Well its that time of year again where I make my seemingly annual BEST OF the year list prepare to have your minds blown!!!
Best Movies: (10-1: #1 is the best film of the year)
10. Kick-Ass:(4/5) A wonderful amalgamation of stylized violence, and High-school comedy. Some extremely well choreographed fight scenes, and some great performances (Nicholas Cage, Chloe Moretz, Mark Strong etc.) makes this #10.
9. Shutter Island: (4/5) A brilliant thriller that is well acted, and will have you guessing till the end. This film had me doubting reality for a week. Leonardo Decaprio had a good year for complex mind bending films (a little foreshadowing for you).
8. The Town:(4/5) Ben Affleck's next foray in the field of directing was a fantastic success. An interesting love story intertwined with a suspenseful cop drama. A great cast, and brilliant cinematography go out and buy this film.
7. Winters Bone: (4/5) This years breakout actress is without a doubt is Jennifer Lawrence. She does an amazing job with this movie, and much of the movies success requires upon her acting ability. The cinematography in this film is mind blowing, seeing the characters travel throughout the snowy wasteland is awe inspiring. Its a film about the importance of family, and never giving up hope. If you have yet to see it you should.
6.True Grit: (4/5) The Coen brothers have a way of shooting, a specific style that is unparalleled. While this may not have been their deepest film to date, it does not fail to entertain. Jeff Bridges, and Haliee Steinfeld have fantastic chemistry as the two characters bicker you feel the connection between them. Again this movie just came out so I will not spoil anything but lets just say it is a western by the truest sense of the genre.
5. The Social Network: (4.5/5) I was as sceptical as most when I first heard of this film. "A movie about facebook, borrrring". Well boy was I wrong. This is a wonderful film that focuses more upon the behind the scenes drama, and really focuses upon character. The fast script, and unique cinematography helped create a gripping drama that in reality entirely took place within the realm of conversation. Truly a powerful film.
4. Toy Story 3: (5/5) I grew up with "Andy", and as he has grown so have I. He is headed off to college, and when I watched this movie so was I. It was an important realization for me when I saw this powerful film. I realized the immense changes that were about to engulf my life. It made me ponder about my old toys, and wonder what would become of my past entertainers. For this epiphany alone it deserves this #4 slot, and yet it was much more than this realization. It was comedic, action oriented, well paced, beautifully animated, and incredibly emotional. This truly is a film of great importance.
3. How To Train Your Dragon: (5/5) This film means so much to me, it gave me a feeling that was unlike anything I had ever felt before. I marvelled at the skies, laughed with the characters, and flew with dragons. If superman made you believe a man could fly, How To Train makes you believe a Dragon can. Also I could listen to that theme every single day of my life.
2. Inception: (5/5) This movie is not "mind blowing" it is not hard to follow, but it is an amazing world. Christopher Nolan hits it out of the park yet again with this unique look inside one of mankind's greatest mysteries...the DREAM. Leonardo Decaprio proves once again he is a master actor, and should be considered right up there with the other big leagues. The characters are deep, and have multiple layers, and the ideas presented in this film will stick with you long after the film is done. Again I must point out the amazing music.
1. Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: (10/5) Come on now, you knew this was going to be #1. This movie sparked a chain reaction in my life that led to me reuniting with two hobbies I had long since abandoned, reading, and gaming. This film represents a side of my culture that never gets recognized. As a child all I was told about Canada was that we liked hockey, beer, etc. No one talked about my Canada, until Scott Pilgrim. My Canada is one where nerds reign supreme. It let me know I was not alone in my obsession with all things societies big leagues so often shun. I see the characters represented in this film mirror people I know in real life. It made me believe in the power of love, and created some of the most genuine laughs I have received all year. Edgar Wright knows his shit, he doesn't pretend to be a nerd by ham handedly inserting a reference, no he puts it in the background, and makes you proud to discover it. Overall this film has affected my life in more ways than you can imagine and that is why it is my number one movie of 2010!
Best Movie Character: Mr. Cobb: Leonardo Decaprio plays this deep multilayered character to a T. He is such an interesting character and an intricate protagonist you really feel like he is a real person.
Best Fight Scene: Todd Ingram vs. Scott Pilgrim: Bass Battle anyone? Great music.
Underrated Movies:
1. Edge Of Darkness
2. Robin Hood
3. Sorcerers Apprentice
4. Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part 1:
5. Book Of Eli
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges - True Grit
Best Supporting Actor: Dobby - Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1:
Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence - Winters Bone
Best Supporting Actress: Ellen Wong -Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
Best Cameo: Christopher Lloyd - Piranha 3D
Best Director: Edgar Wright
Best Cinematography: Inception
Best Score: How To Train Your Dragon
Best Soundtrack: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Best Hero: Scott Pilgrim
Best Villain: Maxim Horvath (Sorcerer's Apprentice)
Worst Movies of The Year:
1. Tron Legacy
2. Clash Of The Titans
3. Alice In Wonderland
4. Percy Jackson And The Olympians
Overall Biggest Fail: 3D it adds nothing to the viewing experience, and seriously hinders my enjoyment of a film. The horrendous cost, and unsatisfying technology leaves this to be the biggest movie fail of 2010.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Are Canadians Going To The Theatres?
Every week, Canadian news sites such as “Canada.com” or “thespec.com” give us huge box office numbers related to the weekend’s movie releases. What they don’t tell you is that these“numbers” do not refer to Canadian box office, rather North American box office. In fact Canadian box office revenue accounts for less the 6% of the North American total. At least this is the case according to tribute.ca, and variety.com box office results for October 29th’s #1 box office hit Saw 3D. So the question remains why aren’t Canadian news organizations telling us this information? And furthermore why are these numbers so drastically different?
Many would say population would be a significant factor as the United States has 310,232,863 and Canada only has 33,759,742 according to www.internetworldstats.com. Another explanation could be the Halloween weekend, not as many people go to the movies. Yet with more digging we discover that this is not an “isolated event” according to CBC the national box office from the entirety of 2009 was 1.01 billion which set a new record, yet on the opposite side of the border according to TIME magazine the United States box office exceeded 10 billion dollars. This staggering 9 billion dollar difference proves that Americans go to the movies a lot more than Canadians do. I feel that these news sites prefer to go with these “North American” box office numbers because they are merely larger numbers. In the news bigger is better, I just feel that it should be clearly stated that these are “North American” numbers, and not Canadian numbers. As for whether or not Canadians or Americans go to the theatre more you can clearly see that more Americans go to see movies than Canadians. Yet if you look at in terms of population it would seem that close to the same population “percentage” go to see movies. Which means that say 30% of Americans see a movie, 30% of Canadians may also go out and see the same movie, but because 30% of Americans are a lot bigger population than 30% Canadians the American box office will earn more money.
If Canadian news companies went through more of an effort to display Canadian box office results the new Canadian filmmakers would have more of an idea about how much their movie may earn. This information would also been extremely useful for Canadian, and American film bloggers so that they may interpret how popular a film is in a particular country. Just because a large American audience enjoys a film, does not mean a large Canadian audience will, and vice versa. All it takes is a little bit more effort, and this effort could change Canadian movie Entrepreneurship for the better.
http://www.tribute.ca/movies/boxoffice/
http://www.variety.com/index.asp?layout=b_o_layout&dept=Film
http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2010/01/13/canadian-box-office.html
http://www.canada.com/entertainment/index.html
http://www.internetworldstats.com/america.htm
http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1951371,00.html
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Inception (spoilers within)
The biggest movie of the summer is here, and it has everyone talking. People all over the internet are spewing there love for this movie. Along with there love they are amassing an amazing outpour of ideas, and thoughts regarding the ending of the film. (Caution if you have not seen inception read no further as I am about to give my interpretation of the ending). My interpretation is probably nothing new but here goes anyways. I think it was not a dream during the end of the movie. This is due to the fact that the ending would in my opinion be ruined if it were all supposedly a dream. The entire journey you just embarked on, the characters, the relationships would all mean nothing if the entire thing were a dream. Think about how complicated of a dream it would have had to been in order for the events to all play out as they did. The top clearly wobbles at the end of the movie. Yet the entire theory that the only way to tell if it is reality is the "top" is in a way an inception placed upon the viewer. Christopher nolan makes us think that the only way to tell reality from fiction is the spin of a top. The top may have no effect upon the telling of reality at all. Could his subconscious not have drea
mt the top falling down prematurely. The top was not even Leo's to begin with. He had inherited the top from his dead wife. Which may have been the reason she continuously haunted him. Part of her subconscious was connected to the top. As long as he held on to the top, she would haunt his dreams. Also you should recall that Leo himself contaminated his wife's totem while in limbo. He broke into her mind and spun the top. Doing this he would have discovered the weight of the totem. This may have affected the usefulness of the totem. So who knows the true mystery behind the totem. Another important fact about the ending. Is that Leo does not care whether or not its a dream. He does not wait for the top to fall. This is because he himself knows that it is reality. It is not as if that particular moment was the first time (after awaking) that he would have attempted to spin the top. He is just in the force of habit of constantly spinning his top. He knew it was reality,either because he had tried the top earlier (right after waking up on the plane, or in the airport), or because he instinctually knew the truth. This time he truly saw the faces of his children, while in his dreams the memory was never fully complete. They are little things like this that swing me into believing that the ending is reality, not a dream. In a lot of ways this film reminded me of Shutter Islands ending. It is also left up to interpretation as there is evidence that points to both claims. There is evidence to support either way of thinking. This is just my opinion on it. I do not think it is a dream. It gives the film a deeper meaning overall, and feels like the journey taken in the film was worthwhile. (end of spoilers) This is just my take upon the film's ending. If you agree or disagree with my takes be sure to mention it/debate it in the comments. I have not done a blog post in a while, and I will try to update this blog more frequently. Until then...sleep well, or live well. The choice is up to you.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Top Ten Movie Dances
Well my Grade 12 Prom is coming up, and I thought what better time could I have to role out this new list I have been working on for a while. So here goes the top ten movie dances, there may be some entries you find surprising in here, so sit back, put some music on, and get ready to party.
