this is jeremy

Hype Kills Avatar for a Day

2009-08-21T02:13:00.001-07:00

I'm not adverse to hype. God knows I had that thirty second teaser for The Dark Knight on an everlasting loop the moment it hit the internet two summers ago. Alfred dialoguing about the mentality of the mob, Joker declaring himself a man of his word, and blue bolts of light tearing apart the Bat emblem were a few of the many things that got me off in 2007.

Hype isn't bad. It's what drives us cinefiles and film buffs every year. We all have to take a ride at one point in our lives, but ultimately it is a tricky game. You see, the imagination of a fan is not a tepid thing. It bursts with life, light, and energy. It's easily swayed, rarely logical, and runs on the fuel of emotion. Thus, their excitement for a film can get the better of them, and it will reach that point of no return where they have fully over-hyped a film.

This happened with Avatar, James Cameron's upcoming science fiction epic about Na'Vi, Pandora, Marines and, well, Avatars. With Titanic, Aliens, and Terminator 2 under his belt, Cameron has definitely become a cinematic god, especially for those invested in science fiction - who I have no are no doubt the most passionate of fanboys. So what happens when Cameron decides to return after a decade-plus absence?

His Avatar has slowly been building layer upon layer of anticipation for the past four years. Soderbergh and Spielberg blew their loads to it. Descriptors like "Revolutionary!" "Mind-blowing!" and "Dreamlike!" have been thrown about these past few months. And all without a single lick of footage released! How a film without any comic book following manages to do this I'll never know. So once a two minute trailer is actually released, you can only imagine the overwhelming reaction!

"What is this?!" "Where's the photorealism?!" "This looks like a PS2 cutscene! More like a N64 game!" "These graphics suck!" And we mustn't forget the abundance of "FAIL!"

Ahh, hype. You are a fickle bitch. Or are fans the fickle bitches? After all, hype emerges from the fans, and once you have visionary filmmakers praising something how else are they going to react? Logic takes the back seat as an emotional override takes place. It's a betrayal on Shakespearean proportions. Cameron went from god to village idiot before the trailer was even done.

Do I classify myself as a fanboy? Depending on the material, yes. I turn into a hardcore geek every time Pixar promises to release yet another masterpiece. With Avatar, not so much. After watching the trailer it reached my expectations decently. Do I find it revolutionary? Not at all. Do I think it's the worst piece of cinematic filth to be released this year? Or even this month? No. I think it's beautiful to look at and there's something very intriguing about the project itself. It's a holiday event film, and I'd be daft to miss it. But I'd be daft to create a holy shrine to the film before seeing anything worth noting.

So, where do we go from here? Fanboys hate just as strongly as they love, and they enjoy both equally, so I would expect a lot of complaining until, and after, the film actually comes out in December. However, it surely is exhilarating to live in a time where the disastrous potential of hype has been realized so vividly. This will be a time that future cinefiles will look back on and say, "Damn, maybe we shouldn't get too excited." And they'll probably be right.

Middle-Aged Angst

2009-07-05T16:34:00.000-07:00

“Are we fuck ups?” Verona (Maya Rudolph) solemnly asks her partner Burt (John Krasinski) after realizing they may not have any idea how to raise their soon-to-be-born baby. And so begins Away We Go, a journey of sorts in which our middle-aged protagonists search for a place to settle down and begin the next stage of their relationship. Along the way Burt and Verona visit their eclectic friends and relatives, experiencing the myriad of ways parenthood is expressed and ultimately learn what it means to be a family.

Away We Go isn’t the hip, indie-gasm the trailer would have you believe, and thankfully so. Quirky dramedies are seemingly on the verge of becoming mass produced commodities and the marketing for this film had it all: The trailer’s Juno-like title cards, the indie-rock music, and the half-animated poster. I love Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Little Miss Sunshine, but when these types of films aren’t done well you can smell how desperately original they try to be, slathering on the cleverness while sacrificing the heart.

In that sense, Away We Go is ultimately refreshing. Its comedy is heartfelt, clever, and never overdone. In the wonderfully inventive opening scene, Verona’s pregnancy is introduced with a session of oral pleasure courtesy of Burt. Apparently a woman “tastes” different either when she’s menopausal or expectant. If that doesn’t do it for you, Verona’s consequent slap will. The drama is grounded and at times incredibly profound. In one scene an allegory for love and family is made with sugar cubes, pancakes, and syrup. As saccharine as it sounds, it’s genuinely executed.

Unfortunately a lot of the film’s issues come from the supporting players. With names like Catherine O’Hara, Jeff Daniels, Allison Janney, Jim Gaffigan, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, the film’s cast reads like a who’s who of successful comedians and character actors. O’Hara and Daniels comically play Burt’s parents who decide to leave before their grandchild is born. However, there’s nothing parental about them. Janney is obnoxiously shrill for seemingly no reason as Verona’s old friend. Gyllenhaal plays an unlikable elitist mother adverse to strollers in a sequence that’s more uncomfortable than humorous. These actors are fun to watch, but they come across as caricatures instead of actual characters. Because of this the film takes a while to actually find its depth. It finally does with Carmen Ejogo as Verona’s affectionate sister Grace, Paul Schneider as Burt’s regretful brother Courtney, and the moving Chris Messina who I need to talk about.

As Tom Garnett, a close friend in Montreal, Chris Messina effortlessly creates a well-rounded and sympathetic character, further showing how deeply talented he is. In instances of either liveliness or grief, his performance sparked with a natural charm and passion, easily outshining his fellow cast. There’s a scene in which he describes his wife's fifth miscarriage and the remorse he exudes is so incredibly shattering. He’s definitely an actor to watch.

John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph are quite endearing together, feeding off of each other’s comedic sensibilities to provide the audience with two amiable individuals. Krasinski is a gifted actor, however his performance here was honestly more of the same. He’s perfectly able to be the charming, dry-humored everyman, though he never goes much further than that. I want to see more than merely Jim in a dramatic situation.

