Film

Diagnosis: Film – Weekend of Oct. 1

Posted on September 28, 2010 by movieguyjon Blather Film Trailers 0

This is a good week to see films, for the most part. Got a few in this bunch I would go see, and a few others I am kind of interested in seeing. Nothing really struck me as a pan except for a few that you’ll read about below. Let’s get to this without further delay.

	The Social Network Director: David Fincher Written By: Aaron Sorkin Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Timberlake, Andrew Garfield Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 Despite the suspiciously glowing reviews on RottenTomatoes, I’m still interested in seeing this. And it’s not because I’m all that interested in Facebook. I am interested in the story the filmmakers have devised. It’s not like this is actually how it all went down. Diagnosis: Want to see.
	Case 39 Director: Christian Alvart Written By: Ray Wright Starring: Renée Zellweger, Jodelle Ferland, Ian McShane, Bradley Cooper Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 Horror film month is approaching soon and with it a slew of films where randy youths get chopped to bits and people deal with tangible demons. It’s pretty much my favorite month for mainstream B horror and attempts at something better. This doesn’t look like the later. Diagnosis: If I have time.
	Let Me In Director: Matt Reeves Written By: Matt Reeves Starring: Chloe Moretz, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Richard Jenkins, Elias Koteas Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 It’s a remake. I liked the original, but some positive reviews have turned on the curiosity. So much for my stance on remakes. Diagnosis: Interested in seeing.
	Ip Man (Yip Man) (2008) Director: Wilson Yip Written By: Edmond Wong Starring: Donnie Yen, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, Fan Siu-Wong, Xiong Dailin Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 If I see the phrase “one man defies an empire” one more time, I’m gonna scream. Didn’t we get that same description for Hero as well? Seriously. Time to get new copy. Diagnosis: I eat this punchy-kicky-shit up like cocoa puffs.
	Leaving (Partir) Director: Catherine Corsini Written By: Catherine Corsini Starring: Kristin Scott Thomas, Sergi López, Yvan Attal, Bernard Blancan Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 (Limited) As much as I love tales of infidelity and woe (I don’t), the trailer just doesn’t grab me. I think after the third shot of the lady running away and the mean ol’ coot of a husband staring off into the distance, I decided not to seek this one out. But I’m a guy…and I like punchy-kicky-shit and cocoa puffs. Diagnosis: Not interested.
	Freakonomics Director: Alex Gibney, Heidi Ewing Written By: Peter Bull, Alex Gibney, Jeremy Chilnick, Morgan Spurlock, Eugene Jarecki, Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady, Seth Gordon Starring: Zoe Sloane, Adesuwa Addy Iyare, Jade Viggiano Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 (Limited) Admittedly, I’ve grown into a bit of a documentary person. Not sure when that happened, but the few on my Netflix Instant Queue remain there for a definite reason. Now there’s this one and the trailer has piqued my interest. Diagnosis: Want to see.
	Barry Munday Director: Chris D’Arienzo Written By: Chris D’Arienzo Starring: Patrick Wilson, Judy Greer, Chloë Sevigny, Cybill Shepherd Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 (Limited) Not entirely sure on the premise, but the trailer makes me think that this could either be really fun or really suck. Diagnosis: Tentative…
