2011 in Film - May

May is the beginning of the summer movie season and when most people begin to get excited about movies again. They love the big blockbusters, ridiculous comedies and animated sequels. This summer seems to have all those especially in sequel format. Let's recap the movies that I checked out in May. I'm not going to include Something Borrowed in this post because I've already made a full post on it which should be right under this one.

After Something Borrowed, I checked out that week's other big movie, Thor. Comic book movies can be very hit and miss and Thor was somewhere in the middle. It was decently entertaining although never particularly engaging. Kat Dennings was the standout among a group of decent performances that never really challenged the actors in any way. It was decently fun though and gave me some anticipation for the Avengers movie, so the studio had some success with this venture.

Next, I went to see Bridesmaids three times, atlhough I only got to actually watch it twice. Kristin Wiig's big star turn is one of the funniest movies I've seen in years and never fails to have a certain level of heart that makes it that much better. The movie does drag a bit toward the end and the resolution feels a bit odd but overall, the movie is a riot and so much fun. I highly recommend this one although it's strange if you haven't been to see it yet.

The third time I went to see Bridesmaids it was sold out, which left me to see the fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean series. I went mostly for Penelope Cruz and came out unimpressed. While it wasn't the disaster of the third film, it felt tired and disconnected. There were a lot of interesting stories to be told, especially with the young religious hostage and the mermaids but overall, there was too much happening and a lot of it had been done better before. Johnny Depp is gonna have to start trying if he wants to get more than money for his movies.

Finally, I watched the documentary, How To Die In Oregon, on HBO. This is a really fantastic documentary on the subject of euthanasia that handles the topic with the proper sensitivity it deserves. It's depressing and difficult to watch due to the reality that we're faced with but it ultimately feels like an important documentary to help us understand this issue. The film clearly has a side that it wants us to join however it never forces us to view things from that point of view. If you can handle how miserable it is, definitely check it out.

Someone Bothered

Romantic comedies are one of those genres that are generally regarded as crap by critics and even the general public, although the latter's judgement is probably because their formula runs toward women unlike the equally formulaic action blockbuster audiences go crazy for every summer. However, a gem can be found in this genre every year or so through the many horrible movies that are produced in this genre. Unfortunately, Something Borrowed is definitely not that gem.

Something Borrowed is the tale of a lawyer, played by Ginnifer Goodwin, who is turning 30 at the beginning of the film. Her obnoxious best friend, played by Kate Hudson, easily takes over the party she is throwing for Goodwin to talk about her wedding to Colin Egglesfield. We learn through a series of flashbacks that Goodwin and Egglesfield both liked each other when they were in law school but allowed Hudson to interfere with their potential love because they really both lack the personality to take charge in any situation. Back in the present, they sleep together and begin the film's big love triangle. Will Egglesfield stay with Hudson and marry her despite loving Goodwin? Will Goodwin continue to betray her best friend and get the guy of her dreams? Will Hudson continue to remain completely oblivious as every character in this film seems to be lacking an awareness of the world around them? The real question though is how unlikeable can these characters become?

The film takes this last question and goes as far as possible with it, making sure that by the end of the film, you don't care about any of the characters and are praying for the film to end. Goodwin and Egglesfield both lack any sort of personality as she perfects looking on the verge of tears for no visible reason and he masters the deadpan almost sad look that would be great for a model but not an actor. The flashbacks are one of the most frustrating elements of the film because the multiple scenes where they are about to kiss result in an awkward moment for no visible reason. Do they just both lack any ability to lean forward and kiss? The chemistry is obvious and they later admit that they both felt the same thing and assumed the other did. If this is so, why didn't they kiss and stop this entire mess from happening? This huge flaw prevents the story from seeming anywhere close to reality and adds a whole other layer of frustration to the film.

Kate Hudson's character is a complete contraction in the film. On the one hand, she's presented as a terrible friend for constantly stealing the spotlight from her friend and stealing the guy of her dreams without seeming to care for her feelings. However, in the present world, she is never the one who really commits the wrong acts. She does cheat on Egglesfield and is generally an obnoxious mess that audiences will naturally dislike. However, her horrible behaviour is completely obvious to the audience and the writers while Goodwin and Egglesfield complete lack of disregard for the world around them seems to swept under the carpet. The treatment of Hudson seems unfair compared to the two leads.

Finally, in an attempt to further the confuse and anger the audience, John Krasinski plays a completely unnecessary fourth wheel in the film whose role only seems to be to make gay jokes and give Goodwin a sad attempt at a self-esteem boost. He also helps to further our hatred for Hudson but his attempts seem completely without grounds so he fails in that department. Krasinski decides to pretend to be gay at one point to get rid of a girl he does not have the confidence to reject. This obviously leads to many supposedly hilarious situations but also begs the question that if Hollywood is so accepting, how long are we going to be given homosexuality as a joke? It might have given more depth to Krasinski's character if not only was he not the gay best friend to Goodwin but he didn't have to pretend to play against himself to gain laughs. Overall, his character was completely pointless and slightly offensive.

