Argo is the second of nine films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. As the films are listed alphabetically on the Oscar website, reviews will be in alphabetical order.
The Canadian Football League's Toronto team is called the Argonauts. Anywhere in the world, at any given time, some Canadian at a sporting event is screaming, "ARRRRRRRRRRRGOOOOOOOS..." A buddy of mine was at a soccer match in Mexico City and, during a lull in the action, heard someone from across the 100,000+ seat arena scream, "ARRRRRRRRRRRGOOOOOOOS..."
Canadians are a strange and wonderful lot. They have quietly supported both war and peace efforts whose roots were based in freedom and democracy. Unsung heroes, perhaps? Or just trying to do the right thing? Or just as full of shit as everyone else?
Ben Affleck. He's been in some good films and some duds. I often wonder about his strength as an actor because his characters often seem the same - kind of Affleck playing Affleck. Though sometimes it's hard to tell because, more often than not, he's surrounded by strong supporting casts. Hmmm... I guess it doesn't matter if he's a good actor or not because he is clearly very smart for surrounding himself with talent. I guess then, that the Ben Affleck as an actor question is irrelevant. So, what about Argo?
I know there's been much hype about this film, but I've tried not to pay attention so I could view the trailer with as open a mind as I could possibly have...
I don't remember anything about the "true story" but I can say that the trailer was very entertaining. According to Beerbohmtastic, a movie trailer doesn't need to be longer than 1:20. Very few 2:00 minute + trailers are good. The problem is that they just give away too much and then there's no reason to see the film. Argo was an entertaining 2:34.
The trailer for Argo set up the story so well that one didn't need to know the history. It was interesting, exciting and amusing. There was a nice combination of suspense, foreshadowing and what a trailer is supposed to do.... tease, peak interest, and make you want to see the film! And, Affleck was very convincing even though he has a good supporting cast...
When I like a trailer, I will see the movie. I really liked this trailer.
Tuesday, 15 January 2013
Monday, 14 January 2013
Amour
Amour is one of nine films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. As the films are listed alphabetically on the Oscar website, reviews will be in alphabetical order.
The first trailer I watched was in French with no subtitles. I watched the whole 2 minute trailer without really understanding the dialogue, but tried to take in the visuals. My first response was: the Academy will likely not vote for a French film to be Best Picture two years in a row, unless it was silent again. But then this isn't 1925 so back-to-back silent film Oscars aren't likely. Is there a silent film nominated? I wish some films were silent, but I digress.
Whenever I meet someone who has been married for more than 20 years, I always ask the same question: What's the secret to a long and happy marriage? I'm sure you've heard many of these...
"Never go to bed angry."
"Don't sweat the small stuff."
"Pick your battles carefully."
"Happy wife, happy life."
"Ask yourself, do I want to be right, or do I want to be happy?"
I then watched the Amour trailer that had subtitles.
The trailer for Amour shows an elderly couple that have had a long and happy marriage - an apparent perfect relationship with much in common. The wife falls ill, terminally it appears, and the husband and daughter are left trying to make sense of it all - or both fall ill and the daughter is left dealing with it. I wasn't sure but didn't want to watch the trailer again.
I have no doubt that the drama will be real and moving. I have no doubt that almost everyone who sees this film will relate because almost everyone has experienced extreme happiness, hardship and tragic loss. And, as I'm sure will be the case in Amour, coming to some sort of understanding followed by some kind of peace or acceptance, will occur.
While I felt compassion watching the trailer and it stirred memories of my father's long illness and subsequent death, by the end of the trailer I didn't want to relate any more.
So while the trailer did a good job of stirring real emotions, they were emotions that we all have felt, or will, so is someone else's story going to make me feel better about mine?
Maybe.
But I'll likely never find out as I have no desire to see this film.
The first trailer I watched was in French with no subtitles. I watched the whole 2 minute trailer without really understanding the dialogue, but tried to take in the visuals. My first response was: the Academy will likely not vote for a French film to be Best Picture two years in a row, unless it was silent again. But then this isn't 1925 so back-to-back silent film Oscars aren't likely. Is there a silent film nominated? I wish some films were silent, but I digress.
Whenever I meet someone who has been married for more than 20 years, I always ask the same question: What's the secret to a long and happy marriage? I'm sure you've heard many of these...
"Never go to bed angry."
"Don't sweat the small stuff."
"Pick your battles carefully."
"Happy wife, happy life."
"Ask yourself, do I want to be right, or do I want to be happy?"
I then watched the Amour trailer that had subtitles.
The trailer for Amour shows an elderly couple that have had a long and happy marriage - an apparent perfect relationship with much in common. The wife falls ill, terminally it appears, and the husband and daughter are left trying to make sense of it all - or both fall ill and the daughter is left dealing with it. I wasn't sure but didn't want to watch the trailer again.
I have no doubt that the drama will be real and moving. I have no doubt that almost everyone who sees this film will relate because almost everyone has experienced extreme happiness, hardship and tragic loss. And, as I'm sure will be the case in Amour, coming to some sort of understanding followed by some kind of peace or acceptance, will occur.
While I felt compassion watching the trailer and it stirred memories of my father's long illness and subsequent death, by the end of the trailer I didn't want to relate any more.
So while the trailer did a good job of stirring real emotions, they were emotions that we all have felt, or will, so is someone else's story going to make me feel better about mine?
Maybe.
But I'll likely never find out as I have no desire to see this film.
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
What Richard Did
What Richard Did is a film from Ireland. I stumbled upon the poster on Twitter and followed the link. I'm glad I did.
I knew a guy. At the age of 17 he was a promising skier and snowboarder. So promising that the Olympics were on the radar for him. His life seemed destined for greatness. While drowning in his success and promise, he made some bad choices around drugs and alcohol. By the age of 19, he was a total mess. He's 40 now; an alcoholic and he works sporadically. His latest girlfriend left him because, she says, when he's drunk he won't get out of bed to urinate so, out of laziness, he wets the bed. When people try to help him get on track he says, "my life peaked at 18. Everything since then has been shit. Why bother?"
I'm sure we all know, or know of, someone like that; someone whose light burns out long before it should have. Or perhaps more appropriately, someone who makes a choice that is detrimental to their future. While some have the fortitude to overcome bad life choices and still achieve success, some never recover from their choices. I guess it really depends on the choice and the action.
I'm really good at stating the obvious.
The trailer for What Richard Did tells this story, sort of. It shows a young man at the threshold of a promising future. He has everything going for him. The trailer paints a very clear picture but does not really give away the choice Richard makes. This is a true teaser.
The trailer for What Richard Did had all the elements of the perfect teaser trailer. It was less than 2 minutes, it welcomed the viewer with human drama and likable characters. It did so with humour and compassion and then it strikes you with tragedy - without real spoilers. Yes, we can easily speculate, but the outcome is more important than the choice. Does Richard overcome or is his life ruined?
The trailer left me with two thoughts:
1) I am often grateful for my own mediocrity because any form of success is cautiously appreciated.
2) I hope that I have the opportunity to see this film.
http://whatricharddid.ie/
I knew a guy. At the age of 17 he was a promising skier and snowboarder. So promising that the Olympics were on the radar for him. His life seemed destined for greatness. While drowning in his success and promise, he made some bad choices around drugs and alcohol. By the age of 19, he was a total mess. He's 40 now; an alcoholic and he works sporadically. His latest girlfriend left him because, she says, when he's drunk he won't get out of bed to urinate so, out of laziness, he wets the bed. When people try to help him get on track he says, "my life peaked at 18. Everything since then has been shit. Why bother?"
I'm sure we all know, or know of, someone like that; someone whose light burns out long before it should have. Or perhaps more appropriately, someone who makes a choice that is detrimental to their future. While some have the fortitude to overcome bad life choices and still achieve success, some never recover from their choices. I guess it really depends on the choice and the action.
I'm really good at stating the obvious.
The trailer for What Richard Did tells this story, sort of. It shows a young man at the threshold of a promising future. He has everything going for him. The trailer paints a very clear picture but does not really give away the choice Richard makes. This is a true teaser.
The trailer for What Richard Did had all the elements of the perfect teaser trailer. It was less than 2 minutes, it welcomed the viewer with human drama and likable characters. It did so with humour and compassion and then it strikes you with tragedy - without real spoilers. Yes, we can easily speculate, but the outcome is more important than the choice. Does Richard overcome or is his life ruined?
The trailer left me with two thoughts:
1) I am often grateful for my own mediocrity because any form of success is cautiously appreciated.
2) I hope that I have the opportunity to see this film.
http://whatricharddid.ie/
Monday, 7 January 2013
Parker
Every time I see Jason Statham all I can think of is: Jasan Statham is the new Chuck Norris.
There is nobody in film today that has a higher level of superstar badassary than Statham. I can't remember what any Statham movie was really about but only that he totally kicks ass and does it in almost epic, comic book cool, way. If Statham is after you, you deserve to die.
I know I've said this before but...
Jason Statham does not hunt because the word hunting infers the probability of failure. Jason Statham goes killing.
And,
If you can see Jason Statham, he can see you. If you can't see Jason Statham you may be only seconds away from death.
I could go on and on with the whole Jason Statham is the new Chuck Norris thing. I hope that others have picked up on it because this torch would burn the hands of any other tough guy.
The trailer for Parker shows a badass getting double crossed and he is 'allegedly' killed. He then rises from the "dead" to seek revenge. This is not unlike Skyfall, or Walking Tall or a Charles Bronson film or even that crappy Mel Gibson film (was it Payback?).
You know what? We don't view these types of films for "art" or "originality" or "cinematic technique" or "social commentary." We watch these films for the action and badassary. It's entertainment at its most base level and it works beautifully.
The trailer for Parker was exactly what it was supposed to be: Statham kicking ass. That's good enough for me.
VIEWED: This is 40
My trailer review for This is 40 stated:
"The only thing I thought of when I watched the trailer was: cry me a f**king river you assholes. You are two selfish people who are trying to make a relationship work in an upper middle class household where you don't have to worry about poverty, hunger, abuse, addiction, mental health etc... Oh wait. Maybe this is supposed to be a film for normal people."
The wife dragged me to see this on the weekend.
There were some funny and cute moments (mostly because of the kids), but the movie was about 30 minutes too long. It actually seemed much longer and I couldn't help but mutter at some point, "longest movie ever."
While the film had very true-to-relationship conflict, I maintain my above rant. The couple in the film were having financial troubles. He drove an $80K BMW. She drove a Lexus SUV. They had a large house in L.A. He supports his deadbeat father and we learn that over a three year period has given him $80K. We learn that he quit his major record label job to start his own label. They have every toy and gadget imaginable and, oh, isn't there a debt crisis in America? Yes this is partially the point, but...
This is 40 is about real life relationship problems with a backdrop of waste and excess. Is this movie a statement on relationships or how Americans are drowning in personal debt?
In the movies however, something happens to save the day. In real life, people lose their homes.
In This is 40, the relationship and family issues were realistic. Unfortunately, nothing else about the movie was.
"The only thing I thought of when I watched the trailer was: cry me a f**king river you assholes. You are two selfish people who are trying to make a relationship work in an upper middle class household where you don't have to worry about poverty, hunger, abuse, addiction, mental health etc... Oh wait. Maybe this is supposed to be a film for normal people."
The wife dragged me to see this on the weekend.
There were some funny and cute moments (mostly because of the kids), but the movie was about 30 minutes too long. It actually seemed much longer and I couldn't help but mutter at some point, "longest movie ever."
While the film had very true-to-relationship conflict, I maintain my above rant. The couple in the film were having financial troubles. He drove an $80K BMW. She drove a Lexus SUV. They had a large house in L.A. He supports his deadbeat father and we learn that over a three year period has given him $80K. We learn that he quit his major record label job to start his own label. They have every toy and gadget imaginable and, oh, isn't there a debt crisis in America? Yes this is partially the point, but...
This is 40 is about real life relationship problems with a backdrop of waste and excess. Is this movie a statement on relationships or how Americans are drowning in personal debt?
In the movies however, something happens to save the day. In real life, people lose their homes.
In This is 40, the relationship and family issues were realistic. Unfortunately, nothing else about the movie was.
Thursday, 3 January 2013
The Guilt Trip
When I was a kid my friend Karen used to say, "why don't you just call a travel agent and book me a guilt trip."
Karen's brother, Paul, always had the best Halloween costumes. One year he put on an orange garbage bag, dark glasses and carried a briefcase. He was "agent orange." Another year, Paul dressed as a ninja. On his head, though, was a black bandanna with a Star of David on it. When asked, Paul would say, "I'm Bruce Lee-bowitz, NIN-JEW. Paul is Jewish so it was okay.
Guilt is not just reserved for Catholics or Jews, though they are the two religions that guilt is more commonly associated with.
The comparison of guilt was defined nicely here: http://thelinknewspaper.ca/article/2655/
Catholic guilt:
Being a good Catholic is about many things. It’s living in a constant state of guilt. It’s having trouble saying the word ‘vagina’ without cringing. It’s a voice in the deepest chamber of your heart reminding you just how disappointing you are and always will be. (Christopher Curtis)
Jewish guilt:
...kind of have to assume that a) anything I do represents the entire worldwide Jewish community, and b) anything I can do might result in the total obliteration of the Jewish people, so c) feel really badly about everything before I even do anything. (Adam Kovac)
The trailer for The Guilt Trip basically tells the story of a a man about to embark on a road trip and being guilted into taking his mother with him. The guilt continues throughout the trip. Hence the title. It was kind of funny if you understand the guilt. If not, it was a Jewish mother being annoying and her son being annoyed by her until he understands where it's all coming from and then accepts it.
Barbara Streisand is an icon. I will never forgive Seth Rogan for absolutely butchering my favourite "anti" superhero, The Green Hornet. I watched it again on Netflix over the holidays only to confirm how disrespectful Rogan was to the spirit of Britt Reid. I've liked Rogan in other things and in The Guilt Trip he seems to suit the role of guilted Jewish son, well.
Otherwise, the trailer did very little for me. I doubt I'll see The Guilt Trip on the big screen.
Karen's brother, Paul, always had the best Halloween costumes. One year he put on an orange garbage bag, dark glasses and carried a briefcase. He was "agent orange." Another year, Paul dressed as a ninja. On his head, though, was a black bandanna with a Star of David on it. When asked, Paul would say, "I'm Bruce Lee-bowitz, NIN-JEW. Paul is Jewish so it was okay.
Guilt is not just reserved for Catholics or Jews, though they are the two religions that guilt is more commonly associated with.
The comparison of guilt was defined nicely here: http://thelinknewspaper.ca/article/2655/
Catholic guilt:
Being a good Catholic is about many things. It’s living in a constant state of guilt. It’s having trouble saying the word ‘vagina’ without cringing. It’s a voice in the deepest chamber of your heart reminding you just how disappointing you are and always will be. (Christopher Curtis)
Jewish guilt:
...kind of have to assume that a) anything I do represents the entire worldwide Jewish community, and b) anything I can do might result in the total obliteration of the Jewish people, so c) feel really badly about everything before I even do anything. (Adam Kovac)
The trailer for The Guilt Trip basically tells the story of a a man about to embark on a road trip and being guilted into taking his mother with him. The guilt continues throughout the trip. Hence the title. It was kind of funny if you understand the guilt. If not, it was a Jewish mother being annoying and her son being annoyed by her until he understands where it's all coming from and then accepts it.
Barbara Streisand is an icon. I will never forgive Seth Rogan for absolutely butchering my favourite "anti" superhero, The Green Hornet. I watched it again on Netflix over the holidays only to confirm how disrespectful Rogan was to the spirit of Britt Reid. I've liked Rogan in other things and in The Guilt Trip he seems to suit the role of guilted Jewish son, well.
Otherwise, the trailer did very little for me. I doubt I'll see The Guilt Trip on the big screen.
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
Happy New Year!
For all who make New Years' resolutions this Max Beerbohm quote applies...
"All fantasy should have a solid base in reality."
Happy New Year from Beerbohmtasic.
May all your trailers be true to your films.
"All fantasy should have a solid base in reality."
Happy New Year from Beerbohmtasic.
May all your trailers be true to your films.
Sunday, 30 December 2012
Django Unchained
Someone said to me, "have you seen the trailer for Django Unchained?"
I responded, "there's going to be a sequel to that animated lizard movie with Johnny Depp?"
Rango was the animated lizard movie. It's just that it seems like most films today are a sequel, prequel, or terribly unequal to anything remotely original.
Speaking of which, Quentin Tarantino. He's made some pretty great films. And despite the criticisms against him, many of his films seem fresh and original. The Kill Bill movies sucked, but that's an old rant...
Every so often a modern western is made. Usually they are pretty good. Didn't Eastwood's, Unforgiven, even win an Oscar? I don't remember. Rango was a western. Just sayin'
The trailer for Django Unchained tells the story, in the form of a western, of an American slave that is liberated by a bounty hunter to help settle a score. The slave is the only one who has seen the faces of the men being tracked and thus, is made a bounty hunter too.
A potential nominee for best line in a trailer, when asked, "how do you like the bounty hunter business?" Django says, "kill white people... What's not to like?"