	Casino Jack Director: George Hickenlooper Written By: Norman Snider Starring: Kevin Spacey, Barry Pepper, Jon Lovitz, Kelly Preston Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 (Limited) Did they just say “show me the money” in the trailer? shoots self Diagnosis: Pass.
	Hatchet II Director: Adam Green Written By: Adam Green Starring: Kane Hodder, Danielle Harris, Tony Todd, Parry Shen Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 (Limited) There’s a Hatchet 1?! Wow. The trailer promises a lot, but I think the B horror nature of it has won me over already. Diagnosis: Need to see the first one first. But yeah..
	Douchebag Director: Drake Doremus Written By: Drake Doremus, Andrew Dickler Starring: Andrew Dickler, Ben York Jones, Marguerite Moreau, Nicole Vicius Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 (Limited) Saw the trailer to this before Enter The Void. I’m kind of curious. Diagnosis: I’m kind of curious.
	Atlantis Down Director: Max Bartoli Written By: Max Bartoli, Doug Burch, Sam Ingraffia Starring: Michael Rooker, Dean Haglund, Greg Travis, Kera O’Bryon Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 (Limited) The trailer wasn’t working for me, but the premise seems interesting enough. Really, anything that starts with “on a routine mission” promises some degree of calamity. Diagnosis: If there’s time. Otherwise, DVD..
	Sex Tax: Based On A True Story Director: John Borges Written By: David Landsberg Starring: John Livingston, Erin Cardillo, Dana Green, Fiona Gubelmann Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 (Limited) I question the “based on a true story” subtitle. I also see the National Lampoon logo on the poster and…there goes any interest in seeing this gem. Diagnosis: Pass.
	Release Director: Darren Flaxstone, Christian Martin Written By: Darren Flaxstone, Christian Martin Starring: Daniel Brocklebank, Garry Summers, Bernie Hodges, Wayne Virgo Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 (Limited) There’s a lot of plot to sift through on the synopsis on RottenTomatoes. Um..this might be a wait for Netflix for me. Diagnosis: Netflix Instant
	NUREMBERG Director: Pare Lorentz, Sean Stone Written By: Starring: Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 (Limited) It’s a documentary. Diagnosis: Interested.
	Is It Just Me? Director: J.C. Calciano Written By: J.C. Calciano Starring: Nicholas Downs, David Loren, Adam Huss Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 (Limited) I feel like I’ve seen this plot play out in other films, but it sounds like it could be a fun film nonetheless. But honestly, who these days is silly enough to use a shared computer for online dating sites? Diagnosis: Netflix Instant
	Brutal Beauty: Tales of the Rose City Rollers Director: Chip Mabry Written By: Starring: Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 (Limited) I’ve got this constant fascination with Roller Derby. Meant to see Whip It with Ellen Page and Drew Barrymore, but forgot. I think I would probably be more interested in this, however, as it’s real Roller Derby folk. Diagnosis: Want to see.
	The Hungry Ghosts Director: Michael Imperioli Written By: Michael Imperioli Starring: Aunjanue Ellis, E.J. Carroll, Emory Cohen, Joe Caniano Release Date: Oct 1, 2010 (Limited) The synopsis didn’t grab me initially, but watching through the trailer kind of grabbed me. Diagnosis: It kind of grabbed me. Maybe I’ll see it.

