Finally saw Big Man Japan on DVD this week and it's a strange little, Japanese movie (which I know that's redundant as Japanese movies are often strange). I knew the basic premise of the movie before renting it, so knew that it was about a man who was a real-life giant super-hero working for the government saving the country from giant Godzilla-like monsters. What I didn't realize is that it was going to be mockumentary. This gave it an interesting twist as we got to see the life of this average man with problems like anyone else with ex-wife and a kid, who happened to be a super-hero saving the country; we also got to see how public sentiment had changed from when his grandfather was a super-hero to how it was for him in present day. It was an interesting take on Godzilla-like movies, and it only really worked because of the mockumentary aspect.
Seeing it reminded me of other movies that surprised me by being mockumentaries, and I think benefited from being told as a mockumentary rather than the usual narrative.
1) Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999)
When I first heard of this movie about a beauty pageant, I had no interest in it. But I knew of the cast and had a friend who said it was pretty good and not what I would expect, so I gave it a shot. What I discovered was a great black comedy with death and explosions and wicked pettiness; and what works about the film is that it's told through the lens of the impartial outsider as events unfold. So the camera crew is just as surprised as the audience when competition at the beauty pageant turns deadly, and it always keeps you guessing who's really behind it.
2) Surf's Up (2007)
This came out less than a year after Happy Feet; I had already seen that animated penguin movie and was very disappointed in it's need to go all "save the planet" when that seemed to veer suddenly from the rest of the movie. So I wasn't sure I wanted to see Surf's Up; but there were pygmy penguins in the trailer and that was enough to convince me that it might be worth a look. Much to my surprise, the movie started with a documentary-style interview of the main character and after that I was happily bemused by this mockumentary about penguins and their obsession with surfing. Surfing penguins (and one chicken) is super-ridiculous but somehow becomes more believable as a mockumentary.
3) The Blair Witch Project (1999)
When this one came out I had seen the "making of" special on SciFi channel and the Blair Witch website; so heading into the theater for the sold-out opening night I was under the impression that this was a true story (or at least based on one). Thinking this sold the movie for me as I felt that I too was lost in the woods and frightened about stick figures appearing in the night. It was only after seeing it that I found out that it was totally fictional. If this movie had been filmed in the usual style of horror movie it would have been dull and seemed empty of dialogue and plot; but with the close-quarters camera views and full panic of the actors, their experience became the whole movie.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Movie Trio: Indie Love
(500) Days of Summer which has received much critical acclaim since it's release at Sundance earlier this year, finally got release in St. Louis this weekend. Kurt and I went and saw and were much amused by this film that is not a love story, but a story about love. In this day and age where most movies are sterilized and idealized stories about 2 people falling madly in love against all reason, it's a nice change to see a movie which shows all the ups and downs and foibles of a real relationship that doesn't end well.
Before seeing the movie and afterward I thought of other indie movies of the past ten years that also have different views of love and life.
1) Garden State (2004)
Zach Braff's directorial debut which is mostly just a collection of stories and urban legends he heard growing up; but there is also the love story of two people adrift in the world. It's a contrived romance and very predictable, but it's still heart-warming and the various stories are entertaining, if nothing else.
2) Juno (2007)
Second movie from Jason Reitman and is quite charming. A story of pregnant teenager who falls in love with the father of her child through the course of the pregnancy. Some have said that it tries to be too Indie and is contrived; I find it witty and endearing as she discovers that life does not always work the way you expect it to.
3) Brick (2005)
The first from Rian Johnson and one I love to be able to include in a list because it's such a good movie. One could argue that it's not a movie about love, but at it's heart it is. Brendan loves Em and wants to know what happened to her and why; through the unfolding we find out that Em is not love with Brendan but in love with.... well, I won't ruin the surprise. But it's the relationships of who is involved with whom that is a major part of this noir detective story.
But for now, "Just because she's likes the same bizzaro crap you do doesn't mean she's your soul mate." ((500) Days of Summer)
Before seeing the movie and afterward I thought of other indie movies of the past ten years that also have different views of love and life.