10. Short C
ircuit: In about the middle of this film there is a simply heartwarming dance sequence between the robot Johnny-5, and his girl Stephanie. It is a short but extremely satisfying dance sequence. The combination of practical, and stop motion effects meld together perfectly to create an exciting, and believable dance number. If you like robots, and if you like dancing this is the perfect movie for you to check out.
9. Return Of the Jedi: The Star Wars saga is filled to the brim with a plethora of musical numbers. One of the most memorable numbers includes an interesting dance. I am of course talking ab
out Jabbas Palace scene, in which Jabba has his slave girls do a little dance for him. It ends with Jabba dropping his dancer into the pit, and delivers us out first glimpse of the mighty Rancor. Along with the dance sequence the music sung by a unique band. I quite enjoy the song they play during this scene and think it is one of the better additions George Lucas made into the special editions (I am aware the number was there previously).
8. Beauty and The Beast: Not much to say about this one, most of you should know about it already. It in
volves Belle dancing with the Mighty Beast, and is one of the high points of film. It is romantic, touchy, and feels like its important. Combined with a beautiful background, this sequence accomplishes everything it set out to. It is everything you are looking for in a Dance, and it is one of the first thoughts that come into mind when you mention the film.
7. Blues Brothers: This is where are first musical appears (surprisingly there is only one more). Yes I am talking about the classic Saturday night live musical comedy "Blues Brothers". The entire mov
ie is filled with choreographed excellently, but one scene shines about all others as the best. It is the scene that occurs in the church. Accompanied by the superb music of James Brown the two brothers Jake and Elroy partake in a massive churchwide dance. This scene is what gives the characters there motivation, and is extremely entertaining to boot. The best of the dance is when Jim Belushi's character finally sees the "light" and moves in ways you never thought a fat man could. Excellent dance from an excellent film.
6. The Music Man: The final musical on my list is the 1960s film "The Music Man". This is my favori
te musical of all time, and the dance sequence is one of my favorites as well. The scene in question is the moment of the film in which Buddy Hacketts character breaks out into song, and does an entertaining and hilarious dance routine. The song is Shipoopi (most of you may know it from its parody on Family guy). This dance always manages to put a smile on my face, and it flows perfectly. If you have not seen this film I recommend you give it a chance due to this musical number alone. Noticing a trend in my last two picks? I enjoy fat men breaking it down, just a personal preference I can relate to it.
5. Fright Night: Ever see a devil dance in pale moonlight? While this may be the closest you ever g
et to this experience. Seeing the Charming vampire Jerry Dandridge seduce the stunning Amy Peterson is amazing. Dancing to 80s disco music, and moving to the beats create a chilling, and memorable scene. Amy tries to resist but she cannot, Dandridge is to powerful. The best part of this dance is when she looks at the mirror and you can only see her reflection Dandridge is invisible to the mirror. If you've ever wondered how vampire manage to get their prey before they became sparkly wussies look no further then Fright Night.
4. The Terminator: This dance scene is notable due to its creepiness factor. In a lot of ways this sequence is
similar to Fright Nights both take place in Night Clubs during the climax of a chase sequence. What gives Terminator the edge however is the way its shot. The Tech Noir comes to life in this short scene. The sight of a mysterious figure wading through the crowd about to pull a shotgun upon an unsuspecting Sarah Connor gives me chills every time I see it. This scene feels so 80s, the outfits, the dancing, the music everything reminds us of this time. It harks back to a time period in which people actually participated in dancing instead of this pointless grinding we had nowadays. It is the first time we see the Terminator in action, and it is a scene that will stick in my mind till the end of my days.
3. Grosse P
ointe Blank: You left your old hometown 10 years ago, since then you have joint the military and becoming a famous assassin. You receive a ticket to your High-school reunion, and you decide to go. If This premise sound interesting to you then you will like Grosse Pointe Blank. This hilarious 1997 dark comedy has a brilliant dance sequence. While you don't see much actual dancing going on its still hilarious and memorable. Seeing Martin Blank akwardly making conversation with people he hasn't seen in 10 years is brilliant. Its odd how the guy who kills people for a living is the sanest of his entire class. I don't want to spoil this brilliant sequence for you all I will say is that its entertaining, and very exciting.
2. Carrie:
Scariest Dance ever. This was the reason I was avoiding prom originally. This scene is both tragic and terrifying. Carrie White is the victim of a cruel prank that causes her to loose control and murder all of her classmates. It is brilliantly shot, and wonderfully edited. Brian De Palma gave Stephen Kings masterpiece justice with this scene. This scene will stay in your mind long after the film is done, and is the scene that epitomizes the tragedy the film represents. Not since Shakespeare hath a tragedy been so hard breaking. If you don't attend prom tomorrow and are looking for an excuse make sure to reference Carrie in your arguments. Useful for anyone having an Anti-Prom party.
1. Back To The Future: Anyone who knows me knew that this would be number one. Can you really argue thoug
h? The Enchantment under the sea dance is pure brilliance. The dialogue, the plot, the characters, the dancing, the music, I could go on for hours and hours about this scene and all of the things it succeeds at. It inspired me to write this list. The 50s and the 80s two of my fave decades culminating in one movie. Back To The Future is not only one of the best Dance movies of all time, it is also one of the best Movies of all time. So until next time "Hey You, Get Your Damn Hands Off Of Her".
10. Short C
ircuit: In about the middle of this film there is a simply heartwarming dance sequence between the robot Johnny-5, and his girl Stephanie. It is a short but extremely satisfying dance sequence. The combination of practical, and stop motion effects meld together perfectly to create an exciting, and believable dance number. If you like robots, and if you like dancing this is the perfect movie for you to check out.9. Return Of the Jedi: The Star Wars saga is filled to the brim with a plethora of musical numbers. One of the most memorable numbers includes an interesting dance. I am of course talking ab
out Jabbas Palace scene, in which Jabba has his slave girls do a little dance for him. It ends with Jabba dropping his dancer into the pit, and delivers us out first glimpse of the mighty Rancor. Along with the dance sequence the music sung by a unique band. I quite enjoy the song they play during this scene and think it is one of the better additions George Lucas made into the special editions (I am aware the number was there previously).8. Beauty and The Beast: Not much to say about this one, most of you should know about it already. It in
volves Belle dancing with the Mighty Beast, and is one of the high points of film. It is romantic, touchy, and feels like its important. Combined with a beautiful background, this sequence accomplishes everything it set out to. It is everything you are looking for in a Dance, and it is one of the first thoughts that come into mind when you mention the film.7. Blues Brothers: This is where are first musical appears (surprisingly there is only one more). Yes I am talking about the classic Saturday night live musical comedy "Blues Brothers". The entire mov
ie is filled with choreographed excellently, but one scene shines about all others as the best. It is the scene that occurs in the church. Accompanied by the superb music of James Brown the two brothers Jake and Elroy partake in a massive churchwide dance. This scene is what gives the characters there motivation, and is extremely entertaining to boot. The best of the dance is when Jim Belushi's character finally sees the "light" and moves in ways you never thought a fat man could. Excellent dance from an excellent film.6. The Music Man: The final musical on my list is the 1960s film "The Music Man". This is my favori
te musical of all time, and the dance sequence is one of my favorites as well. The scene in question is the moment of the film in which Buddy Hacketts character breaks out into song, and does an entertaining and hilarious dance routine. The song is Shipoopi (most of you may know it from its parody on Family guy). This dance always manages to put a smile on my face, and it flows perfectly. If you have not seen this film I recommend you give it a chance due to this musical number alone. Noticing a trend in my last two picks? I enjoy fat men breaking it down, just a personal preference I can relate to it.5. Fright Night: Ever see a devil dance in pale moonlight? While this may be the closest you ever g
et to this experience. Seeing the Charming vampire Jerry Dandridge seduce the stunning Amy Peterson is amazing. Dancing to 80s disco music, and moving to the beats create a chilling, and memorable scene. Amy tries to resist but she cannot, Dandridge is to powerful. The best part of this dance is when she looks at the mirror and you can only see her reflection Dandridge is invisible to the mirror. If you've ever wondered how vampire manage to get their prey before they became sparkly wussies look no further then Fright Night.4. The Terminator: This dance scene is notable due to its creepiness factor. In a lot of ways this sequence is
similar to Fright Nights both take place in Night Clubs during the climax of a chase sequence. What gives Terminator the edge however is the way its shot. The Tech Noir comes to life in this short scene. The sight of a mysterious figure wading through the crowd about to pull a shotgun upon an unsuspecting Sarah Connor gives me chills every time I see it. This scene feels so 80s, the outfits, the dancing, the music everything reminds us of this time. It harks back to a time period in which people actually participated in dancing instead of this pointless grinding we had nowadays. It is the first time we see the Terminator in action, and it is a scene that will stick in my mind till the end of my days.3. Grosse P
ointe Blank: You left your old hometown 10 years ago, since then you have joint the military and becoming a famous assassin. You receive a ticket to your High-school reunion, and you decide to go. If This premise sound interesting to you then you will like Grosse Pointe Blank. This hilarious 1997 dark comedy has a brilliant dance sequence. While you don't see much actual dancing going on its still hilarious and memorable. Seeing Martin Blank akwardly making conversation with people he hasn't seen in 10 years is brilliant. Its odd how the guy who kills people for a living is the sanest of his entire class. I don't want to spoil this brilliant sequence for you all I will say is that its entertaining, and very exciting.2. Carrie:
Scariest Dance ever. This was the reason I was avoiding prom originally. This scene is both tragic and terrifying. Carrie White is the victim of a cruel prank that causes her to loose control and murder all of her classmates. It is brilliantly shot, and wonderfully edited. Brian De Palma gave Stephen Kings masterpiece justice with this scene. This scene will stay in your mind long after the film is done, and is the scene that epitomizes the tragedy the film represents. Not since Shakespeare hath a tragedy been so hard breaking. If you don't attend prom tomorrow and are looking for an excuse make sure to reference Carrie in your arguments. Useful for anyone having an Anti-Prom party.1. Back To The Future: Anyone who knows me knew that this would be number one. Can you really argue thoug
h? The Enchantment under the sea dance is pure brilliance. The dialogue, the plot, the characters, the dancing, the music, I could go on for hours and hours about this scene and all of the things it succeeds at. It inspired me to write this list. The 50s and the 80s two of my fave decades culminating in one movie. Back To The Future is not only one of the best Dance movies of all time, it is also one of the best Movies of all time. So until next time "Hey You, Get Your Damn Hands Off Of Her".
