Image from: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/

This weekend I went to go see the movie Oblivion with my friend. I wasn’t expecting it to be all that great but since it had Tom Cruise, I decided to give it a try. I had heard that it was just another typical action movie so I wasn’t really excited to see it, but it was actually really good! It was kind of a sci-fi type of thing but, in my opinion, it wasn’t just another typical action movie.

It had a really confusing plot, which some people might not like, but I love! It was a Shutter Island and Inception kind of movie. You know, where you think you understand what’s going on, but in the end you realize that you actually have no idea what happened. I missed a little bit in the beginning of the movie so maybe that contributed a little bit to my confusion. Regardless, the ending is mind blowing! I still haven’t quite figured out what really happened!

If you haven’t seen Oblivion yet, you should definitely go check it out!

So, I just watched Inception and I really admire it’s writer, Christopher Nolan, for creating such a great movie. Yes, I know, it’s a 2010 movie and most of you have already watched it, but for those who haven’t watched it yet, I recommend you to do it.

However, the ending of the movie really kept me thinking – did the top, his totem, stopped spinning and Cobb made it to the reality; or did the top kept spinning, Cobb never escaped Limbo and he’s only dreaming a happy ending?

Well, I had to do a little research to escape out of confusion and to make sure that my instincts are right, that he made it to reality. Here’s a post from another wordpress blog which explains the Inception’s ending:

source: http://funwithcole.wordpress.com/2010/07/24/inception-ending-the-top-falls-and-here-is-the-proof/

By titling this post “Inception Ending” it goes without saying we’re about to embark into Spoiler territory, but since I said it anyway, if you are a non-Inception watcher, put your earmuffs on.

Now then, the brilliant final shot of Christopher Nolan’s movie leaves us with the top spinning, though with a slight wobble. Then darkness. It’s up to you to decide how the thing ends. This leads us toward two conclusions:

1)      The top falls, Cobb made it to reality, has reunited with his kids against all odds and gets the happy ending.

2)      The top never falls, Cobb never escaped Limbo and has created a happy ending fantasy in which he is reunited with his kids.

I’m here to tell you the top falls, and to explain let’s observe something about each dream within Inception. Of course, I’m talking about all the scenes in which Nolan made it clear we are in a dream (as opposed to the theory that the entire movie is a dream, there is no such thing as dream sharing and Cobb is actually just an overweight insurance salesman who fell asleep on the bus. I casual dismiss this theory because I don’t believe Nolan would make a movie in which nothing happened as to say, “It was all just a dream. BOO!”). Now if you look at every “dream” you’ll notice they are populated by only two types of people: the dreamers and the projections. Now think back to the Saito mind heist. When Arthur is awoken from Nash’s (the first architect) dream, he disappears. Dreamers don’t stay in the picture once they have awoken. In the end, when Cobb is walking through the airport, Nolan’s camera ponderously pours over each face of Cobb’s team, almost as if to say “and you were there, and you were there and you too” (a nod to another movie about a dreamer awakening). We know Cobb’s team got out because we saw them get their kicks (so to speak).  In no other part of the movie does Nolan allow people the dreamers know into the dreams unless they are dreaming as well. The exception here is, of course, Mal but she represents Cobb himself, or at least his subconscious trying to pull him down to Limbo where he can live without the guilt of his wife’s death. If a dreamer could just conjure up the people he knew, why would Cobb need a team? He could create dream versions of Arthur and the rest. The answer is you can’t, not by the rules set up in Nolan’s shared dreaming universe.

A lot of people get hung up on this fact. Real dreams are chaotic and non-linear, but Nolan’s shared dreams have structure, rules and order.  The truth is, though it talks a lot about dreams, Inception isn’t really about dreams at all. Not the ones you and I experience at least. It might have alleviated confusion if Nolan left the word “dream” out of the movie and just called shared dreaming what it really is: invading other people’s mind. But then Nolan would have had to call the movie Mind Hackerz, and that’s just stupid.

Still not convinced? How about this, if Cobb is in Limbo, living out the fantasy of his happy ending, why isn’t Mal there? After all, Limbo is a place where, if you succumb to it, allows limitless delusion. It doesn’t really matter how he justifies her return, maybe her suicide was itself a dream, maybe she bounced or maybe he doesn’t justify it at all. Point is, if he has dreamt up his ultimate happy ending, then Mal would most certainly be there.

Other quick thoughts:

It’s been pointed out that Cobb wears his wedding ring in all the dreams, but never wears it in reality (kind of a cold move, but okay). In the final scene Cobb is not wearing the ring.

If he was in Limbo, and the totem is designed to never drop while in a dream state, why would it wobble at all?

Now, I’ve already written about how the purpose of Nolan’s ending is to leave the viewer in doubt (an anti-conclusion that imparts a message of its own), but as you can see, by observing the rules and structure created for dream sharing, he has left us breadcrumbs to find the ultimate truth.

