Video Games make more money these days than movies. So, in a move that makes sense to someone in the Studio Chain, they want to tap into that market, and make movies based on them. For some strange reason, they think people will want to stop playing their games, and go see a movie BASED on the game they want to lure these people away from playing for 2 hours.
Let's suppose that the people playing the game can borrow their parent's car (or GET their parents to lend them the 10 bucks to go to a a movie and drop them off at the theatre), and remember how to get out of their parent's basement to actually FIND outside. What do they do when they get to the theatre? They aren't going to learn any Top Secret "exclusive moves to blast away aliens" or such. They'll sit wishing they were back playing the game.
And the other people that actually HAVE jobs, and don't have time for Video Games in their lives, what with knowing the secrets and pleasures of "outdoors"? Well they won't care about the movie.
DOOM will be Number one at the Box Office this weekend. I know this, and yet it doesn't change my opinion. Video Games are Interactive. Movies about video games aren't. The core audience eventually will realize that they could be at home BLASTING aliens, instead of watching other people blast them.
Or, maybe it will be a way to coax the gamers Outside and meet others of their kind.
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Saturday, October 15, 2005
I have to admit I never was
BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER fan, I just couldn't get into it. However I do know people that watched the show religiously, and think that writer JOSS WHEDON is something of a genius.
So, most everyone I know was anxiously awaiting SERENITY, Whedon's big screen debut. I was busy the week that it came out, and couldn't make the group outing to see it. So, last night, driving home from my parents place, I decided on a whim to do 2 things... purchase a plunger, and finally go see SERENITY. I got my ticket, and walked into the small auditorium, which was 2 thirds... FULL
Fans of science fiction and fantasy are a special breed. They are, if anything, devoted to whichever writer/director they fancy. I got my seat, and tried to get comfortable. Then I listened to the conversations around me. I'm pretty sure I got enough of the backstory and Bios of all the characters in the movie that way. I gather that the major characters were from a short-lived television show, which put me at a disadvantage right away, since I had not seen this TV show.
The movie started, and there I sat. I stared at the screen, and tried to get absorbed into the story, which appeared to be about a crew of a ship named SERENITY.. whos crew was protecting their doctor and his traumatized sister from the alliance (whatever that is.. I think it's an offshoot of the Empire from Star Wars.) These "Rebels" are trying to find jobs, while the Alliance is looking for this traumatized girl. That's what I gathered, anyway.
I did notice a few things:
1) I saw a coffee maker in Serenity's dining room/kitchen that is an F.A. Porsche Design coffee maker made by Bosch
2) The first scene in the movie looks like a single camera move that moves through various locations in the ship. The whole "shot" must have lasted at least 4 minutes. This in fact had to have been 2 shots, since I think I saw a quick transition when someone was walking down some stairs, and the camera turned to show someone following him. I don't know for sure.
I just couldn't get into the movie. Everyone around me was laughing, but then again they already had a connection in some way to the characters via the TV show. I sat there, and I felt like I was missing listening to a lot of in jokes, and wasn't a part of it. After 70 minutes, I couldn't connect with the movie, and finally did something I haven't done in quite a while. I went to get some popcorn, and never went back in to the theatre. I walked past the popcorn stand, and straight to my car, and drove home.
Did I waste my money? Not really. In my mind, I went to see something that I wasn't sure I was my cup of tea, discovered it wasn't, and decided to leave. If I felt any connection to the movie, or sympathy towards the characters, I would have at least stayed to see the outcome.
Last night, I felt like I was invited to a party where I knew no one. Everyone else was enjoying the party, but I decided it was prudent that I leave, because I just wasn't having a good time. No harm, no foul.
Have you ever walked out of a movie? If so which one, and why?
So, most everyone I know was anxiously awaiting SERENITY, Whedon's big screen debut. I was busy the week that it came out, and couldn't make the group outing to see it. So, last night, driving home from my parents place, I decided on a whim to do 2 things... purchase a plunger, and finally go see SERENITY. I got my ticket, and walked into the small auditorium, which was 2 thirds... FULL
Fans of science fiction and fantasy are a special breed. They are, if anything, devoted to whichever writer/director they fancy. I got my seat, and tried to get comfortable. Then I listened to the conversations around me. I'm pretty sure I got enough of the backstory and Bios of all the characters in the movie that way. I gather that the major characters were from a short-lived television show, which put me at a disadvantage right away, since I had not seen this TV show.
The movie started, and there I sat. I stared at the screen, and tried to get absorbed into the story, which appeared to be about a crew of a ship named SERENITY.. whos crew was protecting their doctor and his traumatized sister from the alliance (whatever that is.. I think it's an offshoot of the Empire from Star Wars.) These "Rebels" are trying to find jobs, while the Alliance is looking for this traumatized girl. That's what I gathered, anyway.
I did notice a few things:
1) I saw a coffee maker in Serenity's dining room/kitchen that is an F.A. Porsche Design coffee maker made by Bosch
2) The first scene in the movie looks like a single camera move that moves through various locations in the ship. The whole "shot" must have lasted at least 4 minutes. This in fact had to have been 2 shots, since I think I saw a quick transition when someone was walking down some stairs, and the camera turned to show someone following him. I don't know for sure.
I just couldn't get into the movie. Everyone around me was laughing, but then again they already had a connection in some way to the characters via the TV show. I sat there, and I felt like I was missing listening to a lot of in jokes, and wasn't a part of it. After 70 minutes, I couldn't connect with the movie, and finally did something I haven't done in quite a while. I went to get some popcorn, and never went back in to the theatre. I walked past the popcorn stand, and straight to my car, and drove home.
Did I waste my money? Not really. In my mind, I went to see something that I wasn't sure I was my cup of tea, discovered it wasn't, and decided to leave. If I felt any connection to the movie, or sympathy towards the characters, I would have at least stayed to see the outcome.
Last night, I felt like I was invited to a party where I knew no one. Everyone else was enjoying the party, but I decided it was prudent that I leave, because I just wasn't having a good time. No harm, no foul.
Have you ever walked out of a movie? If so which one, and why?
Sunday, October 09, 2005
I have discovered that
during a film festival, time goes by quickly. Between work, and then heading to movies, you run out of time for other things, like.. blog entries. For the duration of the Calgary film fest, My life consisted of: getting up, going to work, seeing 3 movies, and repeat. In total I saw 22 movies, and after the first 15 or so, they begin to blur together. Next year, I'll be more prepared, and bring a notepad.
Some of the movies I saw were short features, and I did try to see films from different countries, but a preference was given to Canadian features. The one Canadian movie that did stand out was EVE AND THE FIREHORSE, which also won the award for Best First Canadian Feature at the Festival.
There were others... CAPOTE was everything I dreamt it would be, and more.. I'm thinking this year the Best Actor Oscar is between Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Bill Murray (so far).
Ingmar Bergman's latest movie.. SARABAND was also a standout for me.
There was also a film shown from Singapore called 15 (Shiwu). It is the first work by Royston Tan and explores the adolescent world in a way that is dramatically marked with shots of a conflicted subculture and how a teenage boy can fall into a complete addiction to video clips and videogame aesthetics. 15 showed a side of Singapore most people never see. The visually dramatic film gives a haunting look into the lives of these five teenagers and emphasizes how people on the fringes of society desire the same love and companionship as anyone else. The boys of 15 only have each other, and their friendship is enough to get them through.
