 |
| via |
 |
| via |
 |
| via |
 |
| via |
 |
| via |
 |
| via |
 |
| via |
Showing posts with label film. Show all posts
Showing posts with label film. Show all posts
Monday, July 30, 2012
Weekly Perks version 5.0
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Film Review: The Waning Charms of Moonrise Kingdom
I saw Moonrise Kingdom on Friday night. We were a large group, occupying nearly a row of the packed theatre, and I had publicized the viewing as Phase One in an evening of revelry, followed by a party at my house. As such, and with a predominance of film-fan friends, “how did you like the new Wes Anderson movie?” was a common question at the post-screening shindig. I had the unhappy task of shrugging my shoulders.
Yeah, I didn’t like it all that much. It’s not that it was bad – it’s certainly a breath of fresh air compared to most of what’s onscreen these days. But if you’re looking for a review that will pay lip-service to the overhyped film, you might want to look elsewhere. Hey, it’s sporting a 95% review average on Rotten Tomatoes – don’t worry, you’ll find someone else, likely more eloquent, whose tastes better suit your tastes. But if you a) like dissenting opinions and b) don't mind spoiling certain inessential aspects, read on. (Note: consider this a big ol’ SPOILER WARNING for the rest of the review. No, seriously, the next thing I write is a SPOILER.)
A detached sensibility isn’t new territory for Anderson – his characters are known for their dry patois and reserved emotions. Nor is he a stranger to inserting violence into his cutesy, twee worlds – injuries have always looked exaggeratedly realistic (The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited) and Fantastic Mr. Fox in particular played up its more brutal, animal instincts. I do understand the dog’s death as a way to temper the whimsy of the film, a theme that’s recalled continually throughout, but something about this moment rang unsettlingly callous to me. Yes, there are real stakes in this surreal world, but seeing the consequences doesn’t affect any of the characters. Suzy and Sam move on from the senseless death, unfazed, continuing on as if nothing has happened. It’s a cold, inhumane response to a pretty disturbing image, and I wasn’t sure how to root for characters who plainly felt no empathy for a defenseless animal.*
This brings me to another point – the two kids as “emotionally disturbed”. It’s one of those facts repeated throughout the film by pretty much everyone close to the kids, even though I think we see very little of that. What we do see are sensitive, overlooked kids who obviously feel frustrated and lash out occasionally. We see a montage of their sample outbursts – Suzy lunges after a girl in class, Sam throws a punch at a teen who outsizes him by a lot – but these attempts seem clumsy, in the heat of the moment, unprepared and unpremeditated. They seem like the attempts of kids who are out of their element, the actions of a bookish, isolated girl and a runty, orphaned boy. The film understands that these are just kids looking for an emotional connection and finally, after being alone for so long, recognizing familiarity in one another.
But I’m not sure how to reconcile that with the dog. I feel like it’s not the characters’ shortcoming, it’s the film’s. It’s playing with the idea of the ramifications of childish violence, fairly overtly (think the too-tall treehouse or the lefthanded scissors), but ultimately the dog is treated as collateral damage. It holds as much emotional heft as the piece of wood that falls from the treehouse. At the end of the film, Snoopy’s corpse is likely still just lying out there in the woods, likely not even missed.
There are other things that can be said about the film too. Willis and Norton and Swinton come out well, Murray has a couple great one-liners, but McDormand is given sadly little to do. The aesthetic is great, all 60s Americana and warm colours and Hank Williams and Boy Scout badges, but skews a little precious. Overall though, I was left with a somewhat hollow feeling – a feeling that the reserved nature of Anderson’s characters isn’t just elaborate artifice, but an actual lacking of depth and interest. It’s masked by great actors (in particular, Willis does a great job in this film), but when left to developing actors, they feel as blank as they’re written. Moonrise Kingdom, more so than any other Anderson movie, exposes the seams in his filmmaking – he is all shots and technicality and set dressing, and his excellent eye for casting allows him to free himself of considering performances. This works well when you’ve got, say, Bill Murray to make your dialogue hum with a rich inner life, but it falls flat in the hands of lesser talents, even when they look the part (sorry, Kara Hayward and Jared Gilman).
Yeah, I didn’t like it all that much. It’s not that it was bad – it’s certainly a breath of fresh air compared to most of what’s onscreen these days. But if you’re looking for a review that will pay lip-service to the overhyped film, you might want to look elsewhere. Hey, it’s sporting a 95% review average on Rotten Tomatoes – don’t worry, you’ll find someone else, likely more eloquent, whose tastes better suit your tastes. But if you a) like dissenting opinions and b) don't mind spoiling certain inessential aspects, read on. (Note: consider this a big ol’ SPOILER WARNING for the rest of the review. No, seriously, the next thing I write is a SPOILER.)
 |
| via |
Really, everything went downhill for me after the dog died. I hate that’s what ultimately what killed it for me, but I’ve just got to be honest, man. I’m okay with a dog death if it serves the movie. Old Yeller? Totally. The Thing? Fuck yeah. Hell, even Cheese’s dog in The Wire had some gravitas. But in Moonrise Kingdom, we get a gruesome image of a very dead dog, which no one seems to give a fuck about. Seriously? A loyal, highly trained, adorable dog gets this exchange as a eulogy?
SUZY: Was he a good dog?Later, there’s an offhand mention about the dog’s death made to the owner, who seems to give even less of a fuck – I believe he says, “It couldn’t be helped.” (He’s a bully, mind you, but I guess him liking his own dog is too much to ask for).
SAM: Who’s to say?
A detached sensibility isn’t new territory for Anderson – his characters are known for their dry patois and reserved emotions. Nor is he a stranger to inserting violence into his cutesy, twee worlds – injuries have always looked exaggeratedly realistic (The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited) and Fantastic Mr. Fox in particular played up its more brutal, animal instincts. I do understand the dog’s death as a way to temper the whimsy of the film, a theme that’s recalled continually throughout, but something about this moment rang unsettlingly callous to me. Yes, there are real stakes in this surreal world, but seeing the consequences doesn’t affect any of the characters. Suzy and Sam move on from the senseless death, unfazed, continuing on as if nothing has happened. It’s a cold, inhumane response to a pretty disturbing image, and I wasn’t sure how to root for characters who plainly felt no empathy for a defenseless animal.*
 |
| via |
But I’m not sure how to reconcile that with the dog. I feel like it’s not the characters’ shortcoming, it’s the film’s. It’s playing with the idea of the ramifications of childish violence, fairly overtly (think the too-tall treehouse or the lefthanded scissors), but ultimately the dog is treated as collateral damage. It holds as much emotional heft as the piece of wood that falls from the treehouse. At the end of the film, Snoopy’s corpse is likely still just lying out there in the woods, likely not even missed.
 |
| via |
Anyway, it IS a film worth seeing on the big screen. It’s flawed, yes, but significantly less so than most other movies coming out this year. And it is a spectacle – big, golden and beautiful, brimming with neat little flourishes and rewarding to a careful eye. But don’t believe the hype – this is not the best Wes Anderson film by a long shot, and I just hope he continues to challenge himself not just aesthetically, but with a deeper exploration of his characters’ interior lives.