—————————

Here’s another link for more information about the movie: http://screenrant.com/inception-spoilers-discussion-kofi-68330/all/1/

How is my Part 1 journey? Sorry for not having so many stories to be tell, just feeling more in sharing the pictures. Anyway, this part 2 is my second port of call of Vietnam! I was so blessed and excited because I’ve never been to Vietnam before.

Same as Japan’s country program others than its a little bit shorter stay here but I enjoyed as much as I had. My counterpart home stay was RABI, she is from Brunei Darussalam. We both share a lovely family in Vietnam with one daughter and one son, although all the family members aren’t speak English fluently, then here it comes sign and body language

We have visited some places, shopping a little more especially RABI ;p and eating like heaven and fun as we are forever young. Most memorable one is when we’ve visited the Independence museum of Vietnam, it shows images during the Vietnam war with the American. It tears me apart when I saw the images and couldn’t believe that have to go through that phase. The only thing I couldn’t stand is the traffic and the sunny weather, I mean its a little bit more than my usual daily life in my country. Just be careful when you crossing the streets and use some sunblock or hat while seeing around, the rest are good enough to be in Vietnam. Here are some snaps!

Till next journey to Thailand!

Lots of love,

t

Because I can be a bit of a completist, I have wanted to see Nolan’s debut feature Following since finding out about its release by the Criterion Collection last December. On the other hand, Criterion films tend to be expensive, and I wasn’t feeling too enthused about shelling out a lot of cash for a then-inexperienced filmmaker’s first movie shot on a shoestring budget, even if I am a fan of said filmmaker (I can be somewhat of a fanboy, but not to the point of considering someone infallible). Luckily, I discovered that it’s available for streaming on Netflix, so I gave it a go on Friday night.

Following is a black and white film that revolves around an unemployed, unnamed writer who follows people randomly hoping to find inspiration, until one of his “subjects,” a professional burglar named Cobb, confronts him and takes him on as a protégé. Things take a complicated turn when he falls for a woman with criminal connections whose home he burglarized, drawing him further into the criminal underworld, to twists, betrayals, and increasingly dangerous situations he is unable to escape from.

Cover for the Criterion Collection remastered Blu-ray

The low budget, handheld camerawork and black and white cinematography create a gritty aesthetic, which complements the film to the extent that Following feels as if it could pass for a 1950s film noir. The non-linear structure and visual style create an atmosphere of paranoia and distrust that permeate the film. Similar to his next film, Memento, as well as his later films The Prestige and Inception, one of the most enjoyable aspects of Following is seeing how the multi-tiered story fits together. Although it offers a lot when it comes to style and atmosphere, it’s a debut film, so there are some rough patches, which sometimes do help the film’s mood. On the downside, the characters and dialogue can be uninteresting. The enigmatic, philosophical Cobb is interesting but not strong enough to carry a movie. Some moments drag on for too long, and the climax feels generic, as if cobbled together from numerous other crime thrillers.

Seen now, it is definitely possible to make connections between Following and Nolan’s later works. The non-linear narrative has been present in several of his films, and something that he is adept at using to throw off audiences and create suspense. While his recent output have been more action-oriented, he still brings back elements from his earlier noir-ish crime thrillers—conniving criminals with intricate plans (who sometimes operate with a philosophy, like The Dark Knight’s Joker, even if he would never admit to having a plan), femmes fatales, twisting plots, and morally ambiguous characters—utilizing them to complement the story and make more thoughtful action movies. Then there are the little things, like the meticulous, well dressed burglar named Cobb, though unlike Leonardo DiCaprio in Inception, who has a dark past and does unscrupulous things because of necessity, this is a much darker, enigmatic character. On the whole, Following is a relatively impressive debut that offers a good glimpse of things to expect from Nolan’s career. It’s not a film that people will fall in love with, but it’s short and enjoyable enough to merit a look.

The plot of Inception revolves around a group of specialists who invade people’s dreams to steal ideas– or, in this case, to plant an idea. This is a story entirely about crafting a world for an audience in such a way as to elicit a specific desired emotional reaction– and what a powerful and unnerving journey that can be for the creator himself.

We make our games to achieve similar but less-specific ends, and without as much information about our audience or as much direct interaction from our end, but the methodology feels similar. Unlike other ‘created reality’ films such as The Matrix, this film tells things from the world architects’ point of view and puts us in the position of thinking about the processes they use to achieve the desired emotional manipulation. The false world is not the product of some mysterious other, but of an interaction between human beings, albeit a strange and mystical one.

Ultimately, the movie leaves us with questions that maybe strike a bit close to home. After spending so much time creating, can we artists come back to the real world? Do we want to?

Kaiji

Kaiji is a Japanese animated series about a young man who is forced into gambling in order to pay off a debt foisted off onto him by an irresponsible co-worker. As the series progresses, the stakes get higher and stranger and Kaiji gets more and more addicted to the thrills and uncertainty of gambling.

