It's hard to believe how fast this semester has blown by. It seems like just last week we were sitting in orientation. Anyway, I'm not very emotional so I decided to just post another goofy blog. I don't know how many of you have seen Goremey's stuff, but it's pretty funny. The guy makes rap music videos of himself rapping about the dumbest things. And he usually keeps it clean, so I like his stuff.
Showing posts with label Stephen Crane. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stephen Crane. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
The Dark Knight Rises
I have never been so pumped, but at the same time, nervous, for a movie as I have for Christopher Nolan's newest and last Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises.
Nolan has practically perfected the way Batman is portrayed on the big screen, with Batman Begins (a very good movie) and The Dark Knight (a dark masterpiece). So obviously, he has a very tough act to follow with his new film, due in July of next summer. Nolan said this new film will be the conclusion of a trilogy, so I look forward to seeing what he does with the story and the characters.
My obvious concern for the film is that it will be the next Spider-man 3. For those of you who have seen the films, you know what I'm talking about. The first Spider-man film was quite good and the second one was the best superhero movie ever as of 2004 until, I think, Batman Begins topped it in 2005. Then the third movie came out and due to a poor script and numerous other problems, the film was a disappointment. While it wasn't totally terrible, it just wasn't as good as the first two and provided a very weak story. Let's hope Nolan can avoid that pitfall.
For those of you who haven't seen Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, I would have to say that you really should. These are the kind of movies that I think everyone should see, even if they don't like them.
For those of you who are fans of Nolan's Batman films, my younger brother found this new poster online, and, if you haven't seen it, I've also posted the teaser trailer for The Dark Knight Rises. Very promising, I think!
I can't wait!
I promise, after this film is out, then I'll join in all the hype for The Hobbit.
Nolan has practically perfected the way Batman is portrayed on the big screen, with Batman Begins (a very good movie) and The Dark Knight (a dark masterpiece). So obviously, he has a very tough act to follow with his new film, due in July of next summer. Nolan said this new film will be the conclusion of a trilogy, so I look forward to seeing what he does with the story and the characters.
My obvious concern for the film is that it will be the next Spider-man 3. For those of you who have seen the films, you know what I'm talking about. The first Spider-man film was quite good and the second one was the best superhero movie ever as of 2004 until, I think, Batman Begins topped it in 2005. Then the third movie came out and due to a poor script and numerous other problems, the film was a disappointment. While it wasn't totally terrible, it just wasn't as good as the first two and provided a very weak story. Let's hope Nolan can avoid that pitfall.
For those of you who haven't seen Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, I would have to say that you really should. These are the kind of movies that I think everyone should see, even if they don't like them.
For those of you who are fans of Nolan's Batman films, my younger brother found this new poster online, and, if you haven't seen it, I've also posted the teaser trailer for The Dark Knight Rises. Very promising, I think!
I can't wait!
I promise, after this film is out, then I'll join in all the hype for The Hobbit.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Fargo
Last night was the final entry in Signs and Wonders and only two people showed up, not including the people who put the movie on. I have to say people missed a good film.
The plot of Fargo is both simple and complex. A down-and-out car salesman a arranges to have his wife kidnapped by two trigger-happy idiots so they can collect the ransom money from her wealthy father. The buffoons get the wife but end up killing a cop and two witnesses in order to cover their tracks. The whole plan spirals down from there.
Enter Marge Gunderson, a pregnant police officer who has to solve the case. I must say, I really liked her character. She's odd, quirky, but also smart and funny. She got a lot of laughs from the audience.
I won't give away the ending, but I will say it's one of the Coen brother's better endings.
This film could be linked to the Bible verse about the love of money being the root of all kinds of evil. Almost every crime is committed in this film for the purpose of getting money. While the car salesman thinks he can make a good plan, it all very quickly falls out of his control and blows up in his face. Another interesting Biblical parallel about sin finding you out.
The plot of Fargo is both simple and complex. A down-and-out car salesman a arranges to have his wife kidnapped by two trigger-happy idiots so they can collect the ransom money from her wealthy father. The buffoons get the wife but end up killing a cop and two witnesses in order to cover their tracks. The whole plan spirals down from there.
Enter Marge Gunderson, a pregnant police officer who has to solve the case. I must say, I really liked her character. She's odd, quirky, but also smart and funny. She got a lot of laughs from the audience.
I won't give away the ending, but I will say it's one of the Coen brother's better endings.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Citizen Kane
I don't know what it is with me and older films. I'm always hesitant to watch them because I figure they will be boring, but I always end up liking them when I see them. I went through the same process with 12 Angry Men, A Tale of Two Cities (the 1935 version), and now Citizen Kane. The opposite of being boring, I was hooked after the very first scene. I wanted very much to find out what the heck "Rosebud" meant. And while we don't find out until the very end, the rest of the movie is more than interesting.