*Also, I just wanted to note a bias here: I am a dog owner, so this moment likely hit me more strongly because of that. However, I think it's likely still something that would have disturbed me a year ago, before I owned a dog, but it might be one of those things like when a kid dies in a movie, and you don't understand the true depth of that emotion until you've had a child, you know?
Friday, February 17, 2012
What I've Been Watching Lately
The X-Files
I know I've talked about my love for this show before, but I won't be happy until everyone I know is watching it and loves it as much as I do. I will watch this show forever and for always, even though it makes me distrust weird-looking people on the street and gives me nightmares. The show is a perfect mix between one-off monster stories and episodes that advance the plot in a mind-blowing way. It also makes me worry that I will never experience love as deeply as Mulder and Scully feel for each other, but that's a whole different story. I'm on the seventh season (of nine) and I plan on starting it from the beginning once I'm done. Or maybe I'll just re-evaluate my life and, y'know, go outside.
Bell Book and Candle
This romcom stars Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novack and is about witches and the men who love them. Well kind of. It's set in New York in the winter and has a really young Jack Lemon as the cutest damn warlock/jazz musician I've ever seen. They frequent this bar called the Zodiac, which I'm dying to find recreated somewhere, that's underground and dark and secret and filled with music and witches with magical powers. Novack is a witch with a heart of gold, and looks every inch as beautiful as she did in Vertigo.
Picnic at Hanging Rock
I read about this movie on Fieldguided, and since I take everything she says as the gospel truth—what? I think our tastes are very similar—I watched it, enthralled. This movie is beautiful, dreamy, and mysterious. The story reminds me of my favourite Margaret Atwood short story "Death By Landscape," which is what originally drew me to it—there is something scary and romantic about the wilderness, whether it's Canadian or Australian, and there is an innate fear that the elements are overpowering. It takes place in 1900 on Valentine's Day, and is a perfect girls night pick.The hazy-look of each scene was apparently from a bridal veil cast over the lens, which only adds to the feminine mystique of the film.
Revenge
Something I copyedited yesterday made reference to this TV show, and I decided to watch the pilot—before I knew it I had finished 6 episodes and I'm dying to see more. I should clarify, though, that I don't necessarily think this show is good. If someone I didn't like was openly watching this show I would judge them. But I have fallen into the story without meaning to—it's so juicy! And since you know from the beginning that main character Emily is out to destroy everyone in her circle of the Hampton's, there really isn't a guessing game to what is going to happen. YOU KNOW. It kind of reminds me of The OC (my only other view into this kind of super-rich life) but all grown up. Totally silly and unrealistic and embarrassing, but I love it.
What have you been watching lately? Any recommendations?
 |
| via static age |
Bell Book and Candle
 |
| via somebody stole my thunder |
Picnic at Hanging Rock
 |
| via flickering myth |
I read about this movie on Fieldguided, and since I take everything she says as the gospel truth—what? I think our tastes are very similar—I watched it, enthralled. This movie is beautiful, dreamy, and mysterious. The story reminds me of my favourite Margaret Atwood short story "Death By Landscape," which is what originally drew me to it—there is something scary and romantic about the wilderness, whether it's Canadian or Australian, and there is an innate fear that the elements are overpowering. It takes place in 1900 on Valentine's Day, and is a perfect girls night pick.The hazy-look of each scene was apparently from a bridal veil cast over the lens, which only adds to the feminine mystique of the film.
Revenge
 |
| via thoughts and musings |
What have you been watching lately? Any recommendations?
Monday, February 6, 2012
Amanda's Criterion Top 5
If you're just tuning in now, Laura and I have been detailing our favourite Criterion flicks. Well, she did hers, and now I'm doing mine.
I wanted to add that I really love Criterion for their respect for movies—I'm a big fan of their packaging, and the care taken to design a breathtaking cover, the finely-tuned copy on all cases and booklets, and the cleverly-designed menus and website. These guys LOVE movies, and it gives me great pleasure to support a shop that takes pride in their work.
Two things I realized compiling this list:
1. I like big photography, colourful, cinematic kind of films. The more sumptuous the pictures, the stronger I'm on board. Ditto that with anything slightly fairytale-esque.
2. I really wanted to pick Charade, but Laura already did, so you should watch that doubly.
On with the show!
Days of Heaven (1978)
A beautiful, understated piece of cinema, and easily Terrence Malick's best film. A steelworker accidentally kills his supervisor, and runs away with his girlfriend and kid sister to the fields of Texas, where they harvest wheat for a wealthy but good man – but naturally, things can never remain that simple.
Narrated by the young sister, the vast, gorgeous fields set the stage for this American tragedy, the swaying wheat a sea of emotion the girl feels changing the world around her but does not understand. I love how quiet and dreamlike this film is, how little dialogue there is, and how wholly it overwhelms you. The whole thing is shot at magic hour – that precious half hour or so of soft light as the sun has set but the sky is watercoloured. It feels like a fable for the American dream, although the moral isn't something that can be understood in words – it's the emotional subtext here that is so compelling.
In the Mood for Love (2000)
The Red Shoes (1948)
I'll continue down this path of visually arresting and colourful picks with one of the most vivid—and most painstakingly restored—prints in the whole collection. A young ballerina is the rising star in a ballet company, torn between her love of dance (and her demanding director) and her love for a young composer. It’s Powell and Pressburger’s best known film, for sure, and is the mother of all backstage drama films.
Martin Scorsese calls this one of cinema’s best uses of Technicolor, and with good reason—the sets are kaleidoscopes of hues, from Vicky’s flame red hair to the gorgeous locations and of course, the titular pointe shoes. Scorsese was a major force behind the restoration of this print too, which required seven years worth of restoration on each of the three Technicolor prints to make up the final version. This is one that you’ll need to make sure is the Criterion edition before you watch it, as previous versions were very washed out.
The Night of the Hunter (1955)
I’ve loved this movie since I first watched it in film class many moons ago, so I was really happy when it became part of the collection last year. Dreamlike and haunting, this is like a Grimm’s fairytale in stark black and white. The use of black and white film is really impressive too—so much to create the tension and mood is done with hard shadows and silhouettes. And Robert Mitchum is such a joy to watch here, so menacing and playful at once, and gives what strikes me as a very modern performance.
Actually, the whole film feels very modern, very Leave It to Beaver gone bad, which is think largely why it wasn’t well-received by movie goers at the time of its release. It makes me so sad to think that the poor director, Charles Laughton, was widely panned for it, and it became his first and only attempt directing (he had a long career as an actor).
The Adventures of Antoine Doinel (1959, 1968, 1970, 1979)
Is it cheating to add a set of four? These picks do sit under one spine number, so I’m not going to apologize for it, but I am only going to suggest two of the set.