The Closing Gala was Beowulf & Grendel, a film by director Sturla Gunnarsson, had one of the more lively Q&As I saw all Festival
I learned a lot from this Film Festival, and next year I'll plan more carefully. A Notepad is a MUST, and I'll go for QUALITY, not QUANTITY, because I also learned that your bum gets quite numb after the 13th or so film.
Some of the movies I saw were short features, and I did try to see films from different countries, but a preference was given to Canadian features. The one Canadian movie that did stand out was EVE AND THE FIREHORSE, which also won the award for Best First Canadian Feature at the Festival.
There were others... CAPOTE was everything I dreamt it would be, and more.. I'm thinking this year the Best Actor Oscar is between Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Bill Murray (so far).
Ingmar Bergman's latest movie.. SARABAND was also a standout for me.
There was also a film shown from Singapore called 15 (Shiwu). It is the first work by Royston Tan and explores the adolescent world in a way that is dramatically marked with shots of a conflicted subculture and how a teenage boy can fall into a complete addiction to video clips and videogame aesthetics. 15 showed a side of Singapore most people never see. The visually dramatic film gives a haunting look into the lives of these five teenagers and emphasizes how people on the fringes of society desire the same love and companionship as anyone else. The boys of 15 only have each other, and their friendship is enough to get them through.
The Closing Gala was Beowulf & Grendel, a film by director Sturla Gunnarsson, had one of the more lively Q&As I saw all Festival
I learned a lot from this Film Festival, and next year I'll plan more carefully. A Notepad is a MUST, and I'll go for QUALITY, not QUANTITY, because I also learned that your bum gets quite numb after the 13th or so film.
Sunday, September 25, 2005
One of the highlights of
the Film Festival is the chance to see locally produced films. Calgary has a great crop of talented filmmmakers, and this is a great time for them to show off their talents.
Today, I caught 2 films... one local, and one by Director Werner Herzog.
The local film is called REVERB, and is directed by Mark Edward Lewis, which screened to a sold out theatre..
REVERB is the story of Jeff Timmens (Played by local TV Host Dave Kelly), who's sent out by his boss at the Central Music Network (CMN), to Iopa, Iowa to cover the National Karaoke Competition. Hating the assignment at first, Jeff finds that the life of "Kroakers" is far more interesting and eccentric than he could have ever imagined.. and aloong the way Jeff finds himself with a story that combines divas and domestic disturbances, baptizing and backstabbing, winners and wineos.
The movie reminded me a lot of BEST OF SHOW, and it does a pretty good job of creating a mocumentary about the world of Karaoke. The Characters range from a choir members who sneak out early to Karaoke, to one girl who walks dogs and delivers singing telegrams for a living, The cast gives first rate performances. All in All, an enjoyable sitting. The screenplay never has any REAL surprises, but it has laughs. If you get a chance to see it.. make sure to sit through the credits. REVERB gets a solid C+
The second film was Werner Herzog's GRIZZLY MAN, which tells the story of Timothy Treadwell, a man who spent 13 summers up in Alaska studying and protecting the Bears, until he and his girlfriend were killed by a rogue bear in october 2003.
The docudrama uses footage from Treadwell's videos he shot up there, and during the entire film you start to get a sense of a man losing his grip on reality. Treadwell began to believe that he had more in common with the bears that humans, and you see a man that doesn't treat the bears with respect, but as equals which everyone knows, except Treadwell apparantly. It was funny, and wrenching to watch some of the video Treadwell shot of himself wandering around with bears, calling them by the Cutesy names he gave them. Towards the end, you can see Treadwell's distaste for humans grow, and his dellusion that he had a spiritual connection with the bears, and from the footage we see, the bears just mostly ignore him.
GRIZZLY MAN is one of those movies that could have EASILY gone over the edge. There is an audio tape that records the last moments of Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard as they're killed by the grizzly bear, but it is never used. There is one scene in the movie where Herzog is LISTENING to the tape, but all we see is his distraught face. GRIZZLY MAN was definately a must-see for me, and I glad I saw it. B+
REVERB! C+
GRIZZLY MAN B+
Today, I caught 2 films... one local, and one by Director Werner Herzog.
The local film is called REVERB, and is directed by Mark Edward Lewis, which screened to a sold out theatre..
REVERB is the story of Jeff Timmens (Played by local TV Host Dave Kelly), who's sent out by his boss at the Central Music Network (CMN), to Iopa, Iowa to cover the National Karaoke Competition. Hating the assignment at first, Jeff finds that the life of "Kroakers" is far more interesting and eccentric than he could have ever imagined.. and aloong the way Jeff finds himself with a story that combines divas and domestic disturbances, baptizing and backstabbing, winners and wineos.
The movie reminded me a lot of BEST OF SHOW, and it does a pretty good job of creating a mocumentary about the world of Karaoke. The Characters range from a choir members who sneak out early to Karaoke, to one girl who walks dogs and delivers singing telegrams for a living, The cast gives first rate performances. All in All, an enjoyable sitting. The screenplay never has any REAL surprises, but it has laughs. If you get a chance to see it.. make sure to sit through the credits. REVERB gets a solid C+
The second film was Werner Herzog's GRIZZLY MAN, which tells the story of Timothy Treadwell, a man who spent 13 summers up in Alaska studying and protecting the Bears, until he and his girlfriend were killed by a rogue bear in october 2003.
The docudrama uses footage from Treadwell's videos he shot up there, and during the entire film you start to get a sense of a man losing his grip on reality. Treadwell began to believe that he had more in common with the bears that humans, and you see a man that doesn't treat the bears with respect, but as equals which everyone knows, except Treadwell apparantly. It was funny, and wrenching to watch some of the video Treadwell shot of himself wandering around with bears, calling them by the Cutesy names he gave them. Towards the end, you can see Treadwell's distaste for humans grow, and his dellusion that he had a spiritual connection with the bears, and from the footage we see, the bears just mostly ignore him.
GRIZZLY MAN is one of those movies that could have EASILY gone over the edge. There is an audio tape that records the last moments of Timothy Treadwell and Amie Huguenard as they're killed by the grizzly bear, but it is never used. There is one scene in the movie where Herzog is LISTENING to the tape, but all we see is his distraught face. GRIZZLY MAN was definately a must-see for me, and I glad I saw it. B+
REVERB! C+
GRIZZLY MAN B+
Saturday, September 24, 2005
Day 1 went from one extreme
to another at the Calgary International Film Festival for my screening schedule.
First up was the Opening Gala:
Deepa Mehta's (Bollywood/Hollywood) WATER.
Set in 1938 Colonial India, against Mahatma Gandhi's rise to power, the story begins when
eight-year-old Chuyia is widowed and sent to a home where Hindu widows must live in penitence. Chuyia’s feisty presence affects the lives of the other residents, including a young widow, who falls for a Gandhian idealist.
WATER completes Deepa Mehta's elemental trilogy (Fire, 1996, Earth, 1998), and the production was not without controversy. In 2000, the project was temporarily abandoned as controversy surrounded the production when Hindu protestors in the holy city of Varanasi disrupted location shootings and vandalized sets. Some Hindu fundamentalists got a copy of the script, and decided that the story was anti-hindu. In 2004, the film was re-cast, filming began, and Water was completed in Sri Lanka.
The story unwinds in a leisurely fashion, but I found the movie to be fascinating to watch. The 8 year old actress that plays Chuyia, we discovered during the Q&A after the movie with the director, could not speak Hindu and learned all her lines phonetically. All in all, a great way to start the Festival off.
