As I wrote in my December round-up post, Jeff and I have been talking about Django on and off for the past weeek, but I hadn't spent any significant time thinking about it on my own. That is, not until I stumbled upon this great blog post:
http://bigmediavandal.blogspot.com/2013/01/unchained-melody-two-troublemakin.html
I got the link from Roger Ebert on the twitter this morning (we're good friends). A bit later, I saw Hannibal Buress retweet it via someone else, so I'm sure plenty of people have visited/read that site today. And what a great read it is. If you haven't checked it out yet, I would encourage you to do so.
Anyway, first I want to focus a bit on Blazing Saddles. It's funny...when I saw those words in the Big Media Vandalism post, of course I immediately thought of Jeff. And then when I got home from work, Jeff told me that Brandon texted him to poke a bit of fun in saying that someone dismantled his Blazing Saddles argument. I'm pretty sure that was the only thing about the BMV post that I disagree with. I'm sticking with Jeff mainly because the Don Johnson/Jonah Hill KKK scene is pretty damn silly.
Now it's not as if the comedy in that scene came out of nowhere....both in terms of Django and Tarantino's other films--Inglourious Basterds is funny, Death Proof is funny, etc.--Quentin has a great sense of humor and he knows how to incorporate comedy into his films, no matter how dark the subject matter is. And there are a handful of humorous moments in DU before and after that aforementioned Don Johnson scene.
Also, I know no one is shitting on Blazing Saddles here, but I still feel like it should be said that comparing the two should not be seen as an assault on the work Tarantino has done with Django.
In Odie's round 3 post, he does make an excellent point about the differences between Blazing Saddles and Django Unchained. In the former, the people of Rock Ridge can't believe their eyes when they see a black man wearing a badge; in the latter, the people of (I forget the town's name) are stunned and angered by the sight of a black man on a horse. Fair enough, Tarantino's film resembles the zeitgeist a little bit more. But I still wouldn't say it accurately depicts what would've actually gone down back in the mid to late 1800s. The reality probably would've seen someone coming at Django to kill him, just for riding a horse.
So for me, unless I'm missing something, that's where the argument ends up--Quentin's movie isn't as much of a comedy as Mel Brooks' (there are clear differences), but they both handle racism and slavery with comedic gloves. And sure, both movies are funny. Though I admit that there were times, sitting in a theater surrounded mostly by white people, where it felt a little strange that everyone was laughing. This was mainly during the scene where the townspeople are scared and pissed because Django is riding a horse. (I thought the humor in the "how should I treat Django?" conversation between Big Daddy and Bettina was done very well.)
Here's a stupid Blazing Saddles/Django Unchained comparison...but I'll only make it because it'll serve as a segue for me--the directors both cast themselves in their respective films. I didn't really have a problem with Quentin putting himself in his movie; as we all know, he's no stranger to that. Sure his accent was terrible, but I didn't care too much about that either. What bothered me was, as Jeff wrote, how easy it was for Django to escape from him and Michael Parks. In a way, it ties in with what Django learned from Dr. Schultz--that he if speaks confidently and clearly, he can talk himself out of a jam. Fine, but really, the only reason why that scene exists (in my mind) is so that Django can get his hands on some dynamite.
Don't get me wrong, I wanted to see Candie Land blown to high hell and, but to tack on an extra twenty minutes just go it could happen seemed sloppy.
But I had no problem with the showdowns. This was something I've been thinking more about today--Dr. Schultz has to be the one to kill Calvin Candie and Django has to be the one who kills Stephen.
In Dr. Schultz's mind, Candie is the worst kind of scum. I love the scene where Schultz tells Candie that Alexandre Dumas was black. And I haven't seen much talk of that handshake scene. It was one of my favorites because in that moment, Candie becomes the unpredictable villain I expected him to be throughout the film. Granted, he does have a moment of unpredictable villainy when he threatens to bash Broomhilda's skull open with a hammer.
But I digress....was Candie just looking for a handshake? I asked Jeff after we saw it in the theater. I'm not sure if he's still sticking with this answer, but he told me that he thought Candie was going to kill them. It does make sense, and you'd almost expect it given, in his mind, the hell he'd been put through by Schultz and Django. But I disagreed and I wanted it to be the case where Candie was just looking for a handshake.
In that scenario, it gives more power to Christoph Waltz's character and to the decision he makes. All he has to do is shake Candie's hand and he's gone. He's safe. But no, Waltz loathes and is so sickened by this man that he cannot help himself; he must kill Candie.
In Django's mind, most people are the worst kind of scum. But then there's Stephen, a new kind of scum...a black man who, through spending his entire life serving a rich, white people, has grown to hate and destroy other black men and women. It's conceivable that through his upbringing, Stephen would grow to love the Candie family and hate anyone who would try to hurt or cheat them.
The feeling is mutual for Stephen. He sees Django on a horse with clean clothes and it tears him up inside. Stephen's mind has been so warped and polluted that he instantly identifies Django as his enemy. There's an obvious tragedy to that but the fact remains, Django has to be the one who kills Stephen..but not before he gets to witness Django walking out of the front doors of Candie Land to Broomhilda.
The ending is a spectacle (complete with dressage). It was the way to go, but it was dragged out far too long. And as the Big Media Vandalism post rightly points out, even though the credits roll, it'd hardly be the end for Django and Broomhilda; unfortunately they would be hunted for the rest of their lives.
So while the link at the top of this post got me thinking more on Django Unchained and got me to appreciate it a bit more, I still stand by the idea that it was ultimately disappointing. I've seen better from Tarantino and I agree with Brandon's thoughts about where he should go from here.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
December
Features
Rio Grande ****
Lawless **
Killing Them Softly ****
Gaslight ****
The 39 Steps ***
A Separation (re-watched) ****1/2
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey ***
Harvey ****
Django Unchained ***1/2
Cosmopolis ****
Amour ****
Television
30 Rock season 7
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show
Dexter season 6
Downton Abbey season 2
Homeland (started season 1)
Parks and Recreation season 5
Sherlock season 1
The Simpsons (various episodes)
Notes: I watched She Wore a Yellow Ribbon at the end of November and watched Rio Grande at the beginning of December. That's two films from John Ford's cavalry trilogy down and I own a copy of Fort Apache so hopefully I can catch that soon. I had a top five John Ford list ready to go (the draft is still up on my blogger dashboard), but I didn't post it because it was obvious and similar to Jeff and Brandon's list. And maybe I'm still not sure which film I like more...The Searchers or The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. I know I included the former in my "best films of all-time" list but I'll be damned if I don't admit to being blown away by Liberty Valance.
Anyway, back to Rio Grande. I'd definitely rank it above She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (no offense to that film though). RG offers a better story and a better flow. John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara make a great team, and their relationship was obviously one of the most important parts of the story; I didn't feel like John Wayne had enough to do in SWAYR. Anyway, my John Ford draft also had a line about how I wouldn't even try to do a write-up on Ford. Brandon said it all in his post. Beautifully done, my friend, if you don't mind me saying.
I wrote the following about Lawless in another post that I never got around to submitting (I suck):
"I got Lawless in the mail from Netflix. Nothing about it stood out to me; it's very forgettable. And I'm sorry but there's nothing compelling about a relationship between Shia LaBeouf and Mia Wasikowska; I was bored just from typing that sentence. Tom Hardy and Jessica Chastain are just 'okay.' Maggie's relationship with the Bondurant brothers felt very forced and unnecessary. It made think a bit of Ida Lupino relationship with Bogart in High Sierra, but obviously that one was more developed and effective; the Maggie/Bondurant thing felt like a failed attempt at that.
And back to LaBeouf--I actually wouldn't mind him if he wasn't such a douchebag. People love Ryan Gosling, and part of the appeal is that he doesn't seem shamed by his Disney past. LaBeouf has failed miserably at trying to shake that off; he's trying way too hard to be taken seriously and he just comes off looking like an asshole. I was channel-surfing one day and I saw that Freaks and Geeks was on. Shia was in this particular episode and he played a weird little goofball (similar to his character on Even Stevens), and you know what, he was great and likable. He'd be so much more tolerable if he embraced who he really is and what he actually does well."
My apologies for putting High Sierra and Lawless in the same paragraph.