Antoine is one of my favourite characters in film history: a classic rapscallion, good-natured and a little goofy, which I’m such a sucker for. The first film, The 400 Blows, is an origin story, and not nearly so lighthearted as the later films. It depicts a young Antoine’s adolescence, his home life, his troubles in school, his desire for freedom. As one of the defining films of the French New Wave, it introduced Truffaut to the world and made him a household name. The actor behind Antoine, Jean-Pierre Leaud, is actually at his best in this one, at age fourteen, where he seems so effortlessly charming.
My favourite of the set is the next feature, Stolen Kisses. Antoine is a young man, working as a (not so good) private detective, and pursues Christine, a violinist he has felt sweet on for some time. This entry in the series is much funnier, much sillier, but still rings so painfully true. I think Antoine’s so successful because he speaks to that part in everyone who feels awkward, a little outside the norm, a little too earnest to be cool.
I wanted to add that I really love Criterion for their respect for movies—I'm a big fan of their packaging, and the care taken to design a breathtaking cover, the finely-tuned copy on all cases and booklets, and the cleverly-designed menus and website. These guys LOVE movies, and it gives me great pleasure to support a shop that takes pride in their work.
Two things I realized compiling this list:
1. I like big photography, colourful, cinematic kind of films. The more sumptuous the pictures, the stronger I'm on board. Ditto that with anything slightly fairytale-esque.
2. I really wanted to pick Charade, but Laura already did, so you should watch that doubly.
On with the show!
Days of Heaven (1978)
A beautiful, understated piece of cinema, and easily Terrence Malick's best film. A steelworker accidentally kills his supervisor, and runs away with his girlfriend and kid sister to the fields of Texas, where they harvest wheat for a wealthy but good man – but naturally, things can never remain that simple.
 |
| via |
I remember I wrote about this one a while go, and on looking it up, I did a much better job then. You can check that out on my tumblr, if you'd like.
In the Mood for Love (2000)
I wrote about this one a while back too, so it might as well be number two on the list. It's Hong Kong in 1962, and two neighbours feel drawn to each other, intimately connected by a discovery about their partners, and at once bound to their traditional roles. This movie is all about heat, concealed and restrained, but its sensuality perfuming everything it touches, from the hyper-saturated palette to the languid camera movements. Such a beautiful, bold film, and if you can, see it on a big screen. I promise, you won't regret it.
(The video below is a little dark, but the theme music alone is worth a play.)
The Red Shoes (1948)
I'll continue down this path of visually arresting and colourful picks with one of the most vivid—and most painstakingly restored—prints in the whole collection. A young ballerina is the rising star in a ballet company, torn between her love of dance (and her demanding director) and her love for a young composer. It’s Powell and Pressburger’s best known film, for sure, and is the mother of all backstage drama films.
Martin Scorsese calls this one of cinema’s best uses of Technicolor, and with good reason—the sets are kaleidoscopes of hues, from Vicky’s flame red hair to the gorgeous locations and of course, the titular pointe shoes. Scorsese was a major force behind the restoration of this print too, which required seven years worth of restoration on each of the three Technicolor prints to make up the final version. This is one that you’ll need to make sure is the Criterion edition before you watch it, as previous versions were very washed out.
I’ve loved this movie since I first watched it in film class many moons ago, so I was really happy when it became part of the collection last year. Dreamlike and haunting, this is like a Grimm’s fairytale in stark black and white. The use of black and white film is really impressive too—so much to create the tension and mood is done with hard shadows and silhouettes. And Robert Mitchum is such a joy to watch here, so menacing and playful at once, and gives what strikes me as a very modern performance.
 |
| via |
Actually, the whole film feels very modern, very Leave It to Beaver gone bad, which is think largely why it wasn’t well-received by movie goers at the time of its release. It makes me so sad to think that the poor director, Charles Laughton, was widely panned for it, and it became his first and only attempt directing (he had a long career as an actor).
The Adventures of Antoine Doinel (1959, 1968, 1970, 1979)
Is it cheating to add a set of four? These picks do sit under one spine number, so I’m not going to apologize for it, but I am only going to suggest two of the set.
Antoine is one of my favourite characters in film history: a classic rapscallion, good-natured and a little goofy, which I’m such a sucker for. The first film, The 400 Blows, is an origin story, and not nearly so lighthearted as the later films. It depicts a young Antoine’s adolescence, his home life, his troubles in school, his desire for freedom. As one of the defining films of the French New Wave, it introduced Truffaut to the world and made him a household name. The actor behind Antoine, Jean-Pierre Leaud, is actually at his best in this one, at age fourteen, where he seems so effortlessly charming.
 |
| via |
Happy viewing!
Friday, February 3, 2012
My Criterion Top 5
On the advice of Amanda's beau, which he suggested after reading our post on the Criterion's Top 10s, I put together a list of my Top 5 Criterion films. (I started with 10, but then I got really, really exhausted). While I was putting this list together, I learned several things. And I'm sure Amanda will agree.
1. I have seen an embarrassingly low number of these films. Because of this, many of my choices are films that I love, yes, but are probably on the list because I haven't seen other, better films. Does that make my list irrelevant? I think... not.
2. There are so many incredible films that aren't on this list. Almodovar's oeuvre, for example, was nowhere to be seen. And no Dario Argento? The collection, which started in '84, prides itself on gathering the greatest films from around the world. And since this is the case, even though I am a supporter of what they do (which is help keep these films appreciated and pristine—you can read more about it here), I think that they've still got a long way to go. But I couldn't exactly just make a list of my 10 favourite films, could I? I needed some kind of definable list from which to choose.
I'm going to stop excusing myself now and give you my Top 5 (sorry) Criterion films:
1. Charade
I keep coming back to this film time and time again, because it has everything. Romance, comedy, action, suspense, great fashion, Cary Grant, and that AHA! moment when you finally figure it all out (and then smugly think that you figured it out before anyone else). What more do you need? It has my favourite line from any movie ever ("How do you shave in there?") and is probably the reason why I trusted men who lied to me for so long. (So what if she doesn't know his name? It's still true love!) The trailer, narrated by Grant, is a treat in itself.
2. Jules et Jim
Sigh. I haven't seen this movie in years but it still fills me with this feeling of the romantic idea that you can be happy in love with more than one person and you can all be friends and love each other. Very Bohemian, non? It's about a love triangle between Jules et Jim et Catherine, and runs the gamut of emotions. It's also, at times, really playful and fun. Like this scene, the absolute best:
3. Three Colors: Red
If you haven't seen a Kieslowski film, do yourself a favour, go out and see one now. And preferably this one—I think it's the most accessible, which is maybe why I like it the best. All the Colors films are great, especially when you watch them in succession (with this one last). I love seeing the ways in which the colours are used. This film is about a fashion model and her strange friendship with an old peeping tom weirdo, showing that an impossible fraternity can exist between seemingly opposite people. It was also Kieslowski's last film.
4. 3 Women
Shelley and Sissy! I already love it. This film is the inspiration for so many fashion spreads, I can't even tell you. It's set in a dusty California resort town, and is totally dreamy. It switched from straight forward to surreal, and it's nice to see Spacek play a role other than Carrie. As a woman, I don't see how you could not like this film.