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Recent movie views:
Well it has been quite sometime since I have made a blog update, No I have not forgot about it I just did not have much time to update it. So for this Blog Post I will tell you all of the films that I have been watching within the last week. (That I Recall)
1. Oscars: Not a movie but a significant viewing. I really enjoyed these oscars although I was upset by some awards. For one the movie Up In The Air deserved best adapted screenpl
ay, and lost it. Reitmans amazing film went home without any awards at all which was very disappointing. Ingluorious Basterds I also felt was robbed two awards I thought it had a chance at. "Best Original Screenplay", and "Best Editing" should have gone to Basterds. The screenplay went to The Hurt Locker from which I heard does not have an amazing script. Also Editing was simply Fantastic in Basterds, and what really made it shine over its competitors. Other then that they were pretty entertaining. Although NEW MOON should NOT have made an appearance within the Horror film montage, it was HORRIBLE.....not Horror get it right :p. Other then that if you really care about my take on the oscars go to my twitter feed where I live tweeted the hell out of them!
2. Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade: This is an amazing film. Some consider it the best of the trilogy, and I
can see why. Sean Connery and Harrison Ford have amazing chemistry as father and son. The dialogue is awesome, with many great quotes "This is how we say goodbye in Germany". Set pieces are great, The Tank Battle, The Boat Chase, and much much more. The effects still hold up well, I still love the leap of Faith effect used late in the film. It shows Indy's origin, and is very fun. I could probably make a big review of this film, but chances are you have already seen it, and if you haven't drop everything you have and RUN OUT, BUY IT. Truly a fantastic film.
3. Back to the Future: The classic 80s movie, that has a special spot in my heart. This time instead
of an average viewing, I decided to listen to the film with a special fan commentary made by the movie podcast "Flicks". They did have a very entertaining commentary, and let me notice two important things that I had honestly never knew about the film. Like the fact that "Pepsi Free" was actually a drink in the 80s, or that the actor who played Jennifer changed for the last two films. The commentary also pointed out a bunch of cameos that I was previously unaware of, and they had the type of nerdy conversations that really make you wonder. I highly recommend you check out their podcast, and Back To The Future is a true classic that everyone should go out and see!
4. Clash Of The Titans: I had not seen this film for a long long time, and seeing how the remake is coming out
in the next month or so, I wanted to see if the original still stands up. Which to be honest the effects look a little cheesy, but to me they still in a way hold up. I am really interested to see how the remake turns out , since it has high expectations to live up to. Well not that high, the original is good, but its not fantastic. Highlights of Titans are the giant scorpion fight, and the two headed dog fight. The claymation effects are really entertaining, but the dialogue is pretty cheesy. No actor delivers there lines extremely well but that is not why you watch films like these, you want to see heroes fighting monsters, and it delivers in that respect. The mythology is incorporated well, and assists the stories understanding. Also I would like to add that contrary to most peoples opinions I REALLY liked the mechanical owl side kick, I found him entertaining, and very cool looking. If you have any interest in the remake I suggest you view the original.
5. Speed: I literally just finished watching this film as I write this blog. I love this film, yes it is cheesy as hell, and this movie creates its own physics. We all know that bus would have never made t
hat jump. We all know that Keanu Reeves is not a spectacular actor (although I think this is one of his best performances), and we know Sandra Bullock is not an amazing actress, yet for some reason all of these ridiculous things come together to bring you one hell of a movie. This is an amazingly fun movie. Denis Hooper is completely crazy, and always managed to make me laugh with his crazy ramblings. I enjoy some of the completely bizarre quotes "I'm taller", or "Shoot the hostage", and the action was very well shot. The bomb on a bus premise, makes this the most exciting movie ever made that takes place on a bus. Elevators, Buses, and trains oh my. You've got to love the sheer insanity of Speed, and the amazing amount of entertainment you will receive from this film. If you are in the mood for a fun movie, then I recommend you set out and rent or buy yourself Speed. Also one final note I found it interesting that the main character was always drinking bottles of coke (the labels were off but the shape of the bottle is a give away) is it saying coca-cola drive you insane.
Overall I did not do anything overly exciting this week, and I promise to start updating my blog post more often, I sincerely apologize for the lack of updates guys. Anyways tell me what you think of any of the 5 film related things I viewed this week, and I am open to any suggestions on topics for future blog posts. Your test for today is to name the movie this quote comes from "Death by stereo!" I will most likely make a blog post regarding this movie in question soon since something news worthy has come up recently regarding it.
