Tuesday, May 31, 2005

I've been told

by a few people I know that my comments about THE LONGEST YARD, and especially the people that put their feet up on the backs of the seats on either side of me could be considered "harsh". People have mentioned that I was "rude" to the people in the theatre. I listened to the arguments of these people, and my reply is "Bah".

The movie going experience USED to be something that people enjoyed. When people went to movie theatres in the past, the MOVIES were the event, and actually HELD your attention. Call me STUPID, but since I WORK for a living, when I decide to spend $11(Canadian) to go to a movie, I want to SEE the movie, not someone's FOOT in my peripheral vision, or listening to someone yammer on their cell phone.

Is this what DVDs and Home Video has created? Have the manners of the movie going public just gone to hell? I don't know.. maybe these things are happening because the movies aren't as engaging, so the audience just gets bored. Maybe these people have just left a restaurant they were just kicked out of for belching during their meal and putting their feet on the table, and don't feel like going back to the trailer park just yet. I don't know.

Was I rude to the people? I don't think so. I just reacted to THEIR rude behaviour. If I wanted to be a total jerk, I could have PULLED their shoe off, and THROWN it to the front of the theatre.

So, tell me what do YOU do when someone is a jerk in a theatre? What are your reactions when someone pulls out a cell phone, or acts like the theatre is their living room, and talk and put their feet up?

Sunday, May 29, 2005

When do they remake XANADU?

So, I wandered into the movie theatre, and saw THE LONGEST YARD with Adam Sandler. Last night, a local TV station showed the ORIGINAL version with Burt Reynolds, so I had this rare chance to compare the 2. First.. A Rant:

WHY do people find it so necessary to put their FEET up on the back of the seats in movie theatres? What COMPELLS people to pay $11 to be obnoxious JERKS? If it isn't their cell phone going off, they are putting their feet up beside other people's FACES? I lost it today, and actually said to the COUPLE sitting behind me "Holy CRAP your feet SMELL, you either STEPPED in something, or you have to learn to WASH them!" I figger it was worth it.

Back to the movie:

about the only thing different between the Original Version, and The Adam Sandler version was that rap music was added, and They went for the gross-out factor by replacing Bernadette Peters with Cloris Leachman. The rest was pretty much the same, except for the reworking of a few parts, like getting rid of the swamp scenes, and moving those snippets of Dialog to other parts of the Prison.

I still don't understand what the point is of re-making movies from the 70's when I'm sure that there are THOUSANDS of screenplays being submitted EVERY DAY to Hollywood execs.. I almost made a mess in my pants and the theatre when I saw the trailer for THE HONEYMOONERS.

If the studios are wondering why their profits are down from theatrical releases, maybe they should take a look at their release slate. I'm hoping that studios really AREN'T making the movie going experience a marketing tool for what should be a Direct-To-Home Video release.

Oh, Happy Memorial Day to my American friends :)

It's going to be quite warm today

So, I've decided that since my apartment isn't suitable for air conditioning, I will head to an air conditioned theatre. The pickings are slim, so I think I will give in, and go see The Longest Yard remake.

I've decided AGAINST seeing CINDERELLA MAN today, since it looks like nothing is coming out that I will want to see the week it comes out.

What is your feelings about Sneak Previews of movies? Do you go to them? What makes you decide to go or not?

Back later with a review

Friday, May 27, 2005

When I come online, there are 2 sites

I check out religiously:

AICN (www.aintitcoolnews.com) where I read up on film things, like reports on screenings, rumours, etc.

The website that's promoting Peter Jackson's upcoming remake of KING KONG (http://www.kongisking.net/). The section I NEVER miss on this site are the Production and Post Production Diaries that Peter Jackson has been posting since the FIRST day of shooting. These Video Blogs are the most informative looks into the filmmaking process I've seen. If you start with the Day 1 diary, you will have easily over 3 HOURS of material to sift through. They are fascinating viewing if you are interested in the filmmaking process.

I'm also glancing over what's opening this week in theatres, and have discovered the ONLY film that's caught my interest is CINDERELLA MAN, which has a sneak preview this Sunday night. I'm always leary about going to sneak previews, because if the movie is good, Then I've seen it, and I don't have anything to see when the movie officially opens.