I also started to write about Killing Them Softly shortly after I saw it at AMC. But I never finished it because that day also happened to be the Friday when the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy occurred. I couldn't bring myself to write about anything violent. At this time, I will say that I enjoyed Andrew Dominik's film quite a bit. And while Softly's overbearing political presence warrants a groan or two, I would argue that it does not hurt the movie at all. If the film had an identity crisis it would, but Dominik knows who his characters are and what they want. I also loved the juxtaposition between mob justice and bureaucratic justice. I wish I could watch the last scene with Richard Jenkins and Brad Pitt right now. Great stuff.
I enjoyed Gaslight, but unfortunately I don't have a lot to say about it right now.
The 39 Steps had its moments, but mostly I wasn't a big fan. I'm not about to criticize Hitchcock or say anything hyperbolic (gonna keep this dull), but it's certainly not one of my favorites. I want to see The Lady Vanishes soon; I have yet to see it.
A Separation was just as good the second time. I still stand by ranking The Tree of Life ahead of it though. Are Jeff and I the only two to see this one so far? I'd like to hear another man or woman's opinion.
I agree with everything Jeff wrote about The Hobbit (shocker). Neither of us have read the book and I will say that's probably the only way one can enjoy it. There's definite fat to be trimmed, but mostly it's a fun adventure story. I also liked seeing more of Middle Earth and its other inhabitants. We meet trolls, goblins, and mountains that can move and fight. We also get to see more of the Dwarves and their history. In the review John linked but now hates, the reviewer noted that the scenes between Bilbo and Gollum are the best moments in the entire movie. Agreed 100%; really well done. Say what you want about Peter Jackson, but he and Andy Serkis created such an iconic character in Gollum. I would liken him to Darth Vader because as soon as you see him on the screen (or even hear him breathing) it instantly stirs up certain emotions. I don't feel like I'm alone in thinking that. Anyways, hats off. And honestly, no large complaints, but I'd be insane to list it among the best films of the year. It's a fun time at the theater...nothing more.
Harvey is delightful. Jimmy Stewart is a legend. A third obvious thing. I loved the mix-up at the psyche ward when Veta is committed instead of Elwood.
Jeff also happens to be right about Django Unchained as well (Brandon too). It was a bit disappointing, though there were many things about it that I liked. Loved the Waltz/Foxx partnership. And while Leo was quite good in it and had some shiny/bright moments, I was mostly let down at how little Tarantino challenged him. Agreed gang, the ending is sloppy. Jeff and I have talked about this quite a bit already and we definitely agreed that it feels as if Tarantino rushed this one out. The ideas are there, but the execution is lacking.
Cosmopolis was very interesting. I watched this one the other day, so I don't think I've fully processed everything yet. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about it, but I know that I liked it. It's definitely top-ten worthy and even though I'm not too familiar with David Cronenberg's work, this was the kind of thing I'd come to expect from him based on what I've heard and read. A Dangerous Method was too safe and took no risks whatsoever. Cosmopolis is the opposite. And hats off to Robert Pattinson for no longer playing it safe either. Granted, starring in something as shitty as the Twilight saga isn't exactly great for one's legitimate acting career. But R-Patts actually does quite well for what he's asked to do.
I finished Amour yesterday and afterwards I immediately read what Jeff and Brandon wrote about it. Great stuff. I can't talk about this film too much without mentioning the performances of Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva; even if the script was boring (which it isn't) and the photography was awful (it isn't), those two performances would've elevated everything. And even with the film being as good as it is, those performances do elevate it and make it that much better. Hopefully a larger discussion will follow.
Tabu, This Is Not a Film, Holy Motors, and Rust and Bone soon. Thanks for that flash drive, John/Ben.
Television...
started Homeland and Sherlock this month. Both are enjoyable and I'll be sticking with them.
Maybe I can finally finish the second season of Downton Abbey soon; it's been somewhat of a struggle...just not as good as the first season.
I enjoyed the Dexter season finale. Maybe that wasn't hard for the writers to achieve given how shitty the entire seventh season had been. And even though I had predicted the final moment of the season a few months back, I did like how Deb's decision was presented to her. One more season to go.
I never do New Year's resolutions, but maybe I should make one to post more in 2013. I know I'd certainly like to. You're going down, Ben Spacey.
Rio Grande ****
Lawless **
Killing Them Softly ****
Gaslight ****
The 39 Steps ***
A Separation (re-watched) ****1/2
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey ***
Harvey ****
Django Unchained ***1/2
Cosmopolis ****
Amour ****
Television
30 Rock season 7
The Colbert Report
The Daily Show
Dexter season 6
Downton Abbey season 2
Homeland (started season 1)
Parks and Recreation season 5
Sherlock season 1
The Simpsons (various episodes)
Notes: I watched She Wore a Yellow Ribbon at the end of November and watched Rio Grande at the beginning of December. That's two films from John Ford's cavalry trilogy down and I own a copy of Fort Apache so hopefully I can catch that soon. I had a top five John Ford list ready to go (the draft is still up on my blogger dashboard), but I didn't post it because it was obvious and similar to Jeff and Brandon's list. And maybe I'm still not sure which film I like more...The Searchers or The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. I know I included the former in my "best films of all-time" list but I'll be damned if I don't admit to being blown away by Liberty Valance.
Anyway, back to Rio Grande. I'd definitely rank it above She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (no offense to that film though). RG offers a better story and a better flow. John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara make a great team, and their relationship was obviously one of the most important parts of the story; I didn't feel like John Wayne had enough to do in SWAYR. Anyway, my John Ford draft also had a line about how I wouldn't even try to do a write-up on Ford. Brandon said it all in his post. Beautifully done, my friend, if you don't mind me saying.
I wrote the following about Lawless in another post that I never got around to submitting (I suck):
"I got Lawless in the mail from Netflix. Nothing about it stood out to me; it's very forgettable. And I'm sorry but there's nothing compelling about a relationship between Shia LaBeouf and Mia Wasikowska; I was bored just from typing that sentence. Tom Hardy and Jessica Chastain are just 'okay.' Maggie's relationship with the Bondurant brothers felt very forced and unnecessary. It made think a bit of Ida Lupino relationship with Bogart in High Sierra, but obviously that one was more developed and effective; the Maggie/Bondurant thing felt like a failed attempt at that.
And back to LaBeouf--I actually wouldn't mind him if he wasn't such a douchebag. People love Ryan Gosling, and part of the appeal is that he doesn't seem shamed by his Disney past. LaBeouf has failed miserably at trying to shake that off; he's trying way too hard to be taken seriously and he just comes off looking like an asshole. I was channel-surfing one day and I saw that Freaks and Geeks was on. Shia was in this particular episode and he played a weird little goofball (similar to his character on Even Stevens), and you know what, he was great and likable. He'd be so much more tolerable if he embraced who he really is and what he actually does well."
My apologies for putting High Sierra and Lawless in the same paragraph.
I also started to write about Killing Them Softly shortly after I saw it at AMC. But I never finished it because that day also happened to be the Friday when the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy occurred. I couldn't bring myself to write about anything violent. At this time, I will say that I enjoyed Andrew Dominik's film quite a bit. And while Softly's overbearing political presence warrants a groan or two, I would argue that it does not hurt the movie at all. If the film had an identity crisis it would, but Dominik knows who his characters are and what they want. I also loved the juxtaposition between mob justice and bureaucratic justice. I wish I could watch the last scene with Richard Jenkins and Brad Pitt right now. Great stuff.
I enjoyed Gaslight, but unfortunately I don't have a lot to say about it right now.
The 39 Steps had its moments, but mostly I wasn't a big fan. I'm not about to criticize Hitchcock or say anything hyperbolic (gonna keep this dull), but it's certainly not one of my favorites. I want to see The Lady Vanishes soon; I have yet to see it.
A Separation was just as good the second time. I still stand by ranking The Tree of Life ahead of it though. Are Jeff and I the only two to see this one so far? I'd like to hear another man or woman's opinion.
I agree with everything Jeff wrote about The Hobbit (shocker). Neither of us have read the book and I will say that's probably the only way one can enjoy it. There's definite fat to be trimmed, but mostly it's a fun adventure story. I also liked seeing more of Middle Earth and its other inhabitants. We meet trolls, goblins, and mountains that can move and fight. We also get to see more of the Dwarves and their history. In the review John linked but now hates, the reviewer noted that the scenes between Bilbo and Gollum are the best moments in the entire movie. Agreed 100%; really well done. Say what you want about Peter Jackson, but he and Andy Serkis created such an iconic character in Gollum. I would liken him to Darth Vader because as soon as you see him on the screen (or even hear him breathing) it instantly stirs up certain emotions. I don't feel like I'm alone in thinking that. Anyways, hats off. And honestly, no large complaints, but I'd be insane to list it among the best films of the year. It's a fun time at the theater...nothing more.