Sincerly, Andrew Roebuck
1. Oscars: Not a movie but a significant viewing. I really enjoyed these oscars although I was upset by some awards. For one the movie Up In The Air deserved best adapted screenpl
ay, and lost it. Reitmans amazing film went home without any awards at all which was very disappointing. Ingluorious Basterds I also felt was robbed two awards I thought it had a chance at. "Best Original Screenplay", and "Best Editing" should have gone to Basterds. The screenplay went to The Hurt Locker from which I heard does not have an amazing script. Also Editing was simply Fantastic in Basterds, and what really made it shine over its competitors. Other then that they were pretty entertaining. Although NEW MOON should NOT have made an appearance within the Horror film montage, it was HORRIBLE.....not Horror get it right :p. Other then that if you really care about my take on the oscars go to my twitter feed where I live tweeted the hell out of them!2. Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade: This is an amazing film. Some consider it the best of the trilogy, and I
can see why. Sean Connery and Harrison Ford have amazing chemistry as father and son. The dialogue is awesome, with many great quotes "This is how we say goodbye in Germany". Set pieces are great, The Tank Battle, The Boat Chase, and much much more. The effects still hold up well, I still love the leap of Faith effect used late in the film. It shows Indy's origin, and is very fun. I could probably make a big review of this film, but chances are you have already seen it, and if you haven't drop everything you have and RUN OUT, BUY IT. Truly a fantastic film.3. Back to the Future: The classic 80s movie, that has a special spot in my heart. This time instead
of an average viewing, I decided to listen to the film with a special fan commentary made by the movie podcast "Flicks". They did have a very entertaining commentary, and let me notice two important things that I had honestly never knew about the film. Like the fact that "Pepsi Free" was actually a drink in the 80s, or that the actor who played Jennifer changed for the last two films. The commentary also pointed out a bunch of cameos that I was previously unaware of, and they had the type of nerdy conversations that really make you wonder. I highly recommend you check out their podcast, and Back To The Future is a true classic that everyone should go out and see!4. Clash Of The Titans: I had not seen this film for a long long time, and seeing how the remake is coming out
in the next month or so, I wanted to see if the original still stands up. Which to be honest the effects look a little cheesy, but to me they still in a way hold up. I am really interested to see how the remake turns out , since it has high expectations to live up to. Well not that high, the original is good, but its not fantastic. Highlights of Titans are the giant scorpion fight, and the two headed dog fight. The claymation effects are really entertaining, but the dialogue is pretty cheesy. No actor delivers there lines extremely well but that is not why you watch films like these, you want to see heroes fighting monsters, and it delivers in that respect. The mythology is incorporated well, and assists the stories understanding. Also I would like to add that contrary to most peoples opinions I REALLY liked the mechanical owl side kick, I found him entertaining, and very cool looking. If you have any interest in the remake I suggest you view the original.5. Speed: I literally just finished watching this film as I write this blog. I love this film, yes it is cheesy as hell, and this movie creates its own physics. We all know that bus would have never made t
hat jump. We all know that Keanu Reeves is not a spectacular actor (although I think this is one of his best performances), and we know Sandra Bullock is not an amazing actress, yet for some reason all of these ridiculous things come together to bring you one hell of a movie. This is an amazingly fun movie. Denis Hooper is completely crazy, and always managed to make me laugh with his crazy ramblings. I enjoy some of the completely bizarre quotes "I'm taller", or "Shoot the hostage", and the action was very well shot. The bomb on a bus premise, makes this the most exciting movie ever made that takes place on a bus. Elevators, Buses, and trains oh my. You've got to love the sheer insanity of Speed, and the amazing amount of entertainment you will receive from this film. If you are in the mood for a fun movie, then I recommend you set out and rent or buy yourself Speed. Also one final note I found it interesting that the main character was always drinking bottles of coke (the labels were off but the shape of the bottle is a give away) is it saying coca-cola drive you insane.Overall I did not do anything overly exciting this week, and I promise to start updating my blog post more often, I sincerely apologize for the lack of updates guys. Anyways tell me what you think of any of the 5 film related things I viewed this week, and I am open to any suggestions on topics for future blog posts. Your test for today is to name the movie this quote comes from "Death by stereo!" I will most likely make a blog post regarding this movie in question soon since something news worthy has come up recently regarding it.
Sincerly, Andrew Roebuck
Monday, February 8, 2010
Back To The Future 3
Yeah, I have had this blog for a while now. As of yet however you have not seen me "cranky"...so here goes. I am tired of people hating on Back To The Future 3, in actuality it is a very, very good film. Don't believe me? Well here is a top ten list just for you.
THE Top Ten Reasons Back To The Future 3 is a good movie
10. The setting: The setting in Back to The Future three is so vibrant, and colorful. All of the little touches here, and there make it a convincing world. It also 
offers many new challenges, and potential gags. Who doesn't love the old west? BTTF 3 used its setting to its advantage and it really helped improve the story, which is why it is number 10.
9. The Acting: It is undeniable that the chemistry between Marty, and the Doc is still very prevalent
within the film. They expertly play off each other, and deliver some very entertaining, and fantastic performances. The supporting cast is also very good. Thomas Wilson shows some enjoyable range with the antagonist Mad Dog Tannen, while also displaying just enough traits of the "Biff" we all know and love. Mary Steenburgen also plays an over the top quirky love interest to Emmet, quite well. Overall there are some strong performances in the film, and no particular member of the cast does a terrible job.
8. Biff is taken to his logical extreme: As the BTTF films went on we saw the darker sides of Biff. Showing ho
w given the right situations he can be driven to cheat, and murder. Mad Dog is just the extreme, the evilest Biff could get. He is essentially a ruthless killer in this film,and has little to no remorse for the things he has done. It only makes sense that BTTF 3 would take him in a darker more menacing villain to fit the time period. It makes him an effective villain, and he is in my opinion well acted to boot.
7. It is an effective conclusion: It is really quite simple, it concludes the series (minus the cartoon series, but I like
to pretend like that is non existent). All ends are tied up, and ends on an upbeat, inspirational note. A happy ending for everybody. At the end of the day, that has to be worth something, a happy ending leaves you happy. It is also effective because it shows how the experiences and events the characters have been through has changed their outlooks on life. For example *spoilerish warning* Marty does not race needles at the end of the flick *end spoiler* this shows that he has finally over come his fear of being thought inferior....or "chicken".
6. Dialogue: There are some damn good lines in this film. Many of them are playing on the old running gags throughout the series....being called "yella bellied" instead of chicken, or Mad Dog messing up anoth
er simple saying. Besides those their are many other quotes that are actually meaningful, and somewhat inspiring. For example "It means your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your Future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one, both of you" really has a deep meaning, and implies the true symbolism the entire series was trying to tell us. Again fitting with the it is a good conclusion thing, it wrap up the symbolism, and themes of the series.
5. Doc finds love: Emmet Brown finally finds a woman suitable for his unique personality. Its a wonderf
ul display of love conquers all. They are separated by 100 years, and one has devoted his life to science. It is a beautiful twist on that age old love story. Marty has Jennifer, it was about time they gave Doc a happy ending as well.
4. Gags: Some may say this in a way fits with the dialogue but there are a variety of amusing, and hilarious physical gags. For example when Doc has a shot of whiskey, or when Biff falls into yet another tu
b of manure. Their are some quality gags, that always manage to put a smile on my face every time I watch them. They even do the Clint Eastwood protective armor gag. Which if you were paying attention in Back To The Future 2 was being watched by Biff in the hot tub scene. Some may fall flat, but the majority of them are hilarious, and highly enjoyable.
3. Clint Eastwood: I for one absolutely loved the Clint Eastwood name that Marty Assumes. It fits in perfectly for the time period, being Marty's frame of reference for western
times. At one point in the film we even see him delivering Clint Eastwood lines to a mirror, which is pretty funny on its own merits. He also uses the armor trick as previously mentioned in the Gag section. Also if you pay close attention to the end of movie when Marty is crossing the bridge in 1985 you will see that the ravine was renamed "Eastwood" ravine. Yes this is basically an extended version of a Gag but I found it entertaining enough to garner its own bullet point.
2. Music: My God is the music brilliant in this film. Alan Silvestri delivers a great old west type remix to the ori
ginal BTTF theme, also adding some entirely new sections of music. It starts up at the perfect times giving you a sense of wonder, and a feel of epicness when its played. The way it is used, and the way it sounds makes it an obvious #2 one this list. I mean seriously who doesn't love a good instrumental theme, and Silvestri delivers a great one on all accounts.
1. FLYING TIME TRAVELING TRAIN: There is a fucking train that travels through time. WHICH is awe
some in its on rights...but then it does the unthinkable. IT FLYS....making it a flying time traveling train. If you need to see the movie for any reason it is this. I mean how many times in your life can you say you will see a movie with that type of time machine. It warrants the creation of the entire film, and makes the ending that much more satisfying.
So this is my top ten list of Why Back To The Future 3 deserves critics, and the public respect. If you agree or disagree with my opinions leave a comment in the section below!
Sincerely, Gigans
Ps My apologies for the Lack of blog posts, I shall try to do them on a more continuous and frequently in the future.