Diagnosis: Film – Sept 19 – 25

Posted on September 20, 2010 by movieguyjon Blather Film Trailers 5

I want to start a new type of blog post wherein I look at what films are coming out each week to see if there’s anything worth watching. I used to do something like this with an old blog I wrote for. I would post the trailers to movies coming out that week, although I wouldn’t really make any kind of comment on them. With these posts I would like to give at least some kind of initial thoughts and present a diagnosis for your consideration. Of course, the tone probably won’t be very serious. Enjoy. Oh, and you can click on the title of the movie to go to the trailer.

	Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2010) Director: Oliver Stone Writer: Allan Loeb Cast: Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf Didn’t see the first film, and frankly have no interest in seeing the sequel. Sally Sparrow is in this, but I can just get my fix of her in other, more interesting films. Diagnosis: Pass.
	You Again Director: Andy Fickman Writer: Moe Jelline Cast: Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis Betty White is awesome, and on her merit alone I would probably rent this. Otherwise, meh. Diagnosis: Netflix Instant Play…if I’m really bored some Thursday night.
	Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole Director: Zack Snyder Writer: John Collee, John Orloff, Kathryn Lasky Cast: Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis Soren, a young barn owl, is kidnapped by owls of…something. I bet this would look UH-MAZING in 3D. Diagnosis: Hahaha
	Buried (Limited Release) Director: Rodrigo Cortés Writer: Chris Sparling Cast: Ryan Reynolds The trailer obviously can’t show a whole lot, but just the premise alone has me jonesing to see this film. Although, I can guarantee you right now I’ll be squirming uncomfortably throughout the duration of the film. Much dislike on the being in small, confined spaces. Diagnosis: Must See.
	You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger Director: Woody Allen Writer: Woody Allen Cast: Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins Admittedly, I’ve seen nothing from Woody Allen. There, you can revoke my film cred. Happy? I see a trailer for any new Woody Allen film and pretty much think, “I should probably go watch Annie Hall now, huh?” Diagnosis: Let me know if this one is any good.
	Howl Director: Jeffrey Friedman, Rob Epstein Writer: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman Cast: James Franco, John Hamm Clearly, I’ve been paying attention to film news because I didn’t really know this was a film. FAIL. I’m always onboard for any role James Franco plays that’s not Harry Osbourne. Diagnosis: Want to see
	Waiting for Superman Director: Davis Guggenheim Writer: Cast: It’s a documentary about our education system. Calamity, as they say, will ensue. Diagnosis: If it’s not “inconvenient” to see..
	Enter the Void (Soudain le vide) (Limited Release) Director: Gaspar Noe Writer: Gaspar Noe Cast: Nathaniel Brown, Paz de la Huerta Saw the trailer. Diagnosis: Sign me up!
	Like Dandelion Dust Director: Jon Gunn Writer: Stephen J. Rivele, Michael Lachance Cast: Mira Sorvino, Barry Pepper Can’t really say I’ve heard of this one, nor can I say I’m entirely interested after reading the synopsis. Diagnosis: Hmm..
	A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back To Autism (Sólskinsdrengurinn) (Limited Release) Director: Fridrik Thor Fridriksson Writer: Cast: Based off of the trailer, I would probably see this. Diagnosis: If I’ve got the time.
	Friction Director: Cullen Hoback Writer: Cast: First of all, the trailer has Menomena playing throughout. Second of all, the concept seems kind of neat and it looks as though the results are just as interesting. But that could just be the strength of the trailer that’s grabbing me. Diagnosis: That kid touched her bottom.

On The Milla Movie

Posted on September 12, 2010 by movieguyjon Blather Film 24

Pictured above is a screencap from the Paul W.S. Anderson film Resident Evil: Afterlife. Below are some more pictures.

If none of those screencaps grabbed you in any particular way, then don’t be surprised if you leave the film hating it. RE4 is not a movie for those hoping to see cohesive plot and connecting action sequences. Instead, it’s a movie for people like me who are Milla Jovovich fans who don’t really care what she’s in as long as she kicks ass and looks good doing it. It’s the same logic that goes into seeing films like The Room or Ultraviolet. If you have ANY expectations going in, you’ll be let down.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go make plans to see this in 3D. Unlike many, I can’t wait to set my thinking cap aside and just enjoy the hell out of an actress enjoying the hell out of jumping around and killing stuff.

On A Woman, A Gun and A Noodle Shop

Posted on September 9, 2010 by movieguyjon Blather Film 0

I don’t like remakes. Generally speaking, they offer relatively little change from the original and more often than not the filmmakers don’t make the new version their own. I can think of a couple of films off the top of my head that fit in this category: Friday the 13th, Black Christmas, The Longest Yard, Miracle on 34th St., Psycho and The Parent Trap, to name a few. Each year it seems like more and more film companies are reaching into their back catalog for properties to re-use and the lack of “originality” is nothing short of frustrating to a writer such as myself. You hardly need to do much more than Ctrl+C / Ctrl+V and viola! Instant Remake! So, you can imagine my lack of expectations going into A Woman, A Gun and A Noodle Shop.

Apparently, I need to rethink my stance on remakes some.

A Woman, A Gun and A Noodle Shop is an insanely fresh take on the Coen Brother’s Blood Simple. The abused wife of a businessman has an affair with one of her husband’s employees and when the husband finds out he hires a local authority to kill them both. The basic plot is the same between both films, which you’d be able see if you watched them one after the other. Other than that, the two films are vastly different. Zhang Yimou, of Hero and House of Flying Daggers acclaim, brings a unique style to the film that’s hard not to like. Leaving the theater, I had to remind myself quite a few times that this film was in fact a remake.

