Just a quick list of songs i think you should give a listen to.
KE$HA- TIK TOK
BRITNEY SPEARS- 3
ASHLEY TISDALE- CRANK IT UP
BASEMENT JAXX- RAINDROPS
DIZZEE RASCAL- HOLIDAY
MADONNA- REVOLVER
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
REVIEW: EVANGELION 1.0 YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE
DIRECTED BY?: Kazuya Tsurumaki and Masayuki (Neon Genesis Evangelion Death + Rebirth)WHO'S IN IT?: Megumi Ogata (Played Sailor Uranus in Sailor Moon), Megumi Hayashibara (Cowboy Bebop), Kotono Mitsuishi (One Piece), Fumihiko Tachiki (Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence)
WHAT'S IT ABOUT IN TWO SENTENCES?:
In the future the world is under attack but giant mysterious creatures called Angels who ascend from the heavens and wreak havoc on earth. Earths only chance for survival are giant Mecha which can only be piloted by teenagers, namely one damaged boy named Shinji Ikari.
ANYTHING OSCAR WORTHY?:
Evangelion 1.0 is an interesting experiment, a remake of a TV series that aired 12 years ago. The goal was to make the animation more epic and lush, and to re-jig the convoluted story to make it more clear and accessible. The film definitely has achieved its goals in terms of its animation. The backgrounds are incredibly detailed and the character movements are beautiful. The animation has really opened up the scope of the story.
The changes to the story however are less clear at this point. This is the first of four movies and at this point of the original series it was not yet apparent that the series was about to become a confusing mess. The story that is present so far however is quite engaging.
The end credits theme "Beautiful World" by Utada Hikaru is wonderful and quite catchy.
ANYTHING RAZZIE WORTHY?:
Fans of the original show will be disappointed on what has been omitted from the original story, and many character beats have been lost. Hopefully in the future three film instalments, more attention will be given to the characters.
The pacing is also quit quick, and it may be a tad confusing for newcomers to the series, as very little time is given to explaining what is happening.
HOW MANY STARS THEN?:
A must for fans of the series and animation lovers. Newcomers should give it a try, but it probably is best watched with someone who can explain it to you.
3.5 stars out of 5
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
REVIEW: THE APARTMENT
DIRECTED BY?: Billy Wilder (The Seven Year Itch, Some Like it Hot, Sabrina)WHO'S IN IT?: Jack Lemmon (Legend of Bagger Vance), Shirley Maclaine (Rumour Has It...), Fred MacMurray (Son of Flubber), Jack Kruschen (The Million Dollar Duck)
WHAT'S IT ABOUT IN TWO SENTENCES?:
A kind man C C Baxter loans out his apartment to co-workers so that they can carry out extra marital affairs. Things get complicated however when one of these affairs involves the girl that C C has a romantic interest in.
ANYTHING OSCAR WORTHY?:
Well just ask the academy. In 1961 The Apartment was nominated for Best Actress, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Sound. It also won for Best Art Direction, Best Editing, Best Writing, Best Editing, Best Director and Best Picture.
The film really does deserve every award and nomination it received. Standouts in my mind are Shirley Maclaine's performance (which is so complex, likable and tragic all at the same time), the editing (makes you long for the days when the average shot length in a movie was 0.5 seconds), the cinematography (which uses depth of field to stunning effect, and especially the writing which seems sharp and fresh even today (which says a lot seeming the film is 50 years old).
ANYTHING RAZZIE WORTHY?:
Nothing at all
HOW MANY STARS THEN?:
I can not believe it has taken me this long to see this classic. A must see for all.
5 stars out of 5
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
REVIEW: INTO THE WILD
.BMP)
DIRECTED BY? Sean Penn (The Pledge)
WHO'S IN IT? Emile Hirsch (Speed Racer), Jena Malone (Saved!), Marcia Gay Harden (The Mist), Vince Vaughn (Dodgeball), William Hurt (Lost In Space), Catherine Keener (Hamlet 2), Hal Holbrook (The Bachelor), Kristen Stewart (Sparkly Vampire Movie)
WHAT'S IT ABOUT IN TWO SENTENCES?
A rich kid with daddy issues decides to leave civilisation behind and live with nature. He soon finds however, that nature is a cruel bitch.
ANYTHING OSCAR WORTHY?
