12/31/11
12/28/11
Out of Time: The story of a man who forgot about time.
Out of Time - Trailer from Zeke Brizuela on Vimeo.
Check out this trailer of a short film by an up and coming Argentinian film maker named Zeke Brizuela. Looks interesting. Read more about it here.
The subject reminds me a bit of Nuri Bilge Ceylan's film Distant.
12/25/11
12/22/11
12/18/11
"SESSION 9" Official Trailer (2001)
Because I am sick of Dan posting this horrible writing advice from this hack writer, I thought I'd post a trailer of a film I streamed last night.
This is an example of a movie that didn't know where to go. On one hand, it is supposed to be a "horror" film (read: scary) and then on the other hand, the film spends a lot of time focusing on the working class characters hired on to clean up an abandoned insane asylum.
Ok, this isn't nec., a bad thing, right? Except for the fact that the movie doesn't have enough character development for it to work on the working-class character level, and then it is not even remotely scary enough to work on the horror level. After watching, I have no idea what this was even about because the ending was left very ambiguous. And while ambiguity is great for a poetic film, it doesn't work for a rote, linear a-b-c plot driven film as this.
I still have no idea what "Session 9" was referring to--there is a case involved but I fail to see how it connects with the men cleaning the building. Did the looney bin "possess" them in some way? Was the guy who became nuts somehow related to it? It tried to offer "twists" to a plot that made little sense.
It is a rarity for me to complain about plot points being unanswered. But if the film fails on the level of depth, character development AND horror, what else is there? This was like the director had one foot on the boat and one on the dock, and neither worked. The ending peters out and I have no idea what the point was. Something tells me neither did the folks who wrote this film.
12/17/11
12/16/11
Who Said What? - Identifying Dialogue Speakers
All of these points means she must hacve very little room to write anything of depth.
The perfect book for her to [pen is HOW NOT TO WRITE WELL.
12/15/11
Is Your Story's Clock Ticking? - Lessons From The Guns of Navarone
One wonders if this babe ever had an interesting insight?
12/14/11
How to Write an Epilogue That Works - Lessons from How to Buy a Love of ...
The sweeping assumptions this woman makes shows how linear, limited, and trite her mind is.
12/13/11
Hawaii Five 0 Intro
Also watching this: 15-20 seconds in. Jack Lord was a Motherfucker and an Asskicker. Greatest theme credits entry in history. The wobbly camera approach up to the balcony, and Jack- as McGarrett, smoothly and calmly turns around and says, 'Be cool, bitches. I got this by the balls!' What a better way to encapsulate and define a character!
Three Places Where You Should Tell Instead of Show - Lessons From Patric...
Even when she recommends writers, they are bad. Just Google.
This woman is actually quite cute, and has a sweet personality. Too bad her ears have a wind tunnel betwixt them.
12/12/11
More Weiland
http://wordplay-kmweiland.blogspot.com/2009/07/making-cliches-work-for-you.html
Read the horror. She has no clue as to what a cliche is, even as she recognizes the need to undo them.
Read the horror. She has no clue as to what a cliche is, even as she recognizes the need to undo them.
12/11/11
A Hack's Hack
http://www.amazon.com/Behold-Dawn-K-M-Weiland/dp/0978924614/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1323634895&sr=1-4#reader_0978924614
Herein the trite opening to a book by K.M. Weiland. It's so trite and larded with cliches, which is expected since her advice is so trite and predictable. Be a hack like me, she says!
Herein the trite opening to a book by K.M. Weiland. It's so trite and larded with cliches, which is expected since her advice is so trite and predictable. Be a hack like me, she says!
Are You Sabotaging Your Own Character?
Again, not a dram of showing, even though KM Weiland repeats the cliche dof showing not telling.
12/10/11
How to Tell if Your Backstory Is Boring - Lessons From The Three Muskete...
I've come to the conclusion that this gal is to writing what a big boobed stripper is to a date. You just wanna tell her to keep her mouth shut.
12/9/11
Skip the Boring Parts - Lessons From Twenty Years After by Alexandre Dumas
It's amazing that she never uses a single quotation from the works she cites.
12/8/11
How Scene and Chapter Length Control Pacing
More bad advice. Short chapters and sentences do not necessarily mean nor imply speed. There are numerous other things it can mean- such as allowing gray in the moment or character, and inviting a reader to imbue more into such.
It's no wonder writing today is so bad when people like this are giving advice.
12/7/11
Help Readers Keep Your Characters Straight
Typical MFA bullshit: obvious, but irrelevant to writers of quality. The 3rd 'helpful hint' is ridiculous.
12/6/11
The 3 Mortal Sins of Fiction
Why does she not 'NAME' Jane Austen? She's been dead a few hundred years.
Plus, of all of Austen's sins of commission, these 3 listed are NOT among them, nor are they problems; unless you are a hack formula writer who does not have the ability to connect with readers in a deeper manner....sort of like Ms. Weiland, perhaps?
12/5/11
The Cure-All for Long and Boring Narrative
This woman would make a terrible teacher. She never demonstrates- put up the text!
12/4/11
Drama vs. Melodrama: Can You Tell the Difference?
This woman is incredibly banal and obvious. She also gives no examples of the things she discusses.
12/3/11
How to Bring Adjectives to Life - Lessons From East of the Mountains by ...
Well, this is generic and bad advice about writing.
12/2/11
Authors@Google: T.C. Boyle
A hack explaining hackery. Around 28 minutes in, he basically admits he's shallow.
12/1/11
11/30/11
11/29/11
11/28/11
11/26/11
HUNGER - OFFICIAL TRAILER
Wow, this is an impressive film. On streaming and worth the watch. The 1st half has pretty much no dialogue and only images, and then a long dialogue sequence between a prisoner and a priest. I would have to rewatch it to catch everything, but it's not based on the Knut Hamsun novel. If you want something visual, philosophical and existential, this is for you.
11/24/11
William T. Vollmann Part 1
Another writer who's 'fame' is that he self-marginalizes himself and writes diarrhetically.
11/21/11
American Masters: Woody Allen
I just finished watching the PBS American Masters doc. on Woody Allen, which is available online. (Part 1 as of this writing and Part 2 shortly will follow.)
While this 3.5 hr doc. is mostly thorough, Part 1 and 2 are almost like different films. (I said almost.) Part 1 is the better half, since it goes into how Allen got involved in film in the first place, and covers his early development as an artist, his relationship with Diane Keaton, etc. Part 2 is more on commercialism and scandal, though it does cover his films with Mia Farrow.
But as for a few things that disappointed me: all the critics made it seem like Stardust Memories was a "misstep" and a "failure" of grand proportion, though none of them really stated why. Just read Dan's review and see how he disagrees with that. Stardust Memories is one of the greatest films I've ever seen in my life, so to call this masterpiece a "failure" even more than 30 years after the fact made me depressed a little.
The second disappointment is that the doc. didn't even mention Another Woman, which is another one of his greatest films. In fact, if I could rank his three best films overall, they would be Stardust Memories, Another Woman and Crimes and Misdemeanors. One out of those films was mentioned as a failure and the other wasn't even mentioned at all.
Yet why the boner for Matchpoint? Ah, because it made some money and sort of made him "cool" in a way, after various lackluster films like Jade Scorpion, Hollywood Ending and Anything Else. Though the doc. neglected to mention that Allen recycled his own material from Crimes and Misdemeanors, albeit differently. Granted, Matchpoint is a good film, but no Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Perhaps the most ridiculous was when they made it seem like A Mid Summer Night's Sex Comedy was somehow an indication that Allen was back on the "right track" after having "fallen off it" as result of Stardust Memories. Other than being the first film with Mia Farrow, it's just an ok, lite movie.
The doc. is worth the watch, even though I found the critics ill informed and overall ignorant about what makes for a great film. Oh, and for only calling Interiors "heavy." Heavy? That's all they can say about it? What a bunch of Joeys.
While this 3.5 hr doc. is mostly thorough, Part 1 and 2 are almost like different films. (I said almost.) Part 1 is the better half, since it goes into how Allen got involved in film in the first place, and covers his early development as an artist, his relationship with Diane Keaton, etc. Part 2 is more on commercialism and scandal, though it does cover his films with Mia Farrow.
But as for a few things that disappointed me: all the critics made it seem like Stardust Memories was a "misstep" and a "failure" of grand proportion, though none of them really stated why. Just read Dan's review and see how he disagrees with that. Stardust Memories is one of the greatest films I've ever seen in my life, so to call this masterpiece a "failure" even more than 30 years after the fact made me depressed a little.
The second disappointment is that the doc. didn't even mention Another Woman, which is another one of his greatest films. In fact, if I could rank his three best films overall, they would be Stardust Memories, Another Woman and Crimes and Misdemeanors. One out of those films was mentioned as a failure and the other wasn't even mentioned at all.
Yet why the boner for Matchpoint? Ah, because it made some money and sort of made him "cool" in a way, after various lackluster films like Jade Scorpion, Hollywood Ending and Anything Else. Though the doc. neglected to mention that Allen recycled his own material from Crimes and Misdemeanors, albeit differently. Granted, Matchpoint is a good film, but no Crimes and Misdemeanors.
Perhaps the most ridiculous was when they made it seem like A Mid Summer Night's Sex Comedy was somehow an indication that Allen was back on the "right track" after having "fallen off it" as result of Stardust Memories. Other than being the first film with Mia Farrow, it's just an ok, lite movie.
The doc. is worth the watch, even though I found the critics ill informed and overall ignorant about what makes for a great film. Oh, and for only calling Interiors "heavy." Heavy? That's all they can say about it? What a bunch of Joeys.
Hawaii Five 0 Intro
Jack Lord was one badass motherfucking asskicker! Another great great tv theme song.
11/20/11
Mission: Impossible Opening Montage 1
Terrific show from the 60s. So MUCH better than what passes for drama on TV these days- better writing, better acting and one of the better theme songs in TV history. Up next: Hawaii 5-O.
11/19/11
Dave Eggers TED Prize 4 Minute Talk
Amazing how many hacks win awards like this TED Prize or the MacArthur Genius Grants. So totally out of touch with reality.
11/18/11
Bret Easton Ellis Slams Self-Censorship Among Artists
Interesting that these interviewers never ask any questions that don't kiss ass. Never anything controversial.
11/17/11
Fight Club's Chuck Palahniuk Talks Latest Book, Tell-All'
Another vapid interview: Upchuck ponders why people don't read literature. Does not that, de facto, require that the queried actually write literature?
11/16/11
Arts: A Conversation With T. C. Boyle - NYTImes.com/Video
Another bad writer who somehow gets praised despite bad dialogue, no characterization, and no depth, plus an over-reliance on cliches.
11/15/11
Joyce Carol Oates - On Writing Characters
It would actually benefit if the speaker could actually practice what she preaches.
11/14/11
11/10/11
Charlie Rose interviews David Foster Wallace, 1/4
The world's least interesting man continues to drone....
11/9/11
11/8/11
David Foster Wallace on Commercial literature and reading
What an idiot. listen to the first 30 seconds.
11/7/11
David Foster Wallace on Literature
His writing's banality is only rivaled by the utter vacuity of what he speaks.
11/6/11
11/5/11
11/1/11
10/31/11
10/30/11
10/28/11
10/22/11
william buckley threatens to punch chomsky in the face
A clip from a famed debate and interview where Left Wingers claim Buckley threatens to punch Chomsky. But, it is a humorous remark said by Buckley AFTER Chomsky says he might, jokingly, lose his temper.
Overall, Chomsky won the actual debate on facts- something Buckley could not do, and at times Buckley comes off as petty, but in listening to the longwinded Chomsky one can see here, even this early, how easily Chomsky got off on the sound of his own voice and aversion to the specifics directed at him.
10/21/11
10/11/11
10/10/11
10/9/11
10/8/11
10/7/11
9/30/11
9/27/11
THE SHAPE OF THINGS trailer
Very dialogue heavy and about a bitch that takes over a guy's life, in addition to bad art. Definitely worth the watch. On streaming.
9/26/11
'Le Fils' ('The Son') trailer - Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne
Film I gotta watch in the near future. Roger Ebert raves on it; my wife does not. I'm generally harsher critically than she is. Who will will: Roger vs. Jess?
9/25/11
9/24/11
"Ptolemy Wept" Animated STAR TREK episode, Part 1
Barely recall this as a kid- how wooden, just like the Planet of the Apes cartoon.
9/23/11
9/22/11
9/19/11
Fοrbiddεח Gamεs (1952) 1/8
I streamed this great little film tonight--it's about children during the war and inventing their own ways to cope with death. I recommend the watch. On Instant of course!
9/17/11
Private Property
I watched this french film tonight and it was good. It's about a mother who is treated like shit by her sons. It's not over the top, but they are lazy, ungrateful, spoiled brats who are about 30 yrs old and mooch off their parents. She ends up putting aside her own desires because of them. Does an excellent job of showing off the family dynamics via body language.
9/16/11
9/15/11
9/11/11
9/10/11
9/9/11
9/8/11
9/7/11
The Best Years Of Our Lives (William Wyler, 1946)
I checked this one out tonight, as I've been going through the IMDb 250 recently and watching the ones that I haven't seen. It's an endeavor that's been occasionally very rewarding at times but somewhat unbearable more often, as there are a number of films on that list that barely scratch mediocrity yet are highly lauded. This is one that falls somewhere in the middle.
It's a film that is, in many ways, much better than a lot of the movies made at that time. The acting is naturalistic and subdued, the plotting mostly avoids anything overtly melodramatic, and the writing does a pretty good job of making the situations realistic and believable (not to mention some good cinematography from iconic cinematographer Gregg Toland, of Citizen Kane fame). Aside from the over-the-top musical score, which plays rather loudly over most of the scenes in the movie (though is strangely absent from some, to the movie's benefit), the movie doesn't feel particularly dated, at least not compared to most of the movies of that time.
And yet, I found as the movie went on that the initial surprise of the fairly realistic acting and writing gives way to something of a disappointment, for about an hour or so into this nearly-three-hour feature, you realize that there's not going to be much gazing into the interiors of these characters. The situations are right in terms of the writing, but the characters don't really have a ton of personality to make them or the film truly memorable or to justify why it is we are watching these three returning veterans instead of three others. The lines are right, but there's not that "something more" to the characters. We understand their problems, but we don't truly understand them; like many characters in Production Code Hollywood, the good characters are a little too good even with their blemishes, and the bad characters - like the shallow, money-obsessed but also buxom wife of Dana Andrews' character - are just a little too defined by their own flaws to be believable.
Still, there IS some good stuff in the movie, so I don't want to denigrate it too much. If nothing else, it's recommendable for its place as an interesting depiction of America directly after World War II has ended, and despite its detriments, it has effective moments and scenes throughout. Still, though, it's hard not to be disappointed when you sense in your gut that something could have been truly special, that you could have had something more if things had been done just a little bit differently. Still, watch it; you will enjoy what's there.
9/6/11
9/5/11
9/2/11
9/1/11
Pierrepoint - The Last Hangman
I watched this tonight on streaming and it was good. Recommend it. It even referenced the name of a woman I once did a poem on.
Lovely, Still Movie Trailer Official (HD)
Watched this last night (streaming) with Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn. At 1st you think it's just a movie about two old people trying to connect and romance one another, but as it goes on, you realize there's something deeper going on. A good 1st film from this new director.
8/31/11
Ayn Rand: In Her Own Words - Documentary Trailer
Watched this last night on streaming. Although I'm not a fan of her work, it was a well done doc. told from her own words.
8/29/11
8/27/11
8/26/11
Isn't She Great (Official Trailer) Bette Midler
A funny film I watched on Jacqueline Susann's publication of Valley of the Dolls. The film is tongue and cheek--and it accepts the fact that her book is trash. It also pokes fun at the fact that you don't need to have talent to be famous. This is on NF streaming.
8/25/11
8/24/11
Poetry - Official Trailer [HD]
Interesting film on streaming by a Korean filmmaker. Not overly sentimental. Worth the watch.
8/22/11
Nobody Knows
I was finally able to stream this other film by Kore-Eda Hirozaku. A very sad film about 4 kids who are abandoned by their mother in a Tokyo apartment, and they're left to fend for themselves.
8/21/11
The Fly (1958) - Theatrical Trailer
Watched this classic and it was ok. The thing I don't get is how calmly the woman reacts to the hubby using their cat (and causing it to disappear) in the experiment. For animal lovers that would be grounds for divorce. I guess to them it was "just a cat."
8/20/11
8/19/11
8/17/11
Love and Honor: Trailer
This is the 3rd film I've seen in the Yamada samurai trilogy and this one was good, too. I'd just love to live in a Yamada film, where the good guys always win. He focuses more on characters and their emotions--and you view them more as people. Yet I would rank them as The Twilight Samurai as the best, Love and Honor 2nd and The Hidden Blade 3rd.
His films are tough not to enjoy.
8/16/11
8/15/11
Nijushi no hitomi - Twenty-Four Eyes Trailer (1954)
A mediocre tearjerker that beat out Seven Samurai in some film festivals in Japan. Bad screenplay, but otherwise well made; just no story nor realistic character development.
8/14/11
The Hidden Blade (trailer)
This is the 2nd Yoji Yamada film in his Samurai Trilogy, following The Twilight Samurai. Overall, this is a good film but not as good as The Twilight Samurai. It's very entertaining but follows conventional formula, so for that I can't rank it as highly. But it's still worth the watch and a film I enjoyed. His films have humor in them and a warmth but ultimately this is a more likeable film than great film.
8/13/11
8/12/11
Gandhi (Richard Attenborough, 1982)
Watched this earlier tonight with my father, as it's one of his favorite movies. I thought it was a good movie, if a bit dry and lacking insight into the man himself, outside of his historical identity. However, as a portrayal OF Gandhi the public figure, it works well and is effective, especially since it avoids beating you over the head with a loud soundtrack or overt melodrama.
8/11/11
Black Christmas (1974) Full Trailer
Watched this camp crap that stars Keir Dullea. Which do you think he is more proud of? Black Christmas or 2001?
8/10/11
BLACK NARCISSUS - trailer - HQ
Watched this last night and NF labeled it "cerebral" but I found it was more kitschy.
8/9/11
8/7/11
Documental Stanley Kubrick Una Vida En Imagenes (subtitulado) FULL
Full doc. on Kubrick online for anyone interested.
8/6/11
Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988) (excerpt)
Met this kid in the mid-1080s a few times. Total poseur with no talent. Thankfully, he killed himself with drugs, saving the world from decades of art pollution.
8/5/11
Kabei - Official Trailer
This is the 2nd film by Yoji Yamada I streamed and it's another great one. Great characters that have their little quirks and by the end you care for them. Reminded me a lot of 24 Eyes. A must watch! I hope to see more of his films in the future because both this and The Twilight Samurai are great!
8/4/11
The Twilight Samurai Trailer
A terrific film by Yoji Yamada. It's on streaming, along with one other film of his, that I plan to watch this weekend. It has humor, pathos, depth. A Great Japanese Film Master is among us.
8/3/11
Inside Deep Throat Trailer (Documentary)
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8/2/11
7/31/11
7/30/11
Blue Valentine - Trailer
Not a great film but an excellent one that shows potential for its director to be one of the best in America.
7/29/11
7/28/11
Trailer: Sid & Nancy
A better than average biopic given the subject matter. Made me want to take a shower.
7/27/11
7/26/11
7/25/11
7/24/11
Kagemusha - CRITERION - OFFICIAL TRAILER
Watched this tonight and it is great. Also available on streaming, but shorter version only. Full version is 180 mins. I would love to be a double for a member of royalty. How fun.
7/23/11
“Spider-Man” (1967)
Bakshi also wrote and directed nearly every episode of the second and third seasons of this series. I saw re-runs of this as a kid, and to date, it remains the only good thing Ralph Bakshi has ever done.
細雪(The Makioka Sisters) 1983 Trailer Ichikawa, Kon
I watched this last night, which is based on the Tanizaki novel. While I have not read the novel, this film was just ok. Sort of a lesser Ozu. The music doesn't make sense to me, as it sounds very 80s synthesized in parts. This is not one of Ichikawa's best--Fires on the Plain and Burmese Harp were both much better.
7/22/11
“The Lord of the Rings” (1978) by Ralph Bakshi
Never read Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, but I saw this animation as a kid, and I saw Peter Jackson’s live action film trilogy when it came out in the early 2000s. Bakshi’s film is not good, but it’s actually better than Jackson’s bloated pseudo-epics are, because it’s shorter and less pompous. The 1978 film ends at the exact same point that The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers ends, yet it’s a third as long, and tells in one film what Jackson took two films to tell.
I also think this film’s version of Sauron is creepier, and the effects of Frodo wearing the One Ring were much better handled. Hell, Christopher Lee’s Saruman was a much better villain in the live action adaptation. HE should’ve been the main antagonist. Why? Because he’s Christopher fuckin’ Lee! He can make anything cool.
7/21/11
The Hobbit (1977) - Part 1
A really dull book that was made passable by this cartoon. I don't have high hopes for the Peter Jackson live version.
7/20/11
The Father of My Children - Trailer HD 2010
A good, solid film I streamed. It's rather straightforward and could have done more, but solid with some nice moments.
7/19/11
7/18/11
tony randall show
This was a very good show that Randall did after The Odd Couple. Too bad it never got a real shot.
7/17/11
Revenge of a Kabuki Actor - A Kon Ichikawa Film
A film I watched tonight. Interesting and good--funny at times. Overall, it had nice scenery--much of it appeared like a stage setting. I plan to request The Makioka Sisters next, since that is based on the Tanizaki novel.
This film was good, though Fires on the Plain and Burmese Harp are better.
7/16/11
Good Times
Closing theme to one of the more disappointing shows of all time; since it could have been great but failed.
7/15/11
Magnum PI Theme Opening
Never watched this show in its heyday, and only saw it a few years back when I was jobless. Better writing and acting than I'd've thought and Tom Selleck was actually a good actor.
7/14/11
7/12/11
7/11/11
7/10/11
Buffy and Jody's first day of school
Family Affair was a show I liked when really young but haven';t seen in years.
7/9/11
7/7/11
Addams Family TV Show Opening 1964
Objectively a better show than The Munsters, but Fred Gwynne was Peter Griffin before Family Guy, so The Munsters were the show I liked better.
7/6/11
7/5/11
7/4/11
7/3/11
Them! Trailer (1954)
Streamed this tonight. Dan's influence is infecting me. I enjoyed this and thought it was pretty good. The added bits of sexism are funny--like this one scene where this dope of a detective isn't comfortable addressing a woman as "doctor."
"You can call me Pat if it makes you feel more comfortable."
And then anytime they begin speaking in science jargon, he is like, "Hey buddy! Try speakin' English! I'm a dope!"
7/2/11
SPIDERWALK SCENE FROM THE EXORCIST
This scene was omitted from the original film. I don't see why--it is only yoga.
All In The Family - Judging Books By Covers 1-3
Great episode featuring future General Hospital star Tony Geary who, in real life, is gay.
7/1/11
Running on Empty (1988) Trailer
I streamed this Lumet film last night. A good-solid movie but nothing great. Suffers a little from that '80s cheese factor. I probably enjoyed The Morning After better, but they're on par.
Still my fave Lumets are Serpico and Dog Day Afternoon.
6/30/11
6/29/11
“The Simpsons”
OK, this was my absolute favorite show growing up. I said that Batman: The Animated Series was the best kids’ show, but this one is for adults. Granted, the show’s really gone downhill in the 2000s, but in the 1990s, this was by far the best show on television. It’s odd to realize how great and warm and funny they were considering how stale and corporatized they’ve become in recent years. And Bart Simpson is easily the best cartoon character since the Looney Tunes. Others, such as Pinky and the Brain or Stewie Griffin have come close, but none have reached Bart’s heights. He was one of my heroes as a kid. Here’s to you Bart:
Eat my shorts!
“Batman: The Animated Series”
OK, this and Animaniacs are the best Saturday morning cartoons bar none. I mean, X-Men is good, but name me another superhero series that comes close to it. Maybe the 1967 Spider-Man TV series, story-wise, but this show has much better animation. It takes the best elements of the Tim Burton films, whilst omitting Burton’s “quirky” elements. And it also uses the kickass theme Danny Elfman composed for the 1989 film. Strangely enough this show is more adult and took its audience more seriously than the live action series did.
Seriously, what else can compare to Batman and Animaniacs?
“Animaniacs”
Damn is this a terrific show. Maybe not an all-time classic, but if not, it still comes close. Probably nothing else has come closer to the quality of the old Looney Tunes cartoons than this show. My favorite characters here were always Pinky and the Brain. Seriously, those two are every bit as good as Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny, Yosemite Sam, Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig, etc.
Strangely enough, I don’t think Spielberg’s a very good film director, but the cartoons he served as executive producer on are often very good- most notably this and Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
Room 222 Theme song and opening video with Karen Valentine
Paved the way for The White Shadow, Degrassi High and other shows- even Welcome Back, Kotter.
Love American Style TV Show Opening Theme Season One
A hit and miss classic from Friday Nights of mu childhood.
6/28/11
“X-Men”
OK, here are some of the TV series I grew up with.
Not exactly an artistic masterpiece, granted, but damn was this show cool. Yeah, some things are silly and dated, but that opening just kicks ass, and Wolverine was probably the coolest superhero not named Batman. And c’mon name another children’s show that could equal this badass theme music.
Truly my generation was the best for children’s programming. The generation before suffered through the Hanna-Barbera shit and the generation after suffered through Pokémon. X-Men holds up far better.
Not exactly an artistic masterpiece, granted, but damn was this show cool. Yeah, some things are silly and dated, but that opening just kicks ass, and Wolverine was probably the coolest superhero not named Batman. And c’mon name another children’s show that could equal this badass theme music.
Truly my generation was the best for children’s programming. The generation before suffered through the Hanna-Barbera shit and the generation after suffered through Pokémon. X-Men holds up far better.
6/27/11
The Page Turner trailer
Here's another French film I streamed. It involves another one of those French bitches you don't want to fuck with. (The Piano Teacher and The Bridesmaid are all French titles I recently streamed and all involve lead females who are psychotic.)
The Page Turner is good because it is subtle and the character never tells you what she is thinking, but rather, we know through her actions. She is seeking revenge on a woman who she believes ruined an audition of hers from her childhood. The woman unknowingly hires her to work in her house and be her page turner, though the way the events play out are not what one might think.
Ironweed Trailer
I finally got around to watching the film version of the Pulitzer winning William Kennedy novel via requesting on DVD. While the acting is good, the film is ungodly long--like 2 and a half hrs long, and this is even more remarkable considering the novel is only like 70K words.
And while there are good moments, these moments are due to the novel, which is a great one. The film is merely ok and could have benefited by some serious editing.
The Bob Newhart Show ("Home To Emily")
Another Friday nighter and later Saturday night classic- loved the original Bob Newhart Show.
6/26/11
6/25/11
Fat Albert Classic Theme Song #1
My fave cartoon on Saturday mornings. Fat Albert and pals actually played in the environments I did- urban wastelands. This was when Cosby was cool and not a pretentious ass.
The Partridge Family Opening TV Theme Song 1970
As I recall, this show followed the Brady Bunch on ABC in the early 70s.
6/24/11
Brady Bunch TV Show Opening Theme Season Five
Every kid I knew wanted to do Jan. Marcia was too perfect, and Cindy was annoying. Jan had depth, relatively speaking. Ah, the 70s.
6/23/11
The Nostalgia Critic reviews “Saved by the Bell”
Well, it’s better than contemporaneous shit like Full House.
saved by the bell new girl part 1
I was too old to watch this late 80s Saturday morning crap, but it's better than most sitcoms on tv now. It makes shows like The Brady Bunch seem high art, by comparison, yet compared to sitcoms today, like those produced by my obese nominal doppelganger, it is, in its own right, a camp classic.
6/22/11
6/20/11
6/19/11
“The NeverEnding Story” trailer
Another classic fantasy film from the 1980s, although not as satirical.
6/18/11
'Bridesmaids' Trailer 2 HD
Another movie I saw this weekend. Very funny! Basically this is a guy flick with female characters--or shall I say it shows that women can be as crude and vulgar as men. There is one scene involving food poisoning that made me laugh so hard I cried. VERY FUNNY!!!
Midnight in Paris Trailer 2011
Saw this with my mom this weekend and it was a good, light film about those Romanticizing the past. I've met many in the arts who have done this, and while it is an easy thing to do (as the past is not any threat) the present is always the better place.
6/16/11
6/13/11
6/12/11
Amelia- Official Theatrical Trailer
Here's a film I requested on DVD. It's pretty much a paint by numbers biopic, which is what I expected. Don't expect to be surprised at all, and if you know the story, you know what happens in the end. Swank looks a lot like the real Amelia.
The Money Pit Bathtub Laugh Scene.wmv
Here's another junky movie I streamed. Sometimes when I am writing I like to watch non-pretentious junk as this. Tom Hanks is much better in comedy than he ever was in drama. This movie is dumb and predictable yes, but it's totally unpretentious and absurd. Also Maureen Stapleton is in it.
Money Pit Door Problem
Here's another Money Pit scene. Tom Hanks and Shelly Long are two yuppies who buy this really big and fancy house for a very low cost but they soon learn that everything about it is broken and falling apart, like the door here.
Swimming Pool - Official Trailer
Here's another film I streamed with Charlotte Rampling. It started out ok but then kind of took the cheap way out, albeit it somewhat redeems itself in the end. It's the whole story within a story trope, but the inner story isn't as good as the outer one.
Dumb and Dumber 'There's a Chance'
Here's another. I actually think that Steve Martin's The Jerk is much funnier than this.
Dumb and Dumber toilet scene
A dumb movie I watched for the 1st time the other night and this scene gives a sound that married women hear all too often coming from their men.
The Stephen King Miniseries
God, I remember those things back from the 1990s. Most of them were pretty awful. Fortunately, the Nostalgia Critic does have some amusing takes on them:
It (1990)
The Langoliers
I carefully avoided watching The Shining TV miniseries out of respect for Stanley Kubrick and Jack Nicholson. Although if he posts a review, I might watch it.
It (1990)
The Langoliers
I carefully avoided watching The Shining TV miniseries out of respect for Stanley Kubrick and Jack Nicholson. Although if he posts a review, I might watch it.
6/11/11
Atlas Shrugged Trailer
Ayn Rand, whether you agree or not with her philosophies, was a really BAD writer.
6/10/11
Puppy to Adult Dog in 40 seconds
Love this video, which shows a love of animals in its very handling.
6/9/11
9 To 5 by Dolly Parton (Lyrics)
I streamed 9 to 5 last night and it is hilarious. I love this song! I ♥ Dolly!
The Tree of Life Trailer 2011 HD
Near-great film with poorly structured start, magnificent middle 90 minutes, and possibly the worst ending to a near-great film since Kurosawa's Rashomom.
Why, Terrence, did you have to piss on the intelligent viewer with such condescending pabulum?
6/8/11
Zodiac Trailer
I watched this last night and overall it was a better than average thriller--the characters are better developed than what you might usually find and the acting is good. However, the film is ungodly LONG. 2 hrs and 40 mins of the Zodiac killer. The film is not poetic in the least and so it is all straight forward plot/action, but man, I got to about an hour and 40 mins and was still shocked I had an entire hour remaining.
It's not that it gets boring, but it really should not be this long. Really.
6/7/11
6/5/11
6/1/11
All Good Things - Official Trailer [HD]
I streamed this film last night and it's directed by the same director of Capturing the Friedmans. The 1st 2/3rds of it is quite good for a thriller, but the final 3rd tanks. This is based on real events, where a woman married into a rich family and then went missing in 1982.
What is interesting is to see their marriage deteriorate b/c hubby is a psycho, but he works up to it, you see? It's interesting to note his little nasty and belittling mannerisms towards his wife, notably whenever she achieves any sort of success. He's a talentless, lazy loser and is resentful when she finishes college (he refuses to stand and clap at her ceremony) and then when she learns that she gets into med school, he jumps into a cold river to pretend to pull a boat in, but really he wants to distract her and cause her concern.
Also, there's a scene where she is at her mom's house celebrating her graduating college and he tells her they have to leave, but she refuses and so he then pulls her out by the hair. It's pretty sick shit.
Frank Langella is also in this and there are some great asshole moments with his character. What a rich, nasty bastard he plays.
5/31/11
5/29/11
5/28/11
Christopher Lee Sings!
Yesterday was Christopher Lee’s birthday, and I found this on YouTube.
Actually not that bad.
Actually not that bad.
5/27/11
Malick's TREE OF LIFE
I didn't expect to wait in line for 20 minutes to be able to get two tickets to see a Malick's film on a Friday noon show. In the US usually lines are seen on weekend night for "Avatar"ish blockbusters, but that is one thing I like in NYC, lines of serious cinema viewers do exist. Interestingly the crowd was mostly elderly and middle-aged, maybe this is due just to the location being in the upper west side (as opposed to a younger audience in Chelsea or the Village).
Tree of Life is an excellent movie, it is Malick's most daring work to date:
1. It is his most NON-linear narrative.
2. It attempts to find (to show) answers to impossible existential philosophical questions.
3. It is his most visually-driven work (some frames are pure abstracts)
4. It has dinosaurs (as -almost- everybody, I knew that before seeing the film).
Sooner or later everybody will be comparing this movie to Kubrick's 2001, especially when it will hit the theaters in wide release in July. This is not a surprise, I read somewhere that Malick even dragged the same visual effects pioneer who worked on Kubrick's 2001 (Douglas Trumbull) out of his retirement to work on Tree of Life. Both 2001 and ToL have those near-abstract frames in long sequences, but overall Malick is no where near Kubrick as a visionary filmmaker: Kubrick's work is really enigmatic (e.g. the monolith) compared to Malick's detailed and more grounded and more scientific-based frames (e.g. cells, sperms, ovocytes, planets....etc).
With some limitations, one can say that ToL is to Malick's oeuvre what The Mirror was to Tarkovski's: Both movies represented the directors pushing their cinema to extremes of experimentation whether technically or in narration and also both movies are their most personal (I wouldn't use the word autobiographical for ToL despite what I read about family members in Malick's own life -almost- having identical historical traits and events to the movie's characters). One major limitation to such comparison is that The Mirror is Tarkovski's best work. And by the way, The Mirror has -by far- a much better narrative than ToL and for that alone it is a much better work. Another reason why The Mirror is a better work is that it lacks any major weakness or flaw, whether ToL -despite being an excellent work- has few downs, and almost all of them are present in Malick's attempt to explain (or show) the unknown. I can mention one of the very last sequences that is visually striking but gives a relatively "naive" image to the afterlife. What should be mentioned though -and that most of the critics seem to miss- is that this whole "vision" of the universe should be seen as a subjective vision via the mind of the main protagonist and NOT a scientific explanation. Taking this into consideration helps me digest this better, just like how one should not be attempting to explain Tarkovski's dream sequences.
Tree of Life is not an easy work to apprehend from a single view, I am not sure where it ranks in Malick's work but it is definitely something different than everything else he made and for this alone I have to give credit to the director to step out of his comfort zone of storytelling. I will be visiting very soon this movie again (and again). One can say that Malick just made one of the best and most sincere movies about childhood but to limit ToL that theme is unfair.
Visually it's Malick at his best especially with a cinematographer like E. Lubezki (the terrific visuals of Children of Men, and The New World), the soundtrack is outstanding with original work by A. Desplat blended with classics by Mahler, Brahms....etc.
5/26/11
American Idol: Scotty McCreery wins!
For only the 2nd time in 10 seasons the actual best singer in the show's final group wins the damned show.
5/25/11
5/24/11
Nijushi no hitomi - Twenty-Four Eyes Trailer (1954)
I watched this great film tonight and sobbed my two eyes out.
5/23/11
allen ginsberg: america
One of poetry's great poseurs; but he actually had talent and produced a dozen or so great poems. Then spent the last 3 decades of his life doing nothing but sodomy and masturbation.
'Tis a pity.
5/21/11
'Howl' Trailer HD
I streamed this on NF tonight and it was much better than I thought. It's not great, but it deals with the publication of the poem HOWL and focuses on that. Meanwhile Franco reads much of the poem throughout the film. Again, not a great film (I don't think AG is really that 'deep' of a character to result in a great film) but better than the typical Beat shit.
Franco does sound an awful lot like him. AG's poetry was either excellent at times or very shitty--there's not much in between.
5/19/11
5/18/11
5/17/11
5/16/11
Me and Orson Welles US Official Trailer #2
A film I streamed last night by Richard Linklater. He's done some interesting stuff I've seen as of late, and this one is quite good with excellent performances. Don't be turned off b/c of Zac Efron--he's actually pretty good in this. But the guy playing Orson is great.
5/15/11
“Bram Stoker’s Dracula” trailer
Some interesting elements- good cinematography, a good performance from Gary Oldman, and a great opening, but some of the dialogue is awful, outside of Oldman the acting is not good, and the love story just kills it. In other words, too much Anne Rice.
It always amazes me that Francis Ford Coppola directed this film. I know that George Lucas was once his protégé, so maybe this Star Wars quote explains it: “When I left you, I was but the learner. Now I am the master.” It’s the best I can think of.
5/13/11
5/11/11
5/10/11
5/9/11
5/7/11
5/5/11
5/3/11
5/2/11
Barney's Version (Richard J. Lewis, 2010)
Saw this movie last night, was a very mixed bag. The main character, played excellently by Paul Giamatti, is interesting and has more meat to him than your typical Hollywood protagonist, but the movie also indulges a lot of conventions and melodramatic twists that it didn't really need and could have stood to replace them with better-developed themes and characters. The very first image is pretty excellent, though; would that the rest of the movie could have been in that vein, I think it could have been something really special (the last part of the movie works toward this, but it has too much ground to make up to really work). As for the trailer: the movie actually develops along similar lines (starting with the quirky indie comedy schtick and turning into something more serious in the second half or so), but it's a bit darker than the trailer lets on.
Hitler's Takeover Rare Footage (English Subtitles)
66 years apart, Osama bin Laden and Hitler die on the same day.
5/1/11
Twilight Zone - Opening Title Sequence
Been streaming the entire season of The Twilight Zone and I am loving it. Still on Season 1. Great short stories!
4/29/11
4/28/11
4/27/11
4/26/11
Soapdish (1991): Trailer HQ
While very much a "90's movie" it offers an entertaining mock into soap opera life and shows. Sally Field and Kevin Cline are great in it.
4/25/11
4/24/11
4/23/11
4/21/11
Bonneville Official Trailer
Here's a film I streamed off NF. I enjoyed it--a good "girl" movie aimed for older crowds. The ending was a little weak, but it overall had a sweetness to it. Also, the scenery is to die for.
4/20/11
Year of the Dog - Trailer
I watched this film written by Mike White. While it was well-written, it was depressing as hell and the comedy is majorly misleading. Why try to market something as a comedy when it isn't?
4/19/11
Before Sunset Movie Trailer
I streamed this last night. A follow up to the 1995 film Before Sunrise. This sequel is actually better and tighter than the original. Finishing at less than 80 mins, the characters are a bit more complex and mature, albeit they hate their lives pretty much. Still suffers from some of that yuppie shit, but ok. Not My Dinner With Andre, but worth the watch.
4/17/11
4/16/11
4/15/11
4/14/11
The Fox Scene from Antichrist (Chaos Reigns)
Someone told me this movie sucked. I won't be watching it as it sounds like one of those films just trying to "shock" for the sake of shocking. But this scene in particular looks really dumb.
"Godzilla's Revenge" Theatrical Trailer (1969)
Jess finally watched this film. She said it was cute and enjoyed it. Probably my favorite film from childhood.
4/13/11
4/12/11
4/9/11
4/8/11
4/6/11
4/5/11
4/4/11
"Shutter Island" - Official Trailer [HD]
I streamed Shutter Island last night and it reminded me a lot of The Departed. It's a movie that, while has some nice imagery, is primarily dependent on plot and "twists and turns" so much that there's no reason to watch it more than twice. Once for the initial viewing, and maybe a 2nd time to see more of the "twists and turns" but after that? That's it. Definitely more Hollywood and conventional than Scorsese's earlier and better pictures. The man has not made anything great since Goodfellas.
4/3/11
4/2/11
Salo - A film by Pier Pasolini (Condensed)
Jessica's favorite film. After seeing this she developed a scat obsession.
4/1/11
Saving Private Ryan (1998) - Official Trailer
This is Dan's vote for the greatest film ever made. The reason it's not on the Great Film List is because he feels that the list is not even worthy enough for this masterpiece. As culled from a recent essay: "As a poet, I find the blood and carnage within this film to be ever so visceral but also Hank's stolid performance reassures me of the sensibility that exists within this post-apocalyptic universe."
3/29/11
3/27/11
3/24/11
3/23/11
3/22/11
Ralph Nader - An Unreasonable Man
A great documentary that shows the hypocrisy of Democrats that blamed him for Al Gore's 2000 Presidential loss.
3/21/11
3/20/11
MARATHON MAN - HQ Trailer ( 1976 )
A movie I streamed last night. Overall it was good-solid. Not great, but more like a plot-driven thriller, albeit more intelligent than the crap today.
I also tend to enjoy '70s movies set in NYC--maybe because Dan has told me so much about his childhood.
3/19/11
The Verdict on the Case For Christ - Lee Strobel
A charlatan who propagated a bad book and documentary on Christ's supposed existence.
3/18/11
3/16/11
3/15/11
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