offers many new challenges, and potential gags. Who doesn't love the old west? BTTF 3 used its setting to its advantage and it really helped improve the story, which is why it is number 10.9. The Acting: It is undeniable that the chemistry between Marty, and the Doc is still very prevalent
within the film. They expertly play off each other, and deliver some very entertaining, and fantastic performances. The supporting cast is also very good. Thomas Wilson shows some enjoyable range with the antagonist Mad Dog Tannen, while also displaying just enough traits of the "Biff" we all know and love. Mary Steenburgen also plays an over the top quirky love interest to Emmet, quite well. Overall there are some strong performances in the film, and no particular member of the cast does a terrible job.8. Biff is taken to his logical extreme: As the BTTF films went on we saw the darker sides of Biff. Showing ho
w given the right situations he can be driven to cheat, and murder. Mad Dog is just the extreme, the evilest Biff could get. He is essentially a ruthless killer in this film,and has little to no remorse for the things he has done. It only makes sense that BTTF 3 would take him in a darker more menacing villain to fit the time period. It makes him an effective villain, and he is in my opinion well acted to boot.7. It is an effective conclusion: It is really quite simple, it concludes the series (minus the cartoon series, but I like
to pretend like that is non existent). All ends are tied up, and ends on an upbeat, inspirational note. A happy ending for everybody. At the end of the day, that has to be worth something, a happy ending leaves you happy. It is also effective because it shows how the experiences and events the characters have been through has changed their outlooks on life. For example *spoilerish warning* Marty does not race needles at the end of the flick *end spoiler* this shows that he has finally over come his fear of being thought inferior....or "chicken".6. Dialogue: There are some damn good lines in this film. Many of them are playing on the old running gags throughout the series....being called "yella bellied" instead of chicken, or Mad Dog messing up anoth
er simple saying. Besides those their are many other quotes that are actually meaningful, and somewhat inspiring. For example "It means your future hasn't been written yet. No one's has. Your Future is whatever you make it. So make it a good one, both of you" really has a deep meaning, and implies the true symbolism the entire series was trying to tell us. Again fitting with the it is a good conclusion thing, it wrap up the symbolism, and themes of the series.5. Doc finds love: Emmet Brown finally finds a woman suitable for his unique personality. Its a wonderf
ul display of love conquers all. They are separated by 100 years, and one has devoted his life to science. It is a beautiful twist on that age old love story. Marty has Jennifer, it was about time they gave Doc a happy ending as well.4. Gags: Some may say this in a way fits with the dialogue but there are a variety of amusing, and hilarious physical gags. For example when Doc has a shot of whiskey, or when Biff falls into yet another tu
b of manure. Their are some quality gags, that always manage to put a smile on my face every time I watch them. They even do the Clint Eastwood protective armor gag. Which if you were paying attention in Back To The Future 2 was being watched by Biff in the hot tub scene. Some may fall flat, but the majority of them are hilarious, and highly enjoyable.3. Clint Eastwood: I for one absolutely loved the Clint Eastwood name that Marty Assumes. It fits in perfectly for the time period, being Marty's frame of reference for western
times. At one point in the film we even see him delivering Clint Eastwood lines to a mirror, which is pretty funny on its own merits. He also uses the armor trick as previously mentioned in the Gag section. Also if you pay close attention to the end of movie when Marty is crossing the bridge in 1985 you will see that the ravine was renamed "Eastwood" ravine. Yes this is basically an extended version of a Gag but I found it entertaining enough to garner its own bullet point.2. Music: My God is the music brilliant in this film. Alan Silvestri delivers a great old west type remix to the ori
ginal BTTF theme, also adding some entirely new sections of music. It starts up at the perfect times giving you a sense of wonder, and a feel of epicness when its played. The way it is used, and the way it sounds makes it an obvious #2 one this list. I mean seriously who doesn't love a good instrumental theme, and Silvestri delivers a great one on all accounts.1. FLYING TIME TRAVELING TRAIN: There is a fucking train that travels through time. WHICH is awe
some in its on rights...but then it does the unthinkable. IT FLYS....making it a flying time traveling train. If you need to see the movie for any reason it is this. I mean how many times in your life can you say you will see a movie with that type of time machine. It warrants the creation of the entire film, and makes the ending that much more satisfying.So this is my top ten list of Why Back To The Future 3 deserves critics, and the public respect. If you agree or disagree with my opinions leave a comment in the section below!
Sincerely, Gigans
Ps My apologies for the Lack of blog posts, I shall try to do them on a more continuous and frequently in the future.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Oscar Nominations
Best Picture
"Avatar”
"The Blind Side”
"District 9″
"An Education”
"The Hurt Locker”
"Inglourious Basterds”
"Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire”
"A Serious Man”
"Up”
"Up in the Air”
Best Direction
"Avatar," James Cameron
"The Hurt Locker," Kathryn Bigelow"
Inglourious Basterds," Quentin Tarantino"
Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire," Lee Daniels
"Up in the Air," Jason Reitman
Actor in a Leading Role
Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart”
George Clooney, "Up in the Air”
Colin Firth, "A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman, "Invictus”
Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker”
Actress in a Leading Role
Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren, "The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan, "An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire”
Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia”
Actor in a Supporting Role
Matt Damon, "Invictus”
Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station”
Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds”
Actress in a Supporting Role
Penélope Cruz, "Nine”
Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air”
Mo'Nique,"Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire”
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
"District 9," Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
"An Education," Screenplay by Nick Hornby
"In the Loop," Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche"
Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire," Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher"
Up in the Air," Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner
Writing (Original Screenplay)
"The Hurt Locker," Written by Mark Boal"Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
"The Messenger," Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
"A Serious Man," Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
"Up," Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy
Animated Feature Film
"Coraline”"Fantastic Mr. Fox”
"The Princess and the Frog”
"The Secret of Kells”
"Up”
Art Direction
"Avatar," Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro;
Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
"Nine," Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
"Sherlock Holmes," Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
"The Young Victoria," Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray
Cinematography
"Avatar," Mauro Fiore
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," Bruno Delbonnel
"The Hurt Locker," Barry Ackroyd
"Inglourious Basterds," Robert Richardson
"The White Ribbon," Christian BergerCostume Design"Bright Star," Janet Patterson"Coco before Chanel," Catherine Leterrier
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," Monique Prudhomme
"Nine," Colleen Atwood
"The Young Victoria," Sandy Powell
Documentary (Feature)
"Burma VJ”
"The Cove”
"Food, Inc.”
"The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers”
"Which Way Home”
Documentary (Short Subject)
"China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province”
"The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner”
"The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant”
"Music by Prudence”"Rabbit à la Berlin”
Film Editing
"Avatar," Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
"District 9," Julian Clarke
"The Hurt Locker," Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
"Inglourious Basterds," Sally Menke
"Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire," Joe Klotz
Foreign Language Film
"Ajami," Israel
"El Secreto de Sus Ojos," Argentina
"The Milk of Sorrow," Peru
"Un Prophète," France
"The White Ribbon," Germany
Makeup
"Il Divo," Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
"Star Trek," Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
"The Young Victoria," Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircorehttp
Music (Original Score)
"Avatar," James Horner
"Fantastic Mr. Fox," Alexandre Desplat
"The Hurt Locker," Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
"Sherlock Holmes," Hans Zimmer
"Up," Michael Giacchino
Music (Original Song)
"Almost There” from "The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
"Down in New Orleans” from "The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
"Loin de Paname” from "Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
"Take It All” from "Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
"The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from "Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett
Short Film (Animated)
"French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert
"Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O'Connell
"The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia
"Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin
"A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park
Short Film (Live Action)
"The Door," Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
"Instead of Abracadabra," Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström"Kavi,
" Gregg Helvey"Miracle Fish,
" Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey"The New Tenants," Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson
Sound Editing
"Avatar," Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
"The Hurt Locker," Paul N.J. Ottosson
"Inglourious Basterds," Wylie Stateman
"Star Trek," Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
"Up," Michael Silvers and Tom Myers
Sound Mixing
"Avatar," Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
"The Hurt Locker," Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
"Inglourious Basterds," Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
"Star Trek," Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson
Visual Effects
"Avatar," Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
"District 9," Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
"Star Trek," Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton
First of all best picture noms, are pretty good...with the exception of Avatar, and Possibly the Blind side. Avatar should win in all of the effects categories because it looks amazing. It is however narratively flawed greatly. Therefore it should not win, but I will let the nomination slide. I am really hoping that Ingluorious Basterds gets the win, but I highly....and I mean highly doubt it will. It should also be noted that UP is guarteed to win the best animated feature, due to it grabbing a best Picture nom.
The best director should be won by Bigelow because Hurt Locker is a highly praised film, and it would be the first female director ever to win the Oscar.
Jeff Bridges will most likely win Actor oscar, but I hope Clooney wins. Up In The Air needs to leave with at least one Oscar or I will be very dissappointed.
Hopefully precious nabbs it in the Actress category, because I don't think that Sandra Bullock deserves it.
Supporting Actor must be awarded to Waltz or the oscars will loose all of its credibility in my eyes.
Supporting Actress should go to Anne Kendrick because she was fantastic. She needs it too remove the twilight films, and start being respected for her actual acting prowess.
Writing Nod should go to either, Up In The Air, or District Nine both had fantastic writing and deserves recognition.
For The Original Screenplay should be awarded to Up cause it was great.
Animated film will most likely be award to Up, but I would Love to see Princess and The Frog take it home as well.
Art Direction should go to Avatar it was truly stunning.
Cineamatograughy should go to Ingluorious Basterds, because it was very expertly shot, and deserving.
Film Editing Again goes to Basterds editing is what made the film what it really was and it was great.
Makeup Star Trek cause it was the only one I have seen and the makeup was deservedly amazing.
Score Avatar stunning and epic music presentation.
Song either of the Princess and The Frog songs because they were brilliant and very catchy.
Sound Editing Star Trek amazing absolutely amazing sounds that really make the world beleiveable, and awesome.
Sound Mixing Star Trek again....but one complaint about this section WHY oh WHY is Transformers on there.....noone should encourage Bay to make more movies in the way that he does. Please oh please let Transformers not get this oscar.
Finally Visual Effects goes to District Nine the expert use of pracitcal, and digital effects to make it very realistic and beleivable.
Anyways this is just my input if you agree or disagree leave your comments below, I am looking forward to the input. Sorry if this seemed rushed I had little time today, and it will not be as well as the usual posts. Anyways remember nooo blog tommorow, and until then Stay frosty.
From Andrew!