The performances of the star studded cast are uniformly fantastic, even Kristen Stewart seems more awake than usual (she must of laid off the drugs for a couple of weeks). The standout performance however has to be Emile Hirsch who really gives everything he has to the role, losing Christian Bale-sian amounts of weight for it. Emile was truly robbed of an Oscar nomination. Hal Holbrook was nominated however and did deserve it for his small role. The cinematography and directing by Sean Penn are also top notch. One thing I was worried about was the films potential to become a preachy anti-consumerist rant, but I think the film successfully stepped around that and the end moral is something most will agree on.
ANYTHING RAZZIE WORTHY?
The film is maybe 15 minutes too long and could of easily have been trimmed down to a more efficient length. There is also one bizarre shot where Emile Hirsch breaks the forth wall and looks right at the camera which was completely out of place and felt decidedly amateurish.
HOW MANY STARS THEN?
Great direction, fantastic performances and a genuinely interesting true story. Definitely worth a watch
4 stars out of 5
Sunday, September 20, 2009
REVIEW: EVITA
DIRECTED BY?
Alan Parker (Fame, Angela's Ashes)
WHO'S IN IT?
Madonna (Swept Away), Antonio Banderas (Shrek The Third), Jonathon Price (G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra)
WHAT'S IT ABOUT IN TWO SENTENCES?
A peasant girl decides to sleep her way from the slums, to celebrity icon, to one of the most powerful figures in her country. She finds however that mortality is a greater force than she could ever be.
ANYTHING OSCAR WORTHY?
The film actually did quite well at the 1996 Oscars, where it received nominations for cinematography, editing, sound and art direction and won for Best song. All these nominations were well deserved. However the costume design is quite spectacular and deserved some recognition, as did Madonna's performance.
ANYTHING RAZZIE WORTHY?
The whole format of a pop opera, where virtually every line is sung, actually works against the film. What is being said is often hard to understand (especially when being sung through Antonio Banderas' think accent) so important story points are lost. Without a prior knowledge of Eva Peron's life this film could be quite perplexing, the film never makes it clear what long lasting effects Evita actually had on Argentina. The film is never boring and the songs are lively enough, but some spoken word could of helped the viewer connect with the character instead of just viewing them at a distance.
HOW MANY STARS THEN?
Hate musicals? Then look then other way, like them however and you may find enjoyment in this film.
3 stars out of 5
Alan Parker (Fame, Angela's Ashes)
WHO'S IN IT?
Madonna (Swept Away), Antonio Banderas (Shrek The Third), Jonathon Price (G.I. Joe: The Rise Of Cobra)
WHAT'S IT ABOUT IN TWO SENTENCES?
A peasant girl decides to sleep her way from the slums, to celebrity icon, to one of the most powerful figures in her country. She finds however that mortality is a greater force than she could ever be.
ANYTHING OSCAR WORTHY?
The film actually did quite well at the 1996 Oscars, where it received nominations for cinematography, editing, sound and art direction and won for Best song. All these nominations were well deserved. However the costume design is quite spectacular and deserved some recognition, as did Madonna's performance.
ANYTHING RAZZIE WORTHY?
The whole format of a pop opera, where virtually every line is sung, actually works against the film. What is being said is often hard to understand (especially when being sung through Antonio Banderas' think accent) so important story points are lost. Without a prior knowledge of Eva Peron's life this film could be quite perplexing, the film never makes it clear what long lasting effects Evita actually had on Argentina. The film is never boring and the songs are lively enough, but some spoken word could of helped the viewer connect with the character instead of just viewing them at a distance.
HOW MANY STARS THEN?
Hate musicals? Then look then other way, like them however and you may find enjoyment in this film.
3 stars out of 5
Saturday, September 19, 2009
REVIEW: TEKKONKINKREET
DIRECTED BY?:
Michael Arius (Heaven's Door)
WHO'S IN IT?:
Maurice LeMarche (Futurama), Rick Gomez (What about Brian?)
WHAT'S IT ABOUT, IN TWO SENTENCES?
Two homeless orphans struggle to survive in Treasure Town, Tokyo when they find themselves in the middle of gang warfare. Meanwhile a dark force within one of the orphans threatens to tear their lives apart.
ANYTHING OSCAR WORTHY?
The background work and the general fluidity of the animation is spectacular. The film strives for the look that it was shot by handheld cameras, and it achieves this perfectly. The musical score by Plaid is also quite individual and striking.
ANYTHING RAZZIE WORTHY?
Nothing Razzie worthy in the film though the obscure story holds the film back from being truly great. Also the character designs can be quite jarring and at times quite ugly, which is a real shame considering the high quality of the rest of the animation.
HOW MANY STARS THEN?
Any true lover of animation should give this film a shot, but it could come off as a bit too strange for general audiences.