In many ways this is Maya Rudolph’s film. As a performer on SNL she’s shown her affinity for frivolity, but I was always curious as to why she’d be in a relationship with director Paul Thomas Anderson. After watching this film it’s clear. She has an understanding of Verona and provides endless vulnerability and warmth to the character. You feel in her hesitancy towards motherhood, but completely believe she’ll be a great one. I’m sure having mothered a daughter aided Rudolph’s authenticity. She’s simply radiant.

The screenplay, written by husband and wife team Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, is insightfully designed around those little bits of life and both the comedy and the drama that arise are believable. I haven’t read any of Eggers’ highly recommended work, but it would be interesting to see how much of his style has carried over. However, the screenplay has a fatal flaw. We’re almost forced to believe that Burt and Verona are the perfect couple. They are juxtaposed with other zany, and sometimes insufferable, couples that we’re supposed to infer their normality. Krasinski and Rudolph are likable to pull this off, but likable can only take a couple so far. An important aspect of human relationships is conflict, and it's something these characters never do. It's addressed in the film, as Verona states Burt never yells or raises his voice, but we're just led to believe that they're way too exemplary for that. As character development goes, it just doesn’t ring true.

I was worried about Sam Mendes’ involvement in this project. Being a theatrical director, he’s very meticulous. This amounts to handsomely made projects, but there are times when they feel artificial. This isn’t an issue here. He gives his actors enough room to breathe and just exist. I’d almost go so far as to say the human relationships were better explored here than they were in Revolutionary Road… almost. The soundtrack by Alexi Murdoch strikes the right mellow, acoustic driven tone reflecting the film’s melancholy yet hopeful atmosphere.

Away We Go takes a while to build its emotional core, but once it does it becomes an affecting exploration of the hopes, fears, and dreams forthcoming parents have. The film never answers any questions or quells any worries. How could it? It merely tosses them out into the ether and lets you respond to them in your own fashion. After Burt stresses about their future as parents Verona consolingly says, “All we can do is be good for this one baby. We don’t have control over much else.” Life is such an unpredictable journey that there’s no failsafe way to have a family, you just have to do the best you can.

7.5/10

the minds behind pixar

2009-06-27T01:23:00.000-07:00

As I sit here listening to Michael Giacchino's eclectic score for The Incredibles, I can't help but revel in the greatness of Pixar. Studies by renowned scientists show that they're undoubtedly one of the greatest studios to impact American filmmaking. They're a complete anomaly. I'm not complaining, but how is it that they manage to release such a consistent flow of quality? Cars is their only misstep, but in the grand scheme of things it's still better than anything DreamWorks has ever done. So how do they do it? Apparently all it takes is a dash of heart, a pinch of soul, and intelligent minds to bring it all to fruition. With hundreds of animators, storyboardists, artists, technicians, sound designers, mixers, and composers it's entirely a team effort. Sit through the credits for any of their ten features and you'll notice their endless barrage of names. But these four brilliant men are the ones who send us into worlds only their unique imaginations could provide.

Brad Bird was one of Pixar’s best discoveries and a breath of fresh, sophisticated air for the studio. In one of their greatest leaps of faith Pixar welcomed this fellow CalArts grad with open arms and gave his brainchild, The Incredibles, a home. When said film was released back in 2004 - my year of conscious cinematic appreciation - I thought, “Who the heck is this guy?” Lasseter, Stanton, Peterson, and Docter were the surnames I was familiar with. Bird flew in out of nowhere. Even the film’s composer caught me off guard. “Where’s Newman? How do you pronounce ‘Giacchino’?” I left the theater feeling completely spellbound and it wasn’t until a few years later that I recognized just how much of an accomplishment The Incredibles was. Ratatouille is no different. Bird is a genius when it comes to detailed writing and character development. He brings an unabashed sense of maturity and erudition to his work, exploring themes of acceptance, self-actualization and expression that transcend whatever expectations society has on animation. His progressive films have subtly revolutionized what Pixar is.

If I were to choose which films best showcase Pixar’s visual splendor, I would venture no further than Andrew Stanton‘s opuses. He is without a doubt Pixar’s most technically challenging director. His vision is immense and the results duly reflect his ambition. Water is allegedly one of the most difficult substances to animate yet we’re given a vivid oceanic adventure with equally colorful characters in Finding Nemo. The first act of WALL•E features Pixar’s most skillful artistry to date. Watching WALL•E roam through a photorealistic dystopia where debris sweeps across the landscape and towers of trash scrape the sky is breathtaking. Amidst all the optical brilliance Stanton’s films are organic and profoundly moving, offering unique and well-rounded characters that your heart has no difficultly clinging to. The characters in his films all go through a state of arrested development, which they must rise above and grow from. Marlin battles between paternal overprotection and the selfless expression of letting his son go. Humanity is aimlessly floating through space, struggling to find their purpose. WALL•E and EVE also grapple with their directive. They have to realize the meaning of living and find a reason to exist. "I don't want to survive, I want to live!" may be one of the greatest lines in any Pixar film.

Pete Docter has certainly made a name for himself this year with Up. His films are the quirkiest and most comedic of the Pixar canon. They spark with so much creativity and childlike wonder that they feel like doodles scratched on napkins or ideas tossed back and forth between two childhood friends. The terrifying monsters in your closet are simply doing their job to sustain their energy-deficient metropolis. In order to fulfill his deceased wife’s wishes, an elderly curmudgeon flies his house to South America via millions of polychromatic balloons only to be accompanied by an overeager wilderness explorer, erratic avian, and devoted canine. These concepts are far out, but what makes Docter an impressive storyteller is his ability to wrangle these zany ideas and create heartfelt and engaging tales. Docter explores the process of relationships and how people learn to love each other. He hurls his characters into overwhelming situations through which they conflict and clash but ultimately grow both individually and collectively. While his films are endlessly entertaining, they are also deeply affecting. Boo’s relationship with Sully in Monsters, Inc. is beautiful in its simplicity. The baroque mosaic of Carl and Ellie’s life together in Up is one of the most poignant sequences you’ll find in any film, Pixar or otherwise. Docter blends the innocence and maturity of his imagination and designs vibrant and memorable fables, making such a feat seem effortless.

John Lasseter gets respect because without him Pixar would be nothing. He's a revolutionary man who is passionate about animation and storytelling. Watch any of his interviews and you'll realize this. With Toy Story, A Bug's Life, and Toy Story 2his films touch me deeply on a nostalgic level. They're classic film. Very simplistic as well, but that's their charm. Pixar's known for taking simple concepts and creating something beautiful out of them, and Lasseter's the pioneer in this field. Now, I have to mention Cars, because while this is a fine, fine feature, I can't help but feel that his style is, I'd hate to use this word, but dated. It's all about the timing. Pixar's films have grown in complexity since Toy Story was released, and Cars just seemed like a minor setback, but only in context between The Incredibles and Ratatouille. Had it come out in '97 or sometime before Toy Story 2 it would have fit in perfectly with Pixar's timeline. Ultimately, I think he knows this, because he's great at scouting talent and featuring other filmmakers and getting their names out.

my first outing into the wonderful world of sedaris

2009-06-13T05:45:00.000-07:00

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim by David Sedaris

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
In 22 essays, David Sedaris manages to create a unique portrait of his life. A dysfunctional family, a sex-crazed man, and a velveteen vest are all vividly seen through eyes of self-deprecation and dry humor. The charm is in the observations. In an interview with NPR's Steve Inskeep, Sedaris expresses his concern that his mind hasn't aged since adolescence. In many ways it hasn't. While the essays in Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim chronologically span through his life from childhood to adulthood, Sedaris still sees his life through a lens of childlike wonderment and honesty. It's also hilarious. This is what makes his writing shine. It's his sincerity and heart that makes this piece of creative nonfiction such a joy to read. Each member of his family, which would seem unlikable in any other context, is given life and love through Sedaris' empathy and obvious admiration. Sedaris does a great job of rounding out his characters, allowing the audience to invest in them all the more. Sedaris as a character is also one I could relate to in many different ways. Self-deprecating? Check. Loves his sister, Amy Sedaris? Ahhh... check. But one needn't be or do any of these in order to appreciate David Sedaris' fresh and fanciful view of life. It's open to any and all. A sense of humor, however, is key.

View all my reviews.

ruminations on my cousin and her work

2009-06-10T17:11:00.000-07:00

I don't know much about the nuances between spoken word and poetry. Poetry has been standing alone for centuries, but does it become spoken word once it's vocalized? Does it have to take place in a dimly lit cafe with men in sunglasses and berets, or can it be done anywhere? Does it matter?

Chills run up and down my spine, through my fingers, and across my skull whenever I hear my cousin LaVonne Natasha Caesar read her work aloud. She has this unique ability to take black letters strung together on white paper and create a visual tapestry of color and light. Her pieces drip with the beauty of nature and the dark disdain of humanity. When the two are mixed it's pure ecstasy.

The only way to fully experience the poems are through her. It's not enough to read them, or even listen to them. As a true performer she stimulates all your senses. Providing a touch of humor, a sense of journey, and a stratum of drama. I've been fortunate enough to witness a live reading from Ms. Caesar in my living room. Every time her words infiltrate my mind I'm literally able to see every abstract concept, statement, or scene. It's absolutely thrilling.

Need more from this glorious woman? Purchase her book, Black Pussy Revolution.

A Funny Man

2009-05-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

"To me, it's not who gets the guest first, it's what you do with the guest once you have them on."

Conan's first episode of his inherited The Tonight Show airs this Monday. I'm excited because I've been watching this lanky, redheaded, Irish bastard since the winter of 2003. After nearly six years of string dances, it's the philosophy above that makes Conan such a genuine person and comic. It doesn't matter who he has on the show, he can always find a way to make the situation funny. There are times when he doesn't need the help at all, for instance Brian Williams, Jared Miller, Will Ferrell and even Harland Williams make the job easy for him. But if he's got the dullest teen idol on his show he can make it interesting. His boyish charm is most apparent with normal people like Iditarod champion Lance Mackey or idiosyncratic bull whipper Jordan Schlansky. He uses his honesty and comic innovation and creates something worth watching. This is a rare gift that a lot of talk show hosts don't have, and only one of many traits that make Conan leaps and bounds above any American comic.

An Epic Tale about Serious Stupidity

2008-09-16T20:25:00.000-07:00

How the Coens went from No Country for Old Men to Burn After Reading I’ll never know. Not that I think they need to produce masterpieces one after the other, because that certainly ain't their style. But I feel their conversation went something like this…Watch the film, it’ll make sense. But the conclusion I’ve come up to with these cats is that they really don’t care what people think about them. They simply make films to please their tastes, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Think of them as the Anti-Spielberg. Here you could tell they were just dicking around with these great actors simply because... well... why the hell not?!

While Burn After Reading is a tale about simpletons, you’ll just have to keep up with me now…Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) is a CIA analyst who’s about to be fired, but quits instead and writes a memoir which makes its way onto a CD that his wife, a frigid bitch named Katie (Tilda Swinton), burns to give to her divorce attorney. You see, she’s leaving Osborne because she’s sleeping with Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney), an ex-bodyguard and sex addict. Oh, he’s also married. Remember that CD? Well, it makes its way into the hands of a clueless gym trainer, Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt), and he and his equally clueless friend, Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand) use it to blackmail Cox for money that Linda will use on four plastic surgery procedures she really wants.

While all of that is a mouthful, it’s a film that essentially has nothing to say, and it revels in its idiocy and futility. Everyone here is in on the joke, Ethan and Joel just twirl each situation into endless chaos while each character misunderstands the next and no one’s really aware of anything until the last minute… or they just never figure it out. Every actor is just having a laugh with the material; even Carter Burwell ironically scores this picture in an overbearing thriller-like fashion, simultaneously adding to the darkness and ridiculousness of the comedy.

But here’s the thing, there’s a sacrifice that's made when Hollywood’s elite dick around. I didn’t really care about these characters. Nearly all of them are annoying and unlikable, and so it’s harder to care about anything that’s going on screen. It works with dramas such as Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, but this is a comedy. Ocean’s Twelve is a more extreme example of that, but trust me the screenplay for this flick is MUCH better than that one. Though it still doesn’t know exactly whether it wants us to take it seriously or just go along with the zaniness. But again, that’s the Coens.