No sooner was the opening film over, than it was time for the second screening of the night, a Documentary called Put the Needle on the Record.
Put the Needle on the Record explores the world of dance music and the DJ's that bring it to life. The film features over 50 songs from top artists in the world of electronic music and over 40 interviews with electronic artists. Filmed primarily at the Winter Music Conference, a 5-day, non-stop party held annually in Miami, the film takes a look behind the scenes where the biggest DJ talents in the world come to see and be seen. It features interviews with artists such as Dirty Vegas, Paul Oakenfeld, The Crystal Method and Junior Sanchez.
Put the Needle on the Record has an interesting premise, but is about 23 minutes too long. The movie felt like a PG rated version of a GIRLS GONE WILD video, and I was getting a little bored.
What made tonight's screenings interesting, was the extremes of the Audiences. The opening gala had a rather formal feel to it, where the second screening was a 180 degree turn from that. Going from the red-carpet arrivals of Deepa Mehta and the star Lisa Ray, then entering the auditorium for the second movie with Dance Music blaring, reminded me the array of films I have to look forward to over the next week.
First up was the Opening Gala:
Deepa Mehta's (Bollywood/Hollywood) WATER.
Set in 1938 Colonial India, against Mahatma Gandhi's rise to power, the story begins when
eight-year-old Chuyia is widowed and sent to a home where Hindu widows must live in penitence. Chuyia’s feisty presence affects the lives of the other residents, including a young widow, who falls for a Gandhian idealist.
WATER completes Deepa Mehta's elemental trilogy (Fire, 1996, Earth, 1998), and the production was not without controversy. In 2000, the project was temporarily abandoned as controversy surrounded the production when Hindu protestors in the holy city of Varanasi disrupted location shootings and vandalized sets. Some Hindu fundamentalists got a copy of the script, and decided that the story was anti-hindu. In 2004, the film was re-cast, filming began, and Water was completed in Sri Lanka.
The story unwinds in a leisurely fashion, but I found the movie to be fascinating to watch. The 8 year old actress that plays Chuyia, we discovered during the Q&A after the movie with the director, could not speak Hindu and learned all her lines phonetically. All in all, a great way to start the Festival off.
No sooner was the opening film over, than it was time for the second screening of the night, a Documentary called Put the Needle on the Record.
Put the Needle on the Record explores the world of dance music and the DJ's that bring it to life. The film features over 50 songs from top artists in the world of electronic music and over 40 interviews with electronic artists. Filmed primarily at the Winter Music Conference, a 5-day, non-stop party held annually in Miami, the film takes a look behind the scenes where the biggest DJ talents in the world come to see and be seen. It features interviews with artists such as Dirty Vegas, Paul Oakenfeld, The Crystal Method and Junior Sanchez.
Put the Needle on the Record has an interesting premise, but is about 23 minutes too long. The movie felt like a PG rated version of a GIRLS GONE WILD video, and I was getting a little bored.
What made tonight's screenings interesting, was the extremes of the Audiences. The opening gala had a rather formal feel to it, where the second screening was a 180 degree turn from that. Going from the red-carpet arrivals of Deepa Mehta and the star Lisa Ray, then entering the auditorium for the second movie with Dance Music blaring, reminded me the array of films I have to look forward to over the next week.
Friday, September 23, 2005
Friday, September 02, 2005
As I sit here in front of my computer,
safe and comfortable in my place of residence, I can't help but be haunted by all the images coming from New Orleans, as the residents there try and recover from the effects of Hurricane Katrina.
Now is the time for everyone to do what they can to help out. This effort won't take DAYS to fix, it will take MONTHS, if not YEARS to help the people of New Orleans get back to normal. I thank god that there are organizations like the RED CROSS, and others that are around to spearhead the effort. I pray that the looters will stop, and relief efforts can begin in earnest. This is not a time for lawlessness, it's a time of healing, and each person lending a helping hand. We did it for Tsunami, now we can do it for something closer to home.
Today has been labelled "International Blogging for Disaster Relief Day". If you peruse blogs today, you may notice that many of them may have changed the focus of their blogs to help raise awareness and help for the Hurricane Victims. This is my part.
You can check out this link for the Wikipedia on the hurricane, which is a fantastic resource on what happened, and what's going on. The Wikipedia is an open source encyclopedia, and is being added to on an ongoing basis.
You can make a Donation to the Red Cross, or the Salvation Army
Check out the following International%20Blogging%20for%20Disaster%20Relief%20Day'>Link, to learn more, and to track all the blogs covering the event today.
This is a time for everyone to band together and help out. It would be really cool if all Movie Theatres in Canada and the United States took $1 from every $5 pop they sell, and put it toward Hurricane recovery. That way everyone would make a difference in some small way.
Now is the time for everyone to do what they can to help out. This effort won't take DAYS to fix, it will take MONTHS, if not YEARS to help the people of New Orleans get back to normal. I thank god that there are organizations like the RED CROSS, and others that are around to spearhead the effort. I pray that the looters will stop, and relief efforts can begin in earnest. This is not a time for lawlessness, it's a time of healing, and each person lending a helping hand. We did it for Tsunami, now we can do it for something closer to home.
Today has been labelled "International Blogging for Disaster Relief Day". If you peruse blogs today, you may notice that many of them may have changed the focus of their blogs to help raise awareness and help for the Hurricane Victims. This is my part.
You can check out this link for the Wikipedia on the hurricane, which is a fantastic resource on what happened, and what's going on. The Wikipedia is an open source encyclopedia, and is being added to on an ongoing basis.
You can make a Donation to the Red Cross, or the Salvation Army
Check out the following International%20Blogging%20for%20Disaster%20Relief%20Day'>Link, to learn more, and to track all the blogs covering the event today.
This is a time for everyone to band together and help out. It would be really cool if all Movie Theatres in Canada and the United States took $1 from every $5 pop they sell, and put it toward Hurricane recovery. That way everyone would make a difference in some small way.
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
This Labour Day Long
Weekend marks not just another Jerry Lewis Telethon, but the end of the summer movie season. This year, hollywood types are lamenting that boxoffice receipts are will be down 10% from last year. I've gone over this in many posts, so I'm going to let it slide. They know what's wrong.
With the end of summer movies, this also means that this is also the start of the Fall Slate and movie geared towards trying to win awards, and therefore geared towards adults. I think that this is my favourite time of year, because this is when I can sit in a theater for days on end and get impressed time and time again. Yes, there will be Turds in pile, but you can spot them quite easily, unlike this summer where you had to slog through shit to find a movie like BROKEN FLOWERS, which in my mind is the first movie that could be up for awards.
a couple of posts back I mentioned CAPOTE, which is starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote during his "In Cold Blood Period".
This post, is a look at George Clooney's new movie GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK, which tells the story of Broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow's look to bring down Senator Joseph McCarthy. This movie has a great cast, including Jeff Daniels, David Strathairn, and Robert Downey Jr. The movie is in shot in Black and White, and from the trailer, looks to be quite interesting.
The summer was for kids, and it disappointed. Now comes the fall, and we'll see if Hollywood can please the adults.
With the end of summer movies, this also means that this is also the start of the Fall Slate and movie geared towards trying to win awards, and therefore geared towards adults. I think that this is my favourite time of year, because this is when I can sit in a theater for days on end and get impressed time and time again. Yes, there will be Turds in pile, but you can spot them quite easily, unlike this summer where you had to slog through shit to find a movie like BROKEN FLOWERS, which in my mind is the first movie that could be up for awards.
a couple of posts back I mentioned CAPOTE, which is starring Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Truman Capote during his "In Cold Blood Period".