Michael Arius (Heaven's Door)
WHO'S IN IT?:
Maurice LeMarche (Futurama), Rick Gomez (What about Brian?)
WHAT'S IT ABOUT, IN TWO SENTENCES?
Two homeless orphans struggle to survive in Treasure Town, Tokyo when they find themselves in the middle of gang warfare. Meanwhile a dark force within one of the orphans threatens to tear their lives apart.
ANYTHING OSCAR WORTHY?
The background work and the general fluidity of the animation is spectacular. The film strives for the look that it was shot by handheld cameras, and it achieves this perfectly. The musical score by Plaid is also quite individual and striking.
ANYTHING RAZZIE WORTHY?
Nothing Razzie worthy in the film though the obscure story holds the film back from being truly great. Also the character designs can be quite jarring and at times quite ugly, which is a real shame considering the high quality of the rest of the animation.
HOW MANY STARS THEN?
Any true lover of animation should give this film a shot, but it could come off as a bit too strange for general audiences.
3.5 stars out of 5
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
REVIEW: UP 3D
DIRECTED BY?:
Pete Doctor (Monster's Inc) and Scott Peterson (writer of Finding Nemo)
WHO'S IN IT?:
Ed Asner (Mary Tyler Moore), Christopher Plumber (Dracula 2000), Jordan Nagai, Delroy Lindo (Romeo Must Die)
WHAT IS IT ABOUT, IN TWO SENTENCES?:
An elderly man sets out on an adventure to escape living his remaining years in a retirement home. However he accidently brings along a seemingly annoying boy scout...
ANYTHING OSCAR WORTHY?:
The film is a technical marvel, expect nominations in sound design, sound editing, and editing. The way that the film conveys so much with its visuals especially in its dialogue-free montage towards the beginning of the film expect a best director nomination. The screenplay is also quite strong so expect an original screenplay nomination, especially since Oscar has favoured Pixar in the past.
ANYTHING RAZZIE WORTHY?:Nothing, the film is pretty much perfect. Exciting, emotional and funny, it's everything that we have come to expect from Pixar (ignoring the awful Cars).
SO HOW MANY STARS THEN?:
This comes highly recommended. Just make sure you bring tissues.
5 stars out of 5
WHO'S IN IT?:
Ed Asner (Mary Tyler Moore), Christopher Plumber (Dracula 2000), Jordan Nagai, Delroy Lindo (Romeo Must Die)
WHAT IS IT ABOUT, IN TWO SENTENCES?:
An elderly man sets out on an adventure to escape living his remaining years in a retirement home. However he accidently brings along a seemingly annoying boy scout...
ANYTHING OSCAR WORTHY?:
The film is a technical marvel, expect nominations in sound design, sound editing, and editing. The way that the film conveys so much with its visuals especially in its dialogue-free montage towards the beginning of the film expect a best director nomination. The screenplay is also quite strong so expect an original screenplay nomination, especially since Oscar has favoured Pixar in the past.
ANYTHING RAZZIE WORTHY?:Nothing, the film is pretty much perfect. Exciting, emotional and funny, it's everything that we have come to expect from Pixar (ignoring the awful Cars).
SO HOW MANY STARS THEN?:
This comes highly recommended. Just make sure you bring tissues.
5 stars out of 5
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
MY TOP 10 FILMS OF ALL TIME
So I thought i would start off with a list of my top 10 films of all time, so you can have an idea of what my general stance is on film. This list isn't meant to be a "greatest films of all time" list, but rather, my personal favourites. I also tried to keep it varied, so that the list wasn't just Kevin Smith or Studio Ghibli films.
10:
Zoolander
Dir. Ben Stiller (2001)
Not many films can make me laugh so consistently on every viewing as Zoolander. The performances are fantastic, especially Will Ferrell as the evil Mugatu. The script is hilariously un-pc with jokes that mine child labour and bulimia among other topics. The film is banned in Malaysia and Roger Ebert gave it quite a grilling in his review, condemning the plot that centres around the assassination attempt on the Malaysian prime minister. Did I mention how insane and absurd the plot is? This film is just genius. The one thing this film doesn't get enough credit for is how good it looks. The cinematography, set and costume design in this film are really phenomenal. Between this film and Tropic Thunder, Ben Stiller really has proven himself a fantastic visual director.
The Lizzie Mcguire Movie
Dir. Jim Fall (2003)
I am going to say this up front; I am a Hilary Duff fanboy. I adore her, her music and her movies. So count this as completely biased, but i love this film. It is just such a good natured and fun experience. The music is great and the Roman location is wonderful. The film also features a really underrated comedic performance by Alex Borstein. It is also unabashedly romantic. This film is not for everyone, but if you consider your self at all a romantic, give it a go.