1) Garden State (2004)
Zach Braff's directorial debut which is mostly just a collection of stories and urban legends he heard growing up; but there is also the love story of two people adrift in the world. It's a contrived romance and very predictable, but it's still heart-warming and the various stories are entertaining, if nothing else.
2) Juno (2007)
Second movie from Jason Reitman and is quite charming. A story of pregnant teenager who falls in love with the father of her child through the course of the pregnancy. Some have said that it tries to be too Indie and is contrived; I find it witty and endearing as she discovers that life does not always work the way you expect it to.
3) Brick (2005)
The first from Rian Johnson and one I love to be able to include in a list because it's such a good movie. One could argue that it's not a movie about love, but at it's heart it is. Brendan loves Em and wants to know what happened to her and why; through the unfolding we find out that Em is not love with Brendan but in love with.... well, I won't ruin the surprise. But it's the relationships of who is involved with whom that is a major part of this noir detective story.
But for now, "Just because she's likes the same bizzaro crap you do doesn't mean she's your soul mate." ((500) Days of Summer)
Monday, July 6, 2009
Movie Trio: Before they were in this Summer's Blockbusters
I am a movie geek in that I can never seem to watch just one movie and I love to make connections between movies that don't seem to be otherwise connected. Starting in college, I liked pairing movies for "double feature" nights. Sometimes the pairings make sense, like Grosse Pointe Blank and The Big Hit (misunderstood & torn hit-men). Sometimes they're connected marginally, Fifth Element and Hannibal (Gary Oldman roles). Now that I've graduated (twice) and have a large and ever-growing movie collection, the movie pairings are starting to become trios. The themes can be anything and the only limitation is it has to be movies in the collection (though that's not too limiting with nearly 600 titles in our collection). So I feel like sharing these trios with others other than myself (though I know not many read this blog, so it won't be shared with many, but that's more than one).
With all the big block-buster movies this summer that are failures (not failure in their box-office takes, but as movies themselves) it makes me long for other summers and other movies, ones maybe not as marred by egos. So I have compiled a list of movies (not necessarily summer movies) that have actors from this summer before they were the heroes and in the spotlight.
1) Constantine (2005) - Shia LaBeouf as the comic-relief sidekick.
Between the failures of this summer's Transformers 2 and last summer's Indiana Jones 4, I am tired of seeing Shia cast as a hero only for him to be not-so-heroic. I long for when he was just a sidekick, because he works well as a sidekick. A hero has to carry a movie or the movie fails; a sidekick just has to follow the hero providing support where necessary, even if dying is considered part of that necessity. They can have witty dialogue and verbally point out plot-points that aren't always apparent to the audience; they appear on-screen just long enough to do their job and then disappear into the background. They do not have to carry the movie itself. So I longed for Shia in roles such as Chas from Constantine. This is the first movie I had seen him in, and he works in this role; he's a smart-mouth Jewish kid following around and supporting an emotional-less Keanu Reeves. This is how I like to remember Shia. Not as hair-obsessed Mutt or as image-obsessed Sam; but as the kid who really wants to emulate his hero and will follow him 'til the end. And luckily the whole movie itself ages well; it gets better with subsequent viewings as more details are noticed that aren't always caught in a first or fifth viewing.
Confession: There is a stinger after the credits; I had never seen it before re-watching the movie a couple weeks ago, and it actually adds a little bit to the movie.
2) The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) - Karl Urban as a warrior villain.