Harvey is delightful. Jimmy Stewart is a legend. A third obvious thing. I loved the mix-up at the psyche ward when Veta is committed instead of Elwood.
Jeff also happens to be right about Django Unchained as well (Brandon too). It was a bit disappointing, though there were many things about it that I liked. Loved the Waltz/Foxx partnership. And while Leo was quite good in it and had some shiny/bright moments, I was mostly let down at how little Tarantino challenged him. Agreed gang, the ending is sloppy. Jeff and I have talked about this quite a bit already and we definitely agreed that it feels as if Tarantino rushed this one out. The ideas are there, but the execution is lacking.
Cosmopolis was very interesting. I watched this one the other day, so I don't think I've fully processed everything yet. I'm not sure exactly how I feel about it, but I know that I liked it. It's definitely top-ten worthy and even though I'm not too familiar with David Cronenberg's work, this was the kind of thing I'd come to expect from him based on what I've heard and read. A Dangerous Method was too safe and took no risks whatsoever. Cosmopolis is the opposite. And hats off to Robert Pattinson for no longer playing it safe either. Granted, starring in something as shitty as the Twilight saga isn't exactly great for one's legitimate acting career. But R-Patts actually does quite well for what he's asked to do.
I finished Amour yesterday and afterwards I immediately read what Jeff and Brandon wrote about it. Great stuff. I can't talk about this film too much without mentioning the performances of Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva; even if the script was boring (which it isn't) and the photography was awful (it isn't), those two performances would've elevated everything. And even with the film being as good as it is, those performances do elevate it and make it that much better. Hopefully a larger discussion will follow.
Tabu, This Is Not a Film, Holy Motors, and Rust and Bone soon. Thanks for that flash drive, John/Ben.
Television...
started Homeland and Sherlock this month. Both are enjoyable and I'll be sticking with them.
Maybe I can finally finish the second season of Downton Abbey soon; it's been somewhat of a struggle...just not as good as the first season.
I enjoyed the Dexter season finale. Maybe that wasn't hard for the writers to achieve given how shitty the entire seventh season had been. And even though I had predicted the final moment of the season a few months back, I did like how Deb's decision was presented to her. One more season to go.
I never do New Year's resolutions, but maybe I should make one to post more in 2013. I know I'd certainly like to. You're going down, Ben Spacey.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Octvember
Features (15) :(
Holiday Inn (1942) ****
The Lady From Shanghai (1947) ****
Looper (2012) ****
Ride the High Country (1962) ****
In Bruges (2008) ***1/2
The Master (2012) *****
Frankenweenie (2012) ***1/2
I Walked With a Zombie (1943) ***1/2
The Leopard Man (1943) ****
Rome Open City (1945) ***1/2
Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) ***1/2
The Quiet Man (1952) ****
And Then There Were None (1945) ****
Bigger Than Life (1956) ****
Lincoln (2012) ****
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) ***1/2
Television Shows
Dexter season 7
Boardwalk Empire seasons 1 & 2
30 Rock season 7
Parks and Recreation season 5
Seinfeld season 5
The Simpsons (various episodes...as always)
Real Time with Bill Maher
The Daily Show
The Colbert Report
Notes: 15 films in October and November...disgraceful. Despite both months lasting 31 and 30 days respectively, they seemed to move by at an incredible rate. John tweeted yesterday that he couldn't believe it was top ten time already; I agree. What a blur 2012 was. But speaking of 2012 top ten lists, I did at least catch five movies from this year in October and November. I still want to see Argo, Seven Psychopaths, Killing Them Softly, The Hobbit, Django Unchained, and somehow, someway I'll try and see Amour, Zero Dark Thirty, and Cosmopolis before making my list.
Anyway, moving on to the small list of movies I watched over the past two months...
Holiday Inn was a lot of fun. Had I not already been a Bing Crosby fan,watching this movie would've made it so. He's likeable (an undersell) and easy to root for when he's down. I also enjoyed watching Fred Astaire play a character who's a bit of a turd. The movie is great musical and one that's very appropriate for this month. And I wasn't going to mention this, but it's semi-related to our Lincoln discussion so what the hell. In celebrating Abraham Lincoln's birthday, Bing has his dancers and musicians dress in black face. Now normally that would lead me to be heavily critical of a film (even older ones, as you all know). While black face is never, ever okay, this particular number was celebrating Lincoln for the Emancipation Proclamation. So it's a very odd scenario, indeed. Anyway, I'm occasionally known as being the outspoken liberal in instances like these, but I have no large objections here, and again, I feel that the outspoken liberals who are attacking Spielberg's Lincoln should give it a rest.
I enjoyed The Lady From Shanghai. Film noir is fun. Rita Hayworth is beautiful. Orson Welles has a great Irish accent. And for a noir, the twists and turns are very satisfactory. I love the Fun House ending.
We booed about Looper...that was fun, but all that seems so long ago, doesn't it? Hopefully we get the chance to boo about another movie. And maybe we should do some booing for our Twilight Zone group, John. Just a thought. Anyway, now that some time has passed, I'm still high on Looper; it's still one of the better movies of the year in my opinion.
Overall, I liked Ride the High Country more than The Wild Bunch. I had only ever seen a young Joel McCrea as well so it was interesting to see him as an old man. But he and Randolph Scott are great together in this one. And I was kinda bummed out that Scott didn't look like this for the duration of the film:
I watched In Bruges in preparation for Seven Psychopaths, which again, I still haven't seen. In Bruges has enough to like/love, but I admit that there was nothing about the movie that really impressed me. Just me calling 'em as I sees 'em. But Martin McDonagh has my attention and I look forward to seeing 7P.
I watched I Walked with a Zombie and The Leopard Man; I hadn't seen either before. The former was all right; I definitely enjoyed The Leopard Man a lot more and I'd rank it just behind Cat People for the Lewton films I've seen. I like the shift in the character of Jerry Manning. It's just an effective, suspenseful horror/mystery story from beginning to end. The shot where the blood drips past the threshold of the door was great.
I wanted to see Safety Not Guaranteed because it actually looked like a sincere indie film to me. I largely avoid indie films because so many of them seem phoney and stupid. I'm still not sure how I feel about SNG. There are things about it that I really enjoyed and there are things about it that I wasn't crazy about. I can't say that there was anything about it that I hated, though; it is a good movie, but I don't know that I'd recommend it to anyone. I guess I need to let it sit with me more. Mark Duplass kinda reminds me of Matt Besser. I liked his performance. Aubrey Plaza is great and believable.
In Brandon's wonderful write-up on John Ford he lauds Ford's fight sequences. I can't think of a better showcase of that than the ending of The Quiet Man. I'll post a top-5 or 7 John Ford list soon and will offer a few thoughts on this one.
And Then There Were None was one of the more enjoyable movies that I watched recently. Murder mysteries are a lot of fun if they're done right; Rene Clair's film is. Great cast too. Wish I had more to offer.
***
The seventh season of Dexter has been terrible. I'm actually happy that there are only two episodes left this season. I was actually intrigued by the first few episodes, but everything has been downhill since then. The storylines are dull and trashy. I am, however, holding out hope that the writers will do something insane with the season finale. Maybe Dexter gets caught and spends the last season on death row...or maybe Deb will kill LaGuerta and Matthews. Fingers crossed for either scenario.
I re-watched seasons 1 and 2 of Boardwalk Empire and part of me wondered if I would see the season 2 finale any differently upon revisiting it. Not at all. Still hate it. Still don't understand it. Still have no real desire to watch season 3.