What struck me about this film is how much the prequel trilogy of Star Wars steals from this film. Anakin Skywalker's story is much like that of Charles Foster Kane. (Granted, Star Wars the prequel trilogy is nowhere near as good as Citizen Kane). Kane starts as a boy who is taken from his home at an early age and grows up to be an high idealist young man who holds to strong principles. But he's also flawed. And what makes his character so fascinating is that we see his faults almost right away. He doesn't grow into a selfish person who, as his best friend puts it, "Wants love only on his own terms," he already is, but to a lesser degree in the beginning of the film. It was sad watching him grow more and more broken as he gets older. He has two wives leave him because of his actions and the high principles he promised to live by at the beginning of the film are forgotten.
The main thing about Kane as opposed to Skywalker is that I actually cared about Kane. He was very complex and we see both good and bad exist in him at the same time. We see him doing great things but at the same time, we can also see some slight traces of pride. It's hard to believe Orson Welles, at 24 when he made the movie, can play is character so well at different ages. I never saw a young man playing an old man, I saw an old man. I especially liked the shots of him in his mansion towards the end. The camera stays wide as we see the characters move in a large empty hall, a fitting metaphor for Kane's life.
Several film critics have called this the greatest movie ever made. While I hesitate to put that label of any movie, this one just might be it.
The main thing about Kane as opposed to Skywalker is that I actually cared about Kane. He was very complex and we see both good and bad exist in him at the same time. We see him doing great things but at the same time, we can also see some slight traces of pride. It's hard to believe Orson Welles, at 24 when he made the movie, can play is character so well at different ages. I never saw a young man playing an old man, I saw an old man. I especially liked the shots of him in his mansion towards the end. The camera stays wide as we see the characters move in a large empty hall, a fitting metaphor for Kane's life.
Several film critics have called this the greatest movie ever made. While I hesitate to put that label of any movie, this one just might be it.
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Top 10 Film Moments
1: "I can carry you." from The Return of the King
This scene actually sort of picked itself as my favorite film moment of all time. While I knew it was very good, I tried thinking of other moments I'd seen that were better than this. After a lot of deliberation, none existed. This moment was just too good to be topped. I've seen so many moments similar to this that just came across as cheesy. But this was so superbly directed and acted, I literally felt like I was in the moment with the characters. Almost every good message from all of the Lord of the Rings films is exemplified right here in this simple two minute scene. Also, as before, Howard Shore's music is fantastic here.
This scene actually sort of picked itself as my favorite film moment of all time. While I knew it was very good, I tried thinking of other moments I'd seen that were better than this. After a lot of deliberation, none existed. This moment was just too good to be topped. I've seen so many moments similar to this that just came across as cheesy. But this was so superbly directed and acted, I literally felt like I was in the moment with the characters. Almost every good message from all of the Lord of the Rings films is exemplified right here in this simple two minute scene. Also, as before, Howard Shore's music is fantastic here.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Top 10 Film Moments
2: "One more person" from Schindler's List
http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/schindlers-list/one-more-person
Since the stupid internet doesn't have the whole scene, I had to post the link instead. Rats.
Even though I had already sat through three hours of horrifying images, it was this wrap-up scene at the end of the movie that emotionally gutted me the most. (It was weird, I didn't cry, but my insides got ripped to pieces).
In summary, this scene is about Schindler having to go into hiding since the war is over and he was technically exploiting the Jews for slave labor in order to keep them out of the concentration camps.
What I like about this scene is how non-utilitarian it is. Schindler has saved over 1100 Jews from death, but he still weeps that he didn't get one more person out. I was reminded of a quote I heard a while back from a man I personally don't like, Joesph Stalin, where Stalin said, "You murder one person, it's a tragedy. You murder a million people, it's a statistic." I found there was some truth in this statement. Why is it that when I hear of one death, I think of that person's family members, friends, and back-story, but when I hear of six million deaths, I see just a number? Why can't I see fully-formed people made in God's image behind the number? I actually paced the campus for about an hour after I finished the movie trying to figure this out.
Anyway, that's what makes this scene so good: the fact that Schindler has saved so many people, but the fact that he didn't save just one more uniquely-made human being breaks his heart.
http://www.wingclips.com/movie-clips/schindlers-list/one-more-person
Since the stupid internet doesn't have the whole scene, I had to post the link instead. Rats.
Even though I had already sat through three hours of horrifying images, it was this wrap-up scene at the end of the movie that emotionally gutted me the most. (It was weird, I didn't cry, but my insides got ripped to pieces).