5:
Howl's Moving Castle
Dir. Hayao Miyazaki (2004)
Studio Ghibli and especially it founder and most prolific director Hayao Miyazaki are some of the most unique creative forces in filmmaking today. Look at their back catalogue and you find some of the most spectacular films of all time. Dig a little deeper and you find some of the best small character studies ever made as well. With such a great group of films to choose from, it is quite hard to choose one. Howl's Moving Castle would have to be my favourite though. It features a perfect blend of grand adventure, in depth and interesting characters and pure originality. Mix that with some of the most beautiful animation ever created and you have a true masterpiece. This film is a must watch for everyone, no matter your age or gender.
4:
Cruel Intentions
Dir. Roger Kumble (1999)
When this film came out on VHS, it was pretty much on constant rotation with myself and my group of friends. It was such a daring film at the time, with it's promisquous and bitchy teen protagonists. The film has a pair of fantastic performances in Sarah Michelle Gellar as the uber-bitch Catherine and Selma Blair as Cecile, the innocent nitwit who experiences her sexual awakening. The costumes, sumptuous New York settings and musical score have all become iconic. The end use of Bitter Sweet Symphony is one of the best uses of opoular music in film. This film manages to be dramatic and also lough at loud hilarious.
Just steer clear of the sequels.
3:
Bring It On
Dir. Peyton Reed (2000)
Pure fun. One of the most quotable teen films ever. This is a hard film to get sick of, due to it's relentlessly upbeat attitude. Eliza Dushku, Kirsten Dunst and the rest of the cast really give their all in this film, giving weight to the purposely silly dialogue. It is a real testament to the film that nine years on, Universal are still pumping out sequels (none that come close to the original). If are ever with a large group of people try saying "I'm sexy, I'm cute" I guarantee someone will respond with "I'm popular to boot!". That is the power of this film.
2:
Jurassic Park
Dir. Steven Spielberg (1993)
I grew up with this film, I have seen it countless times, and it still has the ability to send shivers down my spine. The musical score is transcendent, the effects still hold up to this day(in fact the look better than most modern films, King Kong i'm looking at you), the performances are all top notch. It is really quite hard to fault this film in any way. I watched this film when I was quite young, it scared the hell out of me, but I could still handle it. I think that is a real strength of the film, it is a adventure, thriller that can be enjoyed by all ages.
1:
Dogma
Dir. Kevin Smith (1999)
My favourite film from Kevin Smith. It was his first real step towards growing up as film maker. This film is epic in scope (it deals with a possible apocalypse) and it was his first foray with Cinemascope. Besides all this Kevin Smith still manages to keep his flair for intimate, dialogue based storytelling. The film features some truly memorable and hilarious characters and lines. The cast is top notch and besides Linda Fiorentino they all really deliver. The film has some really interesting things to say about religion and particularly Catholicism, and should be watched by believers and non-believers alike.
I wanted this to be a brief snapshot of the films, I am sure I will talk about these films at greater lengths later on. In the meantime, if you haven't seen any of these films yet, get onto it!
10:
Zoolander
Dir. Ben Stiller (2001)
Not many films can make me laugh so consistently on every viewing as Zoolander. The performances are fantastic, especially Will Ferrell as the evil Mugatu. The script is hilariously un-pc with jokes that mine child labour and bulimia among other topics. The film is banned in Malaysia and Roger Ebert gave it quite a grilling in his review, condemning the plot that centres around the assassination attempt on the Malaysian prime minister. Did I mention how insane and absurd the plot is? This film is just genius. The one thing this film doesn't get enough credit for is how good it looks. The cinematography, set and costume design in this film are really phenomenal. Between this film and Tropic Thunder, Ben Stiller really has proven himself a fantastic visual director.
9:
Serenity
Dir. Joss Whedon (2005)
I was lucky enough to be one of the first people in the world to see Serenity, the better part of a year before it was released. I was a huge fan of the show "Firefly" which this movie is a continuation of and seeing the film in a sold session with hundreds of other die hard fans was an electric experience. For newcomers to the Firefly franchise this film will seem like a well written but slightly underwhelming sci-fi actioner. For fans of Firefly however this film manages to be exhilarating, tragic, romantic, uplifting and hilarious. My recommendation is catch up on the 13 episodes of Firefly and then dive into the movie. You won’t regret it.