Holiday Inn (1942) ****
The Lady From Shanghai (1947) ****
Looper (2012) ****
Ride the High Country (1962) ****
In Bruges (2008) ***1/2
The Master (2012) *****
Frankenweenie (2012) ***1/2
I Walked With a Zombie (1943) ***1/2
The Leopard Man (1943) ****
Rome Open City (1945) ***1/2
Safety Not Guaranteed (2012) ***1/2
The Quiet Man (1952) ****
And Then There Were None (1945) ****
Bigger Than Life (1956) ****
Lincoln (2012) ****
She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) ***1/2
Television Shows
Dexter season 7
Boardwalk Empire seasons 1 & 2
30 Rock season 7
Parks and Recreation season 5
Seinfeld season 5
The Simpsons (various episodes...as always)
Real Time with Bill Maher
The Daily Show
The Colbert Report
Notes: 15 films in October and November...disgraceful. Despite both months lasting 31 and 30 days respectively, they seemed to move by at an incredible rate. John tweeted yesterday that he couldn't believe it was top ten time already; I agree. What a blur 2012 was. But speaking of 2012 top ten lists, I did at least catch five movies from this year in October and November. I still want to see Argo, Seven Psychopaths, Killing Them Softly, The Hobbit, Django Unchained, and somehow, someway I'll try and see Amour, Zero Dark Thirty, and Cosmopolis before making my list.
Anyway, moving on to the small list of movies I watched over the past two months...
Holiday Inn was a lot of fun. Had I not already been a Bing Crosby fan,watching this movie would've made it so. He's likeable (an undersell) and easy to root for when he's down. I also enjoyed watching Fred Astaire play a character who's a bit of a turd. The movie is great musical and one that's very appropriate for this month. And I wasn't going to mention this, but it's semi-related to our Lincoln discussion so what the hell. In celebrating Abraham Lincoln's birthday, Bing has his dancers and musicians dress in black face. Now normally that would lead me to be heavily critical of a film (even older ones, as you all know). While black face is never, ever okay, this particular number was celebrating Lincoln for the Emancipation Proclamation. So it's a very odd scenario, indeed. Anyway, I'm occasionally known as being the outspoken liberal in instances like these, but I have no large objections here, and again, I feel that the outspoken liberals who are attacking Spielberg's Lincoln should give it a rest.
I enjoyed The Lady From Shanghai. Film noir is fun. Rita Hayworth is beautiful. Orson Welles has a great Irish accent. And for a noir, the twists and turns are very satisfactory. I love the Fun House ending.
We booed about Looper...that was fun, but all that seems so long ago, doesn't it? Hopefully we get the chance to boo about another movie. And maybe we should do some booing for our Twilight Zone group, John. Just a thought. Anyway, now that some time has passed, I'm still high on Looper; it's still one of the better movies of the year in my opinion.
Overall, I liked Ride the High Country more than The Wild Bunch. I had only ever seen a young Joel McCrea as well so it was interesting to see him as an old man. But he and Randolph Scott are great together in this one. And I was kinda bummed out that Scott didn't look like this for the duration of the film:
I watched In Bruges in preparation for Seven Psychopaths, which again, I still haven't seen. In Bruges has enough to like/love, but I admit that there was nothing about the movie that really impressed me. Just me calling 'em as I sees 'em. But Martin McDonagh has my attention and I look forward to seeing 7P.
I watched I Walked with a Zombie and The Leopard Man; I hadn't seen either before. The former was all right; I definitely enjoyed The Leopard Man a lot more and I'd rank it just behind Cat People for the Lewton films I've seen. I like the shift in the character of Jerry Manning. It's just an effective, suspenseful horror/mystery story from beginning to end. The shot where the blood drips past the threshold of the door was great.
I wanted to see Safety Not Guaranteed because it actually looked like a sincere indie film to me. I largely avoid indie films because so many of them seem phoney and stupid. I'm still not sure how I feel about SNG. There are things about it that I really enjoyed and there are things about it that I wasn't crazy about. I can't say that there was anything about it that I hated, though; it is a good movie, but I don't know that I'd recommend it to anyone. I guess I need to let it sit with me more. Mark Duplass kinda reminds me of Matt Besser. I liked his performance. Aubrey Plaza is great and believable.
In Brandon's wonderful write-up on John Ford he lauds Ford's fight sequences. I can't think of a better showcase of that than the ending of The Quiet Man. I'll post a top-5 or 7 John Ford list soon and will offer a few thoughts on this one.
And Then There Were None was one of the more enjoyable movies that I watched recently. Murder mysteries are a lot of fun if they're done right; Rene Clair's film is. Great cast too. Wish I had more to offer.
***
The seventh season of Dexter has been terrible. I'm actually happy that there are only two episodes left this season. I was actually intrigued by the first few episodes, but everything has been downhill since then. The storylines are dull and trashy. I am, however, holding out hope that the writers will do something insane with the season finale. Maybe Dexter gets caught and spends the last season on death row...or maybe Deb will kill LaGuerta and Matthews. Fingers crossed for either scenario.
I re-watched seasons 1 and 2 of Boardwalk Empire and part of me wondered if I would see the season 2 finale any differently upon revisiting it. Not at all. Still hate it. Still don't understand it. Still have no real desire to watch season 3.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Lincoln
I have to say, I didn't watch a lot of the trailers for Lincoln. I heard they were cheesy, though, and I think I expected as much. Abraham Lincoln is considered one of the greatest/most important figures in American history, so of course Steven Spielberg's film was going to be heavily romanticized.
Do we build Abe up too much? Yes and no. Is he the white savior who worked tirelessly to end slavery and to ensure black equality? Absolutely not. Anyone who goes into the film thinking that is either a child, ill-informed, or incredibly stupid. The film is not a history lesson...it's a film. And really, I'm a little surprised, although I know I shouldn't be, that there are people out there who are criticizing the historical accuracy of the film. Does that mean that there's nothing else to criticize? Spielberg made a film that was interesting, entertaining, and extremely tight and brilliantly paced - nothing bad to report there. Wait, it isn't 100% accurate?? What a piece of shit. That's more of my response to the first link you gave us, Ben. Again, I didn't read the entire thing, but that was the sense that I got from it and I probably won't revisit that blog post.
The second link, I'm sure, is more respectable. I haven't had the chance to look it over more carefully yet, but I will soon and will have a post up on it. I just wanted to address the argument that is certainly floating out in cyberspace that the film blows because it isn't an accurate portrayal.
But while Lincoln wasn't the white savior, he was certainly a guiding force for the Thirteenth Amendment. The film gives us a little bit of that, but in my opinion it gives more of an overall feel of the man. The Doris Kearnes Goodwin interview with the Boston Globe shows that she was very satisfied with the work done by Daniel Day-Lewis, Steven Spielberg, and Tony Kushner. Goodwin's work gives us a sense that Abe was a folksy guy who was always telling stories and anecdotes. That's exactly what we're given in Lincoln and it's very well done. It's a great script and Daniel Day-Lewis is phenomenal (as always, I know). Not only does the script call for someone that audience can immediately indentify with and root for, it calls for a man we can't take our eyes off of. DDL is perfect for this film, and I imagine Spielberg and Kushner would not have been as enthusiastic about the project without him playing Abe.
But Brandon's right, there's more than Daniel Day-Lewis to admire about this film. The tone is right, something Spielberg is very familiar with (at times I thought of Amistad). The secondary characters (which offers plenty of great cameos) were all great. I'm not a big James Spader fan (not that I hate him or anything), but he's a lot of fun in this one. The scene where one of the Democrats is trying to shoot him is funnier than anything that Kevin James has ever done in his entire career (sorry that's not saying much, John).
The message of Lincoln is very clear, without being too obvious or annoying. Kushner channeled the side of Abraham Lincoln that Barack Obama admittedly imitates and channels: a man who believed in compromise and "baby steps," if you will. And we are also shown a man who admits to not being able to fully accept blacks as equals. At one point in, Lincoln tells his maid that he would try and "tolerate" a post-13th Amendment America. So while the 13th Amendment wasn't good enough and didn't go far enough, it absolutely set the wheels in motion. We needed the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other bills to do more to ensure equality, but even that wasn't enough. Even in 2012 Republicans are trying whatever they can to block minorities from voting.
Anyway, I'm getting off topic here. Spielberg and Kushner chip away at the theme even further with the Thaddeus Stevens storyline. If you care about something as passionately as Stevens did for black equality and an end to slavery, it's easy to understand the importance of patience and cautiousness. It was an intricate process that, had one false move been made, the entire Amendment would have been scraped. Dramas thrive on that concept, and the film does a great job setting it up and delivering.
So while all this doesn't necessarily compliment an accurate account of American history, it does compliment and drive the film wonderfully.
And sure, the film isn't without fault. I wasn't crazy about the Robert Lincoln storyline either, Brandon (even though I'm a big JGL fan). During one of Lincoln's speeches, I felt Spielberg used too many cuts/angles and it threw me off a bit - that probably sounds stupid, but it's true. And while the trailers are largely misleading, there are few cheesy moments in the film. Again, it isn't perfect, but what it does, it does extremely well.