In summary, this scene is about Schindler having to go into hiding since the war is over and he was technically exploiting the Jews for slave labor in order to keep them out of the concentration camps.
What I like about this scene is how non-utilitarian it is. Schindler has saved over 1100 Jews from death, but he still weeps that he didn't get one more person out. I was reminded of a quote I heard a while back from a man I personally don't like, Joesph Stalin, where Stalin said, "You murder one person, it's a tragedy. You murder a million people, it's a statistic." I found there was some truth in this statement. Why is it that when I hear of one death, I think of that person's family members, friends, and back-story, but when I hear of six million deaths, I see just a number? Why can't I see fully-formed people made in God's image behind the number? I actually paced the campus for about an hour after I finished the movie trying to figure this out.
Anyway, that's what makes this scene so good: the fact that Schindler has saved so many people, but the fact that he didn't save just one more uniquely-made human being breaks his heart.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Top 10 Film Moments
3: This scene from Up
I first saw this movie a few years ago when a college near where I live showed a public screening of the film. Up has been my favorite Pixar movie ever since.
The film was amazing on all levels. I love the comedy in the film (Dug might me my favorite character), but the other elements actually took me by surprise. Before, especially as I got older, I kind of pigeon-holed Pixar's movies as "more for kids." So when I saw this scene in the film, it blew me away. I have never seen Pixar go this deep before so the first time I watched this scene, I was kinda shocked at how deep it was.
This scene is story telling at it's best. No dialogue or action, just a simple scene. I very glad to hear that this score won an Oscar. Michael Giacchino's music here is amazing.
(P.S. Watch the lighting from the beginning of the scene and at the end. Very nice touch.)
I first saw this movie a few years ago when a college near where I live showed a public screening of the film. Up has been my favorite Pixar movie ever since.
The film was amazing on all levels. I love the comedy in the film (Dug might me my favorite character), but the other elements actually took me by surprise. Before, especially as I got older, I kind of pigeon-holed Pixar's movies as "more for kids." So when I saw this scene in the film, it blew me away. I have never seen Pixar go this deep before so the first time I watched this scene, I was kinda shocked at how deep it was.
This scene is story telling at it's best. No dialogue or action, just a simple scene. I very glad to hear that this score won an Oscar. Michael Giacchino's music here is amazing.
(P.S. Watch the lighting from the beginning of the scene and at the end. Very nice touch.)
Monday, November 28, 2011
Top 10 Film Moments
4: The interrogation scene from The Dark Knight
This scene is a tour de force of acting, writing, and direction and is my favorite scene in an almost flawless movie. This is the scene where we see the Joker writ large and get perhaps our best idea of what makes this character tick. Heath Ledger is masterful in this movie, especially here. This scene sent chills down my spine because it was so intense and so good, I just couldn't help it. I wish my Psychology professor would divide us up into groups and make us diagnose the Joker. I doubt we could do it but it would be fun to try.
(P.S. Unless you have already seen this film, you may not want to spoil this scene. It doesn't have many spoilers, so it's up to you.)
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Bonus:
For those of you who weren't here Wednesday, we watched some cool music videos. This one was mentioned, but never shown. I managed to track it down and here it is. It's awesome!
This scene is a tour de force of acting, writing, and direction and is my favorite scene in an almost flawless movie. This is the scene where we see the Joker writ large and get perhaps our best idea of what makes this character tick. Heath Ledger is masterful in this movie, especially here. This scene sent chills down my spine because it was so intense and so good, I just couldn't help it. I wish my Psychology professor would divide us up into groups and make us diagnose the Joker. I doubt we could do it but it would be fun to try.
(P.S. Unless you have already seen this film, you may not want to spoil this scene. It doesn't have many spoilers, so it's up to you.)
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Bonus:
For those of you who weren't here Wednesday, we watched some cool music videos. This one was mentioned, but never shown. I managed to track it down and here it is. It's awesome!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Top 10 Film Moments
5: This little scene in The Fellowship of the Ring
I got both the adrenaline rush and the surge of conviction watching this scene. As it turns out, Peter Jackson was under pressure from the studio to replace this scene with something more "exciting" and "action oriented." I believe the studio wanted an Uruk-hai to attack Frodo and for Frodo to fight it off. Thankfully, Jackson kept this scene in instead. I especially love the music here. Not only is The Lord of the Rings the greatest trilogy I've ever seen, it also has the best music I've ever heard in a movie.
I got both the adrenaline rush and the surge of conviction watching this scene. As it turns out, Peter Jackson was under pressure from the studio to replace this scene with something more "exciting" and "action oriented." I believe the studio wanted an Uruk-hai to attack Frodo and for Frodo to fight it off. Thankfully, Jackson kept this scene in instead. I especially love the music here. Not only is The Lord of the Rings the greatest trilogy I've ever seen, it also has the best music I've ever heard in a movie.
