchanted in my basement at about 4 a.m. I think they could both very much carry the Awards, but not as great as Billy Crystal. The choice between these two must be to try to draw a younger crowd. Check out the full article at Slashfilm.com http://www.slashfilm.com/james-franco-anne-hathaway-host-83rd-academy-awards-oscars/#more-93242
Thanks to everyone for the support and to my editor Amy!
This years Academy Awards will be hosted by two people. The first is the main star of our reviewed film above, James Franco. The second, and the one I'm much more interested in is the one, the only, Anne Hathaway. I have a huge crush on her ever since I accidentally turned on Ella Enchanted in my basement at about 4 a.m. I think they could both very much carry the Awards, but not as great as Billy Crystal. The choice between these two must be to try to draw a younger crowd. Check out the full article at Slashfilm.com http://www.slashfilm.com/james-franco-anne-hathaway-host-83rd-academy-awards-oscars/#more-93242
Thanks to everyone for the support and to my editor Amy!
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