During the trailer the words, Life, Liberty, And the pursuit of... Vengeance, appear between scenes. While the vengeance theme is entertaining on film because we all want to see justice in about two hours, I always struggle with how the theme conflicts with Judeo-Christian values. Yes, I've been on this rant before, too. Hollywood, please make some original movies so I can stop sounding like a sequel, prequel or terribly unequal to anything remotely original.
All that to say that the trailer for Django Unchained looked, cool, fun and entertaining despite being longer than 2 minutes. Mr. Tarantino, this looks like a good movie.
I'm sure I will see it.
I responded, "there's going to be a sequel to that animated lizard movie with Johnny Depp?"
Rango was the animated lizard movie. It's just that it seems like most films today are a sequel, prequel, or terribly unequal to anything remotely original.
Speaking of which, Quentin Tarantino. He's made some pretty great films. And despite the criticisms against him, many of his films seem fresh and original. The Kill Bill movies sucked, but that's an old rant...
Every so often a modern western is made. Usually they are pretty good. Didn't Eastwood's, Unforgiven, even win an Oscar? I don't remember. Rango was a western. Just sayin'
The trailer for Django Unchained tells the story, in the form of a western, of an American slave that is liberated by a bounty hunter to help settle a score. The slave is the only one who has seen the faces of the men being tracked and thus, is made a bounty hunter too.
A potential nominee for best line in a trailer, when asked, "how do you like the bounty hunter business?" Django says, "kill white people... What's not to like?"
During the trailer the words, Life, Liberty, And the pursuit of... Vengeance, appear between scenes. While the vengeance theme is entertaining on film because we all want to see justice in about two hours, I always struggle with how the theme conflicts with Judeo-Christian values. Yes, I've been on this rant before, too. Hollywood, please make some original movies so I can stop sounding like a sequel, prequel or terribly unequal to anything remotely original.
All that to say that the trailer for Django Unchained looked, cool, fun and entertaining despite being longer than 2 minutes. Mr. Tarantino, this looks like a good movie.
I'm sure I will see it.
Friday, 28 December 2012
This is 40
The wife wants to see this movie tomorrow night so I must review the trailer, now.
This is 40 is billed as the sort of sequel to Knocked Up - which she took me to see when it came out.
I guess sort of sequel means it's the supporting couple from Knocked Up (Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann) playing the lead in the sequel. They were the semi-functional couple who had their problems but worked hard to work them out because they have kids. Gee, that applies to, I don't know.... EVERY COUPLE!
Knocked Up was kind of cute in a pro-life, fairy tale, delusional sort of way. You know, you have the one-night stand and the woman gets pregnant and you choose to spend the rest of your lives together. I guess (guys) if you're dumb enough to let that happen then you should have to man-up and take responsibility. I've lived it. I know.
The problem with Knocked Up is that there was nothing realistic about the two leads who make the choice to stay together after the one-night stand. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice message, and would be great if people did take responsibility for bringing unexpected (and sadly, unwanted) children into this world.
So the realistic couple, the supporting couple from Knocked Up, gets their own movie. It's a movie about a committed relationship with children and its' problems.
The only thing I thought of when I watched the trailer was: cry me a f**king river you assholes. You are two selfish people who are trying to make a relationship work in an upper middle class household where you don't have to worry about poverty, hunger, abuse, addiction, mental health etc...
Oh wait. Maybe this is supposed to be a film for normal people. Regular working families who have their struggles and work to overcome them for the sake of the family unit. Maybe this is supposed to be an inspiration to we who have accepted our lives and try to create a better environment for our families. You know, the regular folks who aren't the vain, shallow, ignorant, arrogant, completely delusional twits from reality TV. You know, full of self-importance and no talent. Or is that just what they think of the rest of us?
I guess the wife chose to see this for a reason.... Yeah, I'm pretty dumb sometimes.
This is 40 is billed as the sort of sequel to Knocked Up - which she took me to see when it came out.
I guess sort of sequel means it's the supporting couple from Knocked Up (Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann) playing the lead in the sequel. They were the semi-functional couple who had their problems but worked hard to work them out because they have kids. Gee, that applies to, I don't know.... EVERY COUPLE!
Knocked Up was kind of cute in a pro-life, fairy tale, delusional sort of way. You know, you have the one-night stand and the woman gets pregnant and you choose to spend the rest of your lives together. I guess (guys) if you're dumb enough to let that happen then you should have to man-up and take responsibility. I've lived it. I know.
The problem with Knocked Up is that there was nothing realistic about the two leads who make the choice to stay together after the one-night stand. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice message, and would be great if people did take responsibility for bringing unexpected (and sadly, unwanted) children into this world.
So the realistic couple, the supporting couple from Knocked Up, gets their own movie. It's a movie about a committed relationship with children and its' problems.
The only thing I thought of when I watched the trailer was: cry me a f**king river you assholes. You are two selfish people who are trying to make a relationship work in an upper middle class household where you don't have to worry about poverty, hunger, abuse, addiction, mental health etc...
Oh wait. Maybe this is supposed to be a film for normal people. Regular working families who have their struggles and work to overcome them for the sake of the family unit. Maybe this is supposed to be an inspiration to we who have accepted our lives and try to create a better environment for our families. You know, the regular folks who aren't the vain, shallow, ignorant, arrogant, completely delusional twits from reality TV. You know, full of self-importance and no talent. Or is that just what they think of the rest of us?
I guess the wife chose to see this for a reason.... Yeah, I'm pretty dumb sometimes.
Saturday, 22 December 2012
Live-In Fear
Live-In Fear is an independent horror film. Thanks for sending the links, Maria.
Once again, here are my top 5 scary movies that take place in snowy settings:
1) The Shining
2) The Thing
3) Misery
4) Ravenous
5) Black Christmas
To be honest, those are the only ones that I can think of that I've seen... other than The Grey, which wasn't really scary and I really wanted the wolves to win. Oh, and Fargo, which wasn't scary either, just all kinds of brilliant.
What makes cold, snowy setting so effective in scary movies is often the choice one has to make to either die by the hands of the killer or to die by the hands of nature - neither sounds pleasant. Cold, isolated settings are also a good backdrop for madness.
Live-In Fear is the story of four 20somethings who go to Utah for a skiing vacation to escape the rat race of Los Angeles. What they find or what finds them is a shitstorm of weird cultish mayhem, murder and mutilation.
Utah. I spent a week in Utah skiing and stayed at a rundown lodge halfway up a mountain in Park City. It was beautiful and cold and we had to hitch a ride on a snowmobile to get to and from the bars, which closed at 10:00 pm. After that we found all sorts of trouble to get into. My only other memories are of the watery draught beer and the bland and doughy pizza.
The trailer for Live-In Fear begins with one of the group talking about the legend of a bloody bride - a sort of Bloody Mary, Candyman type ghost story one might tell to a child. He tells the story on the way to the cabin in the woods.
I like cabin in the woods stories. Regardless of whether the threat is human, supernatural, physical or psychological, remoteness lends itself so well to a horror story. So, if madness can overtake a rational mind while on vacation, imagine what madness can do to one who chooses the remote setting as a permanent home.
I may be wrong (I often am but don't mind, really) but Live-In Fear appears to examine a sort of collision of madness. The collision being the tired L.A. tourists who just want to get away to a quiet, secluded place VS. the locals whose cabin fever took over long before the tourists arrived.
Indeed, the cabin in the woods is a common theme, but while one can judge such films as cliche, the horror genre is built on such themes and at its core is, fear. The manifestation of such fear, whether the threat is human, supernatural, real or perceived is the thrill that we fans expect when we watch such films.
You don't need a big budget to create fear. You just need to create fear from a threat that the audience can believe.
As a trailer, Live-In Fear had all the elements of a good, scary movie. I'll just need to see it to confirm....
Um, Maria, please send it...
Check out the trailer for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
The film’s IMDB page is http://www.imdb.com/title/
Once again, here are my top 5 scary movies that take place in snowy settings:
1) The Shining
2) The Thing
3) Misery
4) Ravenous
5) Black Christmas
To be honest, those are the only ones that I can think of that I've seen... other than The Grey, which wasn't really scary and I really wanted the wolves to win. Oh, and Fargo, which wasn't scary either, just all kinds of brilliant.
What makes cold, snowy setting so effective in scary movies is often the choice one has to make to either die by the hands of the killer or to die by the hands of nature - neither sounds pleasant. Cold, isolated settings are also a good backdrop for madness.
Live-In Fear is the story of four 20somethings who go to Utah for a skiing vacation to escape the rat race of Los Angeles. What they find or what finds them is a shitstorm of weird cultish mayhem, murder and mutilation.
