Tuesday, March 19, 2024 05:55

?>

Archive for the ‘Filmy’ Category

squirrely sunday: the oscar goes to…

Sunday, March 2nd, 2014

So,this edition of Squirrely Sunday isn’t so squirrely. Today is the Oscars, so I thought I would give my rundown of the best picture nominees. A little bit of what I thought of each, my faves, and what I think will win. Since the hubs and I have a tough time coordinating when we can both see movies together, we’ve made the Best Picture Showcase a tradition since it started (except for one year, and we think it was because I was running a half marathon in Florida). It was a little easier when there were just five nominees, and the showcase was one day. However, we still seem to make it work (as Tim Gunn might say) now that there are up to ten nominees. There is a 24 hour marathon option at some locations, but we opt to spread it out over two Saturdays. Before I get to the list, I do have one overall note. As with books, film need good editors. I think what kept a lot of these films from being amazing was the editing. The editing can make or break a film. Some of them were overlong, paced unevenly, or suffered from a wandering narrative, all of which could have been helped by editing. That having been said, here’s my rundown:

Captain Phillips Fortunately, this year, none of the films were terrible. We didn’t have a Tree of Life moment this year, or anything we actively didn’t want to see because of how terrible it was sure to be. However, this was definitely my least favorite. What I said up above about editing? Summed up in this film. It was really uneven, and the chunk of exposition either needed to be cut completely, or needed to be beefier. As it was, there was sort of a meandering expository sequence that didn’t add investment or raise the stakes. The dialogue was fine, the acting was good (I was even pleasantly surprised by Tom Hanks, who often creates caricatures rather than characters), even the effects were well done. However, the pacing was all over the place, and how the time of the film was spent could have been better chosen. Long story short: I didn’t want my time or money back, but I also could have gone on with my life without having seen this one. This was also the only film based on a book that didn’t make me want to read the source material.

The Wolf of Wall Street I know Martin Scorcese is a Hollywood treasure. Just the whisper of his name gets people all aflutter. However, this guy needs to meet a good editor. For serious. Some of his films (*cough*GangsofNewYork*cough*) wind up being hot dirty messes because of a lack of editing. This film could have been amazing had it been put in the hands of the right editor. The story was fascinating. An upstart broker winds up out in the cold in a major market crash. He has to start again, and builds an empire of epic proportions, only to be brought down by the feds. The story is great, the actors are excellent (even Leonardo!), but it needed to be reined in just a bit. Also, some of the details, like a scene taking place in the 1980s being set to music from the 1990s, could have handled more attention. Long story short: Fine, not great. Also, I will probably read the book.

Dallas Buyers Club I knew going in that this low budget feature was not going to be perfect. I think that helped keep my expectations reasonable. The acting was excellent, and I never thought I would say that about Matthew McConaughey. The dialogue was okay, but overall the script was not strong. For instance, the character Eve (played by Jennifer Garner), was an amalgamation of several doctors. Unfortunately, the character was pretty shallow, more of a set of lines than a real character. Jennifer Garner did as much as she possibly could with what she was given, but with a great script she would have been put to far better use. On the other hand, Rayon was also an amalgam of many transgender people that were interviewed, but she was given a lot more depth. Jared Leto was stellar, and I think would be very deserving of a statue tonight. Also, Melanie Deforrest deserves the award for make-up and hair. The total budget for her to work with was $250. What she was able to do with that was mind-blowing, especially considering the time they had to film was so short, Leto and McConaughey were at their slimmest for the whole shoot so she had to make them look heavier when they were healthier, because they didn’t have the time to shoot in sequence and allow for them to lose or gain accordingly. Of course, she also had to do the special effects make-up for the various side effects of HIV/AIDS.

American Hustle Another entry into the good, not great list. Great premise, excellent actors, but the actual storytelling lacked. Given the number of excellent hustler and heist films out there, this one was kind of lackluster. Again, individual bits of dialogue were fine, but the overall story and how it was pieced together lacked the sizzle it needed to make the movie great. Christian Bale delivered, as usual, and Jennifer Lawrence was simultaneously adorable and trashy. Bradley Cooper was fine, but I think his perm outshone him. Amy Adams was also fine, but she has done better work, including in another nominated film. The set design and art direction were excellent. This was another film that could have done with a more capable editor, both in the screenplay and in the final assembly of the flick. While all the actors were nominated, Christian Bale always does excellent work but I think the statue will go elsewhere tonight, and the others were simply not at the top of the game this year. However, there is a lot of JLau love out there, so she might be a surprise winner.