Something Borrowed is a mess of a film filled with unlikeable characters and a frustrating plot. If you think the ending will be happy, you'll be sorely disappointed when you realize half-way through the seemingly never-ending film that there is no way for the film to properly resolve itself. The actual ending is so flawed and incomplete that it is neither satisfying or happy in any way.

The Freedom To Love

Every year, Hollywood makes countless movies, many of which are searching for critical attention to gain them awards and prestige. Every once and a while, Hollywood goes beyond making decent efforts in these categories and not only makes a truly fantastic movie but also an important one. Film is a medium that allows us to visually portray stories in a way that allows audiences to completely connect with them. This medium should be used to present many different types of stories and since it's such a popular medium, it should also be used to tell stories that seem uncommon or are misunderstood by the general public.

The film, Boys Don't Cry, directed by Kimberly Peirce, tells the story of trans-gendered man, meaning he was born a woman, and his struggle to find love and freedom. Based on a true story, this movie is a touching tale of this person and their struggle to find acceptance. From the very beginning of the film, we can see how people ostracize him and how even his family does not truly accept him. There is a lack of love and support in his life and he searches hard to find these things that are so necessary for human beings.

Luckily, Brandon finds a new group of friends who adopt him as one of them. For a while, this seems to go well for him and he even begins to have a little crush. Of course, everything turns sour once he starts to fall for this girl and her ex-boyfriend is insulted and eventually, the truth about Brandon comes out. One of the most striking things about this story is that Brandon's girlfriend, Lana, does not seem to stop loving him once she finds out his gender at birth. She only seems to want to save him. Having read about the author, she claims that this story is a love story about star crossed lovers similar to the tale of Romeo and Juliet and it is hard to look at this film without seeing the deep love between these two characters. Of course, their fate is that they cannot be together and they suffer in a similar way to Romeo and Juliet.

However, this story is much more important than your typical love story. The tales of trans-gendered people are rarely found in the media, especially in such a mainstream Hollywood film. Its origin may not have been as a huge Hollywood production but the fantastic performances of Hilary Swank and Chloe Sevigny have elevated the movie to such a level. It's important for transgendered people of all ages to see their stories depicted on the screen. They may not face the exact same struggles as Brandon did in the film but they can take strength from the deep love found within the story and can see somebody who is similar to them and has faced a similar struggle. As a gay teenager, I understand the importance of seeing depictions of yourself in the media. It helps to give you role models and see that you are not alone within the world.

On the flip side, presenting these stories is important for the rest of the population too. People are only familiar with the stories of people they see in their everyday lives and those in the media. Since trans-gendered people often keep their pasts to themselves and are foreign to a lot of people despite their much larger presence within the world, it's important to show their stories in the media to allow for the rest of the population to become accustomed to these stories and understand the ways others live. The media has the power to present life in many different ways. I believe that the media should present a vision of the world that is not just the regular way of being that we all know but challenges these boundaries and tells unique stories. I applaud Kimberly Peirce and this film for doing just that.

2011 Movies: Part 2

Since my last post reviewing movies I'd seen from this year, I've seen a bunch of other films as April has been shockingly full of interesting movies, although there appears to still be plenty of crap too. Let's go over the movies I've seen to see where the last month or so in film has taken me.

First off, we have Limitless, an action movie starring Bradley Cooper. From reading that description, it sounds like something to stay away from. However, this movie was shockingly decent. It had an interesting concept about being able to use your full brain capacity and although the ways it used this gimmick were somewhat limited and typical, it did a decent job of keeping me interested. Cooper was decent in his first real leading role after years of being a comedy and romance sidekick and this film will probably lead to more lead roles in his future. If you have the chance to see it, go for it but personally, I'd never try to seek it out.

Next, I saw what is probably my favorite movie of the year so far, Cary Fukunaga's adaptation of the classic Jane Eyre. Starring Mia Wasikowska and Michael Fassbender, this movie is acted perfectly and looks beautiful the entire time. Having been only slightly familiar with the original tale, I felt this film was a perfect introduction to the story and helped to present it as one of the most beautiful love stories that exists. Wasikowska has so much potential that is put to work in this movie that I'm excited to see where she goes with her career and the same for Fassbender and Fukunaga. Definitely see this movie when you get the chance.

Source Code was the next movie I saw and I will admit that my only motivation to see it was to witness Jake Gyllenhaal all over the big screen. Luckily, the movie had a lot more to offer than his beauty. It was a very interesting story, even though I don't tend to go for science fiction films. It was a lot smarter than you'd expect a movie in the genre to be although at times, it could have delved deeper into the issues presented. However, its approach to the concept was much more profound than Limitless. Vera Farmiga gave a great supporting performance and Jake was fantastic as always. I definitely recommend this one too.