Utah. I spent a week in Utah skiing and stayed at a rundown lodge halfway up a mountain in Park City. It was beautiful and cold and we had to hitch a ride on a snowmobile to get to and from the bars, which closed at 10:00 pm. After that we found all sorts of trouble to get into. My only other memories are of the watery draught beer and the bland and doughy pizza.
The trailer for Live-In Fear begins with one of the group talking about the legend of a bloody bride - a sort of Bloody Mary, Candyman type ghost story one might tell to a child. He tells the story on the way to the cabin in the woods.
I like cabin in the woods stories. Regardless of whether the threat is human, supernatural, physical or psychological, remoteness lends itself so well to a horror story. So, if madness can overtake a rational mind while on vacation, imagine what madness can do to one who chooses the remote setting as a permanent home.
I may be wrong (I often am but don't mind, really) but Live-In Fear appears to examine a sort of collision of madness. The collision being the tired L.A. tourists who just want to get away to a quiet, secluded place VS. the locals whose cabin fever took over long before the tourists arrived.
Indeed, the cabin in the woods is a common theme, but while one can judge such films as cliche, the horror genre is built on such themes and at its core is, fear. The manifestation of such fear, whether the threat is human, supernatural, real or perceived is the thrill that we fans expect when we watch such films.
You don't need a big budget to create fear. You just need to create fear from a threat that the audience can believe.
As a trailer, Live-In Fear had all the elements of a good, scary movie. I'll just need to see it to confirm....
Um, Maria, please send it...
Check out the trailer for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?
The film’s IMDB page is http://www.imdb.com/title/
Friday, 21 December 2012
Max Beerbohm Holiday Quote
"To give and then not feel that one has given is the very best of all ways of giving." Max Beerbohm
Whatever you choose to celebrate or not celebrate, Happy Holidays to all!
Thank you for reading and following and sending cool and interesting trailers!
Mike
Thursday, 20 December 2012
The 9th (full trailer)
When I reviewed the teaser trailer for The 9th I said:
Watching the less than 1 minute teaser felt like sitting in the window seat of a slow moving train through an urban setting, peeping through the windows of a posh apartment building.
The teaser trailer was like a very cool puzzle. There was a randomness to it. While each scene obviously had relevance, the scenes seemed to be in no particular order. For the teaser, it really worked because it was like an abstract puzzle and, despite being a short teaser, the cool images formed an idea of what the film was about.
The full trailer, which maintained the cool visual spirit of the teaser, was much more conventional, in a good way. While some of the images from the teaser remained (which I really liked), there seemed to be a logical progression.
The 9th seems to be about a fancy cocktail party where surface beauty masks an inner ugliness. The common spaces are filled with small talk and modern civilities while darker, more base actions and instincts happen behind closed doors.
It made me think of Alfred Hitchcock's, Rope, for some reason. A brilliant film shot in one setting where Ivy League "boys" murder a friend, put his body in a sort of credenza, and host a dinner party with the buffet placed on the cabinet housing the corpse.
While The 9th seems like a more visually complex story, with all due respect to Rope, it also had a sort of Agatha Christie whodunit feel... but perhaps more appropriately...whydunit...
A few seconds after the full trailer for The 9th ended, it struck me that it may be - whether intentionally or not - an interesting metaphor for western society: behind the beauty of ourselves and our possessions we sometimes hide a darker self. Some, like the guests on The 9th, may take that darkness to a deeper level.
I really want to see this film.
See for yourself: http://vimeo.com/55691649
Watching the less than 1 minute teaser felt like sitting in the window seat of a slow moving train through an urban setting, peeping through the windows of a posh apartment building.
The teaser trailer was like a very cool puzzle. There was a randomness to it. While each scene obviously had relevance, the scenes seemed to be in no particular order. For the teaser, it really worked because it was like an abstract puzzle and, despite being a short teaser, the cool images formed an idea of what the film was about.
The full trailer, which maintained the cool visual spirit of the teaser, was much more conventional, in a good way. While some of the images from the teaser remained (which I really liked), there seemed to be a logical progression.
The 9th seems to be about a fancy cocktail party where surface beauty masks an inner ugliness. The common spaces are filled with small talk and modern civilities while darker, more base actions and instincts happen behind closed doors.
It made me think of Alfred Hitchcock's, Rope, for some reason. A brilliant film shot in one setting where Ivy League "boys" murder a friend, put his body in a sort of credenza, and host a dinner party with the buffet placed on the cabinet housing the corpse.
While The 9th seems like a more visually complex story, with all due respect to Rope, it also had a sort of Agatha Christie whodunit feel... but perhaps more appropriately...whydunit...
A few seconds after the full trailer for The 9th ended, it struck me that it may be - whether intentionally or not - an interesting metaphor for western society: behind the beauty of ourselves and our possessions we sometimes hide a darker self. Some, like the guests on The 9th, may take that darkness to a deeper level.
I really want to see this film.
See for yourself: http://vimeo.com/55691649
Friday, 14 December 2012
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Whenever I see a prequel, many thoughts pop into my head... really. Only a few, though, can be expressed without this blog getting an unfriendly rating.
I once heard a comedian say something to the effect of, "imagine if the telephone was invented after email. People would say, wow, there's this new device were you can actually talk to someone!"
What does this have to do with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, movie trailer? Well, nothing.
What if the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey film was made before the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, you know, because The Hobbit was published in 1937 and The Lord of the Rings in 1954? Would people who hadn't read the books be able to make better sense of the LOTR trilogy? Does it really matter? Does it really matter that The Hobbit will also be a trilogy? Does it matter that the Star Wars franchise did the same thing?
So, will the box set be available with six special edition discs? What will make it special is that they will be packaged in the order in which J.R.R. Tolkien wrote them and they will be placed in a commemorative box where the discs will only fit in the proper order because each disc will have special packaging. Rest assured that the commemorative box will be made of a much stronger paper than regular post-it note paper. If you had already purchased the LOTR trilogy, you will be disappointed to know that in order to get the commemorative box, you need to purchase the entire 6 disc box set and even if you managed to get the box, your discs wouldn't fit because of the new special packaging. But if you act now you'll get a seventh limited edition making of, director's cut, deleted scenes and craft services shenanigans and it will come in an even more special commemorative box with a special place for disc 7. Please note that you'll have to pre-order now and it will be available in early 2014.
What does this have to do with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey movie trailer? Well, nothing.
I really like Martin Freeman. He's hilarious.
The first part of the trailer made me think that the movie adaptation of The Hobbit should have been called Bilbo and the seven dwarfs, or Bilbo and the Huntsman.
The song they sang made me think of Spinal Tap singing the intro to their hit song, Stonehenge.
What sucks is that, even if you don't know the story, you know what the outcome of the trilogy will be because you've seen the LOTR trilogy. Clearly Bilbo and Gandolf make it.... sorry for the spoiler. It's kind of like mathematics: you can't just give the answer you have to show the formula of how you found the answer. The Hobbit trilogy is the formula, I guess.
I loved the LOTR trilogy. I enjoyed reading the Hobbit and, despite my rant, the trailer kind of takes you back into Jackson's interpretation of Tolkien's creation. I hate to say it but it looks great and will likely be entertaining as hell, or in this case Mordor...
Yeah, I'm a sucker for this stuff in movie form, but not for the merchandise. I am tempted, however, to pre-order the box set.
I once heard a comedian say something to the effect of, "imagine if the telephone was invented after email. People would say, wow, there's this new device were you can actually talk to someone!"
What does this have to do with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, movie trailer? Well, nothing.
What if the Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey film was made before the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, you know, because The Hobbit was published in 1937 and The Lord of the Rings in 1954? Would people who hadn't read the books be able to make better sense of the LOTR trilogy? Does it really matter? Does it really matter that The Hobbit will also be a trilogy? Does it matter that the Star Wars franchise did the same thing?
So, will the box set be available with six special edition discs? What will make it special is that they will be packaged in the order in which J.R.R. Tolkien wrote them and they will be placed in a commemorative box where the discs will only fit in the proper order because each disc will have special packaging. Rest assured that the commemorative box will be made of a much stronger paper than regular post-it note paper. If you had already purchased the LOTR trilogy, you will be disappointed to know that in order to get the commemorative box, you need to purchase the entire 6 disc box set and even if you managed to get the box, your discs wouldn't fit because of the new special packaging. But if you act now you'll get a seventh limited edition making of, director's cut, deleted scenes and craft services shenanigans and it will come in an even more special commemorative box with a special place for disc 7. Please note that you'll have to pre-order now and it will be available in early 2014.
What does this have to do with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey movie trailer? Well, nothing.
I really like Martin Freeman. He's hilarious.
The first part of the trailer made me think that the movie adaptation of The Hobbit should have been called Bilbo and the seven dwarfs, or Bilbo and the Huntsman.