This summer's Star Trek is one of those few wins from this summer of bad movies. It's not great Oscar-worthiness, but it is a fun and enjoyable ensemble movie. Unlike many other good ensemble movies, though, it is a mostly unknown group of young actors and actresses pulled in to try to capture and portray characters that have been seen in TV and movies over the last 40+ years. And capture them they do. Anton Yelchin (who is Russian) is cute as Chekov; Simon Pegg does an interesting and hilarious variation on Scottie; and I think Zachery Quinto has that very essence that makes Spock, Spock. But more than anyone else, Karl Urban captures Bones perfectly. Even before he's said a line (let alone the line "All I've got left is my Bones"), once he appears on screen, you know that it is Bones. Looking up Urban to see what he had played in before, I discovered that he has done many action roles. The role I find most striking as a contrast to Bones is Vaako the villain in The Chronicles of Riddick; Vaako wasn't the high Lord Marshall ruling the vast empire, but was his most trusted lieutenant charged with hunting down Riddick. It is interesting to see Urban be able to have full command of two very different roles. Unfortunately this is not a movie that ages as well as Constantine; though, I somehow enjoy it every time we see it. It is one of my guilty pleasures.
Note: Kurt has pointed out that Urban played Eomer in the Lord of the Rings movies well before The Chronicles of Riddick, but I like the contrast that Vaako makes to Bones better.
3) Enemy Mine (1985) - Dennis Quaid as the human
As a contrast to the other movies, instead of before they were stars this is when he was a star. The yet to be released G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, which has not been rated well so far in the early test screenings, is a conglomeration of this summer's movies: an ensemble cast and robots (well, robotic suits). Among the ensemble cast which includes the likes of Christopher Eccleston and Joseph Gordon-Levitt leading the bad guys with pretty-boy Channing Tatum leading the good guys; also leading the good guys is Dennis Quaid as General Hawk. I grew up with Quaid as a household name; and in addition to Innerspace, Enemy Mine was a movie that was in the parent's collection. It is interesting now to watch a movie made before nearly all effects were computer-generated; to watch a big sci-fi movie with space battles and space ships that is concerned mostly with the interactions of two individuals who have been raised to hate the other. It is their story, and the movie depends on their performances and the characters themselves above special effects; something that most of these summer block-busters seem to have forgotten.
Interesting note: Channing Tatum is also playing Pretty Boy Floyd in Public Enemies this summer.
How about you? Any movies that you can think of of stars from this summer before they were stars?
But for now, "You're in Love. Have a Beer." (Hellboy II: The Golden Army)
With all the big block-buster movies this summer that are failures (not failure in their box-office takes, but as movies themselves) it makes me long for other summers and other movies, ones maybe not as marred by egos. So I have compiled a list of movies (not necessarily summer movies) that have actors from this summer before they were the heroes and in the spotlight.
1) Constantine (2005) - Shia LaBeouf as the comic-relief sidekick.
Between the failures of this summer's Transformers 2 and last summer's Indiana Jones 4, I am tired of seeing Shia cast as a hero only for him to be not-so-heroic. I long for when he was just a sidekick, because he works well as a sidekick. A hero has to carry a movie or the movie fails; a sidekick just has to follow the hero providing support where necessary, even if dying is considered part of that necessity. They can have witty dialogue and verbally point out plot-points that aren't always apparent to the audience; they appear on-screen just long enough to do their job and then disappear into the background. They do not have to carry the movie itself. So I longed for Shia in roles such as Chas from Constantine. This is the first movie I had seen him in, and he works in this role; he's a smart-mouth Jewish kid following around and supporting an emotional-less Keanu Reeves. This is how I like to remember Shia. Not as hair-obsessed Mutt or as image-obsessed Sam; but as the kid who really wants to emulate his hero and will follow him 'til the end. And luckily the whole movie itself ages well; it gets better with subsequent viewings as more details are noticed that aren't always caught in a first or fifth viewing.
Confession: There is a stinger after the credits; I had never seen it before re-watching the movie a couple weeks ago, and it actually adds a little bit to the movie.
2) The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) - Karl Urban as a warrior villain.