Monday, November 21, 2011
My Defense
I just got done reading the comments posted on my Harry Potter reviews.
Ouch.
To start with, I have no idea why there was so much criticism of things I never actually said. It's like it was presumed there was some hidden, hostile meaning in the faults I found. So, I'm going to set the record straight.
I do not hate the Potter movies. I'm re-watching the last one tonight as a matter of fact. Am I a fan? No. That's just my own personal taste. Like I said, I find magic in any media to be iffy simply because if you have such a gift, why is used only in some circumstances but then conveniently not used in others? I was merely commenting how how often Harry and/or his friends could have gotten themselves out of tough situations if they had simply done what they had done before when they did get out of tight spots.
I don't know where all the criticism came from, but since I never said what I got pasted for, it kinda stang a little bit. I never said the Potter books or movies were evil nor did I watch the movies wanting to hate them or find fault in them. They seemed interesting enough and I watched them. Sure the movie didn't explain things very well (I still wonder what became of certain characters), but they weren't awful. And I don't have impossible standards as far as film is concerned. Sure, I am a bit critical because I wanted (and kinda still do) to be a film critic. That means turning a movie inside-out. Force of habit. The faults I found in the Potter movies didn't not ruin the whole experience. True, like other film, I don't get all the hype. I mean the Potter films were pretty good, but I didn't find them as good as "Lord of the Rings" or others There were plenty of positive elements in the movies that people find touching and I won't mess with that. I found some great moments in there as well.
I didn't say these movies should be condemned to hell. I'm not ignorantly reviewing something I have absolutely no knowledge of. Sure I'm no expert, but it's not like all experts on Harry Potter are destined to be die-hard fans. As I said before, I'm a critical person, but just because a film has a flaw doesn't mean I hate it. Every film has flaws. And pointing them out doesn't mean I think the film sucks.
Ouch.
To start with, I have no idea why there was so much criticism of things I never actually said. It's like it was presumed there was some hidden, hostile meaning in the faults I found. So, I'm going to set the record straight.
I do not hate the Potter movies. I'm re-watching the last one tonight as a matter of fact. Am I a fan? No. That's just my own personal taste. Like I said, I find magic in any media to be iffy simply because if you have such a gift, why is used only in some circumstances but then conveniently not used in others? I was merely commenting how how often Harry and/or his friends could have gotten themselves out of tough situations if they had simply done what they had done before when they did get out of tight spots.
I don't know where all the criticism came from, but since I never said what I got pasted for, it kinda stang a little bit. I never said the Potter books or movies were evil nor did I watch the movies wanting to hate them or find fault in them. They seemed interesting enough and I watched them. Sure the movie didn't explain things very well (I still wonder what became of certain characters), but they weren't awful. And I don't have impossible standards as far as film is concerned. Sure, I am a bit critical because I wanted (and kinda still do) to be a film critic. That means turning a movie inside-out. Force of habit. The faults I found in the Potter movies didn't not ruin the whole experience. True, like other film, I don't get all the hype. I mean the Potter films were pretty good, but I didn't find them as good as "Lord of the Rings" or others There were plenty of positive elements in the movies that people find touching and I won't mess with that. I found some great moments in there as well.
I didn't say these movies should be condemned to hell. I'm not ignorantly reviewing something I have absolutely no knowledge of. Sure I'm no expert, but it's not like all experts on Harry Potter are destined to be die-hard fans. As I said before, I'm a critical person, but just because a film has a flaw doesn't mean I hate it. Every film has flaws. And pointing them out doesn't mean I think the film sucks.
Top 10 Film Moments
6: The first scene in Saving Private Ryan
For such a gut-wrenching movie, this scene had the most profound effect on me (Omaha beach was a very close second). It is a simple scene where a veteran walks tearfully among the thousands of graves. As the camera pans up, the enormity of the sacrifices those real-life men made hit me full. Guys my age were in that battle.
Thank you veterans.
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Harry Potter reviews:
Well, I've finally caught up with everyone and watched the Harry Potter movies. Not bad, I must say. Some great drama and characters. However, there were some moments that simply blew me out the movie and made me yell at the screen. These movies have many dumb scenes in them.
--Dumbledore is supposed to be wise, isn't he? If so, why is he bringing kids to a school that has so many things in it that can cause harm and/or death. How many people die in this school again?
--In the fourth movie, Hogwarts is hosting a series of games. And the teachers warn the students that people have died participating (?!?!?!?!) The second game really set me off. Harry must save one of his friends who have been CHAINED TO THE BOTTOM OF A LAKE. What kind of school is this? That game sound like something the Joker would come up with.
--The first few films are very elitist. Harry and his friends break all the rules they want and they are virtually never punished. Could Malfoy or a lesser character expect such treatment? Does Dumbledore only fudge the rules for his favorite students? It sure seems that way.
--Why are all of Harry's enemies (except for the main ones) such one-dimensional saps? His aunt and uncle are morons and seem more like cartoons than real people. Same with most of the kids from the bad dorm. All the evil, ugly people go to Slytherin. Cartoonish.
--The magic itself. While I have concerns about the scores of younger children getting into the occult because of these movies, I personally just find it lame. I mean, every time someone uses a spell, I find myself thinking of all the other scenarios where they could have used that spell but didn't. If you have something like magic, and you don't use it simply because the story would be over too fast if you did, it sort of distracts from the movie. (How many time could Voldimort have used the kill-spell on Harry but instead monologued?)
Aside from these, the movies where okay. Just for the record, I have no desire to read the books. I don't care that much. Part 2 of movie 7 was definatly the best.
For such a gut-wrenching movie, this scene had the most profound effect on me (Omaha beach was a very close second). It is a simple scene where a veteran walks tearfully among the thousands of graves. As the camera pans up, the enormity of the sacrifices those real-life men made hit me full. Guys my age were in that battle.
Thank you veterans.
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Harry Potter reviews:
Well, I've finally caught up with everyone and watched the Harry Potter movies. Not bad, I must say. Some great drama and characters. However, there were some moments that simply blew me out the movie and made me yell at the screen. These movies have many dumb scenes in them.
--Dumbledore is supposed to be wise, isn't he? If so, why is he bringing kids to a school that has so many things in it that can cause harm and/or death. How many people die in this school again?
--In the fourth movie, Hogwarts is hosting a series of games. And the teachers warn the students that people have died participating (?!?!?!?!) The second game really set me off. Harry must save one of his friends who have been CHAINED TO THE BOTTOM OF A LAKE. What kind of school is this? That game sound like something the Joker would come up with.
--The first few films are very elitist. Harry and his friends break all the rules they want and they are virtually never punished. Could Malfoy or a lesser character expect such treatment? Does Dumbledore only fudge the rules for his favorite students? It sure seems that way.
--Why are all of Harry's enemies (except for the main ones) such one-dimensional saps? His aunt and uncle are morons and seem more like cartoons than real people. Same with most of the kids from the bad dorm. All the evil, ugly people go to Slytherin. Cartoonish.
--The magic itself. While I have concerns about the scores of younger children getting into the occult because of these movies, I personally just find it lame. I mean, every time someone uses a spell, I find myself thinking of all the other scenarios where they could have used that spell but didn't. If you have something like magic, and you don't use it simply because the story would be over too fast if you did, it sort of distracts from the movie. (How many time could Voldimort have used the kill-spell on Harry but instead monologued?)
Aside from these, the movies where okay. Just for the record, I have no desire to read the books. I don't care that much. Part 2 of movie 7 was definatly the best.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Top 10 Film Moments
7: The burning bush scene from The Prince of Egypt
I first saw this movie when I was much younger and this scene actually scared me back then. Now that I'm older, I'v been able to study this scene with a bit more depth and understanding than I possessed back then. This scene amazes me simply because of how much the film makers did with only five minutes. In that short running time, we see dozens of God's attributes, from loving, gentle, compassionate, warm, mysterious, and radiant but also wrathful, all-powerful, and definantly not someone to be trifled with or taken lightly.
I think my fear back then was well-justified. Maybe there's an element of God that should terrify us when He comes to us since He's so much bigger than we can ever understand.
Simply a brilliant scene.
I first saw this movie when I was much younger and this scene actually scared me back then. Now that I'm older, I'v been able to study this scene with a bit more depth and understanding than I possessed back then. This scene amazes me simply because of how much the film makers did with only five minutes. In that short running time, we see dozens of God's attributes, from loving, gentle, compassionate, warm, mysterious, and radiant but also wrathful, all-powerful, and definantly not someone to be trifled with or taken lightly.
I think my fear back then was well-justified. Maybe there's an element of God that should terrify us when He comes to us since He's so much bigger than we can ever understand.
Simply a brilliant scene.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Top 10 Film Moments
8: The fight scene from The Bourne Ultimatum
Like the duel from Revenge of the Sith, which is my favorite sword fight ever, this is the best hand-to-hand fight scene I've ever witnessed. Some complained about the editing being sickening, but it didn't bother me at all. It actually helped the scene feel more intense and real. This film was the 2007 Oscar winner for Best Film Editing and I think it was a well deserved reward.
Like the duel from Revenge of the Sith, which is my favorite sword fight ever, this is the best hand-to-hand fight scene I've ever witnessed. Some complained about the editing being sickening, but it didn't bother me at all. It actually helped the scene feel more intense and real. This film was the 2007 Oscar winner for Best Film Editing and I think it was a well deserved reward.
Friday, November 18, 2011
Top 10 Film Moments
9: Batman's first appearance from Batman Begins
This is the first time you see Batman in all his glory in the film and it was worth the wait. Very rarely does it work when superheros say, "I'm (insert name)" or "Call me (insert name)," but after a terrific scene of build-up, this works beautifully.
This is the first time you see Batman in all his glory in the film and it was worth the wait. Very rarely does it work when superheros say, "I'm (insert name)" or "Call me (insert name)," but after a terrific scene of build-up, this works beautifully.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Top 10 Film Moments
Since I actually had a good time with my last list, I'm going to do another and hopefully a more upbeat one. After compiling a list, I decided to do my top 10 favorite film moments of all time. You all know what kind of scenes I'm talking about. They're the kind of scenes where you're touched beyond your mere heartstrings, or where you get an adrenaline rush from the excitement of how good the moment is, or you're taken by a surge of conviction. These are the moments that had that effect on me.
Top 10 Film Moments
10: The lightsaber fight between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader from Revenge of the Sith
This is easily the best duel, boss fight, or whatever, I have ever watched. And it also has the most emotional depth to it. I know the prequel trilogy wasn't as good as the first three, but this trilogy still had its good moments. Like this scene. This is one of few scenes in the prequel trilogy where I totally bought the emotion of the events. Yes, the acting is a bit spotty but I was so engrossed in one of the best sword fights ever seen on screen, I didn't mind as much. The last part of this scene is heartbreaking, as we watch the total erosion of the friendship between Anakin and Obi-Wan.
P.S. I know "I hate you" is a pretty basic line, but if your best friend said that to you, I'm guessing it wouldn't feel very good.
Top 10 Film Moments
10: The lightsaber fight between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader from Revenge of the Sith
This is easily the best duel, boss fight, or whatever, I have ever watched. And it also has the most emotional depth to it. I know the prequel trilogy wasn't as good as the first three, but this trilogy still had its good moments. Like this scene. This is one of few scenes in the prequel trilogy where I totally bought the emotion of the events. Yes, the acting is a bit spotty but I was so engrossed in one of the best sword fights ever seen on screen, I didn't mind as much. The last part of this scene is heartbreaking, as we watch the total erosion of the friendship between Anakin and Obi-Wan.
P.S. I know "I hate you" is a pretty basic line, but if your best friend said that to you, I'm guessing it wouldn't feel very good.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Music Videos
I decided to get in on some the music video posting. These are the two musice videos that influenced me the most in terms of comedy.
Top 10 Movies I Hate the Most
Well guys, this is it. The number one movie I hate. It is actually with a fair degree of caution I write this movie review because last night, while working on my trailer, I met someone who actually likes this film. I didn't know such people existed. As is, I'll try to be nice, but I make no promises.
1: The Last Airbender
Why would I even watch this movie, you may ask. My answer is:
I have no answer. Not really. All I can say is that we are a flawed and broken people, prone to make serious errors in judgment from time to time.
Besides, it was a Saturday afternoon and I was so bored, counting molecules on my bedroom wall seem fun at the time.
You know what people say about the use of drugs; they don't solve your problems, they just compound them. These people are right, but they forget to mention movies can have the same effect. Not only was a bored silly for over 2 hours, I think I lost a few IQ points as well.
This movie was awful. I personally have not seen the TV show very much. Pretty much every guy on my floor is a huge fan and all of them hated this movie. While the TV show doesn't appeal to me, I will at least credit it for not being this.
I wonder what happened to M. Night Shyamalan. He was good a long time ago. The Sixth Sense was good (I was reeling from the twist ending), Signs is great and my favorite of his movies, and some of his other stuff, like The Village or Unbreakable I think is a bit underrated. Then this comes out. If there really is such a thing as a career-killing movie, this film didn't just kill Shyamalan's career, it tortured it, debauched it, fed it to sharks, curb-stomped it, and then did the same thing 20 other times just to be safe.
To put it simply, this film is so bad, I hear it's being used in North Korean prison camps. The characters where lame, as was the story. While the idea of controlling various elements has much promise, why did the characters have to dance like constipated monkeys before they used their powers. Why not just extend their hand? Or at least do it much faster, like in the TV show, so I don't have to watch it too long. And of course, it commits the crime of using the concept I really don't like in films. The child warrior.
Why do I hate this concept? Look at how it's always executed. A little kid beats up several fully-grown, fully-trained men. I just can't take that seriously. Why is it that adults have to be retarded down so the kids can fight them? That's just stupid and I can never suspend my disbelief far enough to buy it. I much prefer films like True Grit where the 14 year-old girl has to rise to the the adult's world. That is much more interesting and relateable because that's what we all have to do at some point. Plus, in True Grit, she's still in over her head in the adult world. Unlike this film, where the adults are in over their head in a kid world.
This film also suffers from having way too many scenes of exposition. Now, I grant that exposition is very hard to do because it's usually the most boring part of the movie. One of the rare exceptions to this is Inception, where the exposition is actually fun. However, if you don't care at all about the story, the exposition scenes are going to drag like they did in this film. Since this film has so many scenes of explanation, the boredom factor went straight through the roof for me.
Lastly, what happened to Shyamalan's writing? He was very good with it in his earlier films. But in this film, the writing is lousy, with bad dialogue and performances that suffer because of it.
As for the person I met last night, this reflects only my view of the film and not of fans of it. This is all my opinion. However, as you said last night, there are different viewpoints out there. And this is my viewpoint.
I personally think this is the worst movie I have ever seen so far.
1: The Last Airbender
I have no answer. Not really. All I can say is that we are a flawed and broken people, prone to make serious errors in judgment from time to time.
Besides, it was a Saturday afternoon and I was so bored, counting molecules on my bedroom wall seem fun at the time.
You know what people say about the use of drugs; they don't solve your problems, they just compound them. These people are right, but they forget to mention movies can have the same effect. Not only was a bored silly for over 2 hours, I think I lost a few IQ points as well.
This movie was awful. I personally have not seen the TV show very much. Pretty much every guy on my floor is a huge fan and all of them hated this movie. While the TV show doesn't appeal to me, I will at least credit it for not being this.
I wonder what happened to M. Night Shyamalan. He was good a long time ago. The Sixth Sense was good (I was reeling from the twist ending), Signs is great and my favorite of his movies, and some of his other stuff, like The Village or Unbreakable I think is a bit underrated. Then this comes out. If there really is such a thing as a career-killing movie, this film didn't just kill Shyamalan's career, it tortured it, debauched it, fed it to sharks, curb-stomped it, and then did the same thing 20 other times just to be safe.
To put it simply, this film is so bad, I hear it's being used in North Korean prison camps. The characters where lame, as was the story. While the idea of controlling various elements has much promise, why did the characters have to dance like constipated monkeys before they used their powers. Why not just extend their hand? Or at least do it much faster, like in the TV show, so I don't have to watch it too long. And of course, it commits the crime of using the concept I really don't like in films. The child warrior.
Why do I hate this concept? Look at how it's always executed. A little kid beats up several fully-grown, fully-trained men. I just can't take that seriously. Why is it that adults have to be retarded down so the kids can fight them? That's just stupid and I can never suspend my disbelief far enough to buy it. I much prefer films like True Grit where the 14 year-old girl has to rise to the the adult's world. That is much more interesting and relateable because that's what we all have to do at some point. Plus, in True Grit, she's still in over her head in the adult world. Unlike this film, where the adults are in over their head in a kid world.
This film also suffers from having way too many scenes of exposition. Now, I grant that exposition is very hard to do because it's usually the most boring part of the movie. One of the rare exceptions to this is Inception, where the exposition is actually fun. However, if you don't care at all about the story, the exposition scenes are going to drag like they did in this film. Since this film has so many scenes of explanation, the boredom factor went straight through the roof for me.
Lastly, what happened to Shyamalan's writing? He was very good with it in his earlier films. But in this film, the writing is lousy, with bad dialogue and performances that suffer because of it.
As for the person I met last night, this reflects only my view of the film and not of fans of it. This is all my opinion. However, as you said last night, there are different viewpoints out there. And this is my viewpoint.
I personally think this is the worst movie I have ever seen so far.
Final Thoughts:
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Top 10 Movies I Hate the Most
The reason I put this film ahead of Twilight is simple. Both these films were incredibly stupid, but I didn't care about the characters in Twilight, so I lost nothing watching those movies. This film on the other hand is not only as bad as Twilight, but it also essentially rapes the essence of my favorite superhero of all time. Talk about an insult.
This film was so bad, I literally couldn't watch parts of it. I would hit the fast-forward button and hope the next scene wasn't as bad as the one before. I was disappointed every time.
Where do I begin with this film? Should I start with Schumacher putting bat-nipples and bat-butts on the suits? Or maybe the horrible one-liners? The over-the-wall villains? The bat-credit card? Choices, choices, choices. George Clooney was bland as tofu (an insult to tofu) in this film. It's like he wasn't even trying. (Who could blame him though?) Robin, who was actually well-written in the previous installment Batman Forever, is reduced to a whiny brat-boy, Batgirl was just lame and so was her journey to becoming Batgirl, one rife with lame coincidences and cliches. As for the villains, I couldn't take the Arnold's T-101 character seriously after I saw this film. How could a guy who played the terminator possibly stoop this low? And Uma Therman is out of this world (not in a good way) as Poison Ivy. She was so dumb I skipped practically all her scenes after two minutes of watching them. Who wrote these villains? How could any intelligent person think this was good writing?
How does this film rape the Batman legend? Let's take a look. Batman doesn't have nipples the the suit nor does he flash his bat-backside to the camera (seriously, what was up with that shot?). He doesn't make public appearances, especially not ones where he bids on beautiful women to take on a date. He would see that as a waste of time (much like appearing in this movie). Mr. Freeze is actually a tragic villain who crossed the line trying to save his wife, not a goofball who make stupid jokes and sings "I'm Mr. White Christmas, I'm Mr. Snow" (I almost cried watching that scene. It was that embarrassingly stupid). This film did nothing right at all! Even Bane, who isn't just a dumb thug in a rubber suite, is horrible. At least Chris Nolan should have no trouble at all doing Bane better in the new film. And again, what's with Schumacher's obsession with color. Gotham city looks more like some kind of drug induced hallucination than a real place. That kind of scenery may work for Phantom of the Opera, but not Batman. Batman exists in a dark universe, not a bright and colorful cartoon.
This isn't a Batman movie. It's a debauch. An insult to one of the greatest superheros of all time.
Final Thought:
I would rather shove a needle factory up my eye than watch this pile of bat-droppings again.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Top 10 Movies I Hate the Most
Technically this is a series and not just one movie. However, since they are all from one big series, I'll just review them all.
I really don't see why this is such a teen phenomenon. It's just another in a long line (too long, I think) of teen romances. What is so appealing about that genre? Most of what comes out of this genre is false anyway.
This story revolves around a 17 year old girl who falls in love with a boy in her new school who happens to be a vampire. That's the focus of all of the films so far with some other drama going on concerning a league of ruling vampires and werewolf and vampire tensions. I found little of that to be of any interest, but that's just me.
While I often find it hard to find any really engaging characters on screen that are female, this movie has played a huge hand in helping me there. I guess it's because most of the female leads I've seen are like Bella or Rose from Titanic, or they simply aren't characters that I personally find interesting. There have been exceptions though. True Grit and Winter's Bone come to mind.
But back to this film. Much like Titanic before it, the lead girl character annoys me to death. Again, this isn't simply a matter of personality. Throughout the films, she is so obsessed with Edward, that she's willing to lie to her parents and even ditch them entirely (because her parents will see her as a vampire), she's willing to do suicidal things just to see her boyfriend again, and (I know it's just a movie, but still) she's willing to literally sell her soul to be with Edward. Romantic, right? Also, the film seems to make the creepiest of activities seem romantic. Edward sneaks into Bella's bedroom to watch her sleep (creepy) on several occasions and even tells her that. She finds this totally romantic of course. My guess is Edward could film her showering and she would find that romantic and not the least bit creepy. Seriously, Edward even confesses to having murdered people before and she's not the least bit troubled. They just lie in a bed of flowers and stare at each-other, heedless of the lives good old Edward has snuffed out. Talk about ignoring the big, pink elephant in the room.
Seriously, when guys do stuff like this in real life, you yell for help or, if you have it, mace the moron. Again, just like Titanic, the film asks us to accept moronic behavior as romantic and sensual. I guess that makes sense, considering Hollywood has made a career describing love as a "state of being" where emotions mount beyond our control. That's why characters do such dumb things; they're in love.
People also break off relationships for the most selfish of reasons because they've fallen out of love. When love is just an emotion, people follow their emotions right out of a relationship. But since Twilight writes Edward in the Hollywood fashion, of course he wouldn't exploit Bella's stupidity for his own pleasures.
Getting back to the movies as a whole, they are just boring. I mean I guess people can find love triangles interesting, but to me, since I know who's going to end up with who in the end, why waist 2 hours just to prove yourself right? They just plod, especially the second one. Here's the summary review of all the films:
1: New idea, but that's all it had to offer.
2: Boooooorrrrrrrrrriiiiiiinnnnnnngggggg.
3: Until the climax, same as number 2.
And let's face it, along with a stupid love story, they just aren't good films. The only thing I found interesting as an idea for Bella's character. She would make a great Shakespeare villain. A sort of complex psychopathic mind who gets her kicks pitting potential suitors against each other for her affections often leading to one, or both, of the suitor's demise. Now that would be interesting.
But as is, the films suck. (Pardon the vampire quip)
Final Thoughts:
The pits.
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