Philomena This one caught me by surprise. I like Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, but this was on my list of films that I could see, but didn’t *need* to see. However, once it was nominated, that meant I would have to see it. I am thrilled it was nominated, because it was excellent. It was charming and simple (I mean that as it was without bells and whistles, not that it was dumbed down in any way). The script was well written, the pacing good, and the acting was excellent. Steve Coogan was perfect as the journalist who wound up telling the story. His dry humor was just right for the cynical character. Judi Dench was absolutely delightful. The two of them together were perfectly balanced, and the script definitely was a part of that. I appreciated that there was a balance to the themes (for instance, the central theme of religion there were both pros and cons represented, and the audience was allowed to come to their own conclusions), and while I am more like Sixsmith, I found myself wishing I could be a little more like Lee. I wouldn’t give this one the statue, but I quite enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I am also adding the book it’s based on to my reading list.

Nebraska Another pleasant surprise. This film was completely under the radar, it seemed. I only discovered it because of its Golden Globe nominations. I thought it looked interesting, and it was on my list of films to see, whether or not it was nominated for an Oscar. Luckily, it got a nomination, because that meant it was easier to see. Unfortunately, we had a wee snafu with our tickets, and missed some of the showing. Fortunately, we can get the film to catch up on what we missed (hopefully today). This film was simple (in the way Philomena was simple), yet different and quirky without trying too hard. I’ve long been a fan of both Will Forte and Bob Odenkirk, and it was wonderful to see them both in roles that carried a little more weight. I find that comedy actors are among the most capable, as comedy is hard, but they aren’t always given a chance to prove it. This film was in black and white, a medium I adore when it is used in a good way as it was here. I give huge kudos to all the actors, even though Dern and Squibb are kind of long shots in their categories. I could see June Squibb getting the statue, if the academy votes for the person they would most like to be their grandmother. (Which wouldn’t be a bad thing, it’s just not likely.) Another film that I highly recommend.

Now we are down to brass tacks. The last three include my favorite, and the two I feel are the major contenders for best picture.

Her This one was my personal favorite. In fact, I already want to see it again because I am thinking about it like crazy. I get that this one might not be everyone’s cup of tea. However, it offered a lot of commentary on technology, how that causes us to interact with people (or not), and how the changes in technology and our society as a result could shape services and industries. The gist is that the main character, Theodore, is in the midst of a divorce. He just can’t bring himself to sign the papers. Then, he sees an ad for a new OS. It’s supposed to be so intuitive and customized that it will be revolutionary. And, it is. So intuitive, that Theodore (among others) develop a relationship with the OS. His is named Samantha. Some of the fascinating points of the film are the company Theodore works for (handwrittenletters.com), and how people react to his revelation that his new girlfriend is an OS. I am generally a fan of Spike Jonze’ work, and this was no exception. This film was smart and elegant, and while you might love it or hate it, it will surely get the gears of your brain turning. The acting was all top notch, including the continually up-and-coming Chris Pratt. Amy Adams was wonderful in this film, in fact I thought she was better in this role than in American Hustle. Even if this one isn’t on your list, I still recommend you give it a go. Just don’t fixate on the high-waisted pants too much.

12 Years a Slave This is one of the two real contenders for best picture. Well written and acted, it was also beautifully done. I knew a bit about the film, in that it was the story of a free man who through some mistake wound up enslaved. I didn’t really know the how of the mistake going in, though. This is probably *technically* a spoiler, but it happens really early in the film, and even knowing this small detail will probably not affect the suspense. However, Solomon Northrup is kidnapped and sold into slavery. The thing is that it seems so ridiculous, and like it should be so far behind us. Yet, it isn’t. People are kidnapped or tricked into slavery, or just sold even today. That is part of what makes this film so effective. While this particular story happened over a century ago, it isn’t all that far removed. I don’t want to give away too much more about the story, because I do think that watching it unfold is important. Some of the details are mind blowing, both in that they happened ever, but also because of how things change and do not change.

The acting in this film is incredible. I think Chiwetel Ejiofor will nab the statue for best actor. I think Michael Fassbender will give Jared Leto a run for his money for supporting actor, though his character is so, so evil, it might be hard for the academy to give him the votes. I also think Lupita Nyong’O will get the best supporting award. She is positively stunning, so seeing her filthy and scarred and shamed was even more jarring. Because of the rules about nominations, it must have been hard to narrow down who in this film was submitted. Everyone was excellent. I do highly recommend seeing this, but with the caveat that it is very graphic. I am not squeamish or prudish by any stretch of the imagination, but there was one scene that made me so nauseated I honestly thought I was going to throw up in the theater. I didn’t, but only narrowly. If you are properly steeled for it, you should be okay. I also have to give a proper shout-out to Patricia Norris for her costumes. They were gorgeous. Also, this is another book that is on my list to read.

Gravity This is the other contender for best picture. It really comes down to what kind of film the academy votes for. Given that they are using a ranked choice system for voting, a tie is nearly impossible. Both 12 Years a Slave and Gravity are excellent, they are just very, very different.

Gravity is an excellent example of how messed up the system of creating trailers and campaigns for films is. The thing is that marketing companies are hired to promote a film. They are given some plot information and some raw footage. At that point, the film is usually unfinished. Even if it is “finished” any number of changes can happen as films go through test audiences or try to hit a target run time. So, the marketing company looks at what footage they have that they think will appeal to the target demographic, and maybe will hit some major plot points, if they know any. Hence, you see movies that have little resemblance to the trailers, or things in trailers that never show up in the final film. Or, films that look great in trailers but turn out to be crap, or vice versa.

Gravity was the latter. The trailers looked terrible. Like the film was absolute tripe. So over the top, like a total cheesefest. Not to mention the hint of acting we saw, especially out of context, was the hammiest of hamming. Then, I found out Alfonso Cuaron was the director. That made it a bit of a head scratcher. I mean, the man is immensely talented. He understands editing like the art that it is. How could something that looked so terrible possibly come from such a brilliant filmmaker? Then, some early reviews hit. Folks who were able to see it at festivals raved about it. By all accounts, it was supposed to be mind-blowing. So, I added it to my viewing list, but with a grain of salt. I didn’t want to set my expectations too high, only to have them crushed. The film didn’t disappoint. The moment shown in the trailers, however, was about as maddening in the film. I really wanted to grab Ryan Stone (played by Sandra Bullock) by the shoulders, give her a shake, and a, “Good lord, woman, get a hold of yourself!!!! Overall, though, the film was well done. It was truly an ambitious undertaking on the behalf of Mr. Cuaron, the type that doesn’t happen as often as it should. The type that can fall short, but managed not to here. The run time is surprisingly short for a feature these days, at about 90 minutes, but it was well paced, and with minimal padding (something filmmakers these days really need to embrace). It is one of the very few films that I think 3D enhanced. The 3D was subtle, but used to great effect. The tension was so well placed, and the possibility of either a good or bad outcome was equal right to the very end. I highly recommend this one, especially in a theater. I am betting on Sandra Bullock for best actress. She is America’s sweetheart, and this was a challenging role.

I think that I would give a slight edge to Gravity for best picture, because of the innovation. It really speaks to all the points of what filmmaking is about, in terms of creativity and challenging oneself and the audience. I suspect Alfonso Cuaron will land best director. I thought the nominees were just over half deserving, and just under half were WTF. Spike Jonez was noticeably absent, and given the ambition of his film, I thought that was disappointing. I don’t know that he would have a shot of winning, however he was deserving of the nomination.

Whew! There is my main rundown! I could go on. And on. But, it is late, I have a massage scheduled in the morning to work out the kinks of sitting in a theater all day, and some rest to get so I can tweet about the telecast! Follow me via facebook or twitter, starting around 6pm CST.