5. Winter Light
This film is the epitome of a Bergman film. It's stark, dismal, and incredibly Swedish. A pastor of a small, rural church is looked to for guidance but is struggling with his own faith. If the fear of nuclear annihilation were not present, this film could easily take place 50 years in the past, and I love that about Bergman films—they don't belong to one time only. This is the second film in a trilogy (though the only one I've seen) about religious faith and doubts, which when done right can be so relatable and compelling. The role of the school teacher mistress is essential for my enjoyment of the film—it's her unwavering devotion to the pastor that stands in for the religious devotion that the pastor lacks. And, NBD, Bergman once said that he never really knew himself until after he made this movie. So there.
So, have I inspired you to watch any of these films? Amanda, I'm tagging you in, girl. You're up next.
1. I have seen an embarrassingly low number of these films. Because of this, many of my choices are films that I love, yes, but are probably on the list because I haven't seen other, better films. Does that make my list irrelevant? I think... not.
2. There are so many incredible films that aren't on this list. Almodovar's oeuvre, for example, was nowhere to be seen. And no Dario Argento? The collection, which started in '84, prides itself on gathering the greatest films from around the world. And since this is the case, even though I am a supporter of what they do (which is help keep these films appreciated and pristine—you can read more about it here), I think that they've still got a long way to go. But I couldn't exactly just make a list of my 10 favourite films, could I? I needed some kind of definable list from which to choose.
I'm going to stop excusing myself now and give you my Top 5 (sorry) Criterion films:
1. Charade
I keep coming back to this film time and time again, because it has everything. Romance, comedy, action, suspense, great fashion, Cary Grant, and that AHA! moment when you finally figure it all out (and then smugly think that you figured it out before anyone else). What more do you need? It has my favourite line from any movie ever ("How do you shave in there?") and is probably the reason why I trusted men who lied to me for so long. (So what if she doesn't know his name? It's still true love!) The trailer, narrated by Grant, is a treat in itself.
2. Jules et Jim
 |
| via khalatnost |
3. Three Colors: Red
 |
| via Criterion |
4. 3 Women
 |
| via feelslikewhitelightening |
5. Winter Light
 |
| via flickr |
So, have I inspired you to watch any of these films? Amanda, I'm tagging you in, girl. You're up next.
Monday, January 30, 2012
Toronto Street Style
As much as I talk about how I want to move to Detroit/rural Quebec/Copenhagen/Ambelos, I really love Toronto. It's my home town! And I love when talented people show off some of what Toronto has to offer. Enter Daniel Goodbaum—my friend and old roommate—and his street style videos. I've always been fascinated by the people that Daniel chooses to capture—not all are typically fashionable but each have a unique look and really interesting quality to them. (And the old dashing men? I wish he'd make a videos exclusively of old men in suits.) Of course, I think his choice of subjects reveals a lot about him as well. Take a look! Below, I've posted a handful of my favourites.
Toronto Street Style - 6
Toronto Street Style - 15
Toronto Street Style - 6
Toronto Street Style - 15
Thursday, January 26, 2012
The Criterion Collection's Top 10s
I watch a lot of movies; I collect them and absorb them and I take in their messages—a really good movie will make me feel like I understand the world a bit better. I have an ongoing list of films that have either come from recommendations or passing mentions, and the more films I have on that list the more I feel I have to look forward to. Is that kinda sad?
Well here's something even more sad: I regularly troll the Criterion website, a site I think can teach you a lot about the literary Cannon—or, at the very least, will send me scribbling down names of directors and films. They have many top 10s, from directors and film lovers, and the lists are kind of confessional. In the case of directors, you can see where they draw their inspiration—would you be surprised if I told you that Brunel and Wes Anderson are on almost all of these lists?—and in the best cases you can be introduced to a kind of film that you never even know existed.
Sometimes I'm like... "Seriously? Chungking Express? Tell me something I didn't already know." But sometimes I will stumble upon gems. Let me give you a little preview of the goodness.
First up is the top 4 Criterion pics of Anthony Bourdain:
How can you read those blurbs and not want to watch the film?
Here are the top 3 of Mike Allerd. Seriously, I will watch anything on his list. Anyone who loves Charade as much as I do must be my kindred spirit.
Check 'em all out for yourself! You never know what goodies you'll find.
Well here's something even more sad: I regularly troll the Criterion website, a site I think can teach you a lot about the literary Cannon—or, at the very least, will send me scribbling down names of directors and films. They have many top 10s, from directors and film lovers, and the lists are kind of confessional. In the case of directors, you can see where they draw their inspiration—would you be surprised if I told you that Brunel and Wes Anderson are on almost all of these lists?—and in the best cases you can be introduced to a kind of film that you never even know existed.
Sometimes I'm like... "Seriously? Chungking Express? Tell me something I didn't already know." But sometimes I will stumble upon gems. Let me give you a little preview of the goodness.
First up is the top 4 Criterion pics of Anthony Bourdain:
 |
| via Criterion |
Here are the top 3 of Mike Allerd. Seriously, I will watch anything on his list. Anyone who loves Charade as much as I do must be my kindred spirit.
Check 'em all out for yourself! You never know what goodies you'll find.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
A disguised list of resolutions
Coming home from a vacation is always sad, but time away from real life tends to give me the right amount of distance to know exactly what I want from life, and by the time I get back I am, like, raring to go. Here are some things that I am excited about lately.
Working from home:
Ho. My God. Everyone be jealous of me right now. I am gonna get shit done: I'm going to copy edit like a maniac, I'm going to write a whole lot, I'm going to clean, and organize, bake bread and muffins, and take lots of pictures of my cat. My full time office internship was incredible, but the months flew by and I realized that I had been doing so little of what is important to me. Now I feel like I have a bit more of that time.
Watching more movies:
If you want to get me to watch a movie, send me a screengrab with like Mia Farrow, some French New Wave chick, or Cary Grant. I'll add it to my list. After watching a lot of the Turner Classic Movie channel in Michigan, I realized that watching old movies is a very important thing to me. I'm going to do much more of that.
Enjoying the space where I live:
I hinted at it a few times over the last month or two, but Dan and I went through a really awful experience with some crazy neighbours that we had. Crazy like sociopathic, speed-metal loving, junk collecting, insomniac, homophobic, chain smokers—and we shared a house and a backyard with them. They are now gone, and I'm starting to feel less panicked in our apartment. It's a nice feeling to feel at home. By the way, if anyone wants an old rusted walker or a kids bike, we've got them in our backyard.
Learning about what I love:
I realized in 2011, when I was taking a copyediting class at Ryerson, that even if I love the topic I am learning about, I'm uninspired by a classroom setting with weekly readings, essays, exams, and all that. I like learning by myself, without being tested. I've always considered myself a smart girl, even though my grades, in highschool, university, wherever, have been pretty crap. I'm going to go lots of reading and lots of exploring. Cool.