I'm really rushing these thoughts right now. I want to post more tomorrow and hopefully I will. I want to address that second article. Nighty night.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Top 30 Aughties
1. There Will Be Blood (Anderson, 2007)
2. Synecdoche, New York (Kaufman, 2008)
3. No Country For Old Men (the Coen brothers, 2007)
4. A Single Man (Ford, 2009)
5. The New World (Malick, 2005)
6. Inglorious Basterds (Tarantino, 2009)
7. Zodiac (Fincher, 2007)
8. WALL-E (Stanton, 2008)
9. The Fountain (Aronofsky, 2006)
10. The Son (the Dardenne brothers, 2002)
11. Adaptation (Jonze, 2002)
12. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (Schnabel, 2007)
13. Dogville (von Trier, 2003)
14. Talk to Her (Almodovar, 2002)
15. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Gondry, 2004)
16. Kill Bill Vol. 2 (Tarantino, 2004)
17. In the Bedroom (Field, 2001)
18. Memento (Nolan, 2000)
19. The Fall (Tarsem, 2006)
20. Mulholland Dr. (Lynch, 2001)
21. Before Sunset (Linklater, 2004)
22. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Jackson, 2002)
23. Bronson (Refn, 2008)
24. Match Point (Allen, 2005)
25. Pan's Labyrinth (del Toro, 2006)
26. The White Ribbon (Haneke, 2009)
27. Big Fish (Burton, 2003)
28. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (Anderson, 2004)
29. Knocked Up (Apatow, 2007)
30. Old Boy (Park, 2003)
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Objective Viewing
I was hoping my post would get a little discussion going, Brandon; thanks for the response.
I'll start with Tim Burton. I love the guy - Edward Scissorhands, the two Batman movies, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Mars Attacks, Big Fish, Sleepy Hollow. That's quite an impressive/established resume, and one would have to be a fool to deny him auteur status; we all know a Burton film when we see one.
My problem with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice In Wonderland is that they look and felt more like studio duds than something that had the Tim Burton stamp on them. I remember feeling really excited at the respective announcements of both projects.
* Finally, we were going to get a dark version of Alice in Wonderland. I couldn't have been more wrong.
* Tim Burton making a dark, slightly-demented version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? That sounded like a cool idea to me, but when I watched it the movie felt dull and unnecessary.
So admittedly, I did go into both movies with that bit of subjectivity. I had higher expectations for both and envisioned them to look and feel a certain way. So I do put that on myself as well as Burton; I'm still a fan and won't give up on him. But at the same time, I think it's okay to single out a few of his films as being crap, without resorting to hyperbole. It feels wrong to turn on the man and suddenly label him a bad director or someone who's "lost it." Although I think Tarsem might be a different case altogether.
I will grant Charlie and the Chocolate Factory some aesthetical points, but nothing more. You do get a sense of Burton's style, but it isn't enough, in my opinion. And it's interesting to me that post-Pirates Johnny Depp is in both movies (CatCF and AiW). Maybe style and substance were sacrificed slightly so that the studio could potentially do better at the box office?
And you're right, it was silly for me to say that I won't give Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd another chance; I'm sure I will. They were both really well done, even if they aren't favorites of mine.
Moving on to objective viewing, bad buzz can sometimes curb my enthusiasm for a film...but if I'm interested/invested in a project from the start, I usually see it no matter what the critics and fanboys say. I wasn't at all aware of the Dark Shadows TV show, so the movie wasn't really on my list of things to see anyway. But sure, after all of those critics tore it apart, I started to reconsider giving it a shot - a feeling that only lasted a month or two. It's the old 'see it in the theater vs. rent it' argument.
So largely it has to do with my own interests; if everyone had trashed The Master, I still would've been there that night at Cinemapolis. And because The Master was a strong contender for "best film of 2012," I did measure it while watching it, as you did with Anatolia. To me it makes sense to do that for the biggest films of the year. Every scene and line of dialogue needs to be put under the microscope, it would seem. And I think we try do that with quite a bit of objectivity. But depending on who and what we've read about a film, outside thoughts/words can sometimes creep in and alter our viewing moods.
I almost prefer to see a "big" film twice - the second viewing occurring a week or so after the first. For that first viewing, I want to break down and measure every scene and line. With the second viewing, I want to relax and focus on letting the film entertain me or having whatever affect it's trying to achieve on me.
I wouldn't say that Jason, Adrienne, and I are more honest than you, John, and Jeff but if there is a difference between those two groups, I think it might have something to do with the fact that you guys spend more time reading reviews than we do (here's me putting words in Jason and Adrienne's respective mouths). I hear and read little snippets, but I often avoid full reviews...except for the CR5FC ones ;)
Obviously reading the reviews isn't a bad thing. I respect the hell out of the work you, John, and Jeff and do. Your posts are smart (contrary to your own beliefs) and I always enjoy reading them. And I'm sure that from reading other critics, it helps to get the ball rolling.
And really, I'm pretty lame because I almost always avoid the movies that I root against. Mostly I play it safe and watch what I know I'll feel, at the very least, lukewarm about. I'll probably never watch Ted, but I'll continue to rip on it. But I would definitely root against that movie if I were to watch it - same with Project X and this Red Dawn re-make. Political reasons do play a role. And right, there was the Mel Gibson discussion we had. It's easy to root against someone if he or she is an awful human being. Gibson is an awful person, in my mind. Woody Allen is an awful person in the minds of many, but not mine...even though I don't necessarily support what he did. So there's that.
Lastly, I just want to say that we should never condemn anyone for wanting to go against the grain. In some cases I admire it. But just being a contrarian is lame. Consistency in one's convictions is a hell of a lot more admirable, especially given how hard it is to work at and achieve.
I'll start with Tim Burton. I love the guy - Edward Scissorhands, the two Batman movies, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Mars Attacks, Big Fish, Sleepy Hollow. That's quite an impressive/established resume, and one would have to be a fool to deny him auteur status; we all know a Burton film when we see one.
My problem with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Alice In Wonderland is that they look and felt more like studio duds than something that had the Tim Burton stamp on them. I remember feeling really excited at the respective announcements of both projects.
* Finally, we were going to get a dark version of Alice in Wonderland. I couldn't have been more wrong.
* Tim Burton making a dark, slightly-demented version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? That sounded like a cool idea to me, but when I watched it the movie felt dull and unnecessary.
So admittedly, I did go into both movies with that bit of subjectivity. I had higher expectations for both and envisioned them to look and feel a certain way. So I do put that on myself as well as Burton; I'm still a fan and won't give up on him. But at the same time, I think it's okay to single out a few of his films as being crap, without resorting to hyperbole. It feels wrong to turn on the man and suddenly label him a bad director or someone who's "lost it." Although I think Tarsem might be a different case altogether.
I will grant Charlie and the Chocolate Factory some aesthetical points, but nothing more. You do get a sense of Burton's style, but it isn't enough, in my opinion. And it's interesting to me that post-Pirates Johnny Depp is in both movies (CatCF and AiW). Maybe style and substance were sacrificed slightly so that the studio could potentially do better at the box office?
And you're right, it was silly for me to say that I won't give Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd another chance; I'm sure I will. They were both really well done, even if they aren't favorites of mine.
Moving on to objective viewing, bad buzz can sometimes curb my enthusiasm for a film...but if I'm interested/invested in a project from the start, I usually see it no matter what the critics and fanboys say. I wasn't at all aware of the Dark Shadows TV show, so the movie wasn't really on my list of things to see anyway. But sure, after all of those critics tore it apart, I started to reconsider giving it a shot - a feeling that only lasted a month or two. It's the old 'see it in the theater vs. rent it' argument.
So largely it has to do with my own interests; if everyone had trashed The Master, I still would've been there that night at Cinemapolis. And because The Master was a strong contender for "best film of 2012," I did measure it while watching it, as you did with Anatolia. To me it makes sense to do that for the biggest films of the year. Every scene and line of dialogue needs to be put under the microscope, it would seem. And I think we try do that with quite a bit of objectivity. But depending on who and what we've read about a film, outside thoughts/words can sometimes creep in and alter our viewing moods.
I almost prefer to see a "big" film twice - the second viewing occurring a week or so after the first. For that first viewing, I want to break down and measure every scene and line. With the second viewing, I want to relax and focus on letting the film entertain me or having whatever affect it's trying to achieve on me.