"Avatar”
"The Blind Side”
"District 9″
"An Education”
"The Hurt Locker”
"Inglourious Basterds”
"Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire”
"A Serious Man”
"Up”
"Up in the Air”
Best Direction
"Avatar," James Cameron
"The Hurt Locker," Kathryn Bigelow"
Inglourious Basterds," Quentin Tarantino"
Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire," Lee Daniels
"Up in the Air," Jason Reitman
Actor in a Leading Role
Jeff Bridges, "Crazy Heart”
George Clooney, "Up in the Air”
Colin Firth, "A Single Man”
Morgan Freeman, "Invictus”
Jeremy Renner, "The Hurt Locker”
Actress in a Leading Role
Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side”
Helen Mirren, "The Last Station”
Carey Mulligan, "An Education”
Gabourey Sidibe, "Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire”
Meryl Streep, "Julie & Julia”
Actor in a Supporting Role
Matt Damon, "Invictus”
Woody Harrelson, "The Messenger”
Christopher Plummer, "The Last Station”
Stanley Tucci, "The Lovely Bones”
Christoph Waltz, "Inglourious Basterds”
Actress in a Supporting Role
Penélope Cruz, "Nine”
Vera Farmiga, "Up in the Air”
Maggie Gyllenhaal, "Crazy Heart”
Anna Kendrick, "Up in the Air”
Mo'Nique,"Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire”
Writing (Adapted Screenplay)
"District 9," Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
"An Education," Screenplay by Nick Hornby
"In the Loop," Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche"
Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire," Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher"
Up in the Air," Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner
Writing (Original Screenplay)
"The Hurt Locker," Written by Mark Boal"Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
"The Messenger," Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
"A Serious Man," Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
"Up," Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy
Animated Feature Film
"Coraline”"Fantastic Mr. Fox”
"The Princess and the Frog”
"The Secret of Kells”
"Up”
Art Direction
"Avatar," Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro;
Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
"Nine," Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
"Sherlock Holmes," Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
"The Young Victoria," Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray
Cinematography
"Avatar," Mauro Fiore
"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," Bruno Delbonnel
"The Hurt Locker," Barry Ackroyd
"Inglourious Basterds," Robert Richardson
"The White Ribbon," Christian BergerCostume Design"Bright Star," Janet Patterson"Coco before Chanel," Catherine Leterrier
"The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," Monique Prudhomme
"Nine," Colleen Atwood
"The Young Victoria," Sandy Powell
Documentary (Feature)
"Burma VJ”
"The Cove”
"Food, Inc.”
"The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers”
"Which Way Home”
Documentary (Short Subject)
"China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province”
"The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner”
"The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant”
"Music by Prudence”"Rabbit à la Berlin”
Film Editing
"Avatar," Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
"District 9," Julian Clarke
"The Hurt Locker," Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
"Inglourious Basterds," Sally Menke
"Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push' by Sapphire," Joe Klotz
Foreign Language Film
"Ajami," Israel
"El Secreto de Sus Ojos," Argentina
"The Milk of Sorrow," Peru
"Un Prophète," France
"The White Ribbon," Germany
Makeup
"Il Divo," Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
"Star Trek," Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
"The Young Victoria," Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircorehttp
Music (Original Score)
"Avatar," James Horner
"Fantastic Mr. Fox," Alexandre Desplat
"The Hurt Locker," Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
"Sherlock Holmes," Hans Zimmer
"Up," Michael Giacchino
Music (Original Song)
"Almost There” from "The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
"Down in New Orleans” from "The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
"Loin de Paname” from "Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
"Take It All” from "Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
"The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from "Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett
Short Film (Animated)
"French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert
"Granny O'Grimm's Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O'Connell
"The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia
"Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin
"A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park
Short Film (Live Action)
"The Door," Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
"Instead of Abracadabra," Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström"Kavi,
" Gregg Helvey"Miracle Fish,
" Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey"The New Tenants," Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson
Sound Editing
"Avatar," Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
"The Hurt Locker," Paul N.J. Ottosson
"Inglourious Basterds," Wylie Stateman
"Star Trek," Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
"Up," Michael Silvers and Tom Myers
Sound Mixing
"Avatar," Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
"The Hurt Locker," Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
"Inglourious Basterds," Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
"Star Trek," Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson
Visual Effects
"Avatar," Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
"District 9," Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
"Star Trek," Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton
First of all best picture noms, are pretty good...with the exception of Avatar, and Possibly the Blind side. Avatar should win in all of the effects categories because it looks amazing. It is however narratively flawed greatly. Therefore it should not win, but I will let the nomination slide. I am really hoping that Ingluorious Basterds gets the win, but I highly....and I mean highly doubt it will. It should also be noted that UP is guarteed to win the best animated feature, due to it grabbing a best Picture nom.
The best director should be won by Bigelow because Hurt Locker is a highly praised film, and it would be the first female director ever to win the Oscar.
Jeff Bridges will most likely win Actor oscar, but I hope Clooney wins. Up In The Air needs to leave with at least one Oscar or I will be very dissappointed.
Hopefully precious nabbs it in the Actress category, because I don't think that Sandra Bullock deserves it.
Supporting Actor must be awarded to Waltz or the oscars will loose all of its credibility in my eyes.
Supporting Actress should go to Anne Kendrick because she was fantastic. She needs it too remove the twilight films, and start being respected for her actual acting prowess.
Writing Nod should go to either, Up In The Air, or District Nine both had fantastic writing and deserves recognition.
For The Original Screenplay should be awarded to Up cause it was great.
Animated film will most likely be award to Up, but I would Love to see Princess and The Frog take it home as well.
Art Direction should go to Avatar it was truly stunning.
Cineamatograughy should go to Ingluorious Basterds, because it was very expertly shot, and deserving.
Film Editing Again goes to Basterds editing is what made the film what it really was and it was great.
Makeup Star Trek cause it was the only one I have seen and the makeup was deservedly amazing.
Score Avatar stunning and epic music presentation.
Song either of the Princess and The Frog songs because they were brilliant and very catchy.
Sound Editing Star Trek amazing absolutely amazing sounds that really make the world beleiveable, and awesome.
Sound Mixing Star Trek again....but one complaint about this section WHY oh WHY is Transformers on there.....noone should encourage Bay to make more movies in the way that he does. Please oh please let Transformers not get this oscar.
Finally Visual Effects goes to District Nine the expert use of pracitcal, and digital effects to make it very realistic and beleivable.
Anyways this is just my input if you agree or disagree leave your comments below, I am looking forward to the input. Sorry if this seemed rushed I had little time today, and it will not be as well as the usual posts. Anyways remember nooo blog tommorow, and until then Stay frosty.
From Andrew!
Monday, February 1, 2010
The times they are a Changin.
The motivation for this blog post came today, from a comment I made upon a youtube video. My comment was on a Machinima preview of the upcoming "Aliens Vs. Predator" video game. I was being quirky and decided to input a clever Aliens reference in my comment. I said "I like to keep this for close encounters", now it is not the comment itself that is of much interest rather the reply I received from it. They were like "Haha that is from Call Of Duty 4, when Gaz is talking to Soap". Which is pretty funny because the game was itself referencing Aliens and paying homage to the film. So it started me thinking, how new audiences of people who only play video games, or only watch movies, miss their clever references to eachother. Call Of Duty 4 is choked full of clever references that movie buff, and 80s individuals enjoy. For the people who have never seen the film, or lived in the time will think that the clever saying was strictly from that game. Meaning if they hear it mentioned in in conversation they would be all like HEY THATS FROM COD4 OMFG. This of course happened long before video games movies always are referential and are always paying homage to something or other. This is not the main point of the post, instead I want to talk about what ages, and how things stand the test of time.
Video games in recent years, have been under intense scrutiny recently for that allogations that games encourage violence, and cause people to go on murderous rampages. Which is complete bullocks, but surprisngly movies were under similar assumptions not to long ago. For example the movie Scream 2, which was made in 1997, has this topic as its main focus. SPOILERS FOR SCREAM 2 coming up (which is a damn good film that i recommend you watch before reading this) 2 individuals get killed during a screening of a slasher film. Media instantly begins to question if the film itself and its contents caused the killer to be encouraged. Do violence in media cause violence in real life. Thoose kind of questions, and the main killer even plans on using a plea for insanity claiming that movies were what caused him to go on the killing spree. END OF SPOILERS I just find it interesting that the torch has been passed so to speak from movies to video games. You very rarely hear a person go ZOMG that twilight movie caused me to suck peoples blood.
Another time related topic, is the future in movies. For example Judgement Day in terminator 2 was said to occur on August 29, 1997 which quite frankly never happened. Yes I know in theory they stopped judgement day from occuring....but that is not so, in Terminator 3 it is said July 25, 2004 was the new judgement day date. Which yet again did not happen, and the same can be said for the recent movie 2012 the world will still be fine and complete in 2012 trust me on that one folks. Now we cannot say for sure the Back To The Future 2's version of 2015 is false, because we have 5 years to develop Flying Cars, hover boards, self adjusting clothes....and 25 more jaws sequel. The one thing we can say for certain though, is that thoose phonebooths will not exist. Since there are barely any phonebooths still left in the world, and the amount of cellphones will soon have them dissappear all together. Future can be revealing but effects can also age or destroy the feeling of the film. For example in todays standards Avatar is the most beautiful film ever made, but in about ten years technology will have advanced to a point where Avatar is no longer the ultimate. Time has shown that film that create full cgi worlds age very poorly, wheras cleverly implimented practical effects can cause the film to be beautiful years, and years after its original release. Don't beleive me, just watch the Star Wars Prequels they already look out dated and hold, and they were made less then 6 years ago. In my opinion a film like District Nine, that had some CG, but alot of practical effects will have a more timeless, and classic appeal in a few years then Avatar will.