This post, is a look at George Clooney's new movie GOOD NIGHT, AND GOOD LUCK, which tells the story of Broadcast journalist Edward R. Murrow's look to bring down Senator Joseph McCarthy. This movie has a great cast, including Jeff Daniels, David Strathairn, and Robert Downey Jr. The movie is in shot in Black and White, and from the trailer, looks to be quite interesting.
The summer was for kids, and it disappointed. Now comes the fall, and we'll see if Hollywood can please the adults.
Monday, August 29, 2005
I am from the
Drive-In generation. I remember as a child waiting for my dad to come home, so we could all get in the car to see a movie at the Drive-In. There are so many memories.. The first movie I remember seeing at a drive -in was KING SOLOMON'S MINES, Then PETER PAN.
For a time I moved to a small town, and I loved going to the Drive-In. A group of people, gathering together to watch a movie, and make-out. Now, the Drive-In is all but extinct where I live, just a distant memory now, one that is lost to future generations.
I'm reminded of the Drive-In experience because this weekend, I went to a MOVIE IN THE PARK, which brought back all the memories of going to the drive-in.
Funny what triggers memories.
For a time I moved to a small town, and I loved going to the Drive-In. A group of people, gathering together to watch a movie, and make-out. Now, the Drive-In is all but extinct where I live, just a distant memory now, one that is lost to future generations.
I'm reminded of the Drive-In experience because this weekend, I went to a MOVIE IN THE PARK, which brought back all the memories of going to the drive-in.
Funny what triggers memories.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
I saw the 40 year old
Virgin many times back in May when I walked by the line-up for the midnight showing of REVENGE OF THE SITH. Imagine my surprise when I found out that they had made a MOVIE with the same title!The story is pretty simple. Steve Carell plays a guy that hasn't had sex yet. He tried in high school, but failed. After he admits to some guys he works with at a poker game that he "hasn't done the deed", his new friends make it their mission to get him laid.
The movie has its moments, but like the majority of the films that have come out this summer, it begins to lose steam near the end. The movie succeeds because of Steve Carrell, who should have a pretty good career lined up, if he doesn't screw it up somehow. He's already pegged to play Maxwell Smart in the Big Screen version of Get Smart, and recently signed up to star in the sequel to BRUCE ALMIGHTY, tentativly called EVAN ALMIGHTY.
40 Year Old Virgin - C
The Trailer for the first movie I'm looking forward to finally has a trailer. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is playing Truman Capote in a Biopic of Capote while he was writing IN COLD BLOOD. The cast is solid, and I thought I'd close the blog with a link to the trailer, so you can see the first nominee for this year's oscar's race in action.
Friday, August 19, 2005
In my neck of the woods, there is a
Local site that gives show times for all the theatres in town. It's easy enough to use, and I find it quite handy.
The site doesn't ask the theatre chains to advertise, it just lists the show times for the theatres, and it gets its advertising revenue in other ways. One of the major theatre chains got quite upset at this site, and asked that they stop using their logo on it. The situation got quite ugly, and finally the logo was removed under threat of legal action.
The theatre chain, which shall remain nameless, contended that this local site was taking traffic away from their official site, and stopping people from getting showtimes from there. They had spent a lot of time developing their website, and have advertising agreements with other venues as well. A site that gave away the information for FREE was bad.
Now, I'm not gonna take sides either way. I'm sure both sides have their reasons, and well, that's what freedom of thought etc. is all about. It does however have me want to ask a question. Since I've just learned HOW to do this, I think I'll make it a Poll...
So, here is the FIRST poll for my blog:
This is totally unscientific, but it's a question I've been pondering lately.
The site doesn't ask the theatre chains to advertise, it just lists the show times for the theatres, and it gets its advertising revenue in other ways. One of the major theatre chains got quite upset at this site, and asked that they stop using their logo on it. The situation got quite ugly, and finally the logo was removed under threat of legal action.
The theatre chain, which shall remain nameless, contended that this local site was taking traffic away from their official site, and stopping people from getting showtimes from there. They had spent a lot of time developing their website, and have advertising agreements with other venues as well. A site that gave away the information for FREE was bad.
Now, I'm not gonna take sides either way. I'm sure both sides have their reasons, and well, that's what freedom of thought etc. is all about. It does however have me want to ask a question. Since I've just learned HOW to do this, I think I'll make it a Poll...
So, here is the FIRST poll for my blog:
This is totally unscientific, but it's a question I've been pondering lately.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
There have been some
interesting developments in Digital Cinema, and some things never change:
1) Hollywood's top film studios have agreed on a long-awaited and crucial technical standard that clears the way for a new era of digital film distribution. reached after three years of bitter wrangling within the film industry, marks a crucial milestone in the evolution of cinema from celluloid reels to high-definition digital movies that can be piped directly into theatres.The agreement sets uniform specifications for projectors that film theatres would use to show high-quality digital films in neighbourhood film theatres, allowing the new medium to flourish.
2) Ireland is set to become the world's first country to have digital film in every cinema.
All movie houses in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are to have their traditional 35mm film projectors replaced. Irish movie lovers have the second highest level of cinema attendance in Europe.
3) In collaboration with Disney, Dolby Laboratories plans to install its Dolby Digital Cinema systems in approximately 100 specially-selected, high-profile theatres in 25 top markets that will present the 3D film Chicken Little to be released on November 4, 2005.
So, Hollywood has a TECHNICAL standard, Ireland is going digital, and Disney is installing digital projectors in specially selected theatres for a movie release.
There have been comments about how George Lucas has said he's a little disappointed in how Digital Cinema has been deployed. He was wishing more theatres would have been digital for the last Star Wars movies, and how there would have to be more theatres digital to make a 3D release of all 6 Star Wars movies viable. Hmm...
What does Disney have figured out, that Lucas didn't? If ANYONE in the industry could have pushed the envelope in regards to Digital Cinema, it would have been someone with the POWER to say to 20th Century Fox.. "Why don't WE figure out a way to help get theatres to go digital, so the most number of people can see them" Instead, Lucas decided to stay out of the debate, and let things develop slowly. He lost out as a result.
In the long run, Digital will be a cost savings for everyone.
Producing a print costs over $4,000 per print. Hollywood would SAVE a bundle..
Let's look at the Chicken Little project. Disney will save $400,000 on print costs.
Depending on what happens after the movie finishes playing (Will Disney and Dolby take away the projectors after the run?) Disney can save another $400 thousand dollars on subsequent releases, if they keep the digital theatres, and book more movies into them. 4 more movies over 2 years will save Disney.. Well, you get the idea.
This doesn't even start to cover the filmmakers that can't afford to shoot on film, and use video instead. Digital cinema will open doors to distribution that have never existed before, and bring product that wouldn't normally get to bee seen to the masses.
I'm excited over digital cinema for that reason alone.
1) Hollywood's top film studios have agreed on a long-awaited and crucial technical standard that clears the way for a new era of digital film distribution. reached after three years of bitter wrangling within the film industry, marks a crucial milestone in the evolution of cinema from celluloid reels to high-definition digital movies that can be piped directly into theatres.The agreement sets uniform specifications for projectors that film theatres would use to show high-quality digital films in neighbourhood film theatres, allowing the new medium to flourish.