I wouldn't say that Jason, Adrienne, and I are more honest than you, John, and Jeff but if there is a difference between those two groups, I think it might have something to do with the fact that you guys spend more time reading reviews than we do (here's me putting words in Jason and Adrienne's respective mouths). I hear and read little snippets, but I often avoid full reviews...except for the CR5FC ones ;)
Obviously reading the reviews isn't a bad thing. I respect the hell out of the work you, John, and Jeff and do. Your posts are smart (contrary to your own beliefs) and I always enjoy reading them. And I'm sure that from reading other critics, it helps to get the ball rolling.
And really, I'm pretty lame because I almost always avoid the movies that I root against. Mostly I play it safe and watch what I know I'll feel, at the very least, lukewarm about. I'll probably never watch Ted, but I'll continue to rip on it. But I would definitely root against that movie if I were to watch it - same with Project X and this Red Dawn re-make. Political reasons do play a role. And right, there was the Mel Gibson discussion we had. It's easy to root against someone if he or she is an awful human being. Gibson is an awful person, in my mind. Woody Allen is an awful person in the minds of many, but not mine...even though I don't necessarily support what he did. So there's that.
Lastly, I just want to say that we should never condemn anyone for wanting to go against the grain. In some cases I admire it. But just being a contrarian is lame. Consistency in one's convictions is a hell of a lot more admirable, especially given how hard it is to work at and achieve.
Top Ten Tree House of Horror Segments
Using a toaster with a flux capacitor, Homer accidentally travels back in time to when "dinosaurs weren't just confined to zoos." Once there, he remembers the advice Grampa gave him on his wedding day, - "If you ever travel back in time, don't step on anything because even the tiniest change can alter the future in ways you can't imagine." Obviously Homer fails at this and it's met with hilarious results.
Favorite quote/moment:
Homer: (fed up of the consequences of time travel) Don't touch anything? I'll touch whatever I feel like! (He then begins to stomp and club everything in his path.)
Lisa and Bart hear strange noises coming from the attic; when they ask Homer and Marge about it, they're told to never go up there. Marge then reminds Homer to take a bucket of fish heads up to the attic.
Favorite quote/moment:
Obviously the moment when Bart and Lisa find the unsold copies of Homer's autobiography, Homer I Hardly Knew Me. But I'll also go with the moment when Dr. Hibbert shows Hugo his reflection in a mirror for the first time.
While riding to school, Bart is only person on the bus to see a gremlin trying to kill everyone on board.
Favorite quote/moment:
Lisa: Excuse me, Bart's a little upset this morning, so could everyone please be extra-nice to him?
(Everyone laughs)
Jimbo: Hey, where's your diaper, baby? (pulls down Bart's pants)
Martin: Thank goodness he's drawn attention away from my shirt. (Martin wearing a Wang Computers t-shirt.)
Homer buys a matter transporter at Professor Frink's yard sale for thirty-five cents. After accidentally splicing the DNA of Snowball II and Santa's Little Helper together, Bart decides to splice himself with a fly so that he can become a half-man, half-fly superhero.
Favorite quote/moment:
The opening at the yard sale is all gold.
Homer strikes a Faustian deal for doughnut. However, a trial must take place to decide whether Homer's soul rightfully belongs to the devil...or someone else.
Favorite quote/moment:
Lenny: Sorry, Homer. While you were daydreaming we ate all the donuts.
Carl: Well, there were a few left, but we chucked them at an old man for kicks.
[shot of Abe running with a donut stuck to his head; multiple birds are swarming on him]
Abe: Damn buzzards! I ain't dead yet.
Mayor Quimby won't apologize for offending the French. In retaliation, Springfield is hit with a nuclear missile at the exact moment that Homer is testing out a bomb shelter. Eventually, he realizes he is the only survivor in town...or is he?
Favorite quote/moment:
Yeah, I've got to go with when Homer finds the Gary Larson calendar in the bomb shelter, saying, "I don't get it" each time he turns the page. I also love the moment when the Freaks get into their racer to chase after Homer driving a hearse.
Bart finds a book of spells in the Occult section of the school library. He and Lisa then attempt to bring the The Simpson family's dead cat, Snowball I, back to life. But the spell Bart reads ends up unleashing a zombie attack on Springfield instead.
Favorite quote/moment:
(Homer shoots Flanders)
Bart: Dad, you killed the Zombie Flanders!
Homer: He was a zombie?
I also love the moment when Homer and the family are walking through the halls of Springfield Elementary - killing George Washington, Albert Einstein, and William Shakespeare. "Take that Washington! Eat lead, Einstein! Show's over, Shakespeare!"
The Simpsons take on Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, which is referred to here as the "shinning" so as to avoid a lawsuit.
Favorite quote/moment:
There are too many to list; the entire episode is brilliant. But one of my favorite jokes of the entire series is:
Lisa: Mom, is Dad going to try and kill us?
Marge: I guess we're just gonna have to wait and see.
Another brilliant spoof - this time it's Francis Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Favorite quote/moment:
Abe: (running into Bart's room with a stake) We must kill the boy!
Marge: Grampa, how'd you know he was a vampire?
Abe: He's a vampire?! (runs out of the room in fear)
I also love the scenes when The Simpsons go over to Mr. Burn's (who is playing the part of Dracula) castle for dinner.
Lisa: (smelling her drink) Dad, this is blood!
Homer: Correction...free blood! (quaffing)
Homer forgets to buy a present for Bart's birthday. At the House of Evil shop, Homer buys a Krusty doll that carries a terrible curse.
Favorite quote/moment:
The Frogurt routine is brilliant and is one my favorite moments in the entire series. But this segment does get my number 1 spot because I love every single scene. Every joke is hilarious and I often quote them. I also love the moments at the Halloween party before and after Lisa tells this story.
Almost made it: Nightmare Cafeteria, Citizen Kang, Hell Toupee, Lisa's Dream: The Monkey's Paw
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Dark Shadows/NBC/Tree House of Horror
I haven't seen Dark Shadows yet, Brandon, but I hope to check it out at some point. I couldn't agree more with your first paragraph. It's important to avoid the bullying crowd. John Carter definitely had redeemable qualities, and was much better than a handful of movies that were praised by critics and did well at the box office this year.
At the same time, I also want to say that it's important to try and be consistent with our convictions (not that I'm accusing you of this at all - I'm definitely not) and if a film is truly awful, we should acknowledge that...no matter how many critics and fanboys are shitting on it. Alice In Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory were terrible. Sweeney Todd and the Corpse Bride were all right, but I haven't seen either since they opened in the theater, I don't know that I'll ever watch them again.
I'm always rooting for Burton, though; I'm a fan and I'll keep going to his movies hoping to love what I see.
Jeff and I did see Frankweenie last weekend (has anyone else been to this yet?) I liked it, and was particularly drawn to the message of the film (pro-science/academia). I should probably do a longer post on it, but I almost want to wait for someone else to see it first. It's fun, albeit, a little disorganized...but it's entertaining enough and has a lot of heart.
John, I liked your NBC round-up and I'm really glad you finally caught an episode of Parks and Recreation. (Again, you remind me a bit of Ron Swanson.) I think Lisa's a fan as well, and then obviously Jeff. I would hope there are other fans in CR5FC because it's the best comedy on network television right now. It's a show with a great cast and great characters, and you (John) should definitely start watching from the beginning. I will say that it gets off to a bit of a slow start, though. But stick with it; as you've seen (from the Halloween episode?) it's quite hilarious and enjoyable.
I've never seen Up All Night, but I'm a big fan of Will Arnett. When I saw the first few promos that aired it looked gimmicky - "Hey, we're 30 somethings with a kid...the kid cries at night...it blows...but hey, it's all part of being a family." I don't know, whatever, I'm sure there's plenty to enjoy about it.
I can't believe you're still watching The Office - you deserve a medal for sticking with it. I think I stopped watching after the sixth season. It's started to reach Family Guy territory for me. Okay...maybe not that bad. But I haven't truly enjoyed The Office since Michael Schur, one of the head writers, left to create his own show.....Parks and Recreation - the spin-off that wasn't. Also, they ruined Andy Bernard (Ed Helms' character). He was such a great character during season 3 and makes me sad to see that the 'Nard Dawg was neutered by the writing staff a season or two ago.