I was very excited to see my next movie from this year, Hanna. I am a huge fan of Atonement although I had not seen any of Joe Wright's other films and I was excited to see what else he has to offer. Luckily, he, Saoirse Ronan and Cate Blanchett did not disappoint in the slightest. This movie is both action packed and slowly paced but the quick changing of pace is exciting and not tiring. The script is very good at examining the character of Hanna and still offering witty banter and intense action sequences. It's a lot smarter and much better made than your typical action movie and for that reason, I have to recommend it instead of any other action movie.

Scream 4 was by far my most anticipated movie of the bunch as I love the franchise and had faith that they could bring another fantastic edition to the series and they didn't disappoint. The script is just as witty and self-aware as the first three movies and it offers enough scares and laughs to keep the audience continually entertained throughout the movie. All of the new actors gave good performances and helped to bring this franchise to a new generation. I definitely recommend watching the other movies first and then seeing this one for the best possible experience with it.

Since I dragged my dad to see Scream 4 with me, he took me to see Arthur. I had really low expectations and while it kind of was better than I expected, it really wasn't anything special. For a comedy, I barely laughed but then neither did my dad. I guess Russell Brand's style of comedy isn't so much making jokes but just his general attitude is supposed to be comedic. Personally, it didn't do much for me. Overall, the movie was just dull, clichéd and pretty boring. It's probably my least favorite of this bunch of movies.

Finally, I saw Water For Elephants which I was very excited to see. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to my expectations. It wasn't really too bad but there was definitely something lacking. A lot of the script felt clunky and the dialogue didn't work well. Robert Pattinson proved that he really can't act as he just barely gave a performance at all and was just basically there for Reese Witherspoon, in one of her weaker performances and Christoph Waltz, in a performance proving why he is an Oscar winner, to act circles around him. Besides the beautiful visuals and the two good supporting performances, the film didn't really offer much. If you are interested, check it out but otherwise, it's not really worth your time.

Heavenly Creatures

When the general public think of Peter Jackson, you can almost guarantee they will think of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. They were such massive films that took over the imagination of the world that their presence in people's minds is inevitable. However, I'm not discussing those movies. Today, I'm talking about what is truly the high point of Jackson's career, Heavenly Creatures. Never heard of it? I hadn't really either and that's a big issue.

Heavenly Creatures is based off a true story but don't allow that to let you think this movie is average. It stars Kate Winslet, in her big screen debut, and Melanie Lynskey as Juliet and Pauline, two teenage girls who find friendship and romance in each other and escape from their daily lives to a world of fantasy in their minds that allows them the freedom they desire. They also murder Pauline's mother because they are not permitted to be together and other teenage rebellion issues.

I'll admit that personally, I didn't completely connect with this movie. At parts, it was a tad too strange and the characters were so spastic and crazed that they were difficult to connect with. However, I also found the movie to connect in a special way through it's hidden meaning.

For me, the movie is not about two teenage girls who murder their mother. It's a metaphor for the oppression that is experienced by gay people, which is clearly visible by the 1950's setting of the film. Pauline is presented as young, timid girl who appears trapped in her life. She doesn't seem too visibly unhappy but we see a sense of emptiness in her life. On the other hand, Juliet is portrayed as confident in herself and her abilities from her first scene where she corrects the lesson of a teacher on her first day.

Through her friendship with Juliet, Pauline finds a sense of freedom and discovers her true feelings. It's not a stretch to consider this relationship her liberation as the two girls do participate in homosexual activity. Pauline's homosexuality is most easily found through a comparison of the two sex scenes she participates in. The first is with a boy that she knows and throughout it, she escapes to her fantasy world of creepy clay people, where violence is enthralling the people and she stares off longingly at Juliet, displaying her true desires. Later when Juliet and Pauline engage in sexual activity, Pauline's escape to her fantasy world involves their alter egos engaging in sexual activity and joy is found throughout this universe.

However, with the time period of the film comes the less progressive attitudes that were present at the time. After a doctor warns that the girls' relationship might have become more than friendship, their parents prevent them from seeing each other and place this heavy restriction on their sexuality. The inability of the girls to be together and realize their true nature is severely damaging and creates a deep rage within Pauline. By the time they go to kill her mother, you can see that they are not committing a murder. To them, this is their freedom from their oppressor and a way to truly experience their love without the restrictions of society which is represented by her mother.

The most interesting part of the film is that Jackson starts it off beautifully with the two girls running to Juliet's house after the murder to inform her parents of the death. Both are clearly upset and distraught at what has just occurred although we are supposed to believe this is an act. Despite this fascinating deeper meaning that Jackson has placed within the movie, he does not forget that no matter how freeing this killing was, it was a still an act of violence and a death was involved. It was horrific, bloody and altogether wrong. Overall, Jackson appears to not take a stance on whether the murder was alright. He spends the film showing us their motives and giving us reasons to sympathize with the characters yet the horrific opening and the clear hesitation found within the girls, especially Juliet, displays the knowledge that there is a moral issue with Juliet and Pauline's actions.