This week, THE LONGEST YARD starring Adam Sandler just makes me impatient for the DVD of the 1974 original starring Burt Reynolds. Even thought I KNOW that the Sandler version will more than likely be #1 at the Box Office after the American Memorial day weekend, There's no interest on my part to run out and see it.

So, tell me.. What sites do you visit religiously when you come online? What movies are you looking forward to this summer, and WHY?

Thursday, May 26, 2005

I keep reading that George Lucas has raped

People's childhoods by modifying the Original Star Wars movies. If that's the Case, I would also like to charge the following for raping MY childhood:

• Ridley Scott for changing Bladerunner for the better

• Stephen Spielberg gets charged with *2* counts: for changing the ending to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and taking the guns out of ET for the DVD release

• The Theatre Chain that changed the colours of the SEATS in the movie theatre I used to go to.

I'm wondering Why can't Lucas change his movies without people complaining, but other directors can come out with different versions?

Consider, and discuss :)

Wednesday, May 25, 2005

The Saga is finally complete.. Thank God!

Well, after 30 years, George Lucas finally decided his tale the Skywalker clan is complete with the release of REVENGE OF THE SITH. I had the opportunity to see the movie for free, at a press screening. I saved $10.95 (Canadian) from the hands of Lucasfilm, and I'm glad I did.

If you HAVEN'T seen REVENGE OF THE SITH, I won't give anything away, but be warned that I feel you'd have to be living under some sand dune on a deserted island NOT to know what happens in this one. I mean, for Gawd SAKES the story's been known for over 30 years how Anakin Skywalker becomes the menacing Darth Vader. What wasn't known was how the story would play out on the big screen.

Before I go any further, I want to say for the record that I WAS a Star Wars fan.. WHEN I was 15, and the Original Trilogy was, well, original. I sat in the theatre with my jaw dropped open at the opening scene of A NEW HOPE, and for some reason, I was lured into seeing EMPIRE STRIKES BACK 10 times! Things started to change with RETURN OF THE JEDI, when I noticed that things in the Star Wars Universe just didn't feel, right.

I started to notice the dialogue, and the acting.. It just didn't have the same feel the first 2 movies did. In a single 2 hour stretch, I lost my love for Star Wars. There was something about RETURN OF THE JEDI that just didn't grab me like Episodes 4 & 5 did. Maybe it was the Laughter in the audience during Luke's big speech to Leia, maybe it was the fact that I'd seen it all before (another DEATH STAR, ANOTHER lightsaber duel between Luke and Vader, MORE Imperial Walkers), and I came to the realization that everything was old hat by then.

After REVENGE OF THE JEDI, my life went on.. I studied film in college, I got a job, my life went on and Star Wars just became a childhood memory.

Now, With the Final (?) three movies done, I can say that nothing in them have changed my mind about the Star Wars Series. PHANTOM MENACE and ATTACK OF THE CLONES were just mindless fill leading up to SITH. The fact that the Acting or Dialogue hadn't improved since JEDI didn't bolster my spirits any. So, I went in to the screening of SITH with low expectations set by Ep. 1 & 2, and in many ways it met them, but ultimately didn't surpass them. The dialogue was still painful, the acting seemed WORSE that in the first 2 movies, but it had action which made up for some of the shortcomings.

Here's my capsule thoughts:
The Turn to the Dark Side was too abrupt, and I couldn't buy it. To make it MORE effective, expand the movie by 30 minutes. THAT however would bring up the fact that it would be 30 minutes more of horribly bad dialogue to sit through.

Everyone is harping that the final words screamed by Vader are too pansy-like. What I haven't heard is HOW could it be handled differently? He was just told that HE caused the very thing he wanted to avoid. How should have he reacted?

Overall, my rankings of the six movies would be as follows:

Phantom Menace: F+
Attack of the Clones: D
Revenge of the Sith: C+
A New Hope: B
Empire Strikes Back: A
Revenge of the Jedi: D-

What do you readers think? How do the Star Wars movies compare in your life? What did you think of Sith? How could YOU improve on it?

Ultimately though, I will say I admire George Lucas. He had a story to tell, he told it, and told it the way HE wanted too.

Now, I can return to my regular life, enjoying my childhood memories of being taken to a long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away, if only for a little while.

So, my flame retardant suit is on, and the comments are open. Leave a message, and stir up some debate. This blog will be for my comments on current films playing, and I'll try and post as often as I can