This summer's Star Trek is one of those few wins from this summer of bad movies. It's not great Oscar-worthiness, but it is a fun and enjoyable ensemble movie. Unlike many other good ensemble movies, though, it is a mostly unknown group of young actors and actresses pulled in to try to capture and portray characters that have been seen in TV and movies over the last 40+ years. And capture them they do. Anton Yelchin (who is Russian) is cute as Chekov; Simon Pegg does an interesting and hilarious variation on Scottie; and I think Zachery Quinto has that very essence that makes Spock, Spock. But more than anyone else, Karl Urban captures Bones perfectly. Even before he's said a line (let alone the line "All I've got left is my Bones"), once he appears on screen, you know that it is Bones. Looking up Urban to see what he had played in before, I discovered that he has done many action roles. The role I find most striking as a contrast to Bones is Vaako the villain in The Chronicles of Riddick; Vaako wasn't the high Lord Marshall ruling the vast empire, but was his most trusted lieutenant charged with hunting down Riddick. It is interesting to see Urban be able to have full command of two very different roles. Unfortunately this is not a movie that ages as well as Constantine; though, I somehow enjoy it every time we see it. It is one of my guilty pleasures.
Note: Kurt has pointed out that Urban played Eomer in the Lord of the Rings movies well before The Chronicles of Riddick, but I like the contrast that Vaako makes to Bones better.
3) Enemy Mine (1985) - Dennis Quaid as the human
As a contrast to the other movies, instead of before they were stars this is when he was a star. The yet to be released G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, which has not been rated well so far in the early test screenings, is a conglomeration of this summer's movies: an ensemble cast and robots (well, robotic suits). Among the ensemble cast which includes the likes of Christopher Eccleston and Joseph Gordon-Levitt leading the bad guys with pretty-boy Channing Tatum leading the good guys; also leading the good guys is Dennis Quaid as General Hawk. I grew up with Quaid as a household name; and in addition to Innerspace, Enemy Mine was a movie that was in the parent's collection. It is interesting now to watch a movie made before nearly all effects were computer-generated; to watch a big sci-fi movie with space battles and space ships that is concerned mostly with the interactions of two individuals who have been raised to hate the other. It is their story, and the movie depends on their performances and the characters themselves above special effects; something that most of these summer block-busters seem to have forgotten.
Interesting note: Channing Tatum is also playing Pretty Boy Floyd in Public Enemies this summer.
How about you? Any movies that you can think of of stars from this summer before they were stars?
But for now, "You're in Love. Have a Beer." (Hellboy II: The Golden Army)
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Back at ya!
Ok, so this is really more of a response posting as my husband already beat me to the mushy/glurgy blog posting on my b-day (that's what happens when my birthday is two days before his). But anyway, here goes the mushy stuff from me in celebration of his birthday today.
(**WARNING** The following not recommended for those prone to gagging at excessive sweetness or to tearing up at glurge. You have been warned).
I'm glad that you:
- put up with me tickling and hitting you. I'm sorry - aggressive female and that probably won't change, though I'm trying to cut down.
- let me play Super Mario Galaxy with you or just telling you what to do when you're playing whatever random game of the moment. I know it's hard to put up with a wife that likes video games (not).
- understand my love of reading and have figured out that reading myself to sleep is probably what I'll be doing until I'm a hundred and eight.
- share a love of movies. We might not always see eye to eye on all movies, but we both enjoy a well-crafted, cinema experience.
- are patient with all my various neuroses and compulsions, 'cause I know dealing with me takes lots of patience.
- trust me, even when driving your car when my driving scares the snot out of you.
- encourage me, whether it's in my random artsy projects or finishing my MA or even just going out with friends for a night.
- rub my feet when I've had a long day.
- take me out to a steak dinner every now and again, even though you're a vegetarian.
- get along with all my family and I yours so that we have no "dreaded in-laws". I'm especially amused that you're becoming friends with my brother.
And finally, I know I said that it was awkward being the only one at Megan's party who was in a happy/stable relationship because of all the male-bashing going on, but that was actually a good kind of awkward.
So yeah, we will have been together for five years this July and married for one and I can't imagine the next fifty years without you.
So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Okay, see you, love you, bye.
(**WARNING** The following not recommