Wednesday Three-Peat: Some Chaplin...Some Brendan Fraser

So I was at two extremes these past few days with film. I saw two showcases of great comedy with Charlie Chaplin. Then I saw a vomit-inducing display of mediocrity with Brendan Fraser in The Mummy 3 (I'm not gonna' bother with the ridiculous name). Let's give the bad news first, shall we?

The Mummy 3 *
A really below-average movie here. With The Dark Knight, we saw what a action blockbuster could hold. A fascinating plot, interesting characters and probably the best FX we'll see all year. The Mummy 3 has none of those things. Plot? It's more like: let's see how many nonsensical storylines we can throw in there to keep the story going, thus created more chances for Brendan Fraser to spout cheesy phrases ("I really hate mummies!"...why you're a man of words aren't you, Mr. Fraser?). So, yeah, the screenplay is bad. The characters are brought to life by wooden actors. The special effects and sets are really bad. Couldn't they at least pull that off? I mean, the editors put fight scenes in slow motion, throw in quick cuts, but really, the scenes look comical. I haven't had to sit through much crap this summer, which is great. Last year, I had Transformers, Pirates and all that junk. But the Mummy ends a streak of good films. Just stupid. Stay away.



The Great Dictator ***
This film is very accessible, which, I must admit, kind of surprised me. It's also hilarious at some points (and I didn't think I liked slapstick..) and so simple. Up until the last ten minutes, I loved it. Chaplin, well, he "lives up to the hype". His screenplay creates funny, well-written character and his acting is classic. The faces, mannerisms..hell, his voice is funny. It's a satire, making fun of Adolf Hitler, or in this case Adenoid Hynkle , the leader of Tomainia. Never strays into stupidity, which it could have, and Chaplin really turns in a great performance (Oscar-nominated, I might add). See it. It's low-key fun, you won't forget easily.



City Lights ***1/2

I'm in a Chaplin phase, aren't I? Well, there's worse..like a Brendan Fraser phase. Yet, unlike the last film mentioned, this gets into brilliant territory. As funny as it can be, like a ridiculous boxing scene, or any scene with the Drunken Millionaire, the film is mainly about one thing: love. The message I got was that you know your true love instantly. That's a little vague, but see the last two minutes of this film, and you'll understand. Okay, freakishly simple. That's a good thing. In 87 minutes you see the story of The Tramp assist his love, a blind flower girl, and basically, try his hardest to give her a better life. That better life comes in the form of an eye operation, in which The Tramp dedicates all his time into making the flower girl able to afford the operation. Dedication, love, humor. All of it. Yes, it's silent, but honestly, I mean this, it's such a good film you eventually don't even notice the lack of words. Strongly recommended.

Interesting 'Rachel Getting Married' Trailer

Hathaway will get a nom. She should get a nomination for her performance in this trailer. Mark my words.



Looks a little Margot at the Wedding-ish, though.

P.S. I meant to post this awhile ago. Don't think I'm behind the curve, people.

Song of the Week (ed. 6)

Step Into My Office, Baby - by Belle and Sebastian

Very summery and fun. That's what I'm here for, right? To provide summery tunes? Correct?



Video is a bit more risque than I thought. (How many of you just clicked play after you read that sentence? Yuck.)

The Great Dictator

Got my first dose of Charlie Chaplin. The kind of "eh" ending kept it from being a three and a half-er, but a solid three fits just fine.

Really though, very good film. I'll talk further in the Three-Peat (which my feature another Chaplin silent...ohhhhhhh)



Chaplin is really short. Never knew that...

August Oscar Chart

Coming soon. Prepare to be amazed...

For now, here's the nasty (as in good) Doubt poster.



I like. I like a lot.

God I Love You.

Found a cool article at Hollywood Elsewhere on 'Benjamin Button'. My most anticipated of the year. The film that I think will take top honors at the 2008 Academy Awards. I'm uber-excited.

Here's the brilliant trailer. Whoa.