The blending of humor and drama is perhaps where this film stands out the most. Like with remakes, I’m not a huge fan of over-the-top humor and am even less of a fan of slapstick when it’s juxtaposed with violence or drama. Here, however, the comedy is played smart and it is played well. Movement from the darker elements of the story to the humorous never seem forced or out of place and help define the characters. There’s one scene in particular where two of the side characters are trying to break into the boss’ safe to get their wages while another character is trying to do the same. The back and forth between the two situations is hilarious and I found myself laughing while simultaneously at the edge of my seat.

This is perhaps due in part to the casting, which fits the story quite well. I admittedly know very little about the players in this film, so I can’t really judge on previous merits, or what they bring to this film versus others. What I do know is that the performances were believable and kept some of the film’s wackier moments from getting too wacky. The standout role here of course is that of the Officer/Hit Man character, who compared to his American counterpart in Blood Simple, plays it “straight-man” to everyone else’s idiot.

The cinematography in this film is yet another standout in this film. I don’t think I’ve seen such use of color that’s both jarring and beautiful at the same time. Transition scenes like the one above are just a tip of the iceberg when it comes to this film. There were a few times where I wished that I could just jump right into the frame and roll around in the vibrant orange hills, or watch a sunrise bloody the vast and unrelenting landscape. Even in a scene that involves light scatological humor, we’re witness to breathtaking composition.

I could probably ramble on a bunch more about how I absolutely enjoyed this film, but I think you get the idea. If more filmmakers would approach remakes like Zhang Yimou approached his take on Blood Simple, I’d be more inclined to go see them. If you’re going to remake a film that you love, why not infuse your sensibilities into it and make it your own? Anyway, you’ll have to excuse me. I need to see a guy about…um…some stuff.

On Centurion

Posted on September 1, 2010 by movieguyjon Blather Film 1

I’m not a big fan of Sword and Sandal epics. That’s not to say I hate them; they just don’t register on my radar. Too many plots for the runtime and no real character development to speak of. It’s all a bunch of costumes and ornate set pieces that leave me wishing there had actually been a movie within. So, it stands to reason that I wasn’t really sure what to expect going in to Neil Marshall’s Centurion. I dug the hell out of his horror film The Descent, but felt very disappointed with his post-apocalpytic snore Doomsday. Seriously, you can’t achieve much in the way of post-apocalyptic gobbledegook if you don’t have Milla Jovovich as your protagonist. But I digress. I went into Centurion unsure of what to expect and in turn was quite surprised.

“This is neither the beginning, nor the end.” Where Centurion sets itself apart from other Sword and Sandal epics is in the pacing. This film is tidy. We start on the main character, Quintas Dias, running for his life. From there we’re taken on a chase spanning the continent and before we know it the credits are rolling. Even in the film’s slower first act, there’s relatively little breathing room. Despite all of this, the film manages to develop it’s characters and throw in the lavish scenery that you would expect from this genre of film.

The performances overall are top notch. Michael Fassbender (of Inglourious Basterds and 300 fame) stands out as Dias, the rather flawed main character. Fassbender plays the role with the right amount of humility and as a result we identify with the character a lot more than if he had been some speech-giving alpha-warrior. I find it interesting that this character is the better survivalist in the film than even the more seasoned generals.

Olga Kurylenko, who you might remember recently from Quantum of Solace, is well-cast as the antagonist of the film Etain. She could have easily played the “woman in a man’s world” archetype that seems to be the default in these films (*cough* Keira Knightley in King Arthur and Pirates *cough*). Instead, Olga gives Etain depth and there were moments where I truly felt for the character’s struggle. There’s a scene in particular where she slays an enemy with a rather frightful fury. Kurylenko fuses the tragedy of her character and the catharsis of the kill define her and it’s in that moment we realize there’s more to her than just the Mila Kunis pout. By the end of the film, I’m not entirely sure if I’m rooting for the right person.

Perhaps the only blight on the casting for this film is Noel Clarke, who doesn’t offer anything worthwhile to his role as Macros. From moment one onscreen to the last, I could only see Mickey Smith. But that’s a relatively small complaint considering that the role fits the story well enough and that everyone else’s performances more than make up for it.