Well thoose are just my ramblings for today, leave your comments below on what you think of this situation, and it should be noted that I may be unable to make a blog update again until Thursday. I may be able to sneak a little one in on Tuesday but Wednesday I will be gone to the big city getting college stuff done and overwith. This is another CRANKY Blog have a good day!
Sincerly, Gigans
P.S Last quiz question was a quote from Fright night unfortunately noone decided to attempt to guess it.
P.s.s Todays Trivia quote is "I know now why you cry, but it is something I can never do" The correct answer may get something special so don't slack off lol.
Video games in recent years, have been under intense scrutiny recently for that allogations that games encourage violence, and cause people to go on murderous rampages. Which is complete bullocks, but surprisngly movies were under similar assumptions not to long ago. For example the movie Scream 2, which was made in 1997, has this topic as its main focus. SPOILERS FOR SCREAM 2 coming up (which is a damn good film that i recommend you watch before reading this) 2 individuals get killed during a screening of a slasher film. Media instantly begins to question if the film itself and its contents caused the killer to be encouraged. Do violence in media cause violence in real life. Thoose kind of questions, and the main killer even plans on using a plea for insanity claiming that movies were what caused him to go on the killing spree. END OF SPOILERS I just find it interesting that the torch has been passed so to speak from movies to video games. You very rarely hear a person go ZOMG that twilight movie caused me to suck peoples blood.
Another time related topic, is the future in movies. For example Judgement Day in terminator 2 was said to occur on August 29, 1997 which quite frankly never happened. Yes I know in theory they stopped judgement day from occuring....but that is not so, in Terminator 3 it is said July 25, 2004 was the new judgement day date. Which yet again did not happen, and the same can be said for the recent movie 2012 the world will still be fine and complete in 2012 trust me on that one folks. Now we cannot say for sure the Back To The Future 2's version of 2015 is false, because we have 5 years to develop Flying Cars, hover boards, self adjusting clothes....and 25 more jaws sequel. The one thing we can say for certain though, is that thoose phonebooths will not exist. Since there are barely any phonebooths still left in the world, and the amount of cellphones will soon have them dissappear all together. Future can be revealing but effects can also age or destroy the feeling of the film. For example in todays standards Avatar is the most beautiful film ever made, but in about ten years technology will have advanced to a point where Avatar is no longer the ultimate. Time has shown that film that create full cgi worlds age very poorly, wheras cleverly implimented practical effects can cause the film to be beautiful years, and years after its original release. Don't beleive me, just watch the Star Wars Prequels they already look out dated and hold, and they were made less then 6 years ago. In my opinion a film like District Nine, that had some CG, but alot of practical effects will have a more timeless, and classic appeal in a few years then Avatar will.
Well thoose are just my ramblings for today, leave your comments below on what you think of this situation, and it should be noted that I may be unable to make a blog update again until Thursday. I may be able to sneak a little one in on Tuesday but Wednesday I will be gone to the big city getting college stuff done and overwith. This is another CRANKY Blog have a good day!
Sincerly, Gigans
P.S Last quiz question was a quote from Fright night unfortunately noone decided to attempt to guess it.
P.s.s Todays Trivia quote is "I know now why you cry, but it is something I can never do" The correct answer may get something special so don't slack off lol.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
When Your Evil
Welcome back folks to day number 2 of my blogging extravaganza. I few things before I start on today's topic. First you shall be happy to hear the Chris Kovacs solved yesterdays trivia question. The movie being referenced with the quote "Nine million terrorists in the world and I gotta kill one with feet smaller than my sister." was the classic Die Hard. It may also be noted that Elizabeth Branton also gave a correct answer to the question but she was a little late on her entry. Better luck next time. Die Hard leads into today's topic quite well. Die Hard is an action film made in 1988, that deals with a new york cop going to an LA Christmas party. His wife works for the Nakatomi company, and their annual Christmas party is being held. It appears to be a normal Christmas gathering until terroists lead by the eccentric Hans Gruber take over the Plaza, and only John McClane can stop them. It is a high octane Christmas action flick that is heralded as one of the best. If I revealed much more about the plot I may ruin it for some of you who have yet to see it, and for those of you who haven't I HIGHLY recommend you check it out, very enjoyable and very entertaining. Now the reason this film fits in so nicely with our topic is the Villian Hans Gruber, is one of the greatest villains of movie history. Allan Rickman plays him perfectly to create a dynamic and layered villain. So in case you have yet to figure it out yet, today we will be talking about the best, and worst villains of the decade so hold on to your butts, its gonna be a bumpy ride.
Every Hero needs a good villain. They push the hero to great feats, and cause them to grow and blossom as a character. Many times a good villain steals the show, and can cause the audience to question whether they really want their supposed hero to triumph. Often times the success of a film can hinge on the conflict between the two. In the last decade villains have really began to be mastered. High profile actors, and brilliant writing has shipped out some truly awe inspiring villains. So I decided to create a list of the best, and worst movie villains of the last decade.
Every Hero needs a good villain. They push the hero to great feats, and cause them to grow and blossom as a character. Many times a good villain steals the show, and can cause the audience to question whether they really want their supposed hero to triumph. Often times the success of a film can hinge on the conflict between the two. In the last decade villains have really began to be mastered. High profile actors, and brilliant writing has shipped out some truly awe inspiring villains. So I decided to create a list of the best, and worst movie villains of the last decade.
BEST
10.
Count Dooku (Star Wars Episode 2) : 
Yes the prequels were unnecessary, and yes they were heavy laden in CGI, and acted about as eloquently as a bull in a china shop. All this said Christopher Lee did a very good job as the sith Lord Count Dooku. He was not perfect but he was at least interesting enough to get me through the atrocity that was Attack Of The Clones. Also he did have a pretty badass fight with Yoda, which gets him some extra points in my book haha.
9. Monster X (Godzilla Final Wars):
Godzilla final movie, and boy was it one for the ages. He fought and killed nearly every monster he had ever faced in his lengthy film repertoire. Everyone expected an epic final fight for the King of the monsters, and who else to fight a king....but another king...King Ghidorah. Yes the three headed dragon he had been fighting since the 60s, every fan expected him to be in the film. Well he was, with a very interesting re- imagining. Such was the birth and introduction of Monster X. The first form of Ghidorahs new reign of terror. Yes its Godzilla, and yes its campy...but hell the fight these two Goliath have is enough for a nerd like me to be excited. He has a slick, and creepy new costume to boot.
8. Karl Ruprecht Kroenen (Hellboy): Yes I realize his name is damn near impossible to say, but he is fantastic, and bizarre. Most of
you may know him better as that Robot Nazi with the Knifes coming out of his arms. Do I really need to say more? He is certainly memorable and is what sticks out the most to me in this film. He has a wonderful presence on screen, and is kinda creepy when you think about it. Cool costume, and cool weapons make him a welcome addition to this list. He may not have any lines, but the mystery, and presentation is what make him a good villain.
7. Le Chiffre (Casino Royale): James Bond has a multitude of fantastic and whimsical villains. So when
Martin Campbell was set to direct a reboot of the entire franchise. He needed a villain with an evil plot, and a worthy adversary for the new buff bond. Instead of doing the obvious, muscle bound, tougher then bond character, he used one that was smarter and had an interesting personality. He cried blood for gods sake, if that doesn't make him a force to be reckoned with I don't know what does. He is not higher on the list because he has surprisingly very little screen time, and does not even meet his end at the hands of bond. Still his interrogation tactics, and his fearsome looks make him one of the most interesting villains bond has ever faced.
6. Doctor Octopus (Spiderman 2): The synonym I was using last blog post (Master Planner) is a direct reference to
classic spiderman villain Doc Ock. Spiderman 2 is one of the better superhero films of the last decade and a large part of that is the villain. He was played very well, and the effects mixed CGI, and practical effects nicely to portray him. Any spiderman fan knows how important of a character Ock is, and we all were impressed by how right they made him. Great acting, and memorable dialogue put him heads, or should I say arms about the rest of the villains in the Spiderman films.
5. Magneto (X-men): Ian McKellen, always gives an expert performance in everything he does.
Great Actors bring us great things, so when he was set to play Magneto everyone was pumped. A man with the power to control magnetism...yeah that alone gets him on the list. He plays the revenge caricature very well. Revenge is a very good motive for a Villains actions and help him become a more realistic character. Just plain fantastic on all account, and never failed to captivate the audience and steal the show.