This is why I consider this movie much more important that Jackson's famous trilogy. It offers a fascinating take on morality and is an important story of identity, especially within homosexuals that is rarely found with such a mainstream director. It is a daring film and I applaud Jackson for making such an important movie.

Classic Hollywood - A tribute to Elizabeth Taylor and Tennessee Williams

Last week, I began a voyage into classic cinema in honor of what would be Tennessee Williams' hundredth birthday. However, the week took a turn for the worst when it also had to be a look back at the fantastic career of Elizabeth Taylor after her passing. Strangely enough, the two coincided well considering Taylor's frequent collaborations with the great playwright.

The most famous adaptation of Williams' work is the 1951 adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire starring Marlon Brando and Vivien Leigh. It involves all the typical features of a Tennessee Williams play including a souther setting, hints of homosexuality that have been sadly repressed by the censorship of the time and some sort of love story although never a pleasant one. The southern belle in this story comes to visit her sister and somehow goes crazy and lusts after her sister's husband, who happens to be abusive, all before being sent off in the end. Sounds like a typical melodrama, right? I understand that many classify the film as a masterpiece however, I found a disconnect between reality and Vivien Leigh's character. Of course, a person who is insane would not have much of a touch with reality but her character seemed to lack all reason for insanity and her over-dramatic style of acting, while common at the time, did nothing to bring true sympathy to the role. Despite this, I still enjoyed the film but found that Marlon Brando and even Kim Hunter outshone Vivien Leigh and overall, the story lacked part of the spark that makes Tennessee Williams' work so special.

Any of these flaws that could be identified in Streetcar are easily remedied in the other Williams' adaptation I viewed, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, this time starring the late Elizabeth Taylor. As with most plays of Williams, the central focus is both on family and sexuality in a way that easily demonstrates the friction between the two. Paul Newman's character shows signs of both repressed homosexuality and a longing for his past glory, which can also be found in Williams' other play, The Glass Menagerie. This has caused great strain in his marriage to Elizabeth Taylor's character because their lack of sex has led them to be without an heir to the family fortune, which angers Taylor's character. This story felt much more like a Williams classic and was fantastically supported by the performances of the leads. While the story dragged a bit, it beautifully addressed all the issues you expect to find within Williams' work yet does not feel like a retread at all. 

The final film I watched had nothing to do with Tennessee Williams however it was still a film adaptation of a play and it also has the Elizabeth Taylor, therefore it's a worthy addition to this post. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is the story of a married couple who invite a young couple to their house for drinks which quickly turns into a night of shouting, swearing and lots of drinking. This is one of those plays(and films) that is such an excuse for great actors to act that it helps to demonstrate just how talented the actors are. The fact that Elizabeth Taylor gives a world class performance in this movie displays not only the strength of the script but her true talent as an actress and elevates her above the media status that is sometimes all she is remembered for. There are lots of amazing things about Elizabeth Taylor but it can take a truly fantastic film like Woolf to remind us that she is, first and foremost, an actress. If you ever have doubts about the talent of this legend, watch this movie and you'll instantly realize why she is considered the last great Hollywood star.

2011 Movies

I’ve seen six movies from this year so far. The majority of them have been horrifically bad. Today, I’ll be talking about the three most recent films I saw.

First, I witnesses Red Riding Hood although it would be difficult for me to tell you exactly what it’s about although I can tell you that it was a disappointment even though I was expecting nothing from it. I like Amanda Seyfried and expected her to at least act. But for a role that is supposedly a star turn, she is barely in the film and her plotline is so pointless to the lack of story that you never care anyway. Half the movie is old men screaming to find a wolf, who was made with such bad CGI that it’s completely laughable. Although it’s not half as laughable as the script which lack all the basic ideas of a story from plot to character development. Catherine Hardwick further proves a lack of skill that she found directing Twilight with a bunch of ideas put together without any logic or purpose. This leads to a mess of nothingness that somehow lasts for an hour and a half and feels painful for each second. F

Next, I watched Rango which I went into without absolutely no expectations because a combination of a Dreamworks animated feature and a western is not something I would typically enjoy. Luckily, it was a surprisingly good feature. Johnny Depp was there portraying an animated version of his typical performance but in such a properly stylized and smart movie, it actually worked for once. It felt like an homage to his past roles rather than a retread. The action-adventure sequences were a bit cliché in parts which will work for the young viewers however, the whole plot involving the lack of water and the references that liter the film make it a worthwhile time. It had me genuinely interested for a while in the story, which many animated films nowadays seem to forget is important. It’s more than just a bunch of fart jokes and I’m really thankful for that. B