Haha, I haven't seen last week's episode of 30 Rock yet. I was going to watch it today, but apparently I can't stream it through Hulu plus on my Xbox. Now I'm dying to see what was so liberal about it. I mean, I know Tina Fey is a liberal and I'm sure all/most of her writers are as well. The show has taken many shots at conservatives over the years...but deservedly so. (It's always deserved, in my opinion; modern conservatives are ass-clowns...but that's another post for another day.)
My problem with 30 Rock is that it isn't as funny as it used to be. I still enjoy it, but seasons 1-5 are the golden years. The jokes were brilliant and made me laugh as much as some of my favorite Simpsons episodes.
I got Bernie texts from Brandon as well, and I do want to check it out at some point.
Shame on you for those Return of the Jedi thoughts, haha. Did you watch the theatrical version or the one with Hayden Christensen spliced in? Good lord that was an awful decision. Anyway, I should re-watch the trilogy soon. And speaking of things you're grumpy about, I'm kinda feeling Lord of the Rings right now; maybe a marathon is in my future. Is anyone dying to see The Hobbit? I have a feeling I might be slightly disappointed...hope I'm wrong. I've never read the book, though, so I should probably shut up altogether.
Goood write-up on your top ten Tree House of Horror segments, Jeff. I started working on one the other day, and obviously it's going to be very similar to yours.
At the same time, I also want to say that it's important to try and be consistent with our convictions (not that I'm accusing you of this at all - I'm definitely not) and if a film is truly awful, we should acknowledge that...no matter how many critics and fanboys are shitting on it. Alice In Wonderland and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory were terrible. Sweeney Todd and the Corpse Bride were all right, but I haven't seen either since they opened in the theater, I don't know that I'll ever watch them again.
I'm always rooting for Burton, though; I'm a fan and I'll keep going to his movies hoping to love what I see.
Jeff and I did see Frankweenie last weekend (has anyone else been to this yet?) I liked it, and was particularly drawn to the message of the film (pro-science/academia). I should probably do a longer post on it, but I almost want to wait for someone else to see it first. It's fun, albeit, a little disorganized...but it's entertaining enough and has a lot of heart.
John, I liked your NBC round-up and I'm really glad you finally caught an episode of Parks and Recreation. (Again, you remind me a bit of Ron Swanson.) I think Lisa's a fan as well, and then obviously Jeff. I would hope there are other fans in CR5FC because it's the best comedy on network television right now. It's a show with a great cast and great characters, and you (John) should definitely start watching from the beginning. I will say that it gets off to a bit of a slow start, though. But stick with it; as you've seen (from the Halloween episode?) it's quite hilarious and enjoyable.
I've never seen Up All Night, but I'm a big fan of Will Arnett. When I saw the first few promos that aired it looked gimmicky - "Hey, we're 30 somethings with a kid...the kid cries at night...it blows...but hey, it's all part of being a family." I don't know, whatever, I'm sure there's plenty to enjoy about it.
I can't believe you're still watching The Office - you deserve a medal for sticking with it. I think I stopped watching after the sixth season. It's started to reach Family Guy territory for me. Okay...maybe not that bad. But I haven't truly enjoyed The Office since Michael Schur, one of the head writers, left to create his own show.....Parks and Recreation - the spin-off that wasn't. Also, they ruined Andy Bernard (Ed Helms' character). He was such a great character during season 3 and makes me sad to see that the 'Nard Dawg was neutered by the writing staff a season or two ago.
Haha, I haven't seen last week's episode of 30 Rock yet. I was going to watch it today, but apparently I can't stream it through Hulu plus on my Xbox. Now I'm dying to see what was so liberal about it. I mean, I know Tina Fey is a liberal and I'm sure all/most of her writers are as well. The show has taken many shots at conservatives over the years...but deservedly so. (It's always deserved, in my opinion; modern conservatives are ass-clowns...but that's another post for another day.)
My problem with 30 Rock is that it isn't as funny as it used to be. I still enjoy it, but seasons 1-5 are the golden years. The jokes were brilliant and made me laugh as much as some of my favorite Simpsons episodes.
I got Bernie texts from Brandon as well, and I do want to check it out at some point.
Shame on you for those Return of the Jedi thoughts, haha. Did you watch the theatrical version or the one with Hayden Christensen spliced in? Good lord that was an awful decision. Anyway, I should re-watch the trilogy soon. And speaking of things you're grumpy about, I'm kinda feeling Lord of the Rings right now; maybe a marathon is in my future. Is anyone dying to see The Hobbit? I have a feeling I might be slightly disappointed...hope I'm wrong. I've never read the book, though, so I should probably shut up altogether.
Goood write-up on your top ten Tree House of Horror segments, Jeff. I started working on one the other day, and obviously it's going to be very similar to yours.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Halloween Traditions
Here's a list of the movies and television episodes I'll be watching this October in preparation for Halloween, some of which I watch every year. Obviously my schedule is built more on nostalgia than trying to scare myself shitless...
Movies
The Wolfman (1941)
Cat People (1942)
I Walked With a Zombie (1943)
The Leopard Man (1943)
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (1949)
Halloween (1978)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Hocus Pocus (1993)
Frankenweenie (2012)
I was obsessed with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and The Nightmare Before Christmas when I was a kid. Unfortunately I haven't watched them enough in my later years. Disney's TLoSH is beautifully animated and perfectly told. Of course the ending frightened me when I was younger. Still loved it though. And with Bing Crosby narrating/singing...what's not to like?
And when I was younger I knew all the words to the songs from TNBC. Jack Skeleton was something of a hero of mine growing up; he was cool as hell.
The Lewton/RKO pictures are a must. Give me the classics, baby! I haven't seen I Walked With a Zombie or The Leopard Man yet. Looking forward to them.
And even though I detest slasher films, I am curious to see John Carpenter's Halloween. Why not watch THE slasher film? Oh, and maybe I should re-watch Club Dread too...speaking of slashers.
I'm really looking forward to seeing Frankenweenie in the theater. It was time for Tim Burton to get back to what he's good at, so here's hoping it doesn't disappoint.
Hocus Pocus and Ernest Scared Stupid were the two live-action Halloween movies that I watched a lot as a kid. Obviously Ernest is too ridiculous (and terrifying) to re-watch every single year. Maybe though. Hocus Pocus is actually a decent movie, and a little bit fun to pick on.
In past years I've watched The Exorcist, The Omen, The Shining, and Peeping Tom. Those are all obvious classics and probably should be watched every year, so maybe there's a chance for them in 2012. I also watched Trick 'r' Treat (2007) last year and I'd recommend it, as it's a fun Halloween flick.
Of course, I'll look to add to more movies to this list. There's always room from some unexpected frights....MUHAHAHA!
Television shows
The Simpsons - Treehouse of Horror episodes I-VIII
Boy Meets World - And Then There Was Shawn (season 5), The Witches of Pennbrook (season 5)
The Twilight Zone - The Hitchhiker (season 1), The Eye of the Beholder (season 2), Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up? (season 2), The Dummy (season 3), Nightmare at 20,000 Feet (season 5), Living Doll (season 5), An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge (season 5),
Doug - Doug On His Own (season 2), Doug's Nightmare on Jumbo Street (season 3), Doug's Halloween Adventure (season 4)
Hey Arnold! - Haunted Train (season 1), Arnold's Halloween (season 2), Four-Eyed Jack (season 2), Headless Cabbie (season 4), Ghost Bride (season 5)
Every year for the past few years Jeff and I have watched all of the Treehouse of Horror episodes. Of course, being the Simpsons snobs that we are, we only watch episodes I-VIII. I think episode IX has Jerry Springer in it...so there's a reason to stop watching right there.
But if my memory serves me well, Treehouse of Horrors X-XII are decent enough. Again, I could talk Simpsons all day, so I'll try and keep this short. My favorite Treehouse of Horror segments are: Clown Without Pity, Dial 'Z' For Zombies, The Devil and Homer Simpson, Terror at 51/2 Feet, Bart Simpson's Dracula, The Shinning, Time and Punishment, Homega Man, and Fly vs. Fly. Brilliant and hilarious. Highly recommended viewing.
ABC's TGIF line-up ruled, and Boy Meets World was one of my favorite shows back in the day. Two of the best episodes in the entire series happen to be ones associated with horror and Halloween. I watch the two episodes listed above every year and will continue to do so. More hilarity, not necessarily scares...though "And Then There Was Shawn" is slighty creepy, I've gotta admit. Disclaimer: I am a coward.
When I think of this time of year, The Twilight Zone instantly comes to mind. Essential stuff and I look forward to re-watching a lot of those episodes listed above. If you haven't seen them, check them out through NWI and youtube. And I think Sy-fy (or however the hell they're spelling it these days) does a marathon every October.
There's something about animated kid's shows that really capture the spirit of Halloween so well. Love Doug and Hey Arnold! and all of those episodes are great to watch this time of year.
Anyway, this is just to get the ball rolling. What are some of your Halloween movie and TV traditions? I imagine mine are the least terrifying. Also figured I'd consider any suggestions from the CR5FC gang, but I can't guarantee that I will garner enough courage to watch any of them, haha.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Septivity
Features (12)
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) *****
The Night of the Hunter (1955) *****
V/H/S (2012) **1/2
Shadows (1959) ****1/2
Amarcord (1973) ***1/2
La Bete Humaine (1938) ****
Pat and Mike (1952) ****
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) ****
The Master (2012) *****
Adam's Rib (1949) ****1/2
The Curse of the Cat People (1944) ****
The Wild Bunch (1969) ****
Television
Breaking Bad, season 5
Boardwalk Empire, re-watching season 1
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
The Colbert Report
Dexter, season 7
Doug season 4
Parks and Recreation, season 5
Real Time with Bill Maher
Seinfeld seasons 4 and 5
The Simpsons (various seasons)
Weeds, season 8
Notes: I started the month out with two films from the Brandon Musa Essentials list - The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and The Night of the Hunter. Both have quickly become essentials of my own.
Brilliant stuff from John Ford, as expected, with Liberty Valance. The story and the cast were perfect (shout out to Edmond O'Brien for kicking ass). Because the characters are so loveable, it's easy to feel involved in the film. I love the shot of Valance being gunned down (the reveal at the end). This is everything a film should be; I think I felt every emotion while watching it.
Robert Mitchum gives one hell of a performance in The Night of the Hunter. He's dangerous, terrifying, with charm. Also, I can't believe we got that shot of Shelley Winters underwater - haunting and cool. A shame that this all we have from Charles Laughton, director.
Shadows was my first Cassavetes film...maybe I'll watch them all in order if I can. I really dug this picture. Very impressive and fascinating. There's so much going on in the film that it only deserves an in-depth analysis. Hopefully I can get to that at some point here.
I'm still not in love with Fellini, but Amarcord was never going to be the film to change that. It's beautifully shot, though, and I'll never be one to write Fellini off as being too pretentious or boring. It's a fun film, but it didn't do enough for me.
I really enjoyed La Bete Humaine, but I'm afraid I don't have a lot to say about it. Jean Gabin is awesome, as always, and I love the story. Here's a bit of train movie for you, John. And as far as train movies are concerned, this might be one of the best.
Jeff told me to get Pat and Mike on Netflix, claiming that he liked it better than Adam's Rib. Sorry, J-dawg, but give me Adam's Rib over Pat and Mike anyday. Both are enjoyable, though. I love the Tracey/Hepburn team; they play off of each other so well. It's a case where, each time they play a married couple or two people who've fallen for each other, you immediately buy into it.
Gentlemen Prefer Jane Russell...I mean, Blondes was grand, but it started off a bit slow for me. But once it got going, it didn't disappointed. Jane Russell is great and definitely more a catch than Marilyn Monroe. Because I'm of a younger generation, I admit that I don't really give a crap about Monroe. I don't find her very attractive (I mean, clearly she is, she's just not my cup of tea) and she obviously isn't the most talented actress. Anyone else agree with me here?
The Curse of the Cat People is the strangest sequel of all-time, which Jeff had previously warned me about. I watched Cat People a year ago, and probably should've watched it again before CotCP as a refresher. I did really enjoy it though. The little girl is great and it's got some nice, creepy moments. It's nice to see that Simone Simon's character gets a chance to redeem herself.
I like Sam Peckinpah's style, but I admit, there were a few moments when I was bored watching The Wild Bunch. The gunfight in the beginning, the train robbery, the gunfight at the end - all great, but there were some dull moments as well. I think the problem was that I found it a little difficult to connect with the characters. I'm going to see Ride the High Country soon.
September saw the final episode of Weeds. I'm considering doing a big write-up on it. I liked the final season, though, and the series finale. It felt satisfying, which is what you always want from a final episode.
Dexter is back. After having seen the first episode, I've gotta say, it's got my interest back quite a bit. I wasn't sure how to feel about the season finale last year, but now that I know where the staff is going with this new development, I am pleased. We'll see how it all plays out.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) *****
The Night of the Hunter (1955) *****
V/H/S (2012) **1/2
Shadows (1959) ****1/2
Amarcord (1973) ***1/2
La Bete Humaine (1938) ****
Pat and Mike (1952) ****
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) ****
The Master (2012) *****
Adam's Rib (1949) ****1/2
The Curse of the Cat People (1944) ****
The Wild Bunch (1969) ****
Television
Breaking Bad, season 5
Boardwalk Empire, re-watching season 1
The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
The Colbert Report
Dexter, season 7
Doug season 4
Parks and Recreation, season 5
Real Time with Bill Maher
Seinfeld seasons 4 and 5
The Simpsons (various seasons)
Weeds, season 8
Notes: I started the month out with two films from the Brandon Musa Essentials list - The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and The Night of the Hunter. Both have quickly become essentials of my own.
Brilliant stuff from John Ford, as expected, with Liberty Valance. The story and the cast were perfect (shout out to Edmond O'Brien for kicking ass). Because the characters are so loveable, it's easy to feel involved in the film. I love the shot of Valance being gunned down (the reveal at the end). This is everything a film should be; I think I felt every emotion while watching it.
Robert Mitchum gives one hell of a performance in The Night of the Hunter. He's dangerous, terrifying, with charm. Also, I can't believe we got that shot of Shelley Winters underwater - haunting and cool. A shame that this all we have from Charles Laughton, director.
Shadows was my first Cassavetes film...maybe I'll watch them all in order if I can. I really dug this picture. Very impressive and fascinating. There's so much going on in the film that it only deserves an in-depth analysis. Hopefully I can get to that at some point here.
I'm still not in love with Fellini, but Amarcord was never going to be the film to change that. It's beautifully shot, though, and I'll never be one to write Fellini off as being too pretentious or boring. It's a fun film, but it didn't do enough for me.
I really enjoyed La Bete Humaine, but I'm afraid I don't have a lot to say about it. Jean Gabin is awesome, as always, and I love the story. Here's a bit of train movie for you, John. And as far as train movies are concerned, this might be one of the best.
Jeff told me to get Pat and Mike on Netflix, claiming that he liked it better than Adam's Rib. Sorry, J-dawg, but give me Adam's Rib over Pat and Mike anyday. Both are enjoyable, though. I love the Tracey/Hepburn team; they play off of each other so well. It's a case where, each time they play a married couple or two people who've fallen for each other, you immediately buy into it.
Gentlemen Prefer Jane Russell...I mean, Blondes was grand, but it started off a bit slow for me. But once it got going, it didn't disappointed. Jane Russell is great and definitely more a catch than Marilyn Monroe. Because I'm of a younger generation, I admit that I don't really give a crap about Monroe. I don't find her very attractive (I mean, clearly she is, she's just not my cup of tea) and she obviously isn't the most talented actress. Anyone else agree with me here?
The Curse of the Cat People is the strangest sequel of all-time, which Jeff had previously warned me about. I watched Cat People a year ago, and probably should've watched it again before CotCP as a refresher. I did really enjoy it though. The little girl is great and it's got some nice, creepy moments. It's nice to see that Simone Simon's character gets a chance to redeem herself.
I like Sam Peckinpah's style, but I admit, there were a few moments when I was bored watching The Wild Bunch. The gunfight in the beginning, the train robbery, the gunfight at the end - all great, but there were some dull moments as well. I think the problem was that I found it a little difficult to connect with the characters. I'm going to see Ride the High Country soon.
September saw the final episode of Weeds. I'm considering doing a big write-up on it. I liked the final season, though, and the series finale. It felt satisfying, which is what you always want from a final episode.
Dexter is back. After having seen the first episode, I've gotta say, it's got my interest back quite a bit. I wasn't sure how to feel about the season finale last year, but now that I know where the staff is going with this new development, I am pleased. We'll see how it all plays out.
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