This film, given it’s smaller scale and tidy pacing, is shot as well as any film in this genre. Props to the cinematographer and location scouts for bringing the lush scenery to life and drawing us into the story even further. There were a few times where I was reminded of Gladiator and in those moments I felt like this film did comparable if not better. One scene in particular involved a rather gruesome ambush. Just the setup for it (which you can see in the image below) is impressive and gives you an idea of the overall scope of this war.

That’s not to say the film is without it’s flaws. Some of the dialog in the film comes across really cheesy and took me out on more than one occasion. The aforementioned casting of Mickey Smith also took me out and weakened some of the drama that the subplot involved. Some of the makeup and costuming work fell flat in the beginning, and the use of CG blood throughout was just a wee bit distracting. The love story, which is thankfully understated in this film, still feels a little out of place. Thankfully, there’s not a lot of screen time devoted to the love story and thankfully it plays out realistically enough to be believable.

Despite all of that, Centurion is a very strong film and one that’s worth the ticket price. If you get a chance to see this film, do so. Even if you only feel “meh” about this genre like myself, you’ll find something in this film to like and you’ll at least be entertained.

On A New City, and Stuff

Posted on August 30, 2010 by movieguyjon Blather Film My Life Screenwriting 0

I suppose I should make some kind of post about life as I know it right now. Decided that I was done with Chicago and moved my ass all the way over to the west coast to live out a life of fame and fortune. That is to say, I moved to LA to try and see if this writing business will actually pan out. Whether or not this was a bad move remains to be seen. Whether or not this degree of mine was a bad move remains to be seen. Basically, I moved from one question mark to the next. But hey, that’s what adventure is, right?

All I know is that I haven’t really done a lot of writing since I got here and that’s NOT a good thing.

Feel free to ignore this post at your leisure. This is me getting back into the habit of writing.

On Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

Posted on August 16, 2010 by movieguyjon Comics Film Music Screenwriting 0

I’d like to get a couple of important details squared away with you first before I start rambling about why I think Scott Pilgrim is one of the top mainstream films this year. First of all, I’m a writer. As such, I believe in the story and characters above all else. Things like “who directed it” or “who produced it” or “how it was made” sit on the shelf below. Finally–and this is the most important detail–I’m a video game nerd from 8-bit yesteryear and I digest non-mainstream comics like fifty-nine cent, name-brand mac ‘n cheese; which is to say, I really dig comics. I’m the dorky, indifferent kid that wants “to think about death and get sad and stuff.”

There. I feel like we can proceed.

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World is awesome, and the hyperbole is well-founded. The film, from beginning to end, is an experience. Every moment oozes with style and is tailored to the “and stuff” generation I subscribe to; 8-bit sound effects run rampant, sound effects are written out comic book style, and characters pull huge fucking hammers out of their satchels.

This is all fine and good, as long as it’s not at the expense of the characters or the story. There have been too many adaptations that have opted for the “look right” option and have totally flubbed on the story front. With Pilgrim, the main characters all have story threads that wrap up nicely by the end credits and title character himself grows from being a kind of “twenty-something asshole” to “not that bad of a guy.” To quote him, “I think I just learned something.” The romantic triangle between him, Ramona and Knives is also very believable and the awkwardness and crushing blow of getting dumped is played out in a way that’s borders on uncomfortably accurate. It’s nice to see the filmmakers keep a good balance between silly romantic cliche and heartfelt character stuff.

The casting for the film didn’t feel wrong, and everyone was able to do their own thing with the characters. Michael Cera, despite his tendency for sameness across his roles, embodies Scott Pilgrim and does the role good. After seeing the film, I’m not sure anyone else could have played that role. One reviewer I read suggested that all his other roles are just training for this, and I can definitely agree with the sentiment.

Perhaps the most memorable role of the film is that of Scott’s roommate Wallace, played by Kieran Culkin. Every scene he is in is gold and I found myself wishing he had had more screen time. Brandon Routh also shines through as Todd Ingram and revels in the delightfully ridiculous role. When I say that I can’t complain about any of the casting choices, I’m being super-vegan serious.