Finally, Sucker Punch. What even is there to say about this? It’s not even a movie, it’s a video game. From the misogynistic portrayal of the girls with their ridiculous outfits and repressed lifestyle to the dark and bland visuals that have been seen countless times from this “director”. The soundtrack, while decent, blares loudly throughout as slow motion images of the girls shouting every video game villain that’s every been used is represented. I don’t know who got the idea that filming movies like video games representing some sort of unique “vision” but they’re severely mistaken because this just creates a dull, pointless movie without any truly new ideas being brought to the plate. I can see the interest for those who love to dull their minds with video games like these but overall, it does nothing to make you a filmmaker like some would have you believe Zack Snyder is. I can’t even properly criticize this movie because I don’t think it deserves to be even given that name. It’s a glorified trailer for a video game and an excuse for thirteen year old boys to get their first boner. F

Best Actress

This is going to be the first real series to be featured on my blog and that's a pretty big deal, if I do say so myself. In this series, I'm going to go through 13 performances, all of which won Best Actress at the Academy Awards and talk about their merits and while for the majority of them, I will not have seen all or any of the competition, if it was the kind of performance that would merit an Oscar.

The performances I'm choosing to include will begin with Holly Hunter's turn in The Piano and end with the most recent winner, Natalie Portman in Black Swan. The series will not focus solely on more recent films but try to address performances throughout the history of the Oscars. This will be the first of three incarnations of the series. The second will cover nominees in the category and the third will cover those who missed out on a nomination for one reason or another. Then, if I feel like it, I'll repeat all these categories again and again until there are no more performances to cover.

The first piece on Holly Hunter's performance in The Piano should be coming soon along with more on that film.

Great Films – Bonnie and Clyde

The switch from Old Hollywood to New Hollywood is very distinct. Most people seem to strongly have a preference although personally two of the best movies I’ve seen(my all time favorites are far too recent) are each from the different eras. One of these films is Bonnie and Clyde which truly started this film revolution in Hollywood.
What is so different about Bonnie and Clyde from the previous films that were produced in Hollywood? Well, it’s violent. The majority of tales told in Old Hollywood are much more romanticized and epic however, in New Hollywood, the importance was placed on realism. Films became gritty and violent because they were trying to show a version of reality that didn’t cover up any of the parts.
Bonnie and Clyde is the story of the infamous bank robbing duo and their adventures from the time they first meet to their death. There are not a large series of events found within the film as it focuses primarily on the relationship between the duo and the way that being criminals changes them. specifically Bonnie.
Warren Beatty gives a fantastic performance as Clyde which is really a compliment coming from me because male actors rarely impress me. He got into the role and made you love him and see nothing wrong with the crimes he was committing.
Faye Dunaway was a delight in her Oscar nominated role as Bonnie. She was able to portray a woman who committed crimes without remorse but still felt the pain of losing her family and being ignored because of whiny other women. She showed the pain of feeling ignored by your partner very well yet was the type of badass that men typically portray.
The chemistry between the two was amazing and not something you typically find. The strength of this chemistry helped to enhance their performances and bring the film to a truly fantastic level where its above most other films.
The effect of New Hollywood can also be seen in the plot of the movie as most films at this time didn’t focus on such violent and ruthless subjects and the directors at the time felt these stories also needed to be told.
Bonnie and Clyde is a very important film in the history of cinema for ushering in a new period in the history of the medium. It’s also a really good film that I would recommend to everybody because I cannot find it possible for somebody to find Faye Dunaway’s turn as Bonnie to be anything less than a delight.

Great Films - Carrie

Few horror movies actually provide any sort of real feeling of danger. Many use quick gags to get a reaction, similar to many comedies, but few really get to an idea that is truly terrifying and inspire fear within us. Carrie is one of those great movies.
The subject matter seems almost normal at first. A teen girl who is unpopular and bullied is taken in by the popular crowd only to end up betrayed and humiliated at the prom. This scenario removes an important part of the equation where Carrie discovers that she has telepathic abilities and gets revenge on the entire school, which ends up in a lot of fire and death. That isn’t even the scary part.
The true high point of the film is the scene with Carrie and her mother after this big devastation as they fight between Carrie’s acceptance of her difference and her mother’s intense religious beliefs. I won’t give away any specific details though because I don’t want to ruin the true horror that one feels towards religion at this point and earlier in the film.
Of course, the key to this film, other than the fact that it is a true horror film, is the performance by Sissy Spacek. She plays the titular character and gives a truly bizzare performance in the best possible way. Her character is just weird but she plays that so well. Her mother’s over-protectiveness makes her naïve and an easy target for bullying. However, her ascent to the top due to forgiveness is such a pleasant tale although we can constantly feel the trouble brewing.
There’s a lot of great things an actress can do to make a performance above average. But one of the things that an actress can do to make a performance truly fantastic is just to go completely crazy. In the final revenge portion of the film, Spacek does just this and does it so well that we become terrified of her yet we empathize with her at the same time. That the film has the ability to do that proves the strength of Stephen King’s story and depiction of this girl.
Carrie is a rare horror film but truly a necessary one to anybody interested in the genre. I don’t recommend it if you scare easily but otherwise, it’s a great revenge flick as well as a typical teen movie that turns to religion based horror in an instant.