4. Saruman (Lord Of the Rings trilogy): Yes another appearance of Christopher Lee. This time
playing the evil wizard Saruman from the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy. He was truly a very evil very vile human being. Doing everything in his power to destroy humanity, and sold his life to evil. Evil tactics, and great acting solidify him as a very memorable, and very chilling villain. What can be said about him that hasn't already been mentioned? He is awesome, and very evil....what else does a villain need. Just more proof that people with long white beards are creepy and evil, yeah I am talking about you Santa Claus.
3. Hans Landa (Ingluorious Basterds): Christoph Waltz the discovery of the year. Hans Landa
has such and eccentric, and chilling attitude that has not been seen by the likes of movie goers in a very long time. He is intelligent detective, kinda like the Nazi equivalent of Batman but even more intelligent. He can speak a multitude of languages, and does so very well. It is rare that a villain can win, and in a way Hans Landa won. Well matter of factly he let the heroes win for his own benefit. Such an expertly acted performance, and unforgettable dialogue, is enough to make any true movie fan eccentric and eager to see what Waltz will do next. Just thinking about him makes me want to watch the movie again, he is that good in it.
2. Anton Chigurh (No Cou
ntry For Old Men): The greatest assassin ever to grace the silver screen. He is relentless, and terrifying. He has no soul, and nothing can stop him. He outsmarts all his adversaries, and cannot be escaped. He kills with no qualms and he does not care about money, all he wants is a way to express his murderous tendencies. The weapons he uses are unorthodox, but effective. Truly an amazing, and visceral performance that is very difficult to top. Yet he is number 2 on the list so who could possibly, out villain this villain.
1. The Joker (The Dark Knight): Anyone who knows anything about the decade, knew that
heaths ledgers last complete performance was one for the ages. The Joker was easily one of the best Villains EVER. He was so well written, and had an amazing screen presence. Memorable dialogue, and a very unique acting style. It is undeniable his performance was amazing. The reason he is number one is due to his immense cultural impact. The amount of t-shirts I see with his smiling face on it, and amount of time his lines are quoted you can tell he is a big deal. Everything his just so perfect about his character, and I really love the dark knight so it was an easy pick.
Well that was just my list, sorry if it was a little long winded, but hopefully you enjoyed it. If you have any input on the list leave it in the comment section below, and have a great Sunday evening. Oh and your quote question of the day is "I am Peter Vincent, vampire Killer".
Count Dooku (Star Wars Episode 2) : Yes the prequels were unnecessary, and yes they were heavy laden in CGI, and acted about as eloquently as a bull in a china shop. All this said Christopher Lee did a very good job as the sith Lord Count Dooku. He was not perfect but he was at least interesting enough to get me through the atrocity that was Attack Of The Clones. Also he did have a pretty badass fight with Yoda, which gets him some extra points in my book haha.9. Monster X (Godzilla Final Wars):
Godzilla final movie, and boy was it one for the ages. He fought and killed nearly every monster he had ever faced in his lengthy film repertoire. Everyone expected an epic final fight for the King of the monsters, and who else to fight a king....but another king...King Ghidorah. Yes the three headed dragon he had been fighting since the 60s, every fan expected him to be in the film. Well he was, with a very interesting re- imagining. Such was the birth and introduction of Monster X. The first form of Ghidorahs new reign of terror. Yes its Godzilla, and yes its campy...but hell the fight these two Goliath have is enough for a nerd like me to be excited. He has a slick, and creepy new costume to boot.8. Karl Ruprecht Kroenen (Hellboy): Yes I realize his name is damn near impossible to say, but he is fantastic, and bizarre. Most of
you may know him better as that Robot Nazi with the Knifes coming out of his arms. Do I really need to say more? He is certainly memorable and is what sticks out the most to me in this film. He has a wonderful presence on screen, and is kinda creepy when you think about it. Cool costume, and cool weapons make him a welcome addition to this list. He may not have any lines, but the mystery, and presentation is what make him a good villain.7. Le Chiffre (Casino Royale): James Bond has a multitude of fantastic and whimsical villains. So when
Martin Campbell was set to direct a reboot of the entire franchise. He needed a villain with an evil plot, and a worthy adversary for the new buff bond. Instead of doing the obvious, muscle bound, tougher then bond character, he used one that was smarter and had an interesting personality. He cried blood for gods sake, if that doesn't make him a force to be reckoned with I don't know what does. He is not higher on the list because he has surprisingly very little screen time, and does not even meet his end at the hands of bond. Still his interrogation tactics, and his fearsome looks make him one of the most interesting villains bond has ever faced.6. Doctor Octopus (Spiderman 2): The synonym I was using last blog post (Master Planner) is a direct reference to
classic spiderman villain Doc Ock. Spiderman 2 is one of the better superhero films of the last decade and a large part of that is the villain. He was played very well, and the effects mixed CGI, and practical effects nicely to portray him. Any spiderman fan knows how important of a character Ock is, and we all were impressed by how right they made him. Great acting, and memorable dialogue put him heads, or should I say arms about the rest of the villains in the Spiderman films.5. Magneto (X-men): Ian McKellen, always gives an expert performance in everything he does.
Great Actors bring us great things, so when he was set to play Magneto everyone was pumped. A man with the power to control magnetism...yeah that alone gets him on the list. He plays the revenge caricature very well. Revenge is a very good motive for a Villains actions and help him become a more realistic character. Just plain fantastic on all account, and never failed to captivate the audience and steal the show.4. Saruman (Lord Of the Rings trilogy): Yes another appearance of Christopher Lee. This time
playing the evil wizard Saruman from the epic Lord of the Rings trilogy. He was truly a very evil very vile human being. Doing everything in his power to destroy humanity, and sold his life to evil. Evil tactics, and great acting solidify him as a very memorable, and very chilling villain. What can be said about him that hasn't already been mentioned? He is awesome, and very evil....what else does a villain need. Just more proof that people with long white beards are creepy and evil, yeah I am talking about you Santa Claus.3. Hans Landa (Ingluorious Basterds): Christoph Waltz the discovery of the year. Hans Landa
has such and eccentric, and chilling attitude that has not been seen by the likes of movie goers in a very long time. He is intelligent detective, kinda like the Nazi equivalent of Batman but even more intelligent. He can speak a multitude of languages, and does so very well. It is rare that a villain can win, and in a way Hans Landa won. Well matter of factly he let the heroes win for his own benefit. Such an expertly acted performance, and unforgettable dialogue, is enough to make any true movie fan eccentric and eager to see what Waltz will do next. Just thinking about him makes me want to watch the movie again, he is that good in it.2. Anton Chigurh (No Cou
ntry For Old Men): The greatest assassin ever to grace the silver screen. He is relentless, and terrifying. He has no soul, and nothing can stop him. He outsmarts all his adversaries, and cannot be escaped. He kills with no qualms and he does not care about money, all he wants is a way to express his murderous tendencies. The weapons he uses are unorthodox, but effective. Truly an amazing, and visceral performance that is very difficult to top. Yet he is number 2 on the list so who could possibly, out villain this villain.1. The Joker (The Dark Knight): Anyone who knows anything about the decade, knew that
heaths ledgers last complete performance was one for the ages. The Joker was easily one of the best Villains EVER. He was so well written, and had an amazing screen presence. Memorable dialogue, and a very unique acting style. It is undeniable his performance was amazing. The reason he is number one is due to his immense cultural impact. The amount of t-shirts I see with his smiling face on it, and amount of time his lines are quoted you can tell he is a big deal. Everything his just so perfect about his character, and I really love the dark knight so it was an easy pick.Well that was just my list, sorry if it was a little long winded, but hopefully you enjoyed it. If you have any input on the list leave it in the comment section below, and have a great Sunday evening. Oh and your quote question of the day is "I am Peter Vincent, vampire Killer".
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Good Evening Clarice
Sooo it begins. The blogesvere as we know it is about to get a lot more EPIC. Well maybe I am tooting my horn a little bit....but someone....somewhere will enjoy these. Well I might as well introduce myself to you CRAZY people. I shall go under the codename "The Master Planner" for now....and I will subsequently change that if someone can discover what is being referenced with that title. Well I am in my grade 12 year....the last year of HIGHSCHOOL...which is good because I cannot wait to leave the shitty small town that I currently live in. I have decent marks....and I am like a biiig biiig nerd, comics, videogames, you name it. There is however one area of nerdiness that I am a distinct MASTER. That area is movies, as most of you can tell by the name of the Blog. I am not actually that cranky but the title stuck out to me. Anyways I hope to become a journalist and am going to either college or university...the word is not in yet. There is ya stinking introduction, I am unsure how often I will update this....maybe daily?....but I am looking forward to our time together. With this I will leave you with one movie quote quiz question.......name the film that has this quote "Nine million terrorists in the world and I gotta kill one with feet smaller than my sister."? The first person to answer correctly will get a shout out and complimented in my next post. If a correct answer is given I may even do a little review of the film in question. Anyways that is all for now.....I shall see you again soon.
Sincerely, The Master Planner
Sincerely, The Master Planner
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