And really, it’s a fun, fun film. When you just take it for what it is, it really is a joy to watch. Malkovich eccentrically plays Cox, utilizing his naturally slow and monotonous way of acting to perfection. It’s as if he frustratingly enunciates each word so that the cast of dullards around him can understand exactly what he’s trying to say. Clooney’s not an actor I love, but here I found his manic paranoia really appealing. Pitt’s entertaining enough, but it really just seems like, “Hey, look at Brad Pitt play this dumb character!” and McDormand’s just annoying… but it’s a great cast and each actor does his or her unchallenging job.

Once the film winds down and the twists and turns lead to nowheresville, don’t worry, you’re not supposed to think too much. You’ve just been on a ride that ultimately went nowhere and no one really knows anything. It’s the equivalent of most rollercoasters: You go on, have a chuckle or two, but come right back to where you started from, unchanged. But if you do take anything away from this film, take this:

Tilda Swinton is PERFECTION.

6.5/10

3+3+3=9

2008-09-16T20:20:00.001-07:00

The Nines is a psychological thriller written and directed by John August, and I must say it’s very, very good. It spins and weaves the tale of three different men in three different scenarios and how those around him are affected.

Part One: THE PRISON
In which an actor, on account of burning his Los Angeles abode, is put under house arrest. Strange occurrences begin to take place and mysterious voices repeating “Nine” and “Look for the Nines” disturb him during his imprisonment.

Part Two: REALITY TELEVISION
In which we, in style cinema verite, follow a writer through the trials and tribulations of getting a TV show on air. Nothing goes his way, relationships with other actresses are strained, and he finds himself lost at the end.

Part Three: KNOWING
In which a father and his family find themselves stranded in a forest after their car stops working. The man is put through an intervention of cosmic sorts and his eyes are opened resulting in a monumental shift of perception.

These three storylines flow together in a very seamless and interesting way that many other films in this vein fail to accomplish. Stay and The Fountain contain similar elements as far as storytelling goes, but they fail to be compelling, or compelling enough to justify their respective finales. The Nines accomplishes this feat by containing enough substance to keep you interested all throughout the different episodes. Details and cues are interspersed across the plane of the film and they not only add intrigue to each of the three segments, but they also support The Nines’ overreaching scope and theme. I attribute the skillful structure of this film to the strength of the writing.

John August is the type of person that sort of sneaked up on me. He subconsciously made an impact on me with guilty pleasures the Charlie’s Angels flicks and the animated Sci-Fi actioner Titan A.E.. However, I didn’t actually learn his name until I fell in love with with Tim Burton’s beautiful Big Fish in 2003. Soon after that he did Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as well as Corpse Bride. He’s slowly developed his craft and I wouldn’t say he’s perfected it with this film, but he certainly has taken a strong step in the right direction here. Not only has he penned this project but he also took the helm as a first time director. It’s a very personal tale, and much of that is expressed in Reality Television where fragments of August’s life are displayed in a very upfront and, at times, uncomfortable manner.

I’ve never seen Ryan Reynolds show such range. It’s not that he annoys me, but the characters he’s chosen to play so far in his career haven’t stimulated any of his personality save for his comedic side, and unfortunately none of those comedies were worth it. But here, he’s got a tender and unassuming demeanor which makes all three characters he plays incredibly sympathetic. I’ll be happy if he keeps churning out performances like this one. Melissa McCarthy’s downright hilarious in Samantha Who?, and here she teeters between that hilarity and a patience and understanding that’ll just break your heart. She and Reynolds play off of each other in the most adorable way. Hope Davis ups the edgy sensuality that she hasn’t been able to do since… I don’t know when. David Denham and Octavia Spencer take their small, thankless roles and do wonderfully. It’s such a joy to watch these actors operate in these atmospheres.

The Nines unifies its fractal shell in such a beautiful way that I can’t help but adore this film. Though I do wish it was more challenging. That may sound odd, but at the end of the tale, I felt it was pretty easy to figure out all that happened. Either that or I’m just better at piecing these kinds of films together than I was a few years go, haha, but that’s just a trifling aspect of what is ultimately a fantastic exploration of addiction, self-realization, and theology.

9/10

Absorb the Interplanetary Brilliance.

2008-03-12T00:08:00.000-07:00

WALL•E. Alright, so Pixar never ceases to amaze me. There's just something so endlessly wonderful about them! They constantly know what they're doing, how to do it, and how to find innovative ways to better themselves with their creativity.
About a year ago when Andrew Stanton (director of Finding Nemo) mentioned this project about a year or more ago, I was instantly enthralled. A 95% silent, satiric film that's going to rely on the already beloved robot's expressions, his environment, and Thomas Newman's brilliant score? Yeah... there was no question about it.
It's as if ... I don't know. It's like they brought out the brilliance of Ratatouille, and then gave you a taste of something potentially better. I can't explain my love for this company!
I just hope that their winning streak continues, as they unleash the third installment of the Toy Story franchise, but I'll get back to that in about two years. Let's just focus on this adorable piece of metal's introduction to our hearts!

Oooh, the Nostalgia.

2008-03-12T00:02:00.000-07:00

I still think the film will be middling, but I'm loving the prospect of it! Indiana Jones returning... at least it'll be fun, right? The design of the poster is magnificent. I'm glad they decided to go back to the style in which they did the first three films. Much like how they continued the style for the posters for those controversial Star Wars prequels.

I love how a lot is going on around Indiana's head. At this point, I'm just hoping for a fun adventure, and anything that comes after that should be a plus!

Gaia's Gone.

2007-12-08T00:36:00.000-08:00

It made a loud sound like the clashing of two cymbals. It was gorgeous. It made my cheeks run wet with tears. I looked up and I saw the clouds separate and light shine through. It was as if the sun decided to perform miracles. I heard violins and harps and harpsichords and horns. It was a sound I had never heard before. Not a harmony, but what a perfect one would be had it reached a new dimension. I couldn’t stop crying. I looked around and people were there. All who had died rose from the ground, they seemed to be experiencing something slightly different. It was as if they didn’t hear what I heard, or didn’t see what I saw, but their expression was just the same.

I turned to my friend, and I asked him what he saw. “Sheep.” He said. “Sheep on a pasture, flooding down the green hills into their pens. They’re singing. They’re … happy. Once they get into the pens, they disappear. I don’t know where they go.” I couldn’t understand a word he was saying. He mentioned nothing of the instruments, but instead he saw something that I couldn’t see.

The earth started to shake. I was scared, but… only I wasn’t. What did this mean? What was happening? I found my footing amongst the purple stones and then they started to melt away. I was up to my shins in purple liquid. However, I felt no pressure as it flowed in between and all around my feet. It was as if feathers were being brushed upon them. I smiled… and then I couldn’t stop. A sudden feeling of euphoria erupted within me and the tears stopped. It was all the joy of laughing hysterically, while being perfectly subdued.

Then I felt it. My brain. What is this feeling? I felt it shudder and shake. It was as if it had a life of its own. It started to shift and change. Coupled with the overwhelming happiness, it created the most unusual feeling. It was as if my mind were trying to process the information, and it needed to mutate or metamorphose to do this. It never stopped. It kept going, and I needed to get used to it. But before I could, the winds changed. It was as if they were blowing away from me. I saw the yellow and red leaves of the surrounding trees fly in all sorts of directions but my own. I felt like I was in the pocket of some whirlwind… if I knew what that felt like. It was a moment of clarity. I felt no earthly pressure… nothing coerced me to go in any particular way. I was set.

Instantly everything started to slow down. It was like a film, but better. The sky was clear, there was no wind, my mind was evolving, my feet were lighter than air, and the music went into a crescendo. Then it all stopped.

“Come.” He said.

I Don't Understand People Anymore...

2007-12-03T19:42:00.000-08:00

What the hell. Seriously... what the hell.

Why can't we just TALK to each other instead of resorting to physical abuse. Why can't we just express our feelings to each other? Are we that ignorant and self-absorbed that we cannot possibly assimilate what other people have to say?

It goes both ways... people just don't want to listen. People feel that they need to front this retarded image that everyone can see through, but all it leads is to the destruction of one's self and those around them.

I swear, the aliens probably have it all figured out. They probably look down on us with pity. We deserve it... I want to be with them. My faith in humanity is waning. I'm finished...

Alright, so something will happen to lift my hopes up in time, but right now, at this very second, it's all rubbish.

The Birth of Wit

2007-11-30T00:30:00.000-08:00

From the opening to closing credits, Juno completely sucks you into its unique world providing you with its messages about life, love, and the struggles with maturing at a young age. The eponymous character of the film, the audacious 16-year-old Juno MacGuff, spends the majority of her morning drinking Sunny Delight by the ounces in order to take yet another pregnancy test. “Little pink plus sign is so unholy.” She announces, thinking of how tumultuous the next nine months of her life will undoubtedly turn out. After much deliberation she decides to keep the baby and give it to a well-to-do family that seems to be the perfect match.

And in that respect the film does somet

hing utterly against the norm. Instead of turning this unexpected pregnancy into an event ending in heartless abortion, it opts to take the more promising route in bringing the baby into the world and putting it in loving arms. Now, that’s not to say that Juno doesn’t contemplate abortion. In fact, while she’s in the clinic about to put pen to paper, her friend’s mentioning that her unborn baby already has fingernails suddenly haunts her. With this in mind, she decides to abort the mission with a newfound outlook on life, and the one growing inside her.

Here Diablo Cody’s screenplay glows. The attention to detail is fascinating, and the dialogue is fresh and as sharp as a rivet. On paper it would probably seem hard for it all to translate to the screen without it seeming manufactured, but there is a constant undercurrent of honestly flowing through its veins. It constantly engages the audience in this character-driven tale.

Michael Cera once again delivers another knock out performance as Paulie Bleeker. He plays the Tic-Tac loving track star with just as much innocence and heart as he gave Evan last summer in Superbad. His past co-star from Arrested Development, Jason Bateman, managed to surprise me as Mark Loring, the soon-to-be adoptive father of Juno’s baby. His hesitance of fatherhood peeks through the cracks early on in the film, and the way it evolves is surprising. J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney, old pros at comedy, just dazzle as they sprinkle the film with their memorable incidents as Juno’s parents. Olivia Thirlby and Rainn Wilson add frosting to the cake as Juno’s crude best friend and hip cashier respectfully.

I should make a special note of Jennifer Garner. Never have I seen so much depth from this actress. There is a scene she shares with Bateman deciding what shade of yellow to paint the baby’s room. He announces that it’s too early to be thinking about that, and she says, “Well, I disagree.” with such downplayed confidence and sorrow that really broke me down. Her longing to become a mother surpasses the surface and dives fathoms deeper into her soul and Garner executes this delicate role perfectly.

All in all, Juno’s heart and soul lies within 20-year-old actress Ellen Page. Her youthful countenance and offbeat sense of language and style makes her all the more relatable. She’s that voice inside us that just wants to do away with the social archetype. She believes she has the world figured out, however she succumbs to the fact that she still doesn’t know herself yet. Her chemistry with Michael Cera radiates across the screen and it’s a joy to watch the two interact. Juno is Page’s best performance and a triumph. An Oscar nomination is sorely deserved.

The soundtrack, complete with artists from Sonic Youth to The Moldy Peaches, becomes a character in and of itself. It makes little emotional post-its here and there while embedding itself into your subconscious. I highly suggest purchasing it when it’s released.

Jason Reitman, director of the satire Thank You for Smoking fine tunes his comedic skills with Juno by creatively crafting every scene to a tee and letting his actors explore to the far reaches of their talent. He has made one hell of an entertaining flick and if the uproarious laughter from audiences doesn’t account for that, then I don’t know what does.

10/10

I've Been Trapped.

2007-11-12T20:11:00.000-08:00

In a den. For a very, very long time. I'm out now, so I'll be writing more often.

I love you.

Bum ba dum bum!

2007-09-10T20:19:00.000-07:00

Yeah, he's old, but he's back. I'm ready. I'm stoked, actually, and I never use that phrase. I've got loads of faith on the project, and I dig Shia LaBeouf, so I'm thinking... it'll work. And if not, at least we got another John Williams score out of it!