'W.' Trailer

Here it is...



Looks atrocious.

The cinematography looks stunning, though, if I must say.

Tim Burton's Alice In Wonderland, Eh?

I'm a Tim Burton fan. I'll happily admit it. I loved Edward Scissorhands. I loved Ed Wood. Hell, the other day, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was playing on ABC Family and I couldn't look away. So, inevitably, I can't wait for Alice In Wonderland. What book has more hey-look-at-me weirdness? That's a classic? What director has more of a hey-look-I'm behind-the-camera style more so than Tim Burton?

It should be an extravaganza like Burton's last three, kind of, epics (Sweeney had all the works; Big Fish was kind of long and stuff and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory had music and costumes and yummy set designs). This will be perfect for him. A dark, detailed story with weird-o characters. He'll probably, somewhere, throw in Deep Roy in every frickin' scene. That's sort of freaky isn't it? (But I still loved it in Charlie).

He's going to have Mia Wasikowska,who the Rural Juror thinks is a future star. Maybe he can shot her up to stardom. Or maybe not.

I can't wait. I'm sorry, but it pains me I have to wait two years. It's going to be awesome. For me, at least. I'm not too cool for school. Burton, a few years ago, was probably the first director I really admired. Do I admire him as much now? Not quite. But his movies are fun and stylish..so, what the hay, let's rank them!

The top five productions...

5. Planet of the Apes..crucify me, I liked it.



4. Edward Scissorhands



3. Ed Wood



2. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory



1. Big Fish



I may get some crap for this...

Song of the Week (ed. 5)

My Morning Jacket's Into The Woods. Great song...

Monday Three-Peat: Rope, Pulp Fiction, Definitely Maybe

I actually saw all of these films in one day, as well as my second viewing of The Dark Knight. Busy, busy. Or maybe the opposite. It's been a rainy week. That'll be my excuse.

Rope **1/2
Got another Hitchcock under my belt (why am I laughing at that line?). Yet unlike Vertigo, I wasn't a huge fan of Rope. It was a good movie, and towards the end, during the interrogation, it got quite suspenseful. But the first hour of the movie was little, subtle conversation, that got a little dull. And the film is only 80 minutes long. The characters were interesting, and in their own way, led the story along. It was simple, plus effective (a rarity nowadays). It all takes place in one room the whole time, a plush apartment in the city. The basic gist is that two..idiots..decide to kill an "inferior" friend, just for the thrill of it. They hid the body in a trunk in which they have guests dine off of during a party later that day. It's a really cool plot, but not enough happened to make it really interesting, like it should have been. Still, recommended.



Definitely, Maybe ***
I enjoyed this movie, quite a bit. It was light (just what I happened to be in the mood for the night I saw it) and quite enteraining. The performances are all pretty good by the long cast, except..eh, Reynolds. He's kind of..annoying? And, this was a little disturbing, Abigail Breslin was annoying as hell during the beginning. She nearly redeems herself though, in a touching ending. Basically, Reynolds is telling his screen daughter (Breslin) about How He Met Her Mother. It basically chronicles his love-life over a decade. Cliched? Uhuh. Predictable? Yeah. Fun and entertaining? That too. It's a good movie that holds your attention and doesn't stray. If you're a rom-com fan, or if you like a good popcorn flick with romantic undertones (me..), then pick this up from the video store.



Pulp Fiction ****
I need to watch this again. Soon. I kind of loved this movie. I love it because it's structure. It's kind of random, very simple, and tied together impressively. Like, I was admiring Quentin Tarantino's talent throughout this film, because this is the first I have seen by him. The screenplay: unconventional and "cool". Direction: awesome (can't think of a better word, okay? It fits). Travolta, Jackson and especially Uma, are all great in this. I loved Uma Thurman in this. Plays a weird-o really well. Samuel L. Jackson is at times thoughtful, other times violent and hilarious. It's funny. It's bloody. It's insanely well done and thought-out. Right up my alley.