Kaiji is a clever character, and always comes up with some way to game whatever system he is presented with, but also often overestimates his own cleverness and is caught out by the tricks of others. The games at first seem like simple games of chance, but there’s always some strange angle to them which he tries to take advantage of, with mixed success. Unpredictable effects emerge from the simplest rules, and the path to victory is often distant and obscured– but there’s a world of difference between a game which is difficult and one which is impossible, and the insight to see which is which can be the difference between life and death.

Games are powerful and can influence our worlds in way we can never foresee. It can be difficult to escape once you have heard the siren song. Sometimes the only winning move is not to play– or is that just fear talking?

Memento

You’re alone in an unfamiliar room. Explanations pop up wherever you look telling you where to go and what to do, what your motivation is, why your life is strange and unfamiliar. In Memento, Guy Pearce basically plays a man trapped in a video game tutorial.

It’s unusual and perhaps worthy of comment that two movies that found their way onto this list were created by Christopher Nolan. He seems to have an affinity for characters who find themselves in strange liminal worlds where their existence and behaviors are not quite explained. Everyone has days like that, right?

In the long run, we end up constructing our world up around ourselves and planting signs to guide our way through days like those. It’s uncommon for games to allow players that leverage, but we’re beginning to see the possibility, crude as it may be, in games like Minecraft and EVE Online. Usually, though, as designers we construct the world for the player, and we make the signs to guide him on his way.

How strange, then, that we create signs to mislead him: How much stranger, then, when he creates signs to mislead himself.

The Wire

While you create a system, it can be difficult to see how it can go wrong. For a system with many players with distinct and contradictory goals, this difficulty is amplified, and as the number of players increases the amount of chaos and the potential for unforeseen results reaches a statistical certainty. It’s annoying when it happens in games– it’s deadly when it happens outside of them.

Everyone in The Wire is part of a game of laws and drugs and politics and public relations– any one of these underworlds on its own would be a byzantine shit show, together they are the world-class cacophonous bullshit disaster of Mayan prophecy.

And yet, caught in the maelstrom, cause of and affected by it, there are people. Each, in his or her own way, is being ruined, degraded, and dragged through the dirt by the system, and each in his or her own way works to sustain the system because it’s what they know. In a way, it’s a relief to know that no matter how bad we crap up our game worlds, they’ll never be Baltimore.

Amen.

Groundhog Day

If at first you don’t succeed…

In our world, we don’t get do overs. If we fail, we may encounter similar challenges later on, but that failure lives into eternity– which is sometimes terrible, but is just as often a relief as they fall into forgotten obscurity. That time you were talking to your mom and accidentally called her by your girlfriend’s name will eventually be lost to history. Rejoice, motherfucker. Oops, sorry, too soon?

Game challenges, most of them, remain static. The same hurdles await us, and if we should return to a game that was the bane of our thumbs in our youth we may find it has become much easier. Decades of practice does that sometimes. In Groundhog Day, it’s not made explicitly clear how much time Phil has to practice the fine art of existence, but it’s probably at least a few decades. At first, realizing the new video game-esque parameters of his world, he begins to experiment in much the same way that people do in Grand Theft Auto games. Eventually, however, he decides to harness the power of this sandbox in order to improve himself in ways that he would not have the latitude to do in the ‘real’ world.

How long will it be, do you think, before that begins to happen in the Sandboxes we make? Perhaps it already has…

The Muppet Movie

Making things is wonderful. Perhaps we’re driven to create by dreams we half remember, dreams of flight and fancy clothing. Perhaps we love the creations of others so much that we want to become closer to them, to walk in their shoes, to create as they created. Perhaps we just feel too big, excited, loud, colorful, to be contained to ourselves, and need to spread some of our raucous joy to the world, whether the world wants it or not. Whatever it is, we all find ourselves, driven by such different impulses, in the same place.

Hollywood.

If you want to do it the easy way.

Hollywood is more than a place, here. Hollywood is the ideal of creation. Hollywood is the mythical place that artists and performers travel to through their work, each keystroke a step, each brushstroke a step, each wingbeat, each drumbeat, each heartbeat, a step towards someplace that may not exist but is very real.

Life’s like a movie: Write your own ending. Keep believing, keep pretending.

1910s: The Cabinet of Dr Caligari (1920)

Yes, I know this was released in 1920, but I’m going to count the date of production rather than the 1920 release. Whether it’s in the films of Tim Burton, the film noir movement of the 40s-50s, countless graphic novels, or pretty much most horror that followed on for the next forty years, The Cabinet of Dr Caligari can be counted as a major influence. German Expressionism at its best, this movie looks amazingly original, and regardless of how many times the stylistics have been pastiched, it still charmed the pants off me while being very unsettling to boot. I consider it a favourite of mine, despite being released almost 100 years ago.

1920s: The Gold Rush (1925)

Talking about charming the pants off me… Charlie Chaplin, oh how I wish an equivalent actor was jobbing in Hollywood nowadays. Modern Times may be his best work, but The Gold Rush is relentless tomfoolery with a heart. Slapstick humour hasn’t evolved a great amount since Chaplin’s movies, but he will always be the undisputed king of that pool of comedy. There will never be an actor that can tell a story using their body with such precision as Charlie Chaplin, and despite a decade of seminal classics such as The Jazz Singer, Metropolis and Battleship Potemkin, this movie slapsticks its way into my top spot for the 1920s. This film also contains the best use of a chicken suit in cinema history.

1930s: Things To Come (1936)

The thing I love about this British science fiction movie from the mid-30s is how weirdly accurate it is in predicting following 100 years. Granted they thought we wouldn’t make it into space until 2035 (idiots, pah), they did however mention wars, plagues, the mistrust of science and machines, and revolting workers. As a bit of an After Effects/post-production geek, I love how they achieved the visuals in this movie. Much like The Impossible, but a million times more impressive, they used practical effects because they didn’t have computers. Well they did, but they were much bigger and I don’t think you would be able to run After Effects 64-bit on them.

1940s: Double Indemnity (1944)

Do you remember your first film noir experience? Mine just so happened to be with Double Indemnity. It was gentle at first but towards the end I was being taken on such a ride I could barely breathe. There was something quite magical about watching my first noir; I was coming off the back of a photography a-level, so was pretty obsessed with chiaroscuro, and noir pretty much is the biggest proponent of that high contrast between light and dark aesthetic. Style aside, Billy Wilder knows how to put together a story, and Double Indemnity is gripping from the first to the last.

1950s: Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

Electric pacing, stunning performances from every cast member, gripping plot. This is the second Wilder movie on my list, and it’s not the last either. In my opinion, there isn’t a better courtroom drama than Witness for the Prosecution, and this is one of my ‘go to’ movies that I feel compelled to watch each year. Nail-biting, and if you haven’t seen it, stop what you are doing and spend the next 2 hours in cinematic heaven by watching Witness for the Prosecution. It’s such a special movie.

1960s: The Apartment (1960)

Some people have a song or a city that reminds them of a special time with a loved one. I have The Apartment, a movie that changed the opinion of a girlfriend that has stated, on record, that black and white movies are rubbish. Billy Wilder constructs the best rom com in history, with a set of believable characters and a charming story of love and loyalty. Jack Lemon, who would later go on to start in Grumpy Old Men, gives the performance of a lifetime as a cheerful, hapless in love office worker that falls for a woman who knows how to press his buttons. It’s funny, beautiful, brilliantly-paced and NOT cloying or sickly. A complete cinematic experience, and I think I’m going to watch it again today!

1970s: Alien (1979)

I should not have been allowed to watch this at such a young age. Alien gave me nightmares for a couple of years, and, to this day, is a movie that knows how to terrify me. The 1970s were fantastic for dystopian science fiction movies, and while there are some classics from the decade, none manages the same rewatchability as Alien. It blends horror and sci-fi, looks gothic yet futuristic, and doesn’t resort to cheap narrative cliches to achieve its scares. It might be cool to say you like Alien, but do I care? Nope.

1980s: The Shining (1980)

I only realised last week after a conversation with Lauren why I love this film so much. Kubrick has constructed a movie in The Shining that looks extremely photographic. You could literally take any still from this The Shining (or any Kubrick film for that matter), frame it and hang it on your wall. Much like Mulholland Dr., The Shining has a narrative that demands you think about what you are seeing, and the ending, while being the literal opposite to what happens in the book, is a massive head-fuck. I love being challenged by a film, be it through imagery, thematics or narrative structure and development, and The Shining absolutely carries the flame for all of those categories.

1990s: LA Confidential (1997)

I bought the video game, LA Noire, expecting something as engaging as LA Confidential, but was bitterly disappointed. Much like the rest of the films on this list, LA Confidential left me feeling completely engrossed in the story, and it puts a smile on my face when I think about the first time I watched it. The 90s were Kevin Spacey’s decade, and his output doesn’t get any more compelling or exciting than LA Confidential. If you haven’t seen this, why the hell not?!

2000s: Mulholland Dr. (2001)

No hay banda. There is no band.

My mind was blown so much when I saw this movie at the beginning of university that I decided to do my dissertation on Lynch. There are so many memories I have related to Mulholland Dr.; doing an all-nighter with mates and putting this on at 8am, much to their confusion; watching it in the rain in an open air cinema in Somerset House, London, with my girlfriend; watching it twice in one day while writing the final chapter of my dissertation about this movie. It’s clever, sleek, dream-like, confusing, a complete mind-fuck, but it’s just so damn good. If this is Lynch’s middle finger letter to Hollywood, my 11,169 word, 65 page dissertation is a love letter to Lynch.