Running:
I've been running on and off for several years, and I can't stop thinking that it's the perfect way to wake up. Especially if you don't have to shower afterward. Get in shape is always on the resolution list, but for me, running has always been more about clarity of mind than about looking good. Well, looking good would be a very close second.
Taking more pictures:
You know when you blink and realize that you have forgotten about a passion you have? I haven't taken pictures in months. I started up again while I was in Michigan. Even though my sweet Pentax K1000 is broken and I'm sick of my Holga, I've been using Dan's old Olympus OM1, and it works just fine. Expect to see pretty pictures soon!
Tell us what you are looking forward to this year! It'll inspire us, I promise!
Working from home:
Ho. My God. Everyone be jealous of me right now. I am gonna get shit done: I'm going to copy edit like a maniac, I'm going to write a whole lot, I'm going to clean, and organize, bake bread and muffins, and take lots of pictures of my cat. My full time office internship was incredible, but the months flew by and I realized that I had been doing so little of what is important to me. Now I feel like I have a bit more of that time.
Watching more movies:
If you want to get me to watch a movie, send me a screengrab with like Mia Farrow, some French New Wave chick, or Cary Grant. I'll add it to my list. After watching a lot of the Turner Classic Movie channel in Michigan, I realized that watching old movies is a very important thing to me. I'm going to do much more of that.
Enjoying the space where I live:
I hinted at it a few times over the last month or two, but Dan and I went through a really awful experience with some crazy neighbours that we had. Crazy like sociopathic, speed-metal loving, junk collecting, insomniac, homophobic, chain smokers—and we shared a house and a backyard with them. They are now gone, and I'm starting to feel less panicked in our apartment. It's a nice feeling to feel at home. By the way, if anyone wants an old rusted walker or a kids bike, we've got them in our backyard.
Learning about what I love:
I realized in 2011, when I was taking a copyediting class at Ryerson, that even if I love the topic I am learning about, I'm uninspired by a classroom setting with weekly readings, essays, exams, and all that. I like learning by myself, without being tested. I've always considered myself a smart girl, even though my grades, in highschool, university, wherever, have been pretty crap. I'm going to go lots of reading and lots of exploring. Cool.
Running:
I've been running on and off for several years, and I can't stop thinking that it's the perfect way to wake up. Especially if you don't have to shower afterward. Get in shape is always on the resolution list, but for me, running has always been more about clarity of mind than about looking good. Well, looking good would be a very close second.
 |
| via shoeguide |
Taking more pictures:
You know when you blink and realize that you have forgotten about a passion you have? I haven't taken pictures in months. I started up again while I was in Michigan. Even though my sweet Pentax K1000 is broken and I'm sick of my Holga, I've been using Dan's old Olympus OM1, and it works just fine. Expect to see pretty pictures soon!
Tell us what you are looking forward to this year! It'll inspire us, I promise!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Must Watch: The Star Wars Holiday Special
If you're looking to kill some time wrapping gifts or wait out the clock during what must be any office's most boring day of the year, allow me to make a humble suggestion. Treat yourself to a viewing of the Star Wars Holiday Special.
It was only broadcast once – on November 17, 1978 – and pretty much everyone involved has spent that last 30 some-odd years pretending it never existed. The only copies that still exist have that grainy, sunsoaked saturation of aging VHS. Thankfully we have the internet, or this gem may have been forever lost to the annals of time.
Yes, that is Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher reprising their roles. Yes, that is the first appearance of Boba Fett. Yes, that IS a 10 minute long conversation entirely in Wookie without subtitles. YES, THAT IS BEA ARTHUR SINGING. I swear, I get a contact high just watching this thing.
Fuck the newly remastered Blu-rays – this is the only Star Wars special I'll be watching this holiday season.
It was only broadcast once – on November 17, 1978 – and pretty much everyone involved has spent that last 30 some-odd years pretending it never existed. The only copies that still exist have that grainy, sunsoaked saturation of aging VHS. Thankfully we have the internet, or this gem may have been forever lost to the annals of time.
Yes, that is Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher reprising their roles. Yes, that is the first appearance of Boba Fett. Yes, that IS a 10 minute long conversation entirely in Wookie without subtitles. YES, THAT IS BEA ARTHUR SINGING. I swear, I get a contact high just watching this thing.
Fuck the newly remastered Blu-rays – this is the only Star Wars special I'll be watching this holiday season.
On an entirely serious note, happy holidays you beauties you. It just warms the cockles of my heart that you guys read what we do here on Burgundy Girls, and that's the best gift us gals could hope for.
Hope this season's a wonderful one.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Some Last-Minute Gift Ideas
It's the Monday before Christmas, and if you're anything like me, you've still got a few people on your to-buy-for list. And often those people left last are the ones whom you have no idea what to gift. It's past the point of online ordering. It's okay, guys. We can do this. Just take it easy, collect yourselves, and go in with a game plan.
– Have a list. Even if you're not sure what exactly to get someone, scribble down a few ideas of things you'd like to be on the lookout for. Try to think of the ways they enjoy spending their free time, and get something in line with that.
– The best advice I have to offer is to skip the mall. If you thought Sunnydale was the hellmouth, you've obviously never been inside the Eaton Centre the week before Christmas. Just looking at that picture is giving me chest pains. If you can find a way to avoid your local shopping emporium, by all means, do it. It's just going to send your stress levels through the roof, and any time you think you'll save by going to stores in one location is going to be decimated by fighting the crowds.
– Go to "gift stores", even if your closest option is Indigo. That's what they're THERE for. You'll find bookends and blankets and tote bags and really, those are three really great ideas right there, and they'll probably be some of the first things you see. Don't give gifts that require work on the behalf of the recipient, like photo frames, unless you a) are willing to do the work of putting a photo in beforehand or b) know they're really into picture frames. Toronto has a few really great shops, but I consistently have great luck at Outer Layer and the Drake General Store.
– You'll find my absolute favourite last-minute gift at gift shops: candles. It's the kind of thing people never invest in for themselves (says the girl with a stockpile of those $4 vanilla tealights from IKEA) but everyone will need at some point, even if they just leave it in their bathroom. My top picks?
This one from Eco-Culture smells like real maple syrup, and has been my favourite candle for about two years running. They're hand-poured soy wax, made in Canada, and feature the cutest syrup tin you can reuse to hold pencils or flowers afterward. You can find them in a plain cotton wick version, but you're really going to want to upgrade to the wooden wick, because then it CRACKLES like a FIRE. I've seen the wooden wick one selling for about $18, while the cotton is a few bucks less.
This year, I discovered KOBO pure soy candles and I want to give them to eve.ry.body. My absolute favourite is the Opoponax Amber, which is this rich citrusy oriental with sandalwood, violet and patchouli. It basically smells like a grand old dame who is infinitely glamourous has just walked into your room. I like the travel size become it's reasonably priced and comes with a little set of all-black matches, which is every bit as glamourous as the grand old dame in my head (who is definitely Lauren Bacall). This size will run you about $15, but there are bigger versions which are around $40. (I'm just noticing they have a scent called Leather Mahogany, with notes of leather, armoise and cardamom. You maybe just want to sniff around their site and see what else interests you because they all sound so appealing.)