2) Ireland is set to become the world's first country to have digital film in every cinema.
All movie houses in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland are to have their traditional 35mm film projectors replaced. Irish movie lovers have the second highest level of cinema attendance in Europe.
3) In collaboration with Disney, Dolby Laboratories plans to install its Dolby Digital Cinema systems in approximately 100 specially-selected, high-profile theatres in 25 top markets that will present the 3D film Chicken Little to be released on November 4, 2005.
So, Hollywood has a TECHNICAL standard, Ireland is going digital, and Disney is installing digital projectors in specially selected theatres for a movie release.
There have been comments about how George Lucas has said he's a little disappointed in how Digital Cinema has been deployed. He was wishing more theatres would have been digital for the last Star Wars movies, and how there would have to be more theatres digital to make a 3D release of all 6 Star Wars movies viable. Hmm...
What does Disney have figured out, that Lucas didn't? If ANYONE in the industry could have pushed the envelope in regards to Digital Cinema, it would have been someone with the POWER to say to 20th Century Fox.. "Why don't WE figure out a way to help get theatres to go digital, so the most number of people can see them" Instead, Lucas decided to stay out of the debate, and let things develop slowly. He lost out as a result.
In the long run, Digital will be a cost savings for everyone.
Producing a print costs over $4,000 per print. Hollywood would SAVE a bundle..
Let's look at the Chicken Little project. Disney will save $400,000 on print costs.
Depending on what happens after the movie finishes playing (Will Disney and Dolby take away the projectors after the run?) Disney can save another $400 thousand dollars on subsequent releases, if they keep the digital theatres, and book more movies into them. 4 more movies over 2 years will save Disney.. Well, you get the idea.
This doesn't even start to cover the filmmakers that can't afford to shoot on film, and use video instead. Digital cinema will open doors to distribution that have never existed before, and bring product that wouldn't normally get to bee seen to the masses.
I'm excited over digital cinema for that reason alone.
Monday, August 15, 2005
2 months ago, I helped arrange
a screening of a movie for a group of friends. This tradition started new years eve, when I had arranged a screening of movie that hadn't opened in our area, and I felt a select few would enjoy. The movie at that time was MILLION DOLLAR BABY, and thus, the tradition of impromptu screenings was born.This past while, the movie that we screened was BROKEN FLOWERS, and it got a good reception at the screening. Now that it's opened, I thought I'd go revisit it and see it with a paying audience.
The movie stars Bill Murray as Don Johnston (that's with a T), a guy who as the movie opens is being dumped by his latest girlfriend. He goes through the motions trying to beg her to stay, but you can see in his eyes that his heart really isn't in it, he's been down this road before. She leaves, and he just sits on his couch, watching TV, getting back into his life.
We don't know much about Don, just that he's made his money from working with computers. Strangely enough Don doesn't have a computer anywhere in his house. His next door neighbour and best friend Winston (played brilliantly by Jeffrey Wright) gives Don the occassional distant, safe glimpse into family life, which makes suits him fine.
One day, Don gets a letter informing him that he has a son, and that he may get a visit from him very soon. The letter is typed, and there is no return address on the envelope.
Winston, eyes the letter with great interest. He loves mystery novels, and sees the letter as a mystery to solve. Don sees the letter as a question he doesn't want the answer to, and a disruption to his comfortable lifestyle. Winston soon has Don make a list of girlfriends from that time. Winston takes the list, tracks the women down, and creates an itineray and tells Don to go visit each girl and talk to them. Don realizes that it would be easier to go, than argue with Winston. When Don does agree to go, we start see cracks in his front and begin to see what he's really feeling underneath.
The film is more about self-exploration than the trip itself. What gets me about the movie is how you never get any backstory about the characters, especially Don. There are questions: How did he get his money? what did he do to these women? how did he get the way he is? After about 10 minutes into the movie, you suddenly don't CARE about those questions, you just accept them. The past doesn't matter.
Its said that director Jim Jarmusch wrote this movie with Bill Murray in mind for the role. It was a perfect choice. Murray gives his best performance since Lost in Translation, and this should finally give him the Oscar he deserves. His performance is low key, and draws you in to the movie. The one scene that stands out in my mind, even after all this time is when Murray goes to a cemetary to visit the grave of one of the women, and suddenly, all the emotions he's kept in check all these years just wells up and finally comes to the surface. The shot of Murray, just sitting in the rain, having tears rolling down his face, along with the raindrops will be one of the most memorable movie scenes I'll remember from 2005.
Hollywood has shovelled out a lot of shit this year, and it gets tiring trying to slog through it all to find something that is worth seeing. BROKEN FLOWERS is the diamond in the mountain of shit, and is the only other movie since Crash that I feel I got my money's worth. Hunt this movie down, and see it.
Broken Flowers (A)
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Ever work so hard
that you don't have time for the simple pleasures in life? It's been a VERY hectic couple of weeks for me, and I haven't had much time to see any movies. I tried to catch up, and saw 2.. so here's my first attempt at short reviews:
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory:
Johnny Depp plays Willy Wonka, and Tim Burton violently RAPES the memories of ANYONE who's seen the 1971 movie version starring Gene Wilder. Burton tosses in trademark over the top look and feel, with a score by Danny Elfman thrown in for good measure.
March Of The Penguins:
This production from National Geographic Films follows the Emperor Penguin on its 70 MILE trek to their breeding grounds. I don't know what's more INCREDIBLE about this film: The story about the penguins 70 mile trek from where they feed to their breeding grounds, or knowing that in the -50F weather THEY endure, knowing that a camera crew was FOLLOWING them. If you don't know the basic plot of the documentary.. Emperor Penguins march 20 days and night to get to their breeding grounds. There, they pick a mate, lay eggs, and life continues. This 80 minute documentary follws them on their march.
Now, I know that eventually March Of The Penguins will end up on TV, but for now this makes for an amazing 80 minute diversion from the hectic pace known as my life.
so to Summarize:
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory: D+, unless you LIKE having your Childhood memories of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory RAPED over and over again, then this is a C
March Of The Penguins: B, Yes, this is pretty much a National Geographic special on the Big Screen, and it WILL be on the National Geographic Channel in a few months, however, the camerawork and the great narration by Morgan Freeman makes this a fascinating look into something that most people wouldn't normally go see.
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory:Johnny Depp plays Willy Wonka, and Tim Burton violently RAPES the memories of ANYONE who's seen the 1971 movie version starring Gene Wilder. Burton tosses in trademark over the top look and feel, with a score by Danny Elfman thrown in for good measure.
March Of The Penguins:This production from National Geographic Films follows the Emperor Penguin on its 70 MILE trek to their breeding grounds. I don't know what's more INCREDIBLE about this film: The story about the penguins 70 mile trek from where they feed to their breeding grounds, or knowing that in the -50F weather THEY endure, knowing that a camera crew was FOLLOWING them. If you don't know the basic plot of the documentary.. Emperor Penguins march 20 days and night to get to their breeding grounds. There, they pick a mate, lay eggs, and life continues. This 80 minute documentary follws them on their march.
Now, I know that eventually March Of The Penguins will end up on TV, but for now this makes for an amazing 80 minute diversion from the hectic pace known as my life.
so to Summarize:
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory: D+, unless you LIKE having your Childhood memories of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory RAPED over and over again, then this is a C
March Of The Penguins: B, Yes, this is pretty much a National Geographic special on the Big Screen, and it WILL be on the National Geographic Channel in a few months, however, the camerawork and the great narration by Morgan Freeman makes this a fascinating look into something that most people wouldn't normally go see.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
"What do you MEAN you aren't going to see
The FANTASTIC FOUR this weekend?