But this new title? I smell something, and it's not sweet. It's hard to say. Too many hard "K"s... cheap argument, but it does make sense. I mean, yes, it has as much words as Raiders of the Lost Ark, but that just flows! Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull isn't as easy to get down as the smoothie that is the first film's title. City of the Gods would have been sexier.

Anyway, that's that.

Are You?

2007-08-17T21:32:00.000-07:00

The story of Superbad focuses on the horny, choleric Seth (Jonah Hill), awkward, respectable Evan (Michael Cera), and eccentric, otherworldly Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) as they depend on each other in the midst of their last stretch of high school life. They are not strictly social outcasts, but they are certainly of the lower cast in the education institution, and as such they are not invited to many parties. However on one fateful day, Seth is invited to a major party in Home Ec. by Jules, a member of the opposite sex who he instantly falls for, and through other circumstances Evan is invited by Becca, the girl he fancies. Fogell announces that he is finally going to obtain his fake ID. Eager to impress, Seth agrees to purchasing the booze for the party and in doing so sends Fogell into a liquor store in order to get the hooch. A car hits Seth; Fogell is hit by a robber, and so begins a very long night.

Superbad is a revelation in teen sex comedies. While that may sound like a very brazen statement, I am willing to stick by it. Where the likes of American Pie and Road Trip attempt at dwindling the audience’s intelligence, Superbad treats you like a friend. It is empathetic, and knows where you’ve been and that you want to laugh about it. And man, does it make you laugh. It’s easily one of the funniest films of the year. Its range of humor is wonderful. Through Seth you will get the crude and vulgar sexual humor, Fogell and the cops (played by Seth Rogen and Bill Hader) provide the ironic slapstick and “wigger” styling, and Evan showcases the extremely quirky and witty one-liners that those with dry humor will automatically tap into and appreciate.

On another note, it is a fascinating film about that dire need to be accepted that burns within your soul, that want to be extremely cool. Seth is the prime example of this. The potty-mouthed individual is severely desperate to get laid because he feels that it is something that must be done before the time he graduates. The film also does a beautiful job in expressing the importance of friendship. In one of the best scenes in the film, the apex of the party calms and Seth and Evan proclaim their love for one another. On the surface, the homosexual undertones are hysterical, however that deeper expression of the bond that they share is what sets this film apart by going where others in this vein do not venture.

The acting in this film is top notch. Jonah Hill has proven himself to be a fantastic comical actor and will no doubt go far considering this Apatow/Rogen clan that he has so comfortably put himself in. He spills his sarcastic and crass dialogue with the greatest of ease, constantly making this character a believable one. Christopher Mintz-Plasse obviously creates one of the most iconic characters here, possibly of this decade, and his tribute to kickass nerds and McLovin will not be forgotten soon. The best character out of this film for me is Evan. Michael Cera did something brilliant with this character. His humor is so smart that I just dug it from the get go. Him singing “These Eyes” by The Guess Who was my favorite part of the film. There is also a moment when he says, “Samsies.” It probably took the audience ten seconds in order to laugh about what he said. I think that describes his subtlety perfectly, and he was the character I could most relate to.

This is why the writing shines. Seth Rogen wrote a version of the screenplay when he was only 13 years old, which explains how he was perfectly able to capture a very faithful view of high school life. He makes the characters highly relatable, and I should also praise him for writing Jules, possibly the best female character ever written when it comes to these types of films. Some of these jokes and sequences of dialogue hit so close to home, and that is why this film will be well loved for years to come. Both Seth and Evan Goldberg brought an honest version of high school, which is really what the audience wants to see.

My gripes with the film are slightly minor and are easy to overlook. Some of the comedy seems to be put there pointlessly. With the cops the comedy was hit and miss, seemingly dragging on especially towards the end. Also, let me say something about McLovin. This will instantly start a fad that will reach its peak, become overrated, and quickly turn annoying with mass-produced fake IDs and t-shirts. I wish this would not happen, as McLovin is funny, but it’ll become the Borat of 2007.
With its groovy soundtrack and stylish opening dance-scene-credits, Superbad is an exceptional film. It is one that will be remembered for a long time to come, and once you wade through the phallic illustrations and the vaginal ichor, it is easy to realize that this film has a pumping heart and an affectionate soul, which makes it timeless.

8/10

Mary-Louise, Please...

2007-08-16T17:07:00.000-07:00

Mary-Louise Parker, where to begin with this wonderful, wonderful woman. As if her beautiful mousy features and expressive eyes of mahogany weren't enough to whet your appetite, she's a powerhouse of talent and a force to be reckoned with on screen.

I subconsciously fell in love with her while watching Neil Simon's haunting drama about AIDS and human relationships Angels in America a few years ago. After revisiting it recently, I've fallen in love all over again. In said miniseries she brings the severely depressed, drug addicted wife of a homosexual man to life in a stirring, comical and brave performance. Her interactions with the other performers are just magnificent. She has a way of making each line seem as authentic as possible. As if she were improvising it as she went along, and therein lies the beauty of her art.

Weeds is the next stop in this adventure. I picked up the first two seasons blindly, having faith that the tale of dark deeds occurring in suburbia would enthrall me, and fortunately it has. It's one of the best shows I have seen in quite some time. It's witty, daring, and utterly hilarious. Mary-Louise switches from taking the drugs to peddling them as a suburban widow with two kids just struggling to get by. The trials and tribulations this character go through are amazing, and Mary-Louise fleshes her out and makes her completely sympathetic and real. There is a scene in the first season in which she confronts a territorial and terrorizing dealer and she's just amazing. Her commanding and powerful screen presence is just so exciting to watch and so bloody sexy!

It doesn't stop with the tube, she started off gracing the stage, winning a Tony Award for her lead performance in Proof and much critical acclaim for her broadway runs. I only wish I could see her live on that hallowed platform expressing herself.

Mary-Louise Parker is one of the greatest actresses working today, and she deserves all the fame she gets. I was a bit leery about her besting my favorite housewives on ABC at the Golden Globes, but I can honestly say, that award was hers, and she deserves any more they want to toss this talented actress' way.

Orgasm

2007-08-11T22:10:00.001-07:00

Enough said.