– It's no secret that I love DAVIDsTEA, but part of the reason why I do is how well-thought out everything is—their teas are tasty, their packaging is pretty, their accessories well-designed.
And really, the pinnacle of this achievement is their Perfect Tea mug, which really is perfect. It's the perfect size, comes with the perfect tea infuser (which you can also use in a regular teapot), and even has a perfect little lid that becomes the perfect place to rest said infuser. It comes in a bunch of colours, costs around $20, and should be easy to find in Canada—those DAVIDs locations are popping up like wildflowers. Pair with a bag of tea (my crowd-pleaser pick is Forever Nuts, which tastes like apple pie and turns bright pink) for an easy, perfect gift.
– If you live in Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal, you can order from Amazon.ca until Wednesday and it'll make it by Friday. That is serious shipping voodoo. How do you do it, Amazon? Nevermind, just focus your energies on sending us poor hapless gifters our goods. My recommends, which are still in stock:
Books
For a gal you love/respect/admire: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
For your friend planning world domination: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
For the romantic in your life: 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
For your friend who is always complaining: The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky
Movies/TV
For lovers of vintage/Breakfast at Tiffany's/fun times(/or let's be real, EVERYONE): Charade, starring Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant (DVD/BluRay)
For film buffs/horror fans: Night of the Hunter, starring Robert Mitchum and Shelly Winters (DVD/BluRay)
For your comedy-lovin' pal: Complete season one of Louie, directed/written by/edited by/starring Louis CK (DVD/BluRay) (alternately, support his way-cool Internet experiment for $5, Louis CK: Live at the Beacon Theatre)
For the holiday purist: It's a Wonderful Life, starring Jimmy Stewart (DVD/BluRay)
– Anyone who is left on your list? You're already heading to the LCBO. You know what to do. Go with something that can be easily blended with/hidden in holiday favourites like eggnog or coffee, and choose your level of engagement: namely, this, this or this.
Happy holidays, and godspeed, fellow shoppers.
– Have a list. Even if you're not sure what exactly to get someone, scribble down a few ideas of things you'd like to be on the lookout for. Try to think of the ways they enjoy spending their free time, and get something in line with that.
 |
| via |
– Go to "gift stores", even if your closest option is Indigo. That's what they're THERE for. You'll find bookends and blankets and tote bags and really, those are three really great ideas right there, and they'll probably be some of the first things you see. Don't give gifts that require work on the behalf of the recipient, like photo frames, unless you a) are willing to do the work of putting a photo in beforehand or b) know they're really into picture frames. Toronto has a few really great shops, but I consistently have great luck at Outer Layer and the Drake General Store.
– You'll find my absolute favourite last-minute gift at gift shops: candles. It's the kind of thing people never invest in for themselves (says the girl with a stockpile of those $4 vanilla tealights from IKEA) but everyone will need at some point, even if they just leave it in their bathroom. My top picks?
 |
| via Eco-Culture |
 |
| via |
– It's no secret that I love DAVIDsTEA, but part of the reason why I do is how well-thought out everything is—their teas are tasty, their packaging is pretty, their accessories well-designed.
 |
| via |
– If you live in Toronto, Ottawa or Montreal, you can order from Amazon.ca until Wednesday and it'll make it by Friday. That is serious shipping voodoo. How do you do it, Amazon? Nevermind, just focus your energies on sending us poor hapless gifters our goods. My recommends, which are still in stock:
Books
For a gal you love/respect/admire: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
For your friend planning world domination: Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
For the romantic in your life: 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
For your friend who is always complaining: The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky
Movies/TV
For lovers of vintage/Breakfast at Tiffany's/fun times(/or let's be real, EVERYONE): Charade, starring Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant (DVD/BluRay)
For film buffs/horror fans: Night of the Hunter, starring Robert Mitchum and Shelly Winters (DVD/BluRay)
For your comedy-lovin' pal: Complete season one of Louie, directed/written by/edited by/starring Louis CK (DVD/BluRay) (alternately, support his way-cool Internet experiment for $5, Louis CK: Live at the Beacon Theatre)
For the holiday purist: It's a Wonderful Life, starring Jimmy Stewart (DVD/BluRay)
– Anyone who is left on your list? You're already heading to the LCBO. You know what to do. Go with something that can be easily blended with/hidden in holiday favourites like eggnog or coffee, and choose your level of engagement: namely, this, this or this.
Happy holidays, and godspeed, fellow shoppers.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Bad to the Bone
I love the new gallery on the New York Times today, Touch of Evil. Just little short films, starring some of today's best actors, representing famous cinematic villainous tropes — the fighter, the narcissist, the former silent-screen star, the possessed dummy, the dictator. They've also included some stills (and interviews) here.
My favourite videos? Jessica Chastain as the firestarter, Mia Wasikowska as the Hitchcockian ice-cold beauty, and Michael Shannon as the bigwig (Orson Welles as Citizen Kane?). Special nod goes to Rooney Mara as Alex from A Clockwork Orange, filmed backwards.
 |
| Mia Wasikowska |
 |
| Rooney Mara |
 |
| Jessica Chastain |
 |
| Viola Davis |
 |
| Brad Pitt |
My favourite videos? Jessica Chastain as the firestarter, Mia Wasikowska as the Hitchcockian ice-cold beauty, and Michael Shannon as the bigwig (Orson Welles as Citizen Kane?). Special nod goes to Rooney Mara as Alex from A Clockwork Orange, filmed backwards.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Dispatches
There's too much cool stuff in the world today for me to keep it to myself.
There's been a rad new planet discovered! Called Kepler-22b (for now), its 1.6 times the size of Earth, features temperatures similar to southern California's and has a calendar year of 290 days (about 2 months shorter than Earth's). So, essentially, there's a retirement planet nearby where you get old faster but live like a king. It probably never rains either. Before you pack your bags, know that they're still trying to figure out if it's made of rock, gas or liquid. Fingers crossed it doesn't go all Melancholia on us.
The New Yorker posted this cool little story about fear and writing—how writing can calm fears, or exacerbate them. I fall on both sides of the divide, in equal measure. Writing! What a curse, what a joy! (Oh, also, if you're excited about The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, as I am, David Denby's review has caused quite the uproar by going against the studio's embargo on reviews of the film published before December 13. The producer Scott Rudin and director David Fincher have both decried his actions and banned him from future screenings, even though the review was very positive. Oh Hollywood, you DO go on.)
These Maryland convicts have been transformed by a program called Knitting Behind Bars, which does exactly what you'd think it does – teaches hardened criminals how to knit. I've long extolled the benefits that I think knitting has on me personally (besides the warmth of knitted goods, that is), and I totally believe that it would have a really positive effect on someone in prison. The inmates all seem to have a really great attitude about knitting, and it even helps them reach parole more easily, due to the calming effect on their demeanor and that they're giving back to the community. Knit on with yo' bad selves, guys. (It also really reminded me of a great TAL episode, Act V, where prisoners perform the last act of Shakespeare's Hamlet.)