man on wire

Wednesday, April 13th, 2011

When Man On Wire was nominated for an Oscar roughly one billionty years ago, we popped it right into our Netflix instant queue. In our quest to see as much nominated material as possible, we got the disc for the Werner Herzog Encounters At the End of the World as well. With the awards telecast looming, and the pressure of having a real, live, Netflix disc in our hands bearing down, we only managed to squeeze in the Herzog. I had the same issue with it that I have with a lot of Herzog’s work. His commentary becomes tedious and pretentious, and is overbearing to the subject at hand. Beyond that, I found what should have been engaging subject matter to be boring. Going in to the show, I thought that if that was the documentary winner then the others must have been pretty awful. In the interim, Man On Wire languished in our queue.
Finally, the subject of the incredible feat chronicled in Man On Wire came up during a lunchtime chat at work. I talked about the mind boggling nature of someone stretching a tightrope across the tippy tops of the two towers of the World Trade Center. We discussed all the ways that this feat was amazing and inspiring. Upon my arrival at home, I talked G into watching it.
Indeed, this documentary is magical. Phillipe Petit first thought of his dream before the WTC was even built, after spying a rendering in a magazine. He held onto that dream for years pulling in his friends and lover as accomplices. He pulled off stunts in preparation to the WTC, and practiced, practiced, practiced every detail. His commitment to the pursuit of realizing his dream is inspiring! We definitely should have made it more of a priority to watch. I don’t want to give away too much of the film, as there was so much more to it than I could have fathomed. You simply need to see it.
Watching this film brought out so many things. First, I recalled my trip to the WTC fifteen years ago. I was a teenager on a trip at the tail end of my senior year of high school. The World Trade Center was a must see building in New York City. As we entered, I looked up at the impressive height of the two buildings. We took the elevator to the observation deck, constantly clearing our ears all the way up. We chatted with the elevator operator, who had perfected the clearing of his ears after repeated trips up and down. The anticipation of the view was overwhelming. We stepped out and headed to the immense spread of windows looking out over the city and beyond. There were cushy seats on risers where one could relax and take in the breathtaking views. Just before the windows was a railing, and if you were truly brave, you could stand nose-to-glass almost as though hovering above the hustle and bustle. I stood, taking it all in. It was unreal as though I were standing over a miniature replica. I was nearly completely unaware of my immediate surroundings. A dear friend sneaked up behind me and gave me a gentle push. It was not meant to be malicious, but I nearly lost my shit. Here’s the thing: I am not afraid of heights, but I am terrified of falling. Although there was plenty to keep me from toppling one hundred meters or so to the ground, I just needed that seed of an idea planted in my head. From that moment on, I was steering clear of the outer perimeter of the building.
We ventured out to the outer observation deck on the very tippy-top of the building. Here it was extremely windy. Fortunately, there was a huge concrete barrier to stand between me and a long plummet to the sidewalk. Yet I couldn’t bring myself to look over. While my friends took photographs of every possible view of the city, I sat on a bench. Well, until a really creepy guy sat next to me and started to chat me up. I got up and moved. He followed me. I took a deep breath and met my friends at the wall. I managed to make the most of the situation, perhaps helped by the guy following me. Perhaps safety in numbers spurred me on. I was able to capture photographs from each side of the building before begging my companions to go back inside.
All of that is to say watching this film, recalling just how far above the ground I was once upon a time, was intense. Being barely able to look out the windows after feeling unsteady, all I can say is that Phillipe Petit had huge balls. He didn’t just make a run for it across that wire, he danced across. He laid down on the wire. He moved to and fro, toward one tower then the other. He looked straight down, truly acknowledging how far he was from the ground. While the view from atop the WTC was breathtaking, watching this man whom I don’t know made it that much more impressive. On top of it, he had this dream that would have withered and died in the heads of the average person. Yet he not only hung onto it, he allowed himself to be immersed in it and allowed it to flourish until it was realized.
Just a little reminder that no matter what the dream, no matter how long it has been since it first sprouted, any dream can be realized.