The song they sang made me think of Spinal Tap singing the intro to their hit song, Stonehenge.
What sucks is that, even if you don't know the story, you know what the outcome of the trilogy will be because you've seen the LOTR trilogy. Clearly Bilbo and Gandolf make it.... sorry for the spoiler. It's kind of like mathematics: you can't just give the answer you have to show the formula of how you found the answer. The Hobbit trilogy is the formula, I guess.
I loved the LOTR trilogy. I enjoyed reading the Hobbit and, despite my rant, the trailer kind of takes you back into Jackson's interpretation of Tolkien's creation. I hate to say it but it looks great and will likely be entertaining as hell, or in this case Mordor...
Yeah, I'm a sucker for this stuff in movie form, but not for the merchandise. I am tempted, however, to pre-order the box set.
Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Wilmington on Fire
Wilmington on Fire is a documentary. Thanks for sending the link.
There are few things that are more troubling and unjust than man's inhumanity towards his fellow man. Historically, in every century, decade, or even year humans demonstrate one form of inhumanity or another. It's troubling because religion and values tell us to "judge not lest ye be judged" or "do unto others as you would have them do" or even "turn the other cheek."
When Thomas Jefferson and his crew wrote the Declaration of Independence they wrote, "All men are created equal." When I hear the quote sometimes I think of George Orwell when he wrote in Animal Farm, something to the effect of "All are equal, some are just more equal than others."
In all the good that America was, and still can be, there were some very dark times in U.S. history. Human slavery is among the darkest.
Wilmington on Fire is based on true events. Out of respect here is the actual synopsis.
"The Wilmington Massacre of 1898 was a bloody attack on the African-American community by a heavily armed white mob on November 10, 1898 in the port city of Wilmington, North Carolina. It is also considered one of the only examples of a violent overthrow of an existing government (coup d'etat) and left countless numbers of African-American citizens dead. This event was the spring board for the white supremacy movement and Jim Crow (segregation) throughout the state of North Carolina, and the American South. © 2011 Christopher Everett"
The teaser trailer is narrated in the form of a poem. It is interspersed with what looks like actual photographs. The spoken word and the images were very powerful. They pull you into a world and a time of anger, hate and injustice. They take you by the hand and the heart and show you that the words of Thomas Jefferson, that the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and even the teachings of the church sometimes fall on deaf ears when fear and ignorance take the lead.
I was very moved by this trailer and I look forward to seeing the documentary.
Please see for yourself: http://vimeo.com/33422710
There are few things that are more troubling and unjust than man's inhumanity towards his fellow man. Historically, in every century, decade, or even year humans demonstrate one form of inhumanity or another. It's troubling because religion and values tell us to "judge not lest ye be judged" or "do unto others as you would have them do" or even "turn the other cheek."
When Thomas Jefferson and his crew wrote the Declaration of Independence they wrote, "All men are created equal." When I hear the quote sometimes I think of George Orwell when he wrote in Animal Farm, something to the effect of "All are equal, some are just more equal than others."
In all the good that America was, and still can be, there were some very dark times in U.S. history. Human slavery is among the darkest.
Wilmington on Fire is based on true events. Out of respect here is the actual synopsis.
"The Wilmington Massacre of 1898 was a bloody attack on the African-American community by a heavily armed white mob on November 10, 1898 in the port city of Wilmington, North Carolina. It is also considered one of the only examples of a violent overthrow of an existing government (coup d'etat) and left countless numbers of African-American citizens dead. This event was the spring board for the white supremacy movement and Jim Crow (segregation) throughout the state of North Carolina, and the American South. © 2011 Christopher Everett"
The teaser trailer is narrated in the form of a poem. It is interspersed with what looks like actual photographs. The spoken word and the images were very powerful. They pull you into a world and a time of anger, hate and injustice. They take you by the hand and the heart and show you that the words of Thomas Jefferson, that the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution and even the teachings of the church sometimes fall on deaf ears when fear and ignorance take the lead.
I was very moved by this trailer and I look forward to seeing the documentary.
Please see for yourself: http://vimeo.com/33422710
Saturday, 8 December 2012
The Torment of Laurie Ann Cullom
The Torment of Laurie Ann Cullom is an independent film, currently in production, by Mark Dossett.
The trailer for this one is under a minute. I like short teaser trailers. The challenge with any trailer, though, is presenting the story without giving away the story.
I can't imagine anything more scary (and real) then being home alone and slowly realizing you're not alone and in danger. Okay, maybe the impending zombie apocalypse is scarier, but I've begun collecting katanas and machetes. I think the best weapon, though, will be car batteries. Think about it. Molotov cocktails made with battery acid would certainly fry any zombie and there will be no shortage of abandoned cars... just sayin'.
Where was I?
The trailer for this film is simple and to the point. She's alone in her house and there may or may not be someone else there. While this theme and its tension isn't new, the synopsis gave a bit more insight. Laurie Ann Cullom was the victim of a brutal assault and was so traumatized that she has developed agoraphobia and has become a shut-in. It's "inspired by true events."
So, imagine one is suffering from a form of post-traumatic-stress, is terrified of leaving home, is likely mistrusting of all other humans and realizes she is not alone in her house. The trailer opens with a 9-1-1 call and closes with a recorded message of what may or may not be the same 9-1-1 call, followed by a scream and a gruesome mess. This apparent helplessness and hopelessness is the basis of a good thriller. You can bet that if she survives this, she'll have - literally - faced her demons.
Mark Dossett says that this film is his homage to 80's horror films. As a fan of 80's horror films, it looks like it could very well be and hopefully Mark will have the opportunity to complete it.
Check out the trailer and, if you like it, please help Mark get the film made.
http://www.indiegogo.com/tolac
The trailer for this one is under a minute. I like short teaser trailers. The challenge with any trailer, though, is presenting the story without giving away the story.
I can't imagine anything more scary (and real) then being home alone and slowly realizing you're not alone and in danger. Okay, maybe the impending zombie apocalypse is scarier, but I've begun collecting katanas and machetes. I think the best weapon, though, will be car batteries. Think about it. Molotov cocktails made with battery acid would certainly fry any zombie and there will be no shortage of abandoned cars... just sayin'.
Where was I?
The trailer for this film is simple and to the point. She's alone in her house and there may or may not be someone else there. While this theme and its tension isn't new, the synopsis gave a bit more insight. Laurie Ann Cullom was the victim of a brutal assault and was so traumatized that she has developed agoraphobia and has become a shut-in. It's "inspired by true events."
So, imagine one is suffering from a form of post-traumatic-stress, is terrified of leaving home, is likely mistrusting of all other humans and realizes she is not alone in her house. The trailer opens with a 9-1-1 call and closes with a recorded message of what may or may not be the same 9-1-1 call, followed by a scream and a gruesome mess. This apparent helplessness and hopelessness is the basis of a good thriller. You can bet that if she survives this, she'll have - literally - faced her demons.
Mark Dossett says that this film is his homage to 80's horror films. As a fan of 80's horror films, it looks like it could very well be and hopefully Mark will have the opportunity to complete it.
Check out the trailer and, if you like it, please help Mark get the film made.
http://www.indiegogo.com/tolac
Tuesday, 4 December 2012
VIEWED: SKYFALL
My trailer review for Skyfall said...
"As much as I dislike the current Bond franchise, I liked this trailer. It reminded me of the old franchise... or maybe it was just the music... ding diddle ling ding, ding ding ding, ding diddle ling ding.... Yes, I'll see it."
Saw it tonight with the wife.
She asked me what I thought, I said that we should have ice cream when we get home.
She smacked my arm and asked what I thought of the movie.
The beginning was fun and very true to the Bond franchise. The rest was hit and miss with some cliches that should never be in a Bond film. Once heroic gunslinger gets his head out of the bottle, battles his demons and dons the sheriff's badge and takes on the outlaws... it really didn't work and almost seemed like story filler. Bond is too cool to be human and show emotion and vulnerability.
Craig is a good Bond. He's just not getting much to work with.
Otherwise, it was entertaining enough and certainly better than the last two but it still fell a bit short for me. The music was cool and the old Aston Martin was stunning. Maybe my expectations were too high. And the introduction of Moneypenny was pointless, almost like an afterthought. 50 years in and Moneypenny's agent origins are told? Flash of brilliance.
The wife liked the human side of Bond. "Of course you do, honey." I said.
I asked her what she thought of Skyfall. She said, "if movies were an Olympic event and the competitors for espionage/spy films were, the Bond franchise, the Bourne franchise, the Mission Impossible franchise and the Spykids franchise, Bond would get the bronze, Mission Impossible would get the silver and Bourne would get the gold. Spykids would get a DNF (did not finish).