"Red Rum!"

It's amazing to me that Danny Lloyd has not a single credit to his name since his unforgettable turn as Danny Torrance in "The Shining". When filming the role, Danny was only a little older than five years old. When I was five I was...watching Sesame Street or eating sand in the playground. Danny was playing a chilling, possessed little boy opposite one of the great actors of all time, and my favorite actor, Jack Nicholson. He was under the direction of Stanley Kubrick, a man many think is the greatest director to walk the Earth.

Danny played the role with such sophistication. I mean, could a five year-old even understand the plot, the meaning, the significance that film carries? It must have been traumatic, really. A role far beyond his years. But it worked. It worked oh, so well. While watching The Shining (between underpants changes), my friend, who was watching the film with me, said that Danny gave one of the best performances he had ever seen. Stretch? Not totally.

He had the perfect blend of childish innocence and disturbing loss of mind. Freaky. One scene, he was hearing Jack and Wendy talking about him (through the Shine; see the movie) and he had this tortured expression. So sad and disappointed in himself for being so screwed up. He sat on the foot of his bed, looking into the camera, his lip quivering in sorrow. Then in, practically, the next scene, he was running around the bedroom screaming in that robotic, faraway voice, "Red Rum! Red Rum!", smearing the word on the walls with lipstick, driving poor Shelley Duvall to madness.

The voice. Whoa. The voice he would give to Tony, the imaginary character that lives in his mouth, was startling. When he was possessed. Boy, that voice stayed in your head for awhile. Even though it's been nearly months since I saw the film, I can remember that voice meticulously. You know what that is? That is the definition of unforgettable. Literally.

And it's that simple. Danny Lloyd is unforgettable in the way he plays a role so beyond his years, it's scary.

This essay is for my buddy Michael's Rug Rats Blog-A-Thon, which I think is a great idea. See Michael's fun blog...
here.

So I Saw 'The Dark Knight' Again...

Um...still awesome. What did you think?

Picked Up Four New CDs

Haven't listened to any of them extensively, except, I guess, Back To Black, which is brilliant. I should be getting another DeVotchka CD soon, as well. Wish me luck...

Belle and Sebastian's Dear Catastrophe Waitress



Modest Mouse's We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank



DeVotchKa's A Mad and Faithful Telling



Amy Winehouse's Back To Black

Classic Reviews - Apes and WWll Vets

So you know that little classic list I posted
a little while ago? Well, I've gotten to see two films off of it so far. One of then may just crack my top 20 all-time.

Here we go...

Planet of the Apes ***1/2

I actually am sort of a fan of the 2001 Tim Burton version. I mean, as a little kiddie, I thought it was really cool, but on a viewing two years ago, I realized it wasn't that great. So then I thought I'd watch the "real thing" and I must say, it was miles better. It's such a cool, yet sort of simple, yet you have to think about it a little, plot. Unfortunately, this is my first Heston film, but I thought he played this role pretty darn well. His life sucked. Every time an ape would come on the screen, I'd get this weird excitement. They look disgusting, really. Some have like wacko-Jacko no-nose syndrome, but others are just like, all hair, like Cousin Itt. Anyway, on a serious note, this is a surprisingly smart, purely fun film that's a staple for any sci-fi extraordinaire.



The Best Years of Our Lives ****

I didn't expect to love this film as much as I did. Three hours of war vets, bitching about how civilian life sucks. Well, the film really isn't like that (at all), but it's an extremely simple plot that stays entertaining the whole way. Two things stick out to me, and they both contribute to an incredible aspect of this film. One is the acting. Simple. All the, maybe say six, starring characters are so good and realistic. Then the screenplay. Holy crap. Never, have I watched a screenplay, on screen, that portrays such amazing character action. Little meticulous actions shape the characters so well and tap into their personalities that they are very multi-dimensional. Both of those aspects? Thye contribute into making ridiculously good characters that you get to know. It's one of those films, kind of like Forrest Gump, It's A Wonderful Life, and, recently, There Will Be Blood (those just come to mind..) that by the end you just think "Boy, we've come a long way in this film". With the characters, story, relationships, all of it. A truly amazing film.