That’s not to say that this film is perfect. It’s not. It’s a niche film tailored to a specific demographic. It’s paced like a video game and it winks at it’s viewers like an epileptic seizure. The characters could be deeper and could have more heart, but that’s not necessarily the point of the story. What you see on the screen is as faithful an adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s work as anyone could hope to achieve. It’s not going to be Criterion Collection Masterpiece of Nerddom, but it’s most definitely in the top mainstream films of this year and is pretty much THE film of the “and stuff” generation.

I lesbians this film so hard.

On Gods and Nolan

Posted on July 26, 2010 by movieguyjon Blather Film 0

I decided to push on despite the general writer’s malaise I’ve been feeling to ramble a little bit about Christopher Nolan’s film Inception. Actually, that’s not entirely true. I want to talk about some of the hype about this director that’s been getting under my skin and has been for awhile. This problem of hype started with Batman Begins and has only gotten worse with each new film. Put simply: people are way too eager to ascribe “god-like” status to Mr. Nolan and I don’t believe he’s earned it yet.

Inception is a damn good movie. There was harmony between all the departments for this film and it shows. The story was solid, the pacing was good, the acting was good, and the direction was good. When you leave the theater, you will discuss this movie with your friends and it will be on your mind for a few days more after that.

But is the film great? No, and it doesn’t have to be. Will it go toe to toe with the classics and come out within the top ten of all time? Hardly, but why does that even matter? We’re too quick these days to deliver heaps of praise on these movies when I think these movies should be the norm and not the exception to the rule.

At the risk of sounding the contrarian, Nolan isn’t a great filmmaker. He’s a damn good one and he has yet to make a terrible film. But I don’t think his work will define this era of filmmaking, nor will it change how we perceive visual storytelling in general.

And that’s not a bad thing..

A Most Ambitious Frenzy

Posted on March 28, 2010 by movieguyjon Film My Life Screenwriting Writing 0

Last year I failed Script Frenzy. I had a good idea, but I just didn’t have the commitment to the event that I needed to see the project through. From a writing perspective, I had gotten too mired in plot and “revise-as-you-go,” a screenwriter’s worst nightmare. I would open up my script during those 5 days I wrote and start from the beginning, tweaking everything until it felt as succinct and ready-to-sell as a final draft. By that fifth day I was burned out and done with the whole mess, so I stopped and went about my business.

Well, that’s not going to happen this year. I’ve decided to overcompensate for my failure by writing two scripts this year for Sript Frenzy. That’s right, two scripts! The idea is that I will get my first script done within the first ten to fifteen days, and then spend the last part of the month working on my second feature. I plan to budget at least ten pages a day to my script and then write some kind of rambly-ass post on here to update how things are going.

This will be a very very very interesting April.

Allons-y!

On Tim Burton’s Alice

Posted on January 5, 2010 by movieguyjon Blather Film My Life Screenwriting 0

I love the Alice in Wonderland story. In fact, I read the book a few times in high school, watched the old movie, played the hell out of American McGee’s Alice and often thought about how I’d take a stab at the story if I ever got the chance…you know, should I ever pursue a career in writing. Well, thanks to Tim Burton, I won’t have that chance for awhile. He’s gone ahead and adapted my favorite kid’s story into what looks to be a quirky flick about the Mad Hatter and an all out chess war straight from Narnia.

Wait, wut?

There’s a lot to this trailer that intrigues me in terms of direction and style. Everything in the real world is a drab caricature of Pride and Prejudice, and has enough gray tones to make you instinctively yawn. Wonderland itself looks dark and demented and all kinds of crazy. So far, so good, but what about the story that’s hinted at? A war? Alice in armor? Chess pieces clashing together like this was Middle Earth? Granted, this is only a trailer and I shouldn’t be so quick to judge, but I’m already on amber alert here. I’d really like to enjoy this film when it comes out (count me there on opening night), and I hope Burton’s silly love affair with Mr. Depp doesn’t detract from the world that I know and love. But with a trailer like this, it’s hard to be all out enthusiastic.

At least they HAVE a Cheshire Cat. Yeah, that’s right, SyFy’s Alice!