I thought this was a really cool local news story: a teacher in the middle of a first-aid lesson on CPR and defibrillators actually had to USE it when a student's heart stopped in a nearby class. Now he and the other teacher who helped restart the kid's heart are up for Emergency Medical Services Citizens' Awards. Talk about good timing (and heartwarming? Ohhhh...)
I saw The Skin I Live In this week, and let me tell you, it was every bit as amazing as I thought it would be. Beautiful, lush photography, gorgeous people and performances, and a melodramatic, twist-filled plot that kept me absolutely hooked. And looking back, the trailer makes perfect sense. I'm still trying to parse out what all the complicated layers of meaning suggest, but all I can say is, the less you know about this one going in, the better.
And also this week, I read the first book of The Hunger Games in less than 26 hours, with about 6 hours of actual reading time. Talk about a fiction hurricane. I'm getting the next two books this evening, and I expect the rest of my week to be detonated, with me curled up in bed, furiously flipping pages. A serious ton of fun (and I was impressed by the trailer for the upcoming film adaptation—they only cover the introductory third of the book.)
 |
| via the Examiner and NASA |
The New Yorker posted this cool little story about fear and writing—how writing can calm fears, or exacerbate them. I fall on both sides of the divide, in equal measure. Writing! What a curse, what a joy! (Oh, also, if you're excited about The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo, as I am, David Denby's review has caused quite the uproar by going against the studio's embargo on reviews of the film published before December 13. The producer Scott Rudin and director David Fincher have both decried his actions and banned him from future screenings, even though the review was very positive. Oh Hollywood, you DO go on.)
 |
| via |
I thought this was a really cool local news story: a teacher in the middle of a first-aid lesson on CPR and defibrillators actually had to USE it when a student's heart stopped in a nearby class. Now he and the other teacher who helped restart the kid's heart are up for Emergency Medical Services Citizens' Awards. Talk about good timing (and heartwarming? Ohhhh...)
 |
| via |
And also this week, I read the first book of The Hunger Games in less than 26 hours, with about 6 hours of actual reading time. Talk about a fiction hurricane. I'm getting the next two books this evening, and I expect the rest of my week to be detonated, with me curled up in bed, furiously flipping pages. A serious ton of fun (and I was impressed by the trailer for the upcoming film adaptation—they only cover the introductory third of the book.)
Friday, December 2, 2011
The To-Watch Before 2011 List
Not only is it time to be catching up on preparing for the holidays (23 and counting, eeep!), but it's time to be catching up for the end of the year (29 and counting, eeep!). Yep, it's end of the year list o'clock, guys. They're coming soon. And I LOVE end of the year lists. I'm either recommended things I didn't catch the first time around, or my picks are validated, or I get in impassioned debates over choices. I'm a big fan of all these things. And my chief topic is movies—we watch a lot of films in our household, and I'm pretty opinionated about what I like. I'm a polarized high-low kinda gal, in that I like 'em so good or so bad-so-they're-good.
4. Beginners
Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, a scruffy little dog, I'm sold. I'll curl up with this one on an evening when I need renewed faith in humanity, I think.
5. Final Destination 5
Everyone has their vices, and the Final Destination movies are one of mine. I love the campy horror, I love the constant one upsmanship, and I love that they started doing these in 3D. Sadly, I missed this one in theatres so no 3D for me, but I heard there's a scene with Lasik gone wrong and I just can't handle that, guys. I'm a freak about my eyes. They work poorly, but they're all I got. And getting Lasik might be something I do one day, so I can't ever see a DEATH by Lasik. If I could watch a cut with that scene removed, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Final Destination, cutting to the heart of your deepest fears!
(Note: this trailer starts off with the Lasik scene and I nearly died just watching it. How embarrassing would death by trailer be? SO embarrassing. And SO possible. Just wanted to warn you in case you have similar hangups.)
6. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Hey, it's a spy thriller with Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Tom Hardy. No idea how grounbreaking it'll be, but the players are good, the story is promising, the trailer is decent, and at the very least, it's a better choice than Sherlock Holmes 2: Electric Boogaloo.
But there are some movies that came out this year I didn't see the first time around, or that haven't come out yet. So it's time to get my game face on, and get down to the business of catching up. And these are at the top of my list.
1. The Skin I Live In
I've only just started watching Almodóvar's films, and I'm really digging him. Daniel saw this movie and promptly got us on a viewing bender, and now I've seen Talk to Her and Volver, both of which I really enjoyed. I really like that he seems to have fun making his films, and delivers really multi-dimensional, likeable characters. Which is why Antonio Banderas as a deranged plastic surgeon sounds pretty sweet. Not to mention how awesome the trailer is – best music choice and most bewildering trailer of the year. Filmmakers out to surprise you and not play their hand too soon? I love it. Got plans to see this one next week, and I can hardly wait.
2. Martha Marcy May Marlene
I've heard such good things about this one. Who hasn't, right? This was one of the buzziest movies around TIFF time, and it's been getting a lot of attention because of Elizabeth Olsen's performance (and celebrity siblings). Olsen plays a PTSD former cult member who's trying to piece together her life after escaping the compound, and everyone who's seen it has gushed about it. It looks like a tense, taught psychological thriller, so yeah, it's on the list.
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Yeah, the Fincher, Hollywood version. No, I didn't see the Swedish one, and to be perfectly honest, I'm not really fussed about trying to. A lot of people are bristling that the actress from that first adaptation (Noomi Rapace) wasn't used in this second adaptation (now played by Rooney Mara), but I'm more impressed with the transformation. I can hardly believe this is the same girl from that first bit of The Social Network:
Crazy, right? Good on her, for trying to break out of pretty girl roles, and for Fincher taking a chance on her. And to anyone who is not excited about this movie, did you SEE that teaser trailer? It looks like a goddamn Kubrick film! Even if you've seen the regular trailer, watch this. Pump it up to 1080p, go full screen and play it loud. I can't even imagine how cool it would have been seeing this in theatres. I'll be there on opening night for sure.
I've heard such good things about this one. Who hasn't, right? This was one of the buzziest movies around TIFF time, and it's been getting a lot of attention because of Elizabeth Olsen's performance (and celebrity siblings). Olsen plays a PTSD former cult member who's trying to piece together her life after escaping the compound, and everyone who's seen it has gushed about it. It looks like a tense, taught psychological thriller, so yeah, it's on the list.
3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Yeah, the Fincher, Hollywood version. No, I didn't see the Swedish one, and to be perfectly honest, I'm not really fussed about trying to. A lot of people are bristling that the actress from that first adaptation (Noomi Rapace) wasn't used in this second adaptation (now played by Rooney Mara), but I'm more impressed with the transformation. I can hardly believe this is the same girl from that first bit of The Social Network:
 |
| via BEFORE |
 |
| via AFTER |
4. Beginners
Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, a scruffy little dog, I'm sold. I'll curl up with this one on an evening when I need renewed faith in humanity, I think.