Recently Viewed: January Edition

Tangled (2 viewings): The perfect Renaissance for Disney that combined the old feel of their films with the modern cinematic world. 10/10 (More on this later)
Blue Valentine: So depressing even in the happiest moments. A depressing look on love that is carried by Ryan Gosling although Michelle Williams is also impressive 10/10
Les Amours Imaginaires: Xavier Dolan makes such beautiful films and this one left me feeling good at the end. His performance enhanced the film tremendously. 10/10
Waking Sleeping Beauty: The subject matter is a favorite of mine but there’s nothing too remarkable about the film. It’s just a well told story with interesting footage. 8/10
Broken Embraces: My first experience with Pedro Almodovar was a beautiful one with a rich story, fabulous performances and all the visual splendor I expected. 10/10
Harry Potter 7: Part 1 (Second Viewing): Didn’t improve, in fact I just got bored quicker. It would be fabulous if they had included a plot in this movie. 7.5/10
The King’s Speech: Good but nothing special. The performances were good, especially Helena Bonhem Carter but other than that, I was not impressed. 8/10
Somewhere: A huge disappointment with the only shining light being the talented Elle Fanning. Stephen Dorf’s career should not have been resurrected. 6/10
Vicky Cristina Barcelona: Passionate study of love with a million fantastic performances and the most beautiful setting. This bodes well for my opinion of Woody Allen. 10/10
No Strings Attached: A hilarious and very cute romantic comedy that fared better than most of the crap released around this time. Natalie Portman is a true star. 8.5/10

Goddess Kidman

Actresses love to remind us of just how fabulous they are. Nicole Kidman is currently displaying this fact in Marie Claire.

The new Renaissance of Disney

When the world you live in consists of a new Disney masterpiece every few years, it can be easy to think of Disney as a consistent creator of animated classics. They have been the most consistent source of animated films worthy of praise yet this material has not been constant. Disney, like all companies and artists, has suffered its own slumps.

During the most recent slump, which started as early as Pocahontas or as late as Tarzan, depending on your taste, has gotten worse until the seemingly final traditionally animated feature, Home on the Range, was released. The film is surely one of the worst that Disney has made and was the final nail in the coffin of traditional Disney. For the next few years, Disney attempted to make CGI films similar to those of their property, Pixar. Some were successful (Bolt), some were decent (Meet The Robinsons) and some are best forgotten (Chicken Little). After a lot of changes in the power at Disney, they tried to bring back traditional animation with The Princess and the Frog. This was still not their best effort and many had begun to lose hope in Disney once again after the new hope had been found.

However, this was not the moment to lose hope. For in 2010, Disney finally found what it had lost in Tangled, a movie that had suffered through a lot of development pains, which made me wary of whether it would be worth even seeing. I am so pleased that I did though, because it is truly the beginning of a new Renaissance for Disney. But what makes Tangled such a perfect film for Disney?

It’s common knowledge that Disney’s favorite characters tend to be princesses. Rapunzel, the star of Tangled, is no different. It’s a fairy tale that most people have heard of and are familiar with to a degree. It’s the tale of a girl who is trapped in a tower and is waiting to be freed. At its core, Tangled is a romance between Rapunzel and the action hero created for the film, Flynn Rider. They create a romance that is the core of many other Disney classics, most easily linked to Beauty and the Beast, for they both see each other in a different light than the rest of the world and find a deep understanding for each other, which nobody else can see.

However, Tangled also has the comedy elements of past Disney fare, including sidekicks, Pascale the chameleon and Maximus the horse. The film manages to not feel trapped in another era by combining the comedy sensibilities of past Disney features with the modern self-awareness of films, like Shrek. Yet it doesn’t veer too far off the track of what Disney is known for and keeps with the feel of a proper Disney film.

The true backbone of the movie that defines it all is the music, which is true for any Disney musical. From the opening number of When Will My Life Begin that clearly defines the wants and needs of the heroin and shows us where the plot will lead to Mother Knows Best, a villain song that recalls Poor Unfortunate Souls. The songs also take a comedic turn in I’ve Got A Dream that mixes the comedy with a wistful feel of the hope found at the soul of Disney.

The clear musical highlight of the film is I See The Light. The song is the classic romantic theme found in Disney features throughout the years from A Whole New World to Something There and many other songs that show the blossoming romance between the two leads. The song is classically beautiful and the sequence that accompanies it in the film is so beautiful and heartbreaking that I dare you to not be touched.

Although you expect this to be the emotional peak of the movie, it keeps you hanging for another 20 minutes or so and continues the action and emotion to bring you to the happy ending that everybody expects in a Disney movie. They manage to keep it interesting by employing story points that I believe originate in the fairy tale but are not as familiar to us that we get bored with them.

Tangled is exactly the film that Disney needed at this point in time to bring them back to their prime. It’s a comedy, a musical, an action adventure and a movie that is full of heart. Each character fits perfectly into the plot and feels familiar without feeling overused. The soundtrack is one of the best that Disney has used since their Golden Ages of the past. If Disney continues on this path, animated features will be filled with the happiness and heart that they were in the early 90’s and back in the days where Walt was alive.

Snooki: The Modern Heroine

Ever since the debut of MTV back in the 80’s, it has had a strong hold on the youth and captured the essence of their culture countless times. From making and breaking the musical heroes of modern teenagers to creating the now inescapable reality television phenomena, they’ve done it all. Every couple years, they truly strike gold as they did last year with Jersey Shore, which is arguably the trashiest show to grace their airwaves. A show that revolves around eight twentysomethings who live in a beach house together by the Jersey Shore for the summer.
The overall values presented on the show are something to be found in the nightmares of most parents. Their lives revolve around tanning, having sex and partying with lots of alcohol. They fight, they fuck, they do everything that shows like The Secret Life of the American Teenager fight against. Yet this is a better reflection on the lives of today’s young people. While MTV is a network that aims mainly at a teenage audience, the cast of the show is mostly in their twenties. These young people have been judged harshly by many critics. Some love their crazy antics for the trashy factor while others find them to be a bad example for today’s youth. But are their antics really an issue to concern ourselves over or are they just another example of harmless fun in the media?
The show has created many stars of its cast. The most famous by a large margin has been Nicole Polizzi, known as Snooki. She’s influenced fashion with her hairstyle that vaguely recalls the obsession with Amy Winehouse’s train wreck hairstyle a few years ago. She’s had many sound bites that have gotten play throughout the media and are now staples in the daily lives of today’s youth. Her influence on Western culture is enormous and not limited to the teen market unlike that of past MTV celebrities like Lauren Conrad.
Her fame comes mostly from the ridiculous antics displayed on her show yet through all the crazyness, she comes out seeming to be a hero of sorts. The show has its douchebag guys, strong women (aka psycho bitches) and dramatic couple, all of which are essential elements for a popular reality show. However, Snooki comes out of all this as the odd woman out. She’s hopeless in love and is cast as the outsider in the first episode, where she has too much to drink and indulges in the behaviour we expect of these people yet is judged harshly for trying to be herself and make a good expression. This is relatable to the youth. She’s the one we’re supposed to sympathize with. She’s just an average, fun girl who got caught in a sticky situation. Everybody loves the underdog.
As the season progresses, we root for her as she gains friends within the house, such as her confidant and partner in crime, JWow, whose selling points seem to be her no-nonsense approach to drama for girls and her large breasts for guys. After she has established herself as a normal human being within the house and has been accepted by the rest of the cast, she begins her second story-arch that draws in the viewer.
Snooki has a specific type of man which she loves to adorn with names like gorilla and juicehead, which are codenames for men who are addicted to working out and steroids because of the horrific standard that the media places upon men. Snooki’s obsession with this type of men does not help the role of men within society and does not allow them to move past this gender stereotype. However, her inability to find a man that will stick with her past a night of casual sex forces the viewer to gravitate toward her longing with sympathy. The hopeless romantic within her comes out and keeps her in the heart of the audience as the poor girl who just can’t catch a break. As the first season finishes her quest for love seems like it will never end.
This all changes in the second season which starts with Snooki and her boyfriend, who will have to continue working on their relationship as Snooki goes off to Miami to party but must resist the temptation of hooking up with anybody who is more than 90% muscle. This temptation does not turn out to be the danger but this storyline is used to further the idea of men being driven only by their genitals as her boyfriend ruins their relationship because he can’t keep it in his pants. While this storyline had been previously explored in both seasons with JWow and her boyfriend, Tom, Snooki brings a sort of first love experience and heartbreak to it that leads the audience to have a newfound sympathy for this played out storyline.
Things seem to be rocky in the third season for Snooki’s love life as she tries to find romance with cast mate Vinny but his penis leads him to hook up with all of Snooki’s friends which leads to further heartbreak. This storyline will surely be played out throughout the season as Snooki’s quest for love is always a big seller with the viewers. This season she will also come into trouble with the law, which seems to be related to her alcohol addiction from the gossip stories of her arrest within the summer. It will be interesting to see how our heroin deals with the bad guys sent by the man to stop her fun.
This isn’t the first time that Snooki’s drinking has lead her to trouble with violence. In the first season, Snooki was punched in the face by a man at a bar over shots that he stole from Snooki and friends. This plotline was surely a surprise for the people behind the show but clearly a delight as it added to Snooki’s role as the poor girl we have sympathy for as it presents the clear value that it is wrong for a man to hit a woman. This standard of violence in society is so deeply assumed yet to make sure we understand how wrong this crime is, each cast member, with emphasis on the males, weighs in on how crazy this situation is. 
Men are not the only gender to be demonized so that we sympathize with poor Snooki. Sammi, who claims to be a sweetheart but whose behaviour suggests anything but that, is blind to the behaviour of her boyfriend, Ronnie, who cheats on her constantly then crawls back to her without revealing any of his escapades. Snooki and her sidekick, JWow, decide to do something about this by writing Sammi a note to tell her all the bad things that her boyfriend is doing to get her to gain strength and become a heroine in her own sense. However, she’s not the hero of the show and Snooki is much better at playing the victim to an evil bitch than she is being the friend who helped get a girl out of a bad relationship. Therefore, the story takes a turn for the worst as Sammi lashes out against the two other girls and they become the victims of the show once again.
While Snooki may not be the best role model for young girls, it is easy to see why they love her so much. She’s victimized in each episode for many different reasons yet through all the adversity she faces, she still manages to have fun and be obnoxious enough for us to love her. Season 3 will clearly bring more pity for Snooki from the audience and cement her place as the modern heroine of the internet age.

The new superhero

I don’t hate it.

Awkward Boy

Hello Beautiful. I hope you will be winning the big awards on Oscar night.

Exit Through The Gift Shop

Technorati Tags: Reviews,Exit Through The Gift Shop

I’m not a regular viewer of documentaries but I do enjoy them. It’s just that in the same way as non-fiction books, the actual story has to interest me or there’s really no point. I decided to watch this documentary, Exit Through The Gift Shop, without any real knowledge of the subject except that it was about art. As a lover of anything artistic, this obviously peaked my interest.
The movie is the story of Thierry Guetta, a director turned artist, under the name, Mr. Brainwash. His fascination with street art leads him to meet many famous street artists like Banksy, who directed this film, and Shepard Fairey. His obsession turns him toward attempting the art and gaining a lot of success.
Thierry’s success raises a bunch of questions about art. Most films concentrated on street art would probably focus on the question of whether street art is considered real art or not. While this question is addressed through many art collectors who have Banksy pieces in the same way they would Picassos or Warhols, the more important question is what it takes to be an artist. Thierry has a very successful show after barely any time in the art world and his quick success, that the film argues is based off nothing more than hype, shows how easy it is to be successful. But does this success lead to true artistry?
The question can be lead to even the direction of the film. The movie has hype surrounding it because Banksy is directing it, however the majority of camera work for at least the first half of the film is done by Thierry and his vision is mostly seen on screen. He’s shown as the talented director. Yet it’s Banksy that has the vision to carry out the film and edit it all together and give it hype. That strategy raises the question of whether it’s about the skill or the vision.
Thierry’s art is based purely on a vision as he creates none of it himself however, street artists do tend to borrow from other’s ideas heavily. Thierry’s true talent is in directing however his success is in his visual art.
The film raises all these heavy questions about art while being entertaining and fast-paced to prevent the viewer from ever getting bored of it. It’s the kind of topical, thought-provoking, interesting and unique documentary that audiences should continue to encourage.
9/10

Recently Viewed: A New Year

Black Swan (Second Viewing) - The last fifteen minutes are absolute perfection and make up for any potential flaws in the rest. Still amazing. 10/10
Tron: Legacy – Garrett Hedlund’s beauty and the soundtrack were strong points. Visual effects were impressive if not overwhelming. Plot was nonsense and pointless. 6.5/10
Mulan (Viewed Countless Times Before): Mulan is a fascinating character, somewhat funny with decent songs. Reflection is a classic. 9/10
The Social Network (Second Viewing): It never gets old. So witty, so perfectly acted and a perfect introduction to the beautiful Andrew Garfield. 10/10
The Fighter: Amazingly acted and surprisingly good for a movie that I wasn’t expecting to like. Works mostly on the strength of Bale, Leo and Adams. 10/10
Exit Through The Gift Shop: Fascinating doc about a subject I was foreign to but am now super interested in. Informative yet still entertaining and thought provoking. 9/10
Mildred Pierce: Joan Crawford gives a flawless performance in a fabulous dramatic movie that is prompted by every other fabulous element. Perfection. 10/10
127 Hours: Really strong performance by James Franco and the direction by Danny Boyle is fabulous. Really moving film although a tad slow and dragged out. 9/10
The Fabulous Baker Boys: Fabulous performance by Michelle Pfeiffer and an entertaining film with a feeling that I absolutely love. 10/10