Believe it or not, I HAVE been asked this question a couple of times already. I've sort of been taken aback by it.
I'm a realist. I know that there aren't MILLIONS of people reading this, clinging on my every word, and taking my comments as gospel. If there were, I'd have my own column in the paper, and getting PAID for what I love doing, watching film. There are a few people, that I have told about this blog that know me personally, that do ask my opinion on film. When I'm asked, I will give it, but I make sure that it's short and to the point. I enjoy discussing film as much as I enjoy seeing film.
The last sentence explains in a nutshell why I won't see The FANTASTIC FOUR this weekend, or next weekend, or when it ends up being on TBS in a couple of years from now. I don't think of The FANTASTIC FOUR as a FILM, I think of it as a movie. FILM is something that provokes discussion, or makes an impression on you, something MORE is left with you when you see a FILM besides the taste of stale popcorn when you leave the theatre. Now some of you may say "He won't go see The FANTASTIC FOUR, but you RUSHED to see REVENGE OF THE SITH, and BATMAN BEGINS, what gives, what's the difference?
REVENGE OF THE SITH was the CONCLUSION (Albiet a sad one) to a movie series that DEFINED my childhood, and the childhoods of a LOT of other people. I like to see things through, no matter how painful they may be. SITH also stimulated discussion about Star Wars on a whole. Everyone could talk about how Star Wars affected their lives at one point or another. I remember as a kid going blindly numerous times to the theatre to see EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and seeing people get floored with the Father revelation. SITH was the final chapter in a lot of people's childhood memories. BATMAN BEGINS, we I went to see it because I have been a fan of Christopher Nolan's other movies, and the thought of what he could do with this tale of the Dark Knight intrigued me.
The FANTASTIC FOUR has none of this for me. The marketing campaign makes the movie look like it would be of NO interest to me whatsoever. Jessica Alba, although cute, isn't really a deciding factor in whether or not I go to a movie.
The FANTASTIC FOUR in my mind, represents everything I HATE about present day Hollywood - jump on the bandwagon, and try and push something through the pipeline, because MARKETING says it's the thing to do. It represents the CORPORATE Hollywood, the Suits and Beancounters that are AFRAID to take a chance, and just watch boxoffice receipts to see what they can rip-off next.
Like everyone who reads this, I don't get PAID to see movies, so I think I can pick and choose the ones I will (or won't) see. I took a bullet for this BLOG to write about BEWITCHED, I think I have to let the wounds (and, yea, the nightmares) from that one heal before I do THAT again.
There are FILMS that are going to be released soon that are piquing my interest, and I will write about them when the time comes. One of them comes out next Friday, and I'll be sure to see it, and make a comment on here. As for The FANTASTIC FOUR, they don't seem fantastic enough for me to spend time in a theatre, especially when there are socks and underwear to be sorted in my dresser.
Believe it or not, I HAVE been asked this question a couple of times already. I've sort of been taken aback by it.
I'm a realist. I know that there aren't MILLIONS of people reading this, clinging on my every word, and taking my comments as gospel. If there were, I'd have my own column in the paper, and getting PAID for what I love doing, watching film. There are a few people, that I have told about this blog that know me personally, that do ask my opinion on film. When I'm asked, I will give it, but I make sure that it's short and to the point. I enjoy discussing film as much as I enjoy seeing film.
The last sentence explains in a nutshell why I won't see The FANTASTIC FOUR this weekend, or next weekend, or when it ends up being on TBS in a couple of years from now. I don't think of The FANTASTIC FOUR as a FILM, I think of it as a movie. FILM is something that provokes discussion, or makes an impression on you, something MORE is left with you when you see a FILM besides the taste of stale popcorn when you leave the theatre. Now some of you may say "He won't go see The FANTASTIC FOUR, but you RUSHED to see REVENGE OF THE SITH, and BATMAN BEGINS, what gives, what's the difference?
REVENGE OF THE SITH was the CONCLUSION (Albiet a sad one) to a movie series that DEFINED my childhood, and the childhoods of a LOT of other people. I like to see things through, no matter how painful they may be. SITH also stimulated discussion about Star Wars on a whole. Everyone could talk about how Star Wars affected their lives at one point or another. I remember as a kid going blindly numerous times to the theatre to see EMPIRE STRIKES BACK, and seeing people get floored with the Father revelation. SITH was the final chapter in a lot of people's childhood memories. BATMAN BEGINS, we I went to see it because I have been a fan of Christopher Nolan's other movies, and the thought of what he could do with this tale of the Dark Knight intrigued me.
The FANTASTIC FOUR has none of this for me. The marketing campaign makes the movie look like it would be of NO interest to me whatsoever. Jessica Alba, although cute, isn't really a deciding factor in whether or not I go to a movie.
The FANTASTIC FOUR in my mind, represents everything I HATE about present day Hollywood - jump on the bandwagon, and try and push something through the pipeline, because MARKETING says it's the thing to do. It represents the CORPORATE Hollywood, the Suits and Beancounters that are AFRAID to take a chance, and just watch boxoffice receipts to see what they can rip-off next.
Like everyone who reads this, I don't get PAID to see movies, so I think I can pick and choose the ones I will (or won't) see. I took a bullet for this BLOG to write about BEWITCHED, I think I have to let the wounds (and, yea, the nightmares) from that one heal before I do THAT again.
There are FILMS that are going to be released soon that are piquing my interest, and I will write about them when the time comes. One of them comes out next Friday, and I'll be sure to see it, and make a comment on here. As for The FANTASTIC FOUR, they don't seem fantastic enough for me to spend time in a theatre, especially when there are socks and underwear to be sorted in my dresser.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Since Hollywood is pilin'
disappointing movies disguised as "entertainment" higher than House of Pancakes stacks their mega-Breakfast, I thought this time I would throw something out there for everyone to discuss in the comments section.
By now, everyone's heard that Boxoffice is down, and movie theaters are experiencing low attendance. I've talked about it in an earlier post. Now, it's your turn.
What do you think would bring people BACK into theatres? What's your WORST experience in a movie theatre lately?
Let's Say you were opening a theatre.. how would you bring people in?
The comments are open, and please, keep it civil
:)
By now, everyone's heard that Boxoffice is down, and movie theaters are experiencing low attendance. I've talked about it in an earlier post. Now, it's your turn.
What do you think would bring people BACK into theatres? What's your WORST experience in a movie theatre lately?
Let's Say you were opening a theatre.. how would you bring people in?
The comments are open, and please, keep it civil
:)
Friday, July 01, 2005
Not so much a WAR of the Worlds,
as much as the people of earth having their collective ASSES being handed to them on a silver platter, but yet having things end with a healthy dose of Sugary Sweetness.
Steven Spielberg returns to the Genre he single-handedly defined in 1975 with the release of Jaws in War Of The Worlds, undoubtedly one of the anxiously awaited summer flicks this year, next to Batman, and Revenge of the Sith.
In this, the second big screen adaptation of the 1898 HG Wells novel, Spielberg centres the focus of the story around a family with Tom Cruise as the Father of that precocious Dakota Fanning, and Justin Chatwin. This is the story of their survival of the aliens attack, which, bearas striking similarities to the terrorist attack on Sept. 11. The world, much like America back then is arrogant in their domination of their planet, and are in a false sense of security as the aliens begin the extermination of the human race.