8: 
Wall.E
Dir. Andrew Stanton (2008)
This is Pixar's opus. One of the most romantic films ever made, and it’s about a trash compactor falling in love with an i-pod. The animation is phenomenal, and the sound design and musical score compliments it perfectly. I love the world Pixar created with this film, a future that seems scarily real. The opening scene showing Wall.E moving through the dilapidated city while Hello Dolly echoes through the streets sends chills down my spine every time. A film that shows the true power of animation.
7:
South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut
Dir. Trey Parker (1999)
An epic, Academy Award nominated, musical masterpiece. Matt Stone and Trey Parker have the ability to parody genres while still producing a masterful version of that same genre. Every time a new film with the word “Movie" or "Flick" opens in theatres just ignore and dip into the back catalogue of these guys. This film is flat out hilarious and on top of that features some of the best musical numbers of all time and a truly spectacular musical score. One of the few theatrical counterparts to a television show that has really taken advantage of its new format.
The Lizzie Mcguire Movie
Dir. Jim Fall (2003)
I am going to say this up front; I am a Hilary Duff fanboy. I adore her, her music and her movies. So count this as completely biased, but i love this film. It is just such a good natured and fun experience. The music is great and the Roman location is wonderful. The film also features a really underrated comedic performance by Alex Borstein. It is also unabashedly romantic. This film is not for everyone, but if you consider your self at all a romantic, give it a go.
5:
Howl's Moving Castle
Dir. Hayao Miyazaki (2004)
Studio Ghibli and especially it founder and most prolific director Hayao Miyazaki are some of the most unique creative forces in filmmaking today. Look at their back catalogue and you find some of the most spectacular films of all time. Dig a little deeper and you find some of the best small character studies ever made as well. With such a great group of films to choose from, it is quite hard to choose one. Howl's Moving Castle would have to be my favourite though. It features a perfect blend of grand adventure, in depth and interesting characters and pure originality. Mix that with some of the most beautiful animation ever created and you have a true masterpiece. This film is a must watch for everyone, no matter your age or gender.
4:
Cruel Intentions
Dir. Roger Kumble (1999)
When this film came out on VHS, it was pretty much on constant rotation with myself and my group of friends. It was such a daring film at the time, with it's promisquous and bitchy teen protagonists. The film has a pair of fantastic performances in Sarah Michelle Gellar as the uber-bitch Catherine and Selma Blair as Cecile, the innocent nitwit who experiences her sexual awakening. The costumes, sumptuous New York settings and musical score have all become iconic. The end use of Bitter Sweet Symphony is one of the best uses of opoular music in film. This film manages to be dramatic and also lough at loud hilarious.
Just steer clear of the sequels.
3:
Bring It On
Dir. Peyton Reed (2000)
Pure fun. One of the most quotable teen films ever. This is a hard film to get sick of, due to it's relentlessly upbeat attitude. Eliza Dushku, Kirsten Dunst and the rest of the cast really give their all in this film, giving weight to the purposely silly dialogue. It is a real testament to the film that nine years on, Universal are still pumping out sequels (none that come close to the original). If are ever with a large group of people try saying "I'm sexy, I'm cute" I guarantee someone will respond with "I'm popular to boot!". That is the power of this film.
2:
Jurassic Park
Dir. Steven Spielberg (1993)
I grew up with this film, I have seen it countless times, and it still has the ability to send shivers down my spine. The musical score is transcendent, the effects still hold up to this day(in fact the look better than most modern films, King Kong i'm looking at you), the performances are all top notch. It is really quite hard to fault this film in any way. I watched this film when I was quite young, it scared the hell out of me, but I could still handle it. I think that is a real strength of the film, it is a adventure, thriller that can be enjoyed by all ages.
1:
Dogma
Dir. Kevin Smith (1999)
My favourite film from Kevin Smith. It was his first real step towards growing up as film maker. This film is epic in scope (it deals with a possible apocalypse) and it was his first foray with Cinemascope. Besides all this Kevin Smith still manages to keep his flair for intimate, dialogue based storytelling. The film features some truly memorable and hilarious characters and lines. The cast is top notch and besides Linda Fiorentino they all really deliver. The film has some really interesting things to say about religion and particularly Catholicism, and should be watched by believers and non-believers alike.
I wanted this to be a brief snapshot of the films, I am sure I will talk about these films at greater lengths later on. In the meantime, if you haven't seen any of these films yet, get onto it!
Welcome!
Welcome to my blog. I hope to update this blog quite regularly. This will become a home for all my movie and TV reviews. In addition I intend to bring you random lists, and links to anything cool I see on the net! Hope you enjoy!
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