Please note: The views of the wife do not necessarily reflect the views of Beerbohmtastic.
"As much as I dislike the current Bond franchise, I liked this trailer. It reminded me of the old franchise... or maybe it was just the music... ding diddle ling ding, ding ding ding, ding diddle ling ding.... Yes, I'll see it."
Saw it tonight with the wife.
She asked me what I thought, I said that we should have ice cream when we get home.
She smacked my arm and asked what I thought of the movie.
The beginning was fun and very true to the Bond franchise. The rest was hit and miss with some cliches that should never be in a Bond film. Once heroic gunslinger gets his head out of the bottle, battles his demons and dons the sheriff's badge and takes on the outlaws... it really didn't work and almost seemed like story filler. Bond is too cool to be human and show emotion and vulnerability.
Craig is a good Bond. He's just not getting much to work with.
Otherwise, it was entertaining enough and certainly better than the last two but it still fell a bit short for me. The music was cool and the old Aston Martin was stunning. Maybe my expectations were too high. And the introduction of Moneypenny was pointless, almost like an afterthought. 50 years in and Moneypenny's agent origins are told? Flash of brilliance.
The wife liked the human side of Bond. "Of course you do, honey." I said.
I asked her what she thought of Skyfall. She said, "if movies were an Olympic event and the competitors for espionage/spy films were, the Bond franchise, the Bourne franchise, the Mission Impossible franchise and the Spykids franchise, Bond would get the bronze, Mission Impossible would get the silver and Bourne would get the gold. Spykids would get a DNF (did not finish).
Please note: The views of the wife do not necessarily reflect the views of Beerbohmtastic.
Monday, 3 December 2012
The Last Station (La Última Estación)
Thanks for following on Twitter...
There was an old riddle: What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon and three legs in the evening?
The answer is: man. Morning, afternoon and evening are metaphors for life stages. When we are babies, we crawl (all fours). Then we spend much of our lives on two legs and when we are old, in our twilight, three legs refers to the need for a cane.
When we are young we don't think about ageing; we don't give much consideration to the last station. When we put our parents or grandparents in a "home" are we doing the best thing for them or for us?
No judgment, here, simply an observation as I've never experienced having to put an elderly family member in such a place.
The Last Station, is a Spanish language documentary about the lives of elderly people in a nursing home. The trailer showed the sadness, lonliness and even solitude of once productive lives, mothers and fathers who once protected and provided for their families. They talk about what has become of their lives and express some disbelief on how a fulfilling life once filled with meaning could end up so meaningless. They sit and wait to be remembered or search for the ones who have forgotten them at the last station.
The trailer is in Spanish with English subtitles, but this did not detract from the emotion that reached out from the trailer and grabbed me so unexpectedly.
I don't watch many documentaries, but as a trailer, The Last Station, was more than a documentary teaser, it was a beautiful and sad work of art.
Please see for youself: http://www.laultimaestacion.cl
There was an old riddle: What walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon and three legs in the evening?
The answer is: man. Morning, afternoon and evening are metaphors for life stages. When we are babies, we crawl (all fours). Then we spend much of our lives on two legs and when we are old, in our twilight, three legs refers to the need for a cane.
When we are young we don't think about ageing; we don't give much consideration to the last station. When we put our parents or grandparents in a "home" are we doing the best thing for them or for us?
No judgment, here, simply an observation as I've never experienced having to put an elderly family member in such a place.
The Last Station, is a Spanish language documentary about the lives of elderly people in a nursing home. The trailer showed the sadness, lonliness and even solitude of once productive lives, mothers and fathers who once protected and provided for their families. They talk about what has become of their lives and express some disbelief on how a fulfilling life once filled with meaning could end up so meaningless. They sit and wait to be remembered or search for the ones who have forgotten them at the last station.
The trailer is in Spanish with English subtitles, but this did not detract from the emotion that reached out from the trailer and grabbed me so unexpectedly.
I don't watch many documentaries, but as a trailer, The Last Station, was more than a documentary teaser, it was a beautiful and sad work of art.
Please see for youself: http://www.laultimaestacion.cl
Sunday, 2 December 2012
Max Beerbohm Quote for December
Not really festive, but....
"There is much to be said for failure. It is much more interesting than success."
"There is much to be said for failure. It is much more interesting than success."
Saturday, 1 December 2012
Killing Them Softly
It's been a while since I went on a rant...
The more I am exposed to creative independent film (trailers), the more mainstream film trailers look ridiculous to me. The trailer for Killing Them Softly annoyed me for many reasons. Where shall I begin?
Every character in this film is an asshole. Why is it that Hollywood continues to glorify criminal behaviour and any form of morality or decency is reduced to a code for a criminal with a bit of a conscience? If the statement is that all humans are inherently bad, and that we have brief flashes of decency, then the message is old, stupid and very tired.
Yes, I know that Hollywood produces good stuff, too, but not here.
In an effort to be cool, Hollywood sometimes has a wonderful ability to make things, pointlessly ugly. The trailer for Killing Them Softly was just plain, pointlessly ugly. Add that it reminded me of an episode of The Sopranos (which I loved), and add that nothing about it seemed interesting, entertaining or even remotely original and, according to Beerbohmtastic, you have a shit trailer.
I think it even tried to display some comedy, but it was such a lame attempt - almost too cool an attempt - that it was acknowledged in my mind as simply, lame.
Brad Pitt is a superstar, a very good actor and a strong screen presence. Ray Liotta is the same, albeit ageing. James Gandolfini is the reason I got cable and when The Sopranos ended, I cancelled my cable. No issues with this cast, I really like all three of them.
It doesn't really matter to me if this film is any good. The trailer tried so hard to be cool that was just plain cold.
Inhale....exhale....inhale...exhale....
Now that I'm calm, I'm thinking that this might be a nominee for a 2013 Beerbohm Award for Worst Trailer.
The more I am exposed to creative independent film (trailers), the more mainstream film trailers look ridiculous to me. The trailer for Killing Them Softly annoyed me for many reasons. Where shall I begin?
Every character in this film is an asshole. Why is it that Hollywood continues to glorify criminal behaviour and any form of morality or decency is reduced to a code for a criminal with a bit of a conscience? If the statement is that all humans are inherently bad, and that we have brief flashes of decency, then the message is old, stupid and very tired.
Yes, I know that Hollywood produces good stuff, too, but not here.
In an effort to be cool, Hollywood sometimes has a wonderful ability to make things, pointlessly ugly. The trailer for Killing Them Softly was just plain, pointlessly ugly. Add that it reminded me of an episode of The Sopranos (which I loved), and add that nothing about it seemed interesting, entertaining or even remotely original and, according to Beerbohmtastic, you have a shit trailer.
I think it even tried to display some comedy, but it was such a lame attempt - almost too cool an attempt - that it was acknowledged in my mind as simply, lame.
Brad Pitt is a superstar, a very good actor and a strong screen presence. Ray Liotta is the same, albeit ageing. James Gandolfini is the reason I got cable and when The Sopranos ended, I cancelled my cable. No issues with this cast, I really like all three of them.
It doesn't really matter to me if this film is any good. The trailer tried so hard to be cool that was just plain cold.
Inhale....exhale....inhale...exhale....
Now that I'm calm, I'm thinking that this might be a nominee for a 2013 Beerbohm Award for Worst Trailer.
Friday, 30 November 2012
The Other
The Other is an Independent film.
The trailer was really a short teaser, only 30 seconds. It appears to be one man's internal struggle with external choices. The only dialogue is a voice-over at the very beginning of the trailer: This was never about death, this was always about life.
Then it's a man and his "machine" of sorts and what looks to be his experiments. There is what appears to be hope, then pain, then more pain, then apparent madness. It's a true teaser because very little is given, let alone given away. The visuals were kind of cool and the music was perfect. I watched the teaser twice and disjointed thoughts popped randomly into my head. It was like the answers were on the tip of my tongue but I couldn't articulate them.
I had to cheat. I had to read the synopsis, which is not really cheating because in the early days of Beerbohmtastic I occasionally reviewed a film based on its synopsis. Yeah, I know, it's even sillier than trailer reviews but again, I digress.
Once I read the synopsis for The Other, I watched the trailer again and the disjointed thoughts became clearer thoughts. This is the order of my thoughts: doctor/scientist discovers he is terminally ill. He somehow discovers a way to cure/slow down his illness, the procedure is both painful and may or may not alter his genetic make-up. Altering his genetic make-up may cause a Jeckyll & Hyde effect. His choice is certain death or live as a monster (of sorts).
I liked the trailer for a few reasons. I always prefer when a trailer gives away very little with interesting visuals and makes me curious enough to seek answers. Yeah, I'm odd that way.
Cool teaser trailer. I'll see this film.