Spielberg pulls out ALL the tricks in his bag of filmmaking techniques - This movie has elements of JAWS, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THRID KIND, and a LOT of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN in it. You are wrapped up in the savagery of the attack, and the horror. You actually feel helpless.
War Of The Worlds is a very tightly directed 100 minute movie. Unfortuantely, the movie runs 117 minutes, and Spielberg completely blows the ending by bringing in his trademark sugary ending, which ruined the experience for me. Why does he do that?
Overall, War Of The Worlds delivers, but falls short on the ending for me, It's good, but not some of Spielberg's best work.
C+
Steven Spielberg returns to the Genre he single-handedly defined in 1975 with the release of Jaws in War Of The Worlds, undoubtedly one of the anxiously awaited summer flicks this year, next to Batman, and Revenge of the Sith.
In this, the second big screen adaptation of the 1898 HG Wells novel, Spielberg centres the focus of the story around a family with Tom Cruise as the Father of that precocious Dakota Fanning, and Justin Chatwin. This is the story of their survival of the aliens attack, which, bearas striking similarities to the terrorist attack on Sept. 11. The world, much like America back then is arrogant in their domination of their planet, and are in a false sense of security as the aliens begin the extermination of the human race.
Spielberg pulls out ALL the tricks in his bag of filmmaking techniques - This movie has elements of JAWS, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THRID KIND, and a LOT of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN in it. You are wrapped up in the savagery of the attack, and the horror. You actually feel helpless.
War Of The Worlds is a very tightly directed 100 minute movie. Unfortuantely, the movie runs 117 minutes, and Spielberg completely blows the ending by bringing in his trademark sugary ending, which ruined the experience for me. Why does he do that?
Overall, War Of The Worlds delivers, but falls short on the ending for me, It's good, but not some of Spielberg's best work.
C+
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Meg Ryan must've developed TASTE
When Nora Ephron and her sister were pitching their "reimagined" version of Bewitched for Studio Execs. Nicole Kidman, on the other hand, must've been the subject of some Blackmail and was forced to take this role, just as she was in last summer's flop, THE STEPFORD WIVES. Will Ferrell, well, I'm convinced that he's become such a whore that he'd take any role thrown his way, much like a starving dog will grab any scraps thrown his way in a back alley by some bum.
I'm sure that in the 254 Episodes of the TV series that there MIGHT have been enough material around to rip-off to make a almost funny 90 minute movie, however Nora Ephron and her sister, Delia decided to take a different tact - by making the movie ABOUT remaking the TV show, and having the female lead (played by Nicole Kidman) an ACTUAL witch. The first 2 thirds of the movie shows promise, but it starts going downhill fast. This movie is filled with sarcasm and in-jokes about movie making that I'm sure are quite biting in Los Angeles, but doesn't mean anything anywhere else.
Nicole Kidman in the role of the witch, I found annoying.. She seems to start off playing Meg Ryan playing Marilyn Monroe, but half way THROUGH the movie starts to play a completely different character.. It's as if suddenly she discovered who she was supposed to be.
Will Ferrell.. Well.. he plays.. Will Ferrell. The more I see of him, the more I think ELF was a fluke. Granted, I have not seen Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, but truth be told, I don't find him as funny on the big screen as I did on Saturday Night Live. I'm sure if he stopped taking every role that's thrown his way I wouldn't find him so annoying.
I see this as an opportunity lost. I think BEWITCHED would make a perfect movie - if they FOLLOWED the formula that the TV series had. In fact, the FOUNDATION is there for the movie, unfortunately this 90 minute setup has killed ANY chance of it ever materializing, and that's too bad.
Sitting through this version, I could have SWORN I heard Elizabeth Mongomery rolling over in her grave, and I'm sure the bottled water the person next to me was filled with Dick York's TEARS.
Bewitched is a D
I'm sure that in the 254 Episodes of the TV series that there MIGHT have been enough material around to rip-off to make a almost funny 90 minute movie, however Nora Ephron and her sister, Delia decided to take a different tact - by making the movie ABOUT remaking the TV show, and having the female lead (played by Nicole Kidman) an ACTUAL witch. The first 2 thirds of the movie shows promise, but it starts going downhill fast. This movie is filled with sarcasm and in-jokes about movie making that I'm sure are quite biting in Los Angeles, but doesn't mean anything anywhere else.
Nicole Kidman in the role of the witch, I found annoying.. She seems to start off playing Meg Ryan playing Marilyn Monroe, but half way THROUGH the movie starts to play a completely different character.. It's as if suddenly she discovered who she was supposed to be.
Will Ferrell.. Well.. he plays.. Will Ferrell. The more I see of him, the more I think ELF was a fluke. Granted, I have not seen Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, but truth be told, I don't find him as funny on the big screen as I did on Saturday Night Live. I'm sure if he stopped taking every role that's thrown his way I wouldn't find him so annoying.
I see this as an opportunity lost. I think BEWITCHED would make a perfect movie - if they FOLLOWED the formula that the TV series had. In fact, the FOUNDATION is there for the movie, unfortunately this 90 minute setup has killed ANY chance of it ever materializing, and that's too bad.
Sitting through this version, I could have SWORN I heard Elizabeth Mongomery rolling over in her grave, and I'm sure the bottled water the person next to me was filled with Dick York's TEARS.
Bewitched is a D
Sunday, June 19, 2005
"Why a Bat? Because I'm afraid of them,
and it's time other people are as well." - Bruce Wayne talking to Alfred
I just got out of the IMAX screening of BATMAN BEGINS at the local theatre, went in with some expectation, and was immediately sucked in to it.
This isn't like any of the other Batman movies, which is a blessing. This is a beginning... literally.
For the first time, you UNDERSTAND Bruce Wayne's motives, how he becomes who he is, all told in flashback, never out of order. This is a movie that takes the totally implausable, and makes it, well seem plausable. Gotham City actually LOOKS like a city, not the dark gothic vision in the Burton films, or the comic book camp style that became dominant in the Atrocities brought forth by Joel Schumacher. All that was scrapped.
Bruce Wayne is torn between 2 secret identities: The Bat, driving to clean up Gotham, and his billionaire playboy persona, to hide his true intentions or cleaning up the city of crime and corruption. You don't see conflict, because in this movie, Bruce Wayne FEELS the Billionaire Playboy image is more of a disguise than the costume he wears at night. The playboy persona isn't HIM, but it's necessary facade to stop people from asking too many questions.
Most comic book movies that studios try to make into franchises have to follow a VERY fine line in the first installment: they have to give enough backstory of the superhero to bring those not familiar with the character up to speed, and not give so much backstory that is bores the core audience that has read EVERY comic book, and graphic novel that's been written.
BATMAN BEGINS succeds with this.. The backstory isn't used as confusing fodder. Take for example the scene in Time Burton's Batman where Michael Keaton has a Flashback that connects the dots (Have you ever danced with the devil by the pale moon light?). That didn't ADD to the movie, or to Bruce Wayne's Character, it confused the issue.. OK.. Bruce Wayne in the 1989 version saw his parent's get killed.. It's left there.
The 2005 version draws you into Bruce Wayne's character, you see how things develop, and the setting is familiar. Gotham looks like a major american city, so you aren't drawn away from a setting that could make this into a camp piece.