The Stuttering Champion

2007-08-11T00:41:00.000-07:00

Rocket Science is a tale about apprehension, love and self awareness. Our leading man has issues with all three. Hal Hefner (Reece Thompson) is a stuttering adolescent putting himself out each day to get through high school. Among the educational challenges, his father leaves the family, his brother is a bullying kleptomaniac, and the treatment for controlling his influent speaking skills are not working. Then erratically on a bus ride home a girl named Ginny (Anna Kendrick) recruits the timid Hal to join the debate team. The thought of someone taking a chance on him sends him into a life-changing spiral.

The character of Hal Hefner is a layered one. Repressed anger is what Ginny sees in him, and it is also what she brings out by tugging at and then slashing his heartstrings. This apparent betrayal becomes the motivation in his revenge against the girl, and through this journey he gains a much-needed sense of confidence and reality. When Hal finally confronts Ginny she exclaims to him, “I upped your game, little man!”

To this he simply waves goodbye and walks away, however knowing at the same time that she was right. Through her manipulativeness Hal obtains insight into himself and the courage to do things that he has never done before. This is one of the most beautiful parts of the film, also where its message becomes universal. Hal’s stutter is not just a call to all others who stutter, but it becomes a device to symbolize any inner struggles which we may have that we can overcome.

The performances by the young cast are just stellar. Anna Kendrick is bitingly witty as the motor mouthed Ginny, Nicholas D’Aosto exudes a highly charming and dignified charisma as Ben, and Vincent Piazza’s obsessive and tyrannical Earl is wonderful. However the shining star of this production is Reece Thompson in the main role. He possesses a refined maturity and highly convincing understanding of his character, Hal Hefner, that some seasoned actors can only wish to do. He nails the nebbish, stuttering teenager and delivers one of the most nuanced and heartfelt performances of the year. Reece has proved himself to be an actor we should expect greatness from in the future.

The wonderful soundtrack contains original compositions and songs by Eef Barzelay as well as two Violent Femmes tracks used to up the teen angst. Where many of the films in this vein tend to rely on the quirkiness of characters and situations, this film is very much grounded in reality. The writer and director Jeffrey Blitz fleshes out each character in such a way as to enable the audience to care about them. It is not a perfect film, but its heart is in the right place and Blitz' apparent passion makes Rocket Science one of the most delightful films of 2007.

8/10

This Happens. This is Something That Happens.

2007-08-09T02:54:00.000-07:00

Let us muse for a bit. Let us speculate that you are in a bubble. A round diaphanous bubble. Residing in that bubble are a few people you grew up with, such as friends and family. Effects you are fond of are also in there. It is safe for a while, then you start to question. "What's that out there? I can't really see it, this... bubble's in the way." You reach out through that thin film, and there it goes. Your whole bubble is gone because you questioned it. You cast those aspersions on reality. You cross-examined what you didn't know. It scared you for a while, right? I mean, why wouldn't it? All you know - gone. Well, not gone, just altered. You see a few of your close friends a bit differently. Perhaps you appreciate aspects of your life to a greater extent, or they may become more trivial. All of this happens because you grew out of that bubble.

You then realize, after accommodating yourself to your new surroundings, that this is actually beautiful. This is actually life. This is actually something that happens. You start to question other things: what you see, what you hear, what you say, the information that other people tell you. Most importantly, you start to analyze yourself. "Why am I like this?" "Why do I see my friends this way now?" "Why is the world like this, how can I change it?" These are the quintessential inquiries that we all have to ask ourselves at one time or another because they will shape the way we lead the rest of our lives.

Now, as I type this, I have pondered over those questions. I have already reevaluated and dissected them. They are haunting questions once you really get into them, but oh man they are worth asking. Who knows, I may be in a bubble right now, maybe we are always going to be in bubbles. The objective is getting out of those bubbles, reaching out of that protective sphere and making yourself uncomfortable with new thoughts and ideas, surrendering yourself to information, to knowledge, overwhelming yourself with bits and pieces of the world, and thinking freely! Only to habituate yourself to it and start the process all over again. These events happen. These events need to happen because if they do not, how can we persist?

The Life and Times of an Olfactive Killer

2007-08-05T03:05:00.000-07:00

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer takes us into the depths of 18th Century Paris. The people and the buildings are all part of the aesthetic revolving around a young orphan named Jean-Baptiste Grenouille (Ben Whishaw) and his encompassing mission to create the greatest perfume known to man. In achieving this he turns into something he never sought out to be, a serial killer.

There are reasons as to why the film has been passed on to director and director and why Stanley Kubrick called the novel "unfilmable". After all, the story is a highly complex and unconventional one. Nevertheless, Tom Tykwer was able to tell a solid, and occasionally brilliant tale. The first two acts are well paced and quite fascinating. Introducing Grenouille and his growing curiosity with the scents of his known world. There is a scene where Grenouille ravages the shop of renown perfumer Bauldini (Dustin Hoffman) in order to prove to him that he can recreate a popular perfume. Ben Whishaw captures the eagerness of Grenouille in such an impressive way that it just makes you smile to see such pure excitement come from an actor. Dustin Hoffman lightens the mood with his refined gusto as the perfumer who is unwilling to believe in the talents of this boy.

However, towards the last act the film treads into, frankly, weird waters. The lengths at which Grenouille is willing to create his perfect perfume are chilling. His seemingly childish visage is debunked when he snatches women off the streets as if they were nothing more than ducks to a hunting party. The affect of his completed perfume on others is what propels the film into a new level of bizarreness. Some may be able to tap into the morbid and disturbing nature of the film, while it will surely turn others off. The last act drags to a certain extent and it lacks the attention to pacing that the beginning of the film utilized flawlessly.

The one element that holds this entire epic together is Ben Whishaw. This British actor has enough intensity to create a believable, cold-blooded and regretless murderer, while at the same time enough irreproachableness to enable us to sympathize with him. Grenouille is neither an antagonist nor a protagonist. He is a multilayered character and Ben brings him to life, giving a truly fearless performance with all the right ingredients of an anti-hero. Grenouille is a selfish and naïve boy who is trying to find love, and in a way cannot control the need to murder. To him, he is creating something beautiful, something that he himself can never obtain. There is a scene where he bares all and becomes completely selfless, and it is oddly one of the most beautiful sections in the whole film.