So I'm liking the classics, so far. A lot. I'll be seeing The Apartment and Sleuth pretty soon, as well. Yay...

Song of the Week (ed. 4)

Can't get this song outta' my head...

How It Ends by Devotchka

Batman 3 Villain: Who Shall It Be?

Yeah, it's a tad early for all this, considering the second movie came out four days ago, but I've been haering this question quite a bit. You know I like to be up on all the hip topics so...what villain should it be?

I'm not a big Batman dude. Never read a comic book and Batman Begins was the first dose of Batman I got. So I'm not any expert on Batman lore, but I've done some research and I'll try my best.

Anarky, Riddler, or Hugo Strange

I can only narrow it down to three.

Anarky- "The essence of anarchy is surprise". Basically Anarky is a young, non-superpower'd(?) who lacks much skill and experience yet has his ingenuity that keeps him alive. He could be kind of a crazy, idiotic kid that poses as a threat. What makes him menacing is that he hasn't a clue what he's doing. He's realistic and scary, so...brownie points.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarky

Riddler- A classic villain, probably the most documented of the ones I'll name. He's obsessed with puzzles and clues, and all that stuff. The Nolans could think up some creepy lines and situations for a character of that type. His trademark is green. He's aparently on Nolan's shortlist and he's a pretty iconic character, thus putting more bottoms in the seats.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riddler

Hugo Strange- Strange is an insane psychologist who lusts for Batman's fame and appeal. How about they work into the plot that Strange wants to take over Batman's identity? Fun, huh? He also is "a chemical genius who can turn people into lumbering, brutal giants". Interesting, yet I'd leave that bit out of the film. Little weird.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_Strange

Bottom Line: Be maniacal, but don't be the Joker. Also, step outta' the box.

Who do you think should be in the film? Who should act in the roles? "McAvoy, McAvoy and, uh, McAvoy?"

'The Dark Knight' Review

The Dark Knight ****



I saw the Batman. And I was worried. A firm 9.5 on IMDb. Big-name critics like Roger Ebert bestowing four-star reviews. The box office insanity. I had my doubts it would live up to the hype. I mean, I yawned my way through the bland Batman Begins and overall, I'm not a huge Nolan fan at all. I wanted to like it. I wanted to avoid being an outsider, the loon with a pole up his buttocks that thinks a "masterpiece" is dull. But, oh no. Not so, me friends. I'll be surprised if 152 minutes flies by in 2008 like it did while I watched this film.

Entertaining, creepy, incredibly acted (and that is %100 true; ensemble award anyone?) and hey, very well directed. What more could you want? The story just keeps chugging along, never stopping for a breath. Every line of dialogue, every action, all the parts, had a purpose and they pushed the story forward.

Luckily -- this is good for dumb people like me -- the story is relatively simple. Not extremely cut-and-dry, but for the most part it revolves around Batman joining forces with Commissioner Gordon and the new DA Harvey Dent to take down the, no words describe him better, tortured and insane Joker. The tactics of the Joker are simple: no scheming, no planning, just destroy. The Joker is not just a brilliant villain, but a brilliant character. Every time he was on screen I would get excited because when he steps in frame something is going to happen. Whether he urges Batman to hit him with a motorcycle ("HIT ME!") or he's chatting with Two-Face in a nurse's get-up (personally, my favorite scene; hilarious and nightmarish)



Kudos to the writers (the Nolans). They weren't afraid. As good as it was that they didn't just hand the movie to the Joker character and let it revolve around him and not the real story at hand, they also didn't pull many punches. They let the Joker, or maybe Ledger, just tear it up, go completely WACKO. He freaks you out consistently. Every scene he's saying something bizarr-o, doing something only a freak would do. And with that, Ledger and his Joker stole the damn show.