My Oscars part two: A week late and a dollar short

Sunday, March 14th, 2010

So, I was going to be all super timely with an update after our second round of best picture viewing. Unfortunately, the second round was the day before the Oscar telecast, which was also the day of our SD convention at which we were both delegates. When it rains, it pours.
So, last Saturday G and I headed over to our local AMC for the second five best picture nominees. We dashed into the theater, and into the concessions line for our included popcorns. I looked at the tickets to see we were *supposed* to be in theater nine. A quick look over to theater nine showed that Shutter Island was actually on the screen. While G worked on procuring popcorn and sodas, I darted over to the ticket taker to find out the real theater we were supposed to be in. She told me theater four, which a brief look told me that An Education was on. Now, this was indeed one of the pictures, however the schedule promised a day beginning with Up. So, a sprinted to the customer service counter to find out what the deal was. In fact, theater four was correct. However, they seemed to have no idea at this point why the schedule changed, or what the new showtimes were. Once popcorn was wrangled, we were able to settle in for the rest of the five. After the first flick, we were able to get an updated schedule, and were thankful that we planned on sitting through all five this time. Had it been the previous week, our decision to avoid Avatar could have been disastrous. On the bright side, we were able to make reservations for dinner, so we did get some super delicious Big Bowl. It was a welcome break from junk food, despite my love of salt and carbs.
Here is my rundown:
An Education Sally Sparrow aside, that Carey Mulligan is adorable and charming as ever. The cast in this film is a force to be reckoned with. Peter Saarsgaard as David is able to charm the pants off you with ease, and I found myself falling for him right along side Mulligan’s Jenny. It has been a week, and I still find myself thinking about this film, wanting to see it again, and to read the Lynn Barber memoir on which the script is based.
Up Had it not been for this showcase, I would have probably missed out on this gem. Immediately, I was drawn in by the animation with its subtle hints of retro sensibility. The story is sentimental without being overly sweet, humorous and heartfelt. The montage of the lives of Ellie and Carl was so poignant, I wondered if this could really be a Pixar venture. I have to admit that a part of me wants to tie up our house with helium balloons and go on an adventure. A lot of depth for something so seemingly adorable.
The Hurt Locker This film was fine. Just fine. Well crafted, yes, but without the heart of my favorites. I found myself drifting off because I felt so disconnected. I think this subject matter would have made an excellent documentary, and I would have much rather seen that documentary. I can’t help but think that people are so impressed because it was directed by a woman. Not just a woman, but the ex of James Cameron. Yeah, she’s got balls, but this film needed more.
District 9 I saw this film at a sneak preview, and was completely taken by surprise. Unfortunately, I was in a bit of a dinner coma at this point so I decided to nap so that I would be wide awake for the final feature of the evening. Since I had seen it in the theater, and own the DVD, I thought it was an okay compromise. What I did watch, though, was even better the second time. I saw little tidbits I completely missed the first time, making the film that much more poignant. I was once again bowled over by the talented actors, who I still have a hard time believing could be unknown. I once again thought the effects were amazing. The prawns were seamlessly integrated into our world, and I couldn’t help but to be a little smitten by Christopher. When you see this film, pay close attention to the mirror behind Wikus’ wife. If your heart doesn’t break at least a little, you probably aren’t human.
A Serious Man The Coen Brothers’ latest. This film still has elements of classic Coen, but is one of their more realist films. I don’t think it is their best work, but I still find it a solid film. It is another that I find myself pondering even a week later. Delightful acting, a well written script, and excellent cinematography. If you have spent any amount of time in Minnesota, there is an extra layer of whimsy and hilarity. One of my favorite moments made more surreal by inside knowledge was set inside an Embers. Knowing it was actually Keys, and realizing the set looked eerily like the Chatterbox made my brain spasm for a moment. I highly recommend this flick, even if you are a non-Minnesotan.
If I were filling out my IRV-style ballot for the Oscars, it would look something like this:
1) Inglorious Basterds
2) District 9
3) An Education
4) A Serious Man
5) Up in the Air
6) Up (although, I think it should have only been nominated in one category, and I felt it was better served by the animated film category)
7) The Blind Side
8) The Hurt Locker
9) Precious
10) Avatar (based on the fact that I still find nothing interesting about it, no matter what previews I see nor what anyone tells me)
I will report back tomorrow with my rundown of the Oscars, and with some shots of my incredible Oscar ensemble. Which, I still found was an awesome homage to one of my favorite flicks this year, even though everyone thought it was totally Mad Men

my dogs are barkin’