Baldini explains to Grenouille that perfume is made up of three chords: the head, the heart, and the base. The base is described as the lasting effect of the perfume, and that is exactly how this film is structured. Perfume still lingers with me, and it still boggles my mind to some extent. I am sure that I will be thinking about it for a very long time before I come to a full understanding of this extraordinary and daunting tale.

8/10

Bev.

2007-08-01T23:55:00.000-07:00

A mysterious creature of sorts. One, long, slender neck. Hooves abound. However, there's something trivial in the way she moves. The way she sounds. It's as if she awoke one morning and said, "I'm going to take over the world, one creative soul at a time." Capturing the hearts and souls of all those who welcome her, she knows her prey. Stalking the forests, the trees, the deserts, molehills, anthills, foothills, searching for someone who will understand her. Who will answer her call, who will call her! Who will shout at the heavens with all their might the one question that will rule any other question that has been asked or will ever be asked... "That Bev?"

The Darjeeling Limited

2007-07-30T22:04:00.000-07:00

Once a year, a film catches my eye, my mind, my heart, and it doesn't let go. It consummates with my interests, and it creates anticipation. This year, I'm lucky (or unfortunate) enough to have three different films that I'm endlessly yearning for. I'll stick with The Darjeeling Limited for now.

The Darjeeling Limited, as you could tell from the trailer, is a journey, a spiritual one if you will, that three brothers in a slightly dysfunctional relationship go on in honor of their dead father. Wes Anderson is a genius. He's a mastermind, and skillful in creating individual worlds throughout all his films, while simultaneously allowing the audience to relate to the characters because they're human, they're flawed, they're like you and me.
His films are also hilarious. Wes has got a very particular kind of humor, it's dry and witty and so incredibly smart. That's why his films are such a joy to watch. They work for me on endless levels. Even his whimsical-laden The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou ranks among my favorites while some others disagree.

The Darjeeling Limited graces silver screens this Fall, and I will make that trip to L.A. in its first week out.

My Flickr

2007-07-30T17:31:00.000-07:00

I seem to be registered all over the place on this world wide web (that's the internet of you're dull). IMDb, MySpace, and this blog...thing you're currently reading. But there's another site which has thrilled me, and that's called Flickr.

Their logo, that.

Anyway, they allow anyone with a camera to put their pictures on their site. Sometimes that's not a good thing, but when the right people upload, WONDEROUS THINGS HAPPEN! I'll let you see a few of my pictures. Some of my favorites if you will.

So there go those. Photography's a pretty significant part of my non-life, so if you're interested in seeing more, you may check out my Flickr account, HERE!

BYE BYE!

Interconnectivity Through the Departed

2007-07-30T16:55:00.000-07:00

The Dead Girl achieves its greatness through its characters, its actors. The story and all else comes in second. It's a character study, and most of the time in film, if you have believable characters and wonderful actors to bring them to life, then you're mostly set. Nothing gets me off "filmically" more than brilliant performances, and they were abundant in this moving picture.

The story is well told. Again, its focus was on the characters more than the actual plot, so it's not as if I'm going to say it was weak at all, because it wasn't. The characters were as integral to the plot as possible because through them, the audience assimilates the story bit by bit. Where I think this tops Babel to some respect is in the connection that each of the five stories have. This dead girl is one of the strongest devices of interconnection in film, because there's really no way to get around it. And the fact that the dead girl has her own story makes it even more grand.

When it comes to the heartbreak and the sadness, each of the stories has their fair share, however there's one section that has stuck with me, and that's "The Sister". Where some may write it off as superfluous, stating that it's almost like its own story, it's not like that at all. It is its own story, however it was put in to portray how your hope can be manipulated through misleading information. It was also used to express how determined one can be for who they love. I thought it was beautiful.

Lonliness is one of the most prominent themes brought up by the film, which is interesting considering the other theme is connection. Every character feels that pang of lonliness which determines which paths they choose throughout the rest of their lives. Also, each of them are given the chance for redemption, or seek it out for themselves through the dead girl. If I were to dig deeper into it, she could be interpreted into a twisted Jesus figure.
Karen Moncrieff establishes this insightful drama through her top notch writing and directing. She empowers each of her female characters and her passion flows from each cell. She's a relentless source of talent and I cannot wait to see how she's tapped into in the future.

This movie is dark, depressing, and certainly not for everyone. But for those willing to succumb to this overbearing tale, you may be impacted in more ways than one.

9/10.

"There are eight million stories in the Naked City; this has been one of them."

2007-07-30T16:38:00.000-07:00

The Naked City is less a film noir than it is a cop drama. It doesn't fully abide by the archetypal formula of a film noir, but it still has many traits such as the plot revolving around a murdered female, and wise cracking investigators exercising all of their powers in order to solve the overlying mystery.

The unusual device that's utilized in this film is the semi-documentarian way of unraveling the story. We have this narrator who breaks the fourth wall, opening the film with facts about the film itself, and possibly throwing people off. For a minute I thought I had turned on an audio commentary, but I later figured that it was all part of the experience. I bought into it, however I can see others disliking the storytelling, childrens'-show vibe it exudes, and it gets like that in some instances, but for the majority of the project, I thought it was well done.

The story was pretty basic. Not really wrapped up in its plotlines, but almost overly simple. The way they tied in the death with the motivation and the killers. I didn't like it too much. They could have executed that section in a more concerted way. Fortunately, that is the only flaw the film has. It's filled with wonderful performances, especially by Irish actor Barry Fitzgerald, and the sequence with Don Taylor's character's wife added a much needed facet of human connection.

The film was nominated for its screenplay, and won for Editing and Cinematography, all of which I thought were well deserved. The shots of shadowy New York during the summer were beautiful. The score was duly excellent.

It's a well made film, certainly one I'd recommend watching because of its original aspects, but I wouldn't rank it among the greats.

7/10.

Just Trying It Out

2007-07-26T15:17:00.000-07:00

Considering I have no idea as to what I am doing, this will be a test. Who knows, perhaps years later I'll look back on this and say, "Wow, look how far I've come." Or perhaps I'll still suck? Either way, I did it and that's all that matters.