So to make it simple, it's Batman and a litte help from his friends that try to take down the man tearing Gotham City apart. Now there is a whole finance scheme with the mob that really is mainly in the first hour of the film. That's a big subplot, but goes unnoticed as the film draws to a close. That's no trajedy, whatsoever. That's not the fun part of the movie.

As stated earlier, the performances are truly great (none quite in the same league as Ledger's but eh..). I like Bale as Batman. Matter of fact, I dig the Bale Batman. And not all do. I mean, he may come across a little bland in some ways. But he's cool, rich and pissed off. Isn't that Batman, basically? Then there's the Caped Crusader's partners in crime, Oldman and Eckhart. And I declare: after Ledger, Oldman gives the second best performance in the film. You just like him, I don't know. It's sort of a subtle performance, yet he does a good job pulling off a multi-dimensional character that has quite a crucial role in this film. Eckhart, I believe, was perfectly cast. He's sort of a politician, man of power, type thing, so leading man looks were needed. He also, simply, did well. He played a brave, gutsy character with flash, and it all worked out nicely. But, he's not that good in the last, say, hour of the film. His character, as you may know, let's just say changes, and it doesn't quite work. I don't buy him as the bad guy.



The boring ones: Gyllenhaal. Fun..? I don't know, I mean, she's a very minor upgrade from Holmes who I didn't think was that bad in Batman Begins. Maggie's fine, but the character doesn't have tons to work with. Caine and Freeman (they count as one), were both effortlessly good, yet I prefer Caine any day of the week.

Then there's Ledger. Don't think all of his hype is just hyperbole. He's simply amazing. Every mannerism, line, expression is so consistent. He really is the Joker. I saw a thread on IMDb (yes, I read the boards..just a lurker) that was the toss-up of Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood versus Ledger as the Joker. I laughed. DDL was TWBB (omg lol). But now it isn't a laughing matter. There is a serious argument for both. At the end of the day? Probably Daniel. Ledger had a much more exhibiting performance. Flashier. Day-Lewis's performance was mainly that he was the plot, and he was pretty freaking amazing. It's close (and maybe I'll have to post about it). I didn't want to make the whole review about Ledger, because I'm reviewing a film not a performance, but Ledger was really great; show-stealing. I don't want to wonder what he could have been. He played a marvelous Joker and that's that. It's deeply sad, but I'll always remember Ledger fondly with this legendary performance.

Am I getting ahead of myself when I say that Nolan should be considered for a Best Director nom? He succeeded in making, basically a crime drama with Batman. And it worked. As realistic as it was, the crazy gadgets, and kind of the fantastic Joker character came across normal, and you never kind of laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. It's been advertised to us as a Batman flick. It is. But this film is more than that. I'll say, three scenes stick out in my mind that are true ethical dilemmas. And in a way, that adds to the suspense of this film. Smart suspense.

Also, Nolan created a great Joker (as if I haven't said that already). The character is perfect, maybe it's only flaw being he's too fun to watch at times.

So, yeah, it lives up to the hype. Best film ever? Eh, not a shot. Really good film, though? Sure.

My Most Anticipated of the Second Half Of '08

I still am yet to see Dark Knight (I'll probaqbly see it in about 6 hours), so I'll include that on the list. Okay? Here we go...

1. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
2. The Dark Knight
3. Milk
4. Burn After Reading
5. Australia
6. Revolutionary Road
7. W.
8. House of Lies (seen the trailer yet? It pumped me up...)
9. Eagle Eye
10. Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Honorable Mentions: Doubt, Frost/Nixon, Quantum of Solace, Religulous, Miracle At St. Anna

So, what this shows, is that I anticipate quite a few films (all Oscar bait and films that have good trailers).

Watchmen Trailer

Heh.

Seeing 'Dark Knight' On Monday

..And it may be impossible for it to live up to the hype.

On IMDb, apparently it's the greatest film ever made so...