Check it out here: http://www.other-themovie.com
The trailer was really a short teaser, only 30 seconds. It appears to be one man's internal struggle with external choices. The only dialogue is a voice-over at the very beginning of the trailer: This was never about death, this was always about life.
Then it's a man and his "machine" of sorts and what looks to be his experiments. There is what appears to be hope, then pain, then more pain, then apparent madness. It's a true teaser because very little is given, let alone given away. The visuals were kind of cool and the music was perfect. I watched the teaser twice and disjointed thoughts popped randomly into my head. It was like the answers were on the tip of my tongue but I couldn't articulate them.
I had to cheat. I had to read the synopsis, which is not really cheating because in the early days of Beerbohmtastic I occasionally reviewed a film based on its synopsis. Yeah, I know, it's even sillier than trailer reviews but again, I digress.
Once I read the synopsis for The Other, I watched the trailer again and the disjointed thoughts became clearer thoughts. This is the order of my thoughts: doctor/scientist discovers he is terminally ill. He somehow discovers a way to cure/slow down his illness, the procedure is both painful and may or may not alter his genetic make-up. Altering his genetic make-up may cause a Jeckyll & Hyde effect. His choice is certain death or live as a monster (of sorts).
I liked the trailer for a few reasons. I always prefer when a trailer gives away very little with interesting visuals and makes me curious enough to seek answers. Yeah, I'm odd that way.
Cool teaser trailer. I'll see this film.
Check it out here: http://www.other-themovie.com
Tuesday, 27 November 2012
Hitchcock
It's been a while since I've reviewed a mainstream film (trailer).... so here's as good a one as any.
When I was a kid, Alfred Hitchcock's, Psycho, would occasionally play on late night television. I tried to watch it many times. Each time, with each passing year, I could never get past the scene where Martin Balsam walks up the flight of stairs in Norman's house. I would always turn off the TV before the scene ended. It wasn't until the ripe old age of 19 that I was able to sit through it in its entirety - in a room with other budding film buffs.
At a time when gore and violence where implied more than shown on screen, Alfred Hitchcock was the master. That said his film, Psycho, pushed the boundaries of main stream cinema.
After finally being able to sit through Psycho, I devoured many other Hitchcock films. The Birds was crazy bizarre. While all of his films had their beautiful and twisted charm, Vertigo and Rear Window were favourites, but the lesser known, Rope, was especially interesting. Interesting because (from what I remember) the entire film was shot in 10 minute segments. It didn't hurt that the film was shot in one apartment setting, but Hitchcock created tension and suspense that was truly remarkable. Indeed, the "master of suspense" moniker suited him.
So, here we have Hannibal Lechter as Alfred Hitchcock. While I had trouble seeing any real resemblance between Anthony Hopkins portrayal of Hitchcock and Alfred himself, as the trailer progressed the actions of Hopkins sold me on the interpretation.
It was kind of like when I saw, Ray. Jamie Foxx was so good that I'd forgotten what Ray Charles looked like until they showed his face at the end of the film. I trust that will happen here.
From the trailer I was able to understand that Hitchcock is not so much a bio-pic of Alfred Hitchcock, but more on how the film, Psycho, was made - challenges and all. I think that how it was made had more to do with the man that Hitchcock was than anything else. I believe this to be the point of the film. It's kind of fitting to depict a man in his element because this is where he thrived.
Throw in the lovely and talented Helen Mirren, the lovely and slightly less talented Scarlett Johansson and the just as talented as Helen Mirren, but not as lovely as Scarlett Johansson, Toni Collette and you've got a great supporting female cast. Added bonus, really.
The trailer for Hitchcock brought back the admiration that I had for the great director who, by the way, always had a very brief cameo in almost all of his films. I found myself smiling at the story, interested by the controversy of the film, Psycho, and ultimately, very eager to see this film.
When I was a kid, Alfred Hitchcock's, Psycho, would occasionally play on late night television. I tried to watch it many times. Each time, with each passing year, I could never get past the scene where Martin Balsam walks up the flight of stairs in Norman's house. I would always turn off the TV before the scene ended. It wasn't until the ripe old age of 19 that I was able to sit through it in its entirety - in a room with other budding film buffs.
At a time when gore and violence where implied more than shown on screen, Alfred Hitchcock was the master. That said his film, Psycho, pushed the boundaries of main stream cinema.
After finally being able to sit through Psycho, I devoured many other Hitchcock films. The Birds was crazy bizarre. While all of his films had their beautiful and twisted charm, Vertigo and Rear Window were favourites, but the lesser known, Rope, was especially interesting. Interesting because (from what I remember) the entire film was shot in 10 minute segments. It didn't hurt that the film was shot in one apartment setting, but Hitchcock created tension and suspense that was truly remarkable. Indeed, the "master of suspense" moniker suited him.
So, here we have Hannibal Lechter as Alfred Hitchcock. While I had trouble seeing any real resemblance between Anthony Hopkins portrayal of Hitchcock and Alfred himself, as the trailer progressed the actions of Hopkins sold me on the interpretation.
It was kind of like when I saw, Ray. Jamie Foxx was so good that I'd forgotten what Ray Charles looked like until they showed his face at the end of the film. I trust that will happen here.
From the trailer I was able to understand that Hitchcock is not so much a bio-pic of Alfred Hitchcock, but more on how the film, Psycho, was made - challenges and all. I think that how it was made had more to do with the man that Hitchcock was than anything else. I believe this to be the point of the film. It's kind of fitting to depict a man in his element because this is where he thrived.
Throw in the lovely and talented Helen Mirren, the lovely and slightly less talented Scarlett Johansson and the just as talented as Helen Mirren, but not as lovely as Scarlett Johansson, Toni Collette and you've got a great supporting female cast. Added bonus, really.
The trailer for Hitchcock brought back the admiration that I had for the great director who, by the way, always had a very brief cameo in almost all of his films. I found myself smiling at the story, interested by the controversy of the film, Psycho, and ultimately, very eager to see this film.
Monday, 26 November 2012
Through the Looking Glass
Thanks for sending this, Craig.
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
The walrus was trying to get the oysters to jump into a pot so he and the carpenter could eat them (I think?). As you know, it's from Lewis Carroll's, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Saw There. I'm not sure if it came before or after Alice in Wonderland but I read it to my daughter when she was little. It's one of those stories that seems really simple but is beautifully complex should one decide to delve.
It's appropriate, here, really, because stories of apparent possession/descent into madness may seem similar on the surface, but each individual that battles the madness has a unique perspective and often does so completely alone. But this isn't about my pop psychological analysis of an artist's descent into madness, this is about - referring to the trailer for Through the Looking Glass - an apparent demon that manifests itself. Or is it?
While it's true that we can reference, The Shining and Wilde's, Portrait of Dorian Gray (sort of) and others, madness and demons, personal or otherwise are as real as the human mind allows.
Where was I? Through the Looking Glass, trailer.
Through the Looking Glass is the story of an artist who receives an old mirror. This mirror is, or represents, a gateway to what appears to be a darker place and the artist begins his slow descent into said madness.
Several things struck me about the trailer. It was very tastefully and professionally presented - it looked great. The sound and lighting were perfect for the genre and the acting was top notch. It was near impossible to tell that it was made on a limited budget.
The short trailer (1:26) felt like a heartbeat; slow and steady, increasing with the madness, building to a crescendo... It fades to a scream and then a likeness of the same scream, only painted. Nice touch.
Finally, it asks, "what's your reflection?"
I really like these types of stories. Very cool stuff.
See for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLXdYd3Vxc0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."
The walrus was trying to get the oysters to jump into a pot so he and the carpenter could eat them (I think?). As you know, it's from Lewis Carroll's, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Saw There. I'm not sure if it came before or after Alice in Wonderland but I read it to my daughter when she was little. It's one of those stories that seems really simple but is beautifully complex should one decide to delve.
It's appropriate, here, really, because stories of apparent possession/descent into madness may seem similar on the surface, but each individual that battles the madness has a unique perspective and often does so completely alone. But this isn't about my pop psychological analysis of an artist's descent into madness, this is about - referring to the trailer for Through the Looking Glass - an apparent demon that manifests itself. Or is it?
While it's true that we can reference, The Shining and Wilde's, Portrait of Dorian Gray (sort of) and others, madness and demons, personal or otherwise are as real as the human mind allows.
Where was I? Through the Looking Glass, trailer.
Through the Looking Glass is the story of an artist who receives an old mirror. This mirror is, or represents, a gateway to what appears to be a darker place and the artist begins his slow descent into said madness.
Several things struck me about the trailer. It was very tastefully and professionally presented - it looked great. The sound and lighting were perfect for the genre and the acting was top notch. It was near impossible to tell that it was made on a limited budget.