2010s so far…: Inception (2010)

There have only been three and a half years of the Teens, and while we’ve seen some fantastic movies released, I don’t think any of them have come close to giving me the feeling I had when I left the cinema after watching Inception. I caught a late screening, but if I had seen it during the day I absolutely would have bought another ticket and watched it again. Nolan is magical, and regardless of the fact this movie has been called many things, I would proudly be the standard bearer for Inception as a blockbuster with smarts. Much like Looper, forget the science or technicalities of the plot and let it wash over you like the intelligent sci-fi action movie that it is. Amazing.

Honourary mentions (some of these are on par with my choices, and could be interchangeable, especially the 1950s, that was a GOOD decade):

The Public Enemy, The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934), The Big Steal, Stray Dog, Rear Window, Singin’ in the Rain, Night of the Hunter, Les Diaboliques, North by Northwest, Psycho, Dr Strangelove, Goldfinger, Soylent Green, The French Connection, Chinatown, Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Ghostbusters, Beetlejuice, Labyrinth, Aladdin, The Usual Suspects, Men in Black, 28 Days Later, City of God, Oldboy, Shaun of the Dead, Brick, Martyrs, I Saw the Devil, The Cabin in the Woods, Looper

recomiendo ESTA. Personalmente considero que está tres niveles más arriba que la anterior. Merece la pena verla, hablo en serio.
No sólo la recomiendo por el increíble reparto sino por cómo Christopher Nolan juega con tus sentimientos y emociones a lo largo de toda la película. De verdad es una pasada.
Puntúo esta película con un 10, espero que sigan mis consejos. No tiene pérdida, es algo compleja.
Si atiendes, la entenderás a la primera.

John Williams. James Newton Howard. Thomas Newman. Danny Elfman. Hans Zimmer. These are truly the great men of my life, and 2012 was a great year for film scores. Below I have listed some favorites, a few reviews including a rant about the Oscars. Enjoy!

James Newton Howard composed the music for The Hunger Games, and it’s hard not to notice. It’s as equally peaceful, as it is haunting and bold; the mix of dark chimes and uplifting melody fits the mood of the movie almost too perfectly. The music really made the scenes in this film, although I have found it challenging to match the music to an outside mood. As far as film scores go though, this one was yet another example of his talent as a composer.

Recommend Tracks 1; 5; 14; 18

I felt the need to include Mr. Zimmer in this just because of his talent alone. Yes, this score was basically the same as The Dark Knight, except for the fact that he mixed in some fan-made beats with the soundtrack. That is worthy of some recognition all in its own. The score itself is very similar to the previous batman, which is understandable because the tone has not changed.  This album used more violin, which adds a sad emphasis along with an uplifting tone to the music; which is perfectly appropriate because Batman in this film is challenged, but his spirits for Gotham remain high. Cheers Hans Zimmer, it doesn’t matter if the score was always the same; his ability to win the audience over works every time. Inception anyone?

Recommended tracks 2; 4; 6; 7; 13; 14; 15

Jon Brian developed the score for Paranorman, and he did this so well that it’s barely noticed at all.  [edit; Not noticing the music is a good thing, believe me. If you disagree, take this scene in Shutter Island for an example ; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_qRBKsoj60)  The blend of music that Brian created is as equally cute and haunting; which is the same as the script called for. The music chimes in so well with the scenes that it sounds natural, which is a hard medium to reach. Bravo!

Now onto the best scores

Recommended tracks 1;5;9

Cloud Atlas is not only in my top 3 favorite movies of all time; But i fell in love with the music; it’s unlike anything I have heard. This score is hard to write about because it still renders me speechless every time I listen to it; even after months of listening. All Boundaries are Conventions could be considered an album all in its own, with it’s uplifting and heartbreaking melancholiness, it raises your heart as the music progresses, rising with anticipation, yet with patience. Then at the most intense moment, the orchestra drops down the small drops of the lightest piano key. If my life were a score, I hope it would be as epic as this song. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVc4feKudF8 ). Not only this song though, the entire album makes my heart race, in the same ways the movie does. The music mixes with the film to create a perfect, artistic blend of wonder; not letting down until the very last moment of the movie.

Recommended tracks; 1-23

Okay, where did this come from! I have the last three James Bond Scores, and they do not come anywhere close to Skyfall. Thomas Newman created a few masterpieces for the 50th anniversary Bond movie, and I could hardly believe my ears throughout this film. Take track 10 for example, (Grand Bazzar)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CKqLX1uUL8

Like the film, this score is using a old technique, but developing and creating new moods for it as well. Thomas Newman is a master at mixing old with the new; and this score sets a new standard for action films. Track 13 (Komoto Dragon)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4cuwlKN2uw

is another example, it layers in a few original beats from previous films; but adds this mystical, daring race mix in the music that still proves it a James Bond movie. It is a score of the new generation, but still has the class of the last, Thomas Newman should have won the Oscar for his music in Skyfall, not only did this music make the film better, but it also made it award worthy.

Recommended tracks; 2; 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 10; 12; 13; 18; 20; 21;

When I  first heard that the music for Life of Pi was nominated; my first reaction was “there was music in that movie?” I had to go back and look for it; and what I found I was impressed with. It’s true that the music blends with the scenes so well it would seem alien without it; and that the music adds an entirely new layer to the story and the characters with their struggles. Yes, whatever wins Best Picture the score is usually right along with it; but the Skyfall score is just so much more original then this one. Skyfall really “felt” like a Bond movie; and it was the celebration of 50 years in Hollywood. Now fellow movie lovers do not fret! This music is phenomenal, it won an Oscar! Please listen with an open mind paired with open ears.

Recommended Tracks; All

Arguably the best part of Tarantino Films is his insane taste of music, I honestly never know what to expect. His music acts like a character in his stories,  and this album is equally as chaotic and scattered as the film. I hope that one day I make movies that have equally awesome music, but don’t we all?

But Please hang out with me Quentin ...

Recommended Tracks; Just buy this one. Trust me

Danny Elfman typically just knows what he’s doing. I do see that his scores are becoming very repetitive, but he keeps scoring movies for Disney and I feel as though that might have something to do with it. They expect a certain product when they sign Danny Elfman onto a project, but nonetheless there are some great tracks on this album. Especially Track 4 (A strange world) it’s an Alice in Wonderland type- theme and these are usually my favorite out of him. He scores a “mysterious world” medium very well, it must be all those years scoring for Tim Burton.

Recommended tracks : 1; 2; 3; 4; 5

These are the albums I found that I really have respect for and have learned to love in the past year. These have been the scores of my life and I hope you all get around to listening! Beautiful music for my beautiful friends! Enjoy!

This is my office. Every day at lunch, I sit in our office break room and watch shows on Netflix with two of my coworkers. We just finished watching Arrested Development, and now we’re catching up on The Office. (Last year, I brought in my DVDs of The Office, seasons 1-4, so we are picking up again with season 5.)

In today’s episode, Jim and Pam join Andy in their office break room and watch Mrs. Albert Hannaday, a movie that Andy illegally downloaded. When this scene started, my coworkers and I laughed at the striking similarity to ourselves in that very moment. My coworkers and I were sitting around a laptop in the break room watching Jim, Pam, and Andy sitting around a laptop in their break room watching Cloris Leachman seduce Jack Black. How meta. We were even sitting in the same order: the one woman sitting on the far right and the two men sitting on the left. A few moments into the scene as Andy poured out a bowl of popcorn [kernels] and took his seat, I laughed and said, “It’s us!”

In the photo below, I captured the moment of Office inception. Offception.

Inception is, in my opinion, one of the greatest movies of all time. Its beautiful score, immaculate cinematography, and  thought-provoking story line all culminate and make this movie a piece of art. Leonardo DiCaprio’s acting and Christopher Nolan’s directing both work together to enhance the movie. In search of money, to afford to visit his kids and have a second chance with them, DiCaprio’s character work’s in the field of dream manipulation. When asked to do a job, he gathers the best of the best, in order to implant a idea inside someones mind. The journey through different states of dreaming and varying time intervals creates a intense atmosphere that constantly keeps the viewers on the edge of their seats.

RAGING BULL

Raging Bull is best known from its sound design and fight sequences. Robert De Niro’s plays a selfish boxer who cannot control his anger and pushes away everyone who is close to him. The movie follows his and his manger’s life all revolving around Boxing. Being such a great athlete, De Niro’s character  beats everyone in his boxing division but when he is faced with the champion he loses. From here his life begins to spiral downward. He gets in a mad fight with his manager, who is also his brother, his wife divorces him, and he is sent to jail for serving alcohol to a minor. De Niro’s overall performance and dedication ultimately made this movie stand out from the rest.

OBLIVION

This recent movie with Tom Cruise follows a war after aliens invaded earth. Humanity was forced to use all their nuclear missiles which destroys most of earths habitable regions and humanity is forced to relocate to one of Jupiter’s moons. They collect power from the ocean water and Tom Cruise’s character must provide maintenance to the drones that patrol the area. When met by a group of people, in hiding, Tom learns the truth about the war with the aliens which was never seen coming. This movie unravels piece by piece as the movie progresses and the viewers learn the harsh truth. The beautiful cinematography with a futuristic atmosphere and amazing CGI both make this movie one of a kind.

Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (2009) +++++

great story, great acting, I even understood some Swedish, I think. Obviously from the sheer size of the book, there was some to be left out. Some lines here and there I would have like to have seen/heard. A lot of background story had to be cut to make it all fit (it was still 2 1/2 hrs), but all in all an excellent film. I see there’s an American version coming in 2011, don’t know if I’ll want to see that, but the other two movies in the trilogy of books have already been filmed in Sweden I gather. Hopefully someone with vision will ensure that they make it across the pond to us.

Girl Who Played With Fire ++++-

Good interpretation. Again, due to the massive content of the book, a lot was left out. I haven’t read the third yet, so I don’t know if chapters skipped will impact or even show up in the next film. Again, a very absorbing plot, and a lot of suspense even if you had read the book. Not as good as the first, but certainly worth a watch. Someone called it the “Empire” of the trilogy, and in a sense it really is with a lot of unresolved plot waiting for TGWKTHN. I had also heard someone say to treat the second and third books as one big book; TGWKTHN takes place hours after TGWPWF ended, based on the preview chapter I read. Any-who, well worth the watch, and if you haven’t seen The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, I strongly recommend both the movie and book before the US release comes out.

Harry Brown +++

Touching, shocking statement on society. Well acted by Caine. Not the awesome, bloody, violent, vigilante/revenge picture you would think. Much more emotion, and thought went into this one.

Stiffs +-

Wow, not exactly what the box describes. Hilarity did not ensue. The humour was dark, what existed of it. Not a bad movie, just not what I was expecting based on the description on the box. The plot was over complicated, with too many sub plots trying to hide and be a big curve at the end. Well acted, but the pace was slow.

The Good, The Bad and the Weird +++-

If Sergio Leone’s movies were Spaghetti Westerns, being filmed in Italy, I don’t know if this would be considered an Szechuan Western? Inspired by The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, this was essentially a great big chase movie, involving Korean-Japanese-Manchurian forces all in search of a treasure map that was sold, supposed to be stolen back, but really stolen before the planned theft could take place….Weird. Not super heavy on story. Very good action scenes, lots of fights, horse chases, shoot-outs etc. Just the right amount of humour thrown in for my taste. Great costuming, well scored, perhaps a little too long (2 hrs 10), but enjoyable none the less.

How To Train Your Dragon ++++

maybe for the kids Lucas liked it! …. Now, I’ve seen it…finally. And that was a fun, cute, movie. Well cast with the voice actors, and even a bonus bit of Doctor Who with David Tennant voicing a character….though I didn’t recognize the voice, or even remember his character saying anything….oh well, still good to see him get post-Who work, and a good movie in general.

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World +++-

maybe rent.

Good movie, good music, good fight scenes. Inventive how they shot it/translated it from the printed media. Fun to watch.

Valhalla Rising +++

could be interesting….maybe a renter

Watched it, and it was good. A little out there, and not as much action as you may think. What there was though, was fairly brutal and bloody. Good story. Very stylized.

Inception ++++

Pretty good. It’s been a long day, I’m a little too tired to properly review this, I think it’s time I went to sleep…….

Salt +++-

Fun action with Angelina, a little predictable, but enjoyable none the less. Good stunts, good fights, good chases. Jolie is quite the good actress for these roles. Thumbs up.

The Other Guys +++-

I liked it, and found it very funny at times. Very real, witty dialogue. Action was good, stunts were decent. Fun movie overall. May not be up to the comedic levels some expect from Ferrell, but I think the point was that Wahlberg was the funnier one. Also, top marks to Michael Keaton, returning in fine form to comedy. Something I at least hadn’t seen him in recently.

Cyrus ++++

More drama than comedy than the trailers would lead you to believe, but very good, and very relatable. Some very funny moments, a very enjoyable film. Reilly is in fine form, and Hill gives a solid “villain” performance. Clearly an indie flick, with nice timing, nice pacing, solid story plotting. Camera work was nice, the voiceovers in some scenes were well done too.

True Grit (1969) ++++

“Fill your hands, you son of a bitch!” What a line. I will admit two things at the top of this review, I do really enjoy westerns, and this was probably the first John Wayne movie I had ever seen. I think that most of the time Wayne only played “himself” on screen, whether he truly became larger than life, or his roles all were tailored to his actual “larger than life” status I don’t know, but most of his characters seemed the same from the clips I have seen. Two fisted, straight shooting, rough, tough, lawmen. His delivery of lines didn’t seem to differ from one film to another, and even in True Grit, his Oscar winning Best Actor performance, comes across as poor acting at some times, but he carries the film, runs with the dialogue, and invests you in the character of Rooster Cogburn. While his line delivery may lack, Wayne does lend other talents we don’t see in this generation’s stars to the screen, he knew how to stage a fight, take a punch, throw a punch etc. Also this was a time when the stars really did ride the horses. This was a great story, and a great book. Well adapted, with care and a very strong supporting cast. Curious to see the remake. I don’t know if remaking John Wayne’s iconic, go-to picture was the best choice. The story will stand on its own, but to see anyone else try to fill the Duke’s saddle as Rooster Cogburn, may be a mistake.

Finally I started to get “wordy” with things, but the best are yet to come….well, you can argue that the “best” are the ones I’m doing now, but the best of this lot are on deck…

Initially got interested in watching the movie Trance because people were comparing it to Inception. But this is no Inception. This is fucking real.

Trance is a violent and lurid art-heist flick about Simon (James McAvoy), an art auctioneer, who teams up with a band of crooks to steal a Goya painting. But after a severe hit to his head during the heist, he suffers from amnesia – with no memory of where he hid the multimillion artwork. After repeated torture and threats, the gang decides to work with hypnotherapist Elizabeth Lamb (Rosario Dawson) in order to get his memories back. And that’s when the Inception begins for Simon may be more fucked up in the head than he seems.

Reviews may dissuade you from watching this, but I assure you that patience has its rewards. Danny Boyle leaves his Slumdog shit and goes back to his Trainspotting roots. The movie is a rollercoaster into the twisted minds of its characters. And the good thing is – nobody freaking wakes up in the end.

Stay glued to the screen. Rosario Dawson will definitely entrance you with her fully shaved beauty in this movie.

xxx

Courtesy: Dreamworks Studios/20th Century Fox

Much has been written of Abraham Lincoln.  Books upon books upon books have been published that center on the man and the myths surrounding his life.  Just as much has been crafted for televised documentaries.  And even more has been penned about the era in which our nation’s sixteenth President led his country.  Now courtesy of author Doris Kearns Goodwin, director Steven Spielberg and screen writer Tony Kushner, audiences have been presented with what is one of the most gripping portrayals of President Lincoln and his time in office in the simply titled, Lincoln.

Lincoln was largely met with applause from critics and audiences alike.  Though there were those that had their qualms with the near three hour long semi-biopic.  Many of the arguments against the story were centered on the fact that the movie in fact focuses on Lincoln and the battles in the halls of the nation’s government.  In the story’s defense, audiences should remind themselves that this movie is not about the war on the battlefield.  It is about the battles in Congress over the abolition of slavery and bringing a final end to the Civil War.  It is a beautifully shot and well acted story.  However, those who have mentioned its sometimes long winded nature can be agreed upon.  Sometimes, it does get rather wordy.  And the story’s slower pacing might turn off some viewers considering that the movie comes in at nearly three hours long.  But those that are true history buffs and/or civil war buffs will easily be able to overlook these issues and enjoy it for its positives, which outweigh the negatives.

For the negatives that weigh down Lincoln, its positives outweigh those negatives.  The first of the positives in Lincoln is that it doesn’t get lost in itself throughout the course of its run time.  The story is meant to focus on President Lincoln and what was the most pivotal moment in his time in office; his waning days in office before his assassination.  The new four-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack home release of the movie includes the bonus feature, “The Journey to Lincoln” on both formats.  This feature is a welcome addition as Spielberg, author Doris Kearns Goodwin—whose book was the inspiration behind this movie—and screen writer Tony Kushner all point out in this feature that the aim was meant to be on what went on in Congress during the final days of the Civil War, rather than on the frontlines.  Having this hammered home so gently by all three individuals makes the story more watchable in comparison to the likes of Public Enemies which was also based on a historical non-fiction.  That movie was a mere shadow of the far better book.  It really was a movie that never should have happened.   This movie at least attempts to stay closer to the book on which it is based.  It presents less the mythical Lincoln and more the actual man, and what he faced in what would be his final days in office.

The story and its primary associated bonus feature make up just one of the positives to the new home release of Lincoln.  The acting on the part of the star-studded cast is another positive to Lincoln.  Even though there are some portions of the movie that are more drawn out than they perhaps should have been, veterans Daniel Day Lewis (There Will Be Blood), Tommy Lee Jones (Men In Black 1-3), and Sally Field (Mrs. Doubtfire, Smoky and the Bandit), all contribute expertly, making their parts fully believable.  Making their performances even more believable are costumes that are spot on.  While the movie may not have taken the Oscar for this category, there is no denying how impressive the end result of that work was.  Speaking of which, audiences that pick up the new four-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack of Lincoln get another bonus in the addition of a feature titled, “Crafting The Past” in the set’s bonus Blu-ray disc.  This feature examines not just the costumes, but also the production work and other more fine details of the movie.

The costumes and production of Lincoln are just as important as any other part of the movie that makes it successful.  There is at least one more factor to the movie that makes this the impressive work that it is.  That factor is the movie’s cinematography.  The shooting style us especially powerful in the movie’s closing scenes as the President surveys the result of a battle.  And the movie’s final scene (which will not be revealed here for the sake of those who have yet to see the movie), is a prime example of expert cinematography.  The transition into that scene and the final pullout are such powerful statements in themselves, and will leave any true history and civil war buff feeling completely satisfied after having made it through the rest of the movie’s emotional journey.  After having made that journey and having viewed the extensive bonus features included in the new four-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, those same individuals will agree that Lincoln is in fact one of the best biopics crafted in recent history, albeit only a semi-biopic.  It is available now in stores and online.

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