5. Final Destination 5
Everyone has their vices, and the Final Destination movies are one of mine. I love the campy horror, I love the constant one upsmanship, and I love that they started doing these in 3D. Sadly, I missed this one in theatres so no 3D for me, but I heard there's a scene with Lasik gone wrong and I just can't handle that, guys. I'm a freak about my eyes. They work poorly, but they're all I got. And getting Lasik might be something I do one day, so I can't ever see a DEATH by Lasik. If I could watch a cut with that scene removed, I'd do it in a heartbeat. Final Destination, cutting to the heart of your deepest fears!
(Note: this trailer starts off with the Lasik scene and I nearly died just watching it. How embarrassing would death by trailer be? SO embarrassing. And SO possible. Just wanted to warn you in case you have similar hangups.)
6. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Hey, it's a spy thriller with Gary Oldman, Colin Firth and Tom Hardy. No idea how grounbreaking it'll be, but the players are good, the story is promising, the trailer is decent, and at the very least, it's a better choice than Sherlock Holmes 2: Electric Boogaloo.
So what's on your to-watch list? Got any other recommendations for me?
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Three Movies for a Night Getting Scared Silly
It's that time of year – I'm feeling the urge to cancel all my plans, wear comfy sweaters and cozy up on the couch, order in Indian and spend a night watching movies with my man and my dog. There are worse fates than a bout of hibernation, right?
And maybe I'm just riding a post-Halloween kick, but I'm really feeling scary movies right now. I've grown to love movies where the ground is constant shifting and there's a mounting sense of doom. Funny how I used to absolutely hate horror movies, and now they're some of my favourites – provided the scares are earned and not just utter gross outs (although they have their place too). And if they're able to have a great sense of humour too? Even better.
Rent these, and plan to stay up all night having fun (with the lights on, maybe).
One of the funniest horror movies I've seen, An American Werewolf in London (1981) is pure treats.
Two friends, setting out across the English countryside for a backpacking trip, find a lot more trouble than they bargained for out on the moors – especially when the next full moon rises. Directed by John Landis, the director of Michael Jackson's iconic Thriller video, the film balances the gore and growing worries of its main character with a real sense of humour and silliness. Think Xander from Buffy if he were a werewolf – a little neurotic, a whole lot of cracking wise, and boy-next-door charms. Of course, there's 80s style gore and a soundtrack of "moon" hits, perfect for keeping the pace when you're gasping for air between laughs and jumping out of your chair.
If you haven't watched your fill of satanic horror movies post-Halloween, you should probably watch The House of the Devil (2009).
I saw this last Halloween at the Lightbox, and it's got all the hallmarks of a classic horror film – a night of babysitting, a spooky house out in the woods, a couple of babely teens (including Greta Gerwig, who I find really relatable and believable in just about every role). It's a throwback to classics like John Carpenter's Halloween, and it's great that a lot of the actors are mostly unknown (with the exceptions of Gerwig and Tom Noonan, who you'll just know from somewhere) – it gives it a sense of realism you don't often see in today's popular sexy slashers. Mostly, it's a lot of quiet time in a creepy house, and the best moves don't need much more than that.
If you're looking for the best kind of classic, you NEED to see The Thing (1982) (don't you DARE see the remake instead!)
An isolated base in the Antarctic, a huge snowstorm, a discovery in the ice. These elements beautifully come together in John Carpenter's masterful thriller, honing in on the desperation when you can't trust those you're trapped with. Backed up by a brooding score from Ennio Morricone, the growing tensions explode into amazing moments of practical special effects (god, how I miss the days pre-glossy digital everything).
Fans of the X-Files will recognize the plot as similar to one in the first season, when Mulder and Scully get trapped in an arctic station. And might I also add that Kurt Russell is pretty much a god in this one – a full on mountain man beard and a leader willing to take control of a situation that is spiraling dangerously. There is also some primo dog acting going on, but here's a warning for the faint of heart: this movie has some pretty intense gore. It's awesome, though, I promise.
And maybe I'm just riding a post-Halloween kick, but I'm really feeling scary movies right now. I've grown to love movies where the ground is constant shifting and there's a mounting sense of doom. Funny how I used to absolutely hate horror movies, and now they're some of my favourites – provided the scares are earned and not just utter gross outs (although they have their place too). And if they're able to have a great sense of humour too? Even better.
Rent these, and plan to stay up all night having fun (with the lights on, maybe).
One of the funniest horror movies I've seen, An American Werewolf in London (1981) is pure treats.
 |
| via |
If you haven't watched your fill of satanic horror movies post-Halloween, you should probably watch The House of the Devil (2009).
 |
| via |
If you're looking for the best kind of classic, you NEED to see The Thing (1982) (don't you DARE see the remake instead!)
 |
| via |
Fans of the X-Files will recognize the plot as similar to one in the first season, when Mulder and Scully get trapped in an arctic station. And might I also add that Kurt Russell is pretty much a god in this one – a full on mountain man beard and a leader willing to take control of a situation that is spiraling dangerously. There is also some primo dog acting going on, but here's a warning for the faint of heart: this movie has some pretty intense gore. It's awesome, though, I promise.
What are your favourite scary movies?
I need some new ones to watch this weekend!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Of Film Fests and Funny Folk
My favourite guy, Daniel Warth, got into his first film festival.
I KNOW, right? Very exciting and totally deserved. His film, It Won't Be Long, is part of the National Screen Institute's Short Film Festival. Best of all, it's a digital festival, so it's available to watch anywhere in the world.
It Won't Be Long is about a shy man who falls for his barber. It only clocks in at just under 10 minutes, but it feels like the kind of romantic-comedy sorely lacking in mainstream film these days—understated, bittersweet, with genuinely likable characters. AND it stars the very first film debut of my hands! (Yes, those ARE my paws squirting shampoo. Sorry to ruin the illusion for you).
So pretend you're eating popcorn, and I hope you enjoy!
In addition to that, Daniel is trying to find funding for his next film, a romantic-comedy about burglars called, for now, Petty Thieves. Along with one of the cowriters, Aaron Feldman (it's also being written with Madeleine Cohen), they've made this very funny little video to ask for donations. I stifled my laughter really awkwardly watching this at work, so if you like laughter and have a spare four minutes, you should definitely give it a watch.
I KNOW, right? Very exciting and totally deserved. His film, It Won't Be Long, is part of the National Screen Institute's Short Film Festival. Best of all, it's a digital festival, so it's available to watch anywhere in the world.
It Won't Be Long is about a shy man who falls for his barber. It only clocks in at just under 10 minutes, but it feels like the kind of romantic-comedy sorely lacking in mainstream film these days—understated, bittersweet, with genuinely likable characters. AND it stars the very first film debut of my hands! (Yes, those ARE my paws squirting shampoo. Sorry to ruin the illusion for you).
So pretend you're eating popcorn, and I hope you enjoy!
Please spread the word, and help support these very funny and talented people!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)