Christian Bale is perfect as Bruce Wayne, The rest of the Cast is just as solid. Michael Caine as Alfred, Gary Oldman as Gordon, Katie Holmes (You might have heard of her) as the Assistant DA, all bring in Solid performances.
Warners has made me forget and forgive the last Batman series. This is a SOLID start to a new beginning. Hopefully when the sequel comes out.. if you've seen the movie you know the setup. I won't go into it here.. They won't screw it up.
A
Trailers are called trailers because the used to TRAIL the main feature, and the name stuck, is what I've been told.
I just got out of the IMAX screening of BATMAN BEGINS at the local theatre, went in with some expectation, and was immediately sucked in to it.
This isn't like any of the other Batman movies, which is a blessing. This is a beginning... literally.
For the first time, you UNDERSTAND Bruce Wayne's motives, how he becomes who he is, all told in flashback, never out of order. This is a movie that takes the totally implausable, and makes it, well seem plausable. Gotham City actually LOOKS like a city, not the dark gothic vision in the Burton films, or the comic book camp style that became dominant in the Atrocities brought forth by Joel Schumacher. All that was scrapped.
Bruce Wayne is torn between 2 secret identities: The Bat, driving to clean up Gotham, and his billionaire playboy persona, to hide his true intentions or cleaning up the city of crime and corruption. You don't see conflict, because in this movie, Bruce Wayne FEELS the Billionaire Playboy image is more of a disguise than the costume he wears at night. The playboy persona isn't HIM, but it's necessary facade to stop people from asking too many questions.
Most comic book movies that studios try to make into franchises have to follow a VERY fine line in the first installment: they have to give enough backstory of the superhero to bring those not familiar with the character up to speed, and not give so much backstory that is bores the core audience that has read EVERY comic book, and graphic novel that's been written.
BATMAN BEGINS succeds with this.. The backstory isn't used as confusing fodder. Take for example the scene in Time Burton's Batman where Michael Keaton has a Flashback that connects the dots (Have you ever danced with the devil by the pale moon light?). That didn't ADD to the movie, or to Bruce Wayne's Character, it confused the issue.. OK.. Bruce Wayne in the 1989 version saw his parent's get killed.. It's left there.
The 2005 version draws you into Bruce Wayne's character, you see how things develop, and the setting is familiar. Gotham looks like a major american city, so you aren't drawn away from a setting that could make this into a camp piece.
Christian Bale is perfect as Bruce Wayne, The rest of the Cast is just as solid. Michael Caine as Alfred, Gary Oldman as Gordon, Katie Holmes (You might have heard of her) as the Assistant DA, all bring in Solid performances.
Warners has made me forget and forgive the last Batman series. This is a SOLID start to a new beginning. Hopefully when the sequel comes out.. if you've seen the movie you know the setup. I won't go into it here.. They won't screw it up.
A
Trailers are called trailers because the used to TRAIL the main feature, and the name stuck, is what I've been told.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
I generally have low expectations
when a novel is made into a movie. Here's a "hypothetical":
Let's say you just finished reading a really, REALLY good novel. We'll call the novel, oh, I don't KNOW Leonardo's Puzzle (Any similarities to any novel presently out there may or may NOT be intentional).
Let's say that Leonardo's Puzzle weighs in at over 464 pages, and is a real page-turner. It's caught on like wildfire! Now you discover that they are making a movie of your (and the rest of the world where people have books) favourite novel, next to Harry Potter. So now, you and everyone else waits for Leonardo's Puzzle: The Movie EVENT!
This week You go to a movie, and see a "Teaser Trailer" for Leonardo's Puzzle BEFORE the director shoots a single frame of film! If that doesn't add to the excitement to the waiting for the release, nothing will!
Here is why if they were making a movie called Leonardo's Puzzle I have no expectations for it right now. In Fact.. using a recent novel as an example, which IS being made into a movie, why there are warning bells going off in my head, albiet quietly.
1) The general rule of thumb when making a movie is that one page of a screenplay equals one MINUTE of film. So, right away you KNOW that if the filmmakers were going to make a FAITHFUL adaptation of Leonardo's Puzzle, the movie would be 464 minutes. That won't happen in a million years. The attention Span of the average movie goer is the time it takes for them to chow down on Popcorn and finish their Dr. Pepper, OR The length of time between cell phone calls. This means a LOT of fat from the novel has to be trimmed.
2) Because of point 1, market research is done to find the parts of the novel that people EXPECT to see in the film. They also try and fit the movie into one of the established formulas that they KNOW draw them in.
3) You see the report that (insert "A" list actor here) has been cast in the lead role for Leonardo's Puzzle: The Movie EVENT! The Actor is friends with the director, so there's a chemistry that is SURE to come across on screen. Then you read the director's Quote in an article on a Website Where he says "Leonardo's Puzzle is a CEREBERAL movie. (insert Actor Here) is an exciting actor to watch thinking. "
So, even though I LOVED Leonardo's Puzzle, I have no expectations as to how the movie will turn out, since I know because of the process of adapting the book to a movie, a lot of decisions will have to be made that won't please EVERYONE.
What was the last novel you saw on the Big Screen? How did the movie version compare to the novel?
Here's the question of the day: Why do they call movie Previews "trailers"?
Let's say you just finished reading a really, REALLY good novel. We'll call the novel, oh, I don't KNOW Leonardo's Puzzle (Any similarities to any novel presently out there may or may NOT be intentional).
Let's say that Leonardo's Puzzle weighs in at over 464 pages, and is a real page-turner. It's caught on like wildfire! Now you discover that they are making a movie of your (and the rest of the world where people have books) favourite novel, next to Harry Potter. So now, you and everyone else waits for Leonardo's Puzzle: The Movie EVENT!
This week You go to a movie, and see a "Teaser Trailer" for Leonardo's Puzzle BEFORE the director shoots a single frame of film! If that doesn't add to the excitement to the waiting for the release, nothing will!
Here is why if they were making a movie called Leonardo's Puzzle I have no expectations for it right now. In Fact.. using a recent novel as an example, which IS being made into a movie, why there are warning bells going off in my head, albiet quietly.
1) The general rule of thumb when making a movie is that one page of a screenplay equals one MINUTE of film. So, right away you KNOW that if the filmmakers were going to make a FAITHFUL adaptation of Leonardo's Puzzle, the movie would be 464 minutes. That won't happen in a million years. The attention Span of the average movie goer is the time it takes for them to chow down on Popcorn and finish their Dr. Pepper, OR The length of time between cell phone calls. This means a LOT of fat from the novel has to be trimmed.
2) Because of point 1, market research is done to find the parts of the novel that people EXPECT to see in the film. They also try and fit the movie into one of the established formulas that they KNOW draw them in.
3) You see the report that (insert "A" list actor here) has been cast in the lead role for Leonardo's Puzzle: The Movie EVENT! The Actor is friends with the director, so there's a chemistry that is SURE to come across on screen. Then you read the director's Quote in an article on a Website Where he says "Leonardo's Puzzle is a CEREBERAL movie. (insert Actor Here) is an exciting actor to watch thinking. "
So, even though I LOVED Leonardo's Puzzle, I have no expectations as to how the movie will turn out, since I know because of the process of adapting the book to a movie, a lot of decisions will have to be made that won't please EVERYONE.
What was the last novel you saw on the Big Screen? How did the movie version compare to the novel?
Here's the question of the day: Why do they call movie Previews "trailers"?
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