Sunday, February 28th, 2010

So, yesterday was part one of the big AMC Best Picture Nominee showcase. A few years ago they started doing a showcase of the Best Picture nominees, showing all five nominees in one day. With a whopping ten nominees this year, the showcase was extended to two Saturdays. The five on deck yesterday were: Avatar, Up in the Air, Precious (for which I refuse to call by it’s full screen name, since I think it’s ridiculous), The Blind Side, and Inglorious Basterds.
Of these, the only film G and I saw was Inglorious Basterds. Having no interest in Avatar, we planned on this being our big chance to see it, since we already paid for it and all. However, once the morning rolled around, we both decided that sleep was more interesting than Avatar. I suppose if James Cameron has made a deal with the devil and it wins the award, we’ll feel sheepish…but not much.
Up in the Air was as good as I thought it would be. I thought it spoke to the strength of the script & directing that G and I had different takes on it. G and I have somewhat different mindsets right now, and I thought it was cool that we were able to walk away each having got something different from the film.
Precious was okay. Maybe my expectations were too high, but while I thought there were some good performances, I thought the film was just mediocre in its execution. There were several continuity errors, and some things that made it appear as though the director did not have a clear vision of intent.
These were the only two that G and I were able to watch together, and as we discussed over dinner, we seemed to be in agreement of the quality. After he left to get ready for his show, I went back for the last two films. Next up was The Blind Side. I have to admit, that it was better than my expectations. I am still not sold on the idea of Sandra Bullock as the winner of Best Actress in a Leading Role, though she gave a solid performance. The actor portraying big Mike is what sold me. While I understand that the story was simplified, some of the simplifications made sense to me. I think leaving some things in would have made for a several hour epic film event, and that would have been too much. When I heard the nominees, this one came as a shock to me. However, given the ten slot format, having seen the film I understand its nomination.
Finally came my second viewing of Inglorious Basterds. My dear friend Proptart joined me, as she still had not seen it. The film was just as glorious the second time around. Perhaps even better. I am a little surprised that more actors were not nominated from the film, as there were some incredible and subtle performances. The only thing that detracted from maximum enjoyment of the film this time around was environmental. When Proptart arrived, we decided to move back from my front row seat. The theater had cleared out just a bit, so there were some great seats open. We settled in, and the film started. Not long in, I noticed a smell. Something along the lines of rancid meat. My first concern was that it was me. I had to pee anyway, so while in the bathroom, I gave myself a quick sniff test. Nope, no rancid meat smell. When I got back in the theater, I put my coat over me like a blanket and put my nose in the fur collar. I didn’t want to be too obvious, otherwise I would have pulled my shirt over my nose, or covered the lower half of my face. Fortunately, the theater was cool enough that it didn’t seem weird that I was bundled up. It was rather distracting, due to the strength of the odor, and not knowing where it was coming from. I think that if the government doesn’t do this already, this would make a great torture technique. Anyway, the credits start to roll, and I notice the guy sitting one seat away pull his shoes out from under his seat and put them back on. The odor dissipated. We had to suffer the whole film because this man with feet unlike I have ever smelled in my life wanted to take his shoes off. I understand wanting to be comfortable, but seriously dude, get that checked out. I mentioned this to my viewing companion, and she was relieved. She noticed the odor, as well, and had the same paranoia that she somehow smelled. It reminded us of the episode of The Office when Jim and Pam get married, and Kevin puts his shoes in the hall to be polished. He thinks his shoes have been stolen, but he is informed that they needed to be destroyed. I think this guy’s shoes needed to be destroyed. On the bright side, it killed my appetite, so I wasn’t tempted to eat any popcorn during the show.
Next Saturday, G and I will take in the remaining nominees. Hopefully, everyone will keep his or her shoes on!

sucked in…

Saturday, January 17th, 2009

As anyone who knows me knows, I have a thing for (almost) all things vampire. I say (almost) because there are certain interpretations of the lore that leave me cold, such as Buffy and Angel. Thus, with all the Twilight hullabaloo, I tried to keep my distance. I mean, teenage girls everywhere were shrieking and weeping and forming lines at four a.m. at shopping malls in an attempt to score a glimpse of the actors doing their press junket thing. My anti-Twilight sentiment only grew once I read some things about the author around the time Breaking Dawn was released. She is a Mormon, who said she didn’t really know much about vampires and didn’t really research them before she wrote the books. Ummmm…no. As someone who is very specific about certain aspects of the lore, this was not going to fly. It was much the same as when Harry Potter came out, and I realized it sounded like a total rip-off of a series of books I read growing up.
However, we all know how that Harry Potter thing turned out for me, so I suppose my change of heart regarding Twilight was also inevitable. A friend saw the film, and was telling me about it at work one day. She recommended I see it, she said it was fun in a teenage romance sort of way, and that it was every teen girls dream. It captured that time of life very well. I told her I might check it out when the DVD came out, but not to hold her breath. Then, another friend started reading the book. She passed it along to the friend who saw the film. Their excitement was contagious, and I figured, what the hell? I can’t really knock something I haven’t tried, so I agreed to read it. Once I started, I couldn’t stop. I flew through the book, and while we were in Northern Minnesota over Christmas, I needed the second book immediately. Let me tell you, bookstores are not a staple in remote parts. We finally found a bookstore, and G kindly ran in and picked up New Moon. I polished that off, too, and the hunt was on for Eclipse. After a couple of bookstore stops near home, I procured it, and devoured it. Finally, we were on to the finale. I was hesitant…I mean, the journey would be over. I didn’t know if I was ready! I was attached to these characters. However, just as quickly as the others, I obtained my copy and devoured it. Just like any crack fiend…I needed more. I heard there was talk of a new version of Twilight, as told from Edward’s perspective. I went to the trusty internets. Sure enough, on Stephenie Meyer’s website she talked of this novel, Midnight Sun. Unfortunately, some chump leaked the book on the same internets, and she was in no mood to finish it as a result. However, she said that if the portion of the book that existed were going to be made available, she would rather it be on her terms. So, I then proceeded to devour the available portion of Midnight Sun. I tried to avoid it, I did…but I needed it! I read every deleted scene from the books. Though this seems like it is all coming out very easily, it is not. It is difficult for a woman of a certain age to admit she was caught up in teen fiction. I do want to clarify that these books are by no means high literature. However, they are enjoyable. Stephenie Meyer very accurately captures that time of life, where every option awaits you in the real world and first love hits so hard, you can’t fathom anything else could be the same. She also has some interesting takes on the lore. Outside of one thing I still can’t wrap my head around logistically, I can get behind it.
I even conceded to seeing the film. I think that, like my previously mentioned friend, I had viewed it prior to reading the books I would have enjoyed it more. It was a mediocre film to begin with. Now, I understand that in adaptations of books, things need to be cut, combined, etc. However, in the case of Twilight , there were things that made absolutely no sense to change. For instance, Bella and her father eating every meal in the diner. Really, she couldn’t make him dinner at home, as she did in the book? Really? I wouldn’t care so much if it weren’t sort of important to establishing Bella as the caretaker in her relationship with her parents. Which is kind of important to the way the other three books play out. Also, the costume designer for the film should not be allowed to work again. Bad, bad, bad. Costume is just as important to film as any other element to establish character, time, emotional state, etc. I think she was a little too focused on how slovenly teens dress at the mall, rather than the actual content of the film. Any tension that existed in the original text was gone. I am optimistic for New Moon, though. I think Chris Weitz is a much stronger director, and assuming Stephenie Meyer stands up for her content a bit more, I think we’ll be in business.
G says I am obsessed. I reminded him that I went through The Vampire Chronicles just as quickly, and proceeded to realize that he was totally the pot calling the kettle. I mean, he has an Interview with the Vampire tee, as well as a signed copy of the book. So there.
Speaking of all things vampire, the same weekend I took in Twilight, I also took in a vampire flick of a different ilk, Let the Right One In. Another novel to screen adaptation (though I haven’t read the book yet), though rather different. The film is Swedish, taking place just outside of Stockholm in the early 1980s. The film is lovely. The children in the lead roles are pretty fantastic, due in part to the content they were given. I appreciate how foreign films tend to treat kids more realistically, acknowledging that they are people who have the same feelings as adults, but are learning about themselves and trying to deal with the situations they are in with what experience they have, and that is a very difficult thing. This film has a more traditional approach to the mythology surrounding vampires and deals with it effectively. Some of the effects are a little jarring due to their quality in comparison to the utter realism of the film. However, I highly recommend it. I look forward to reading the book very much (c’mon Proptart…hurry up!).
I am also looking forward to Underworld: Rise of the Lycans very much. Whilst I am much more of a vampire girl than a shapeshifter/lycan one…I loved the Underworld films thus far. Plus, this one appears to be chock full of Bill Nighy in delicious form. I will be out at midnight for that one fo sho.
In a similar vein, thanks to the Headmistress over at Gothic Charm School, I have discovered yet another favorite blog, Haute Macabre. I love to peruse all of their new finds each day, and drool and bookmark and make wish lists. Some favorites from the site so far would be Coffin Couches, a site that sells sofas made from recycled coffins (WANT!!!) and this Squirrel Heart Pendant which I would shriek like a little schoolgirl should I receive it for Valentine’s Day. IJS.
BTW, to see how ridiculously into this whole Twilight thing I really am…check out my Flickr pool in the lower right corner. Team Edward, baby!!!

did hell freeze over?

Sunday, February 24th, 2008

Because the film that deserved best picture for this year, won best picture.
I hope pigs don’t poop when they fly.

questioning my travel plans…

Friday, June 8th, 2007

So, if you saw Hostel, and liked it, and are pondering whether the second flick could possibly be worth seeing….
….it is.
In an unrelated to the film note, people mystify me. All of them.
That is all.