The short trailer (1:26) felt like a heartbeat; slow and steady, increasing with the madness, building to a crescendo... It fades to a scream and then a likeness of the same scream, only painted. Nice touch.
Finally, it asks, "what's your reflection?"
I really like these types of stories. Very cool stuff.
See for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLXdYd3Vxc0&feature=youtube_gdata_player
VIEWED: Lincoln (not by me)
My trailer review for Lincoln said:
"The trailer for Lincoln had so much going for it. You know Spielberg is a master. Daniel Day Lewis and the rest of the cast are great. And, Abe's story and the impact he had on America and the world are inspiring. Maybe the release of this film is timely, historically speaking.
Maybe I'm being a sentimental sap right now, even though the wife says I have no feelings, but I was moved by this trailer and am eager to see this film on the big screen."
The wife saw this with our 14 year old little brother (Big Brother's program) on Saturday.
She said, "it was a great film and Daniel Day Lewis should win an Oscar."
I said, "like every other Oscar winning actor who does an impersonation of someone else?"
She said, "you're an ass."
Our little brother said, "It was too long and I kept waiting for him to get shot."
PLEASE NOTE: The views of the wife (and the little brother) do not necessarily reflect the views of Beerbohmtastic.
"The trailer for Lincoln had so much going for it. You know Spielberg is a master. Daniel Day Lewis and the rest of the cast are great. And, Abe's story and the impact he had on America and the world are inspiring. Maybe the release of this film is timely, historically speaking.
Maybe I'm being a sentimental sap right now, even though the wife says I have no feelings, but I was moved by this trailer and am eager to see this film on the big screen."
The wife saw this with our 14 year old little brother (Big Brother's program) on Saturday.
She said, "it was a great film and Daniel Day Lewis should win an Oscar."
I said, "like every other Oscar winning actor who does an impersonation of someone else?"
She said, "you're an ass."
Our little brother said, "It was too long and I kept waiting for him to get shot."
PLEASE NOTE: The views of the wife (and the little brother) do not necessarily reflect the views of Beerbohmtastic.
Saturday, 24 November 2012
The Last Straw
Thanks for sending this, Jeff.
The Last Straw is a true story, independent film by Jeff Renfew (www.laststrawfilms.com)
Everybody has a story. Good, bad, happy, sad and often interesting. Is my story or your story interesting to everyone, though? Maybe. The story, however, is always interesting to the story teller and the story teller hopes that others will find it interesting or at least relate in some way.
While everybody has a story, few are fortunate enough to write about it; fewer actually have the opportunity to make a film about a life. Must the life be significant (celebrity, athlete etc...) or is the actual story more important? A universal message? A disturbing message? Inspiration?
While there is some truth to what I say and yes, we can say it's "all relative", but some "true" stories are just bizarre and actions sometimes seem almost random.
The trailer for The Last Straw wasn't really a trailer. The film is posted on the website and I'm told that it's in ten minute segments. I watched the first segment and I must say I am conflicted.
The production value was basic and it seemed more like a home movie than an actual film. These days with "found footage" and "documentary style" techniques, I guess you could make it work. As the story began to unfold I wasn't really sure where it was going. And then, something bizarre and seemingly random occurred and, as my eyes widened and I swallowed saliva build up, I uttered the name, "Jesus."
I'm not sure where the film can go from here and, though I only watched about ten minutes, I can't imagine any closure. The motivation of human acts are sometimes obvious and sometimes remain a mystery, thus leaving only speculation.
If there's a next segment, I'm sure I'll watch it.
The Last Straw is a true story, independent film by Jeff Renfew (www.laststrawfilms.com)
Everybody has a story. Good, bad, happy, sad and often interesting. Is my story or your story interesting to everyone, though? Maybe. The story, however, is always interesting to the story teller and the story teller hopes that others will find it interesting or at least relate in some way.
While everybody has a story, few are fortunate enough to write about it; fewer actually have the opportunity to make a film about a life. Must the life be significant (celebrity, athlete etc...) or is the actual story more important? A universal message? A disturbing message? Inspiration?
While there is some truth to what I say and yes, we can say it's "all relative", but some "true" stories are just bizarre and actions sometimes seem almost random.
The trailer for The Last Straw wasn't really a trailer. The film is posted on the website and I'm told that it's in ten minute segments. I watched the first segment and I must say I am conflicted.
The production value was basic and it seemed more like a home movie than an actual film. These days with "found footage" and "documentary style" techniques, I guess you could make it work. As the story began to unfold I wasn't really sure where it was going. And then, something bizarre and seemingly random occurred and, as my eyes widened and I swallowed saliva build up, I uttered the name, "Jesus."
I'm not sure where the film can go from here and, though I only watched about ten minutes, I can't imagine any closure. The motivation of human acts are sometimes obvious and sometimes remain a mystery, thus leaving only speculation.
If there's a next segment, I'm sure I'll watch it.
Friday, 23 November 2012
American Mary
This was sent to me by the Soska sisters (@twisted_twins), thank you... I guess.
I say, "I guess" because the trailer for American Mary taught me something about myself as one, odd as it may be, who truly enjoys viewing movie trailers. It taught me that when it comes to viewing certain types of "gore," I have become a bit of a lightweight. So, Jen and Sylvia, it's not you, it's me...
That said, can I say that sometimes gore can be tastefully presented? There's a story here and while I grimaced a few times I didn't look away. So, in this case could tasteful mean, not too gratuitous?
What interests me more than the actions of a - let's not pull punches here - butcher, is what motivates such a human creature. The teaser trailer for American Mary tells the story of a medical school drop-out who has found another use for her surgical skills. Devo were medical school drop-outs but they chose to play music as an outlet for their.... um... creativity.
Mary is a cold and calculating beast, clearly. Mary, however, is more than that. There is icy precision in her actions throughout the trailer and the question I ask myself is: Does this madness stem from an almost artistic, psychotic obsession to practice "body modification" or is there something inside Mary that stems from personal shock or trauma that has manifested into a need that she must fulfil? Ain't pop psychology, fun?
The other question for me is a simple one: are the people that she practices her "art/butchery" on, willing or perhaps "deserving" in Mary's eyes? Eyes which are frighteningly cold, by the way - nice casting.
The trailer closes with a "Mengele" reference. Dr. Josef Mengele, known as the angel of death, was a nazi surgeon who performed bizarre experiments on concentration camp prisoners during World War II. Sick shit, look it up.
While this blog, in a tongue-in-cheek way (and not sewn to the cheek, Jen and Sylvia :), judges a book by it's cover - movie by it's trailer - sometimes there is more to the cover than meets the eye. The teaser trailer for American Mary gave just enough information and posed enough questions, for me anyway, to be interested.
And while I don't know if I have the stomach to actually watch it, I trust that this cover is more than one-dimensional. Open at your own risk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zua8vbLLqU
I say, "I guess" because the trailer for American Mary taught me something about myself as one, odd as it may be, who truly enjoys viewing movie trailers. It taught me that when it comes to viewing certain types of "gore," I have become a bit of a lightweight. So, Jen and Sylvia, it's not you, it's me...
That said, can I say that sometimes gore can be tastefully presented? There's a story here and while I grimaced a few times I didn't look away. So, in this case could tasteful mean, not too gratuitous?
What interests me more than the actions of a - let's not pull punches here - butcher, is what motivates such a human creature. The teaser trailer for American Mary tells the story of a medical school drop-out who has found another use for her surgical skills. Devo were medical school drop-outs but they chose to play music as an outlet for their.... um... creativity.
Mary is a cold and calculating beast, clearly. Mary, however, is more than that. There is icy precision in her actions throughout the trailer and the question I ask myself is: Does this madness stem from an almost artistic, psychotic obsession to practice "body modification" or is there something inside Mary that stems from personal shock or trauma that has manifested into a need that she must fulfil? Ain't pop psychology, fun?
The other question for me is a simple one: are the people that she practices her "art/butchery" on, willing or perhaps "deserving" in Mary's eyes? Eyes which are frighteningly cold, by the way - nice casting.
The trailer closes with a "Mengele" reference. Dr. Josef Mengele, known as the angel of death, was a nazi surgeon who performed bizarre experiments on concentration camp prisoners during World War II. Sick shit, look it up.
While this blog, in a tongue-in-cheek way (and not sewn to the cheek, Jen and Sylvia :), judges a book by it's cover - movie by it's trailer - sometimes there is more to the cover than meets the eye. The teaser trailer for American Mary gave just enough information and posed enough questions, for me anyway, to be interested.
And while I don't know if I have the stomach to actually watch it, I trust that this cover is more than one-dimensional. Open at your own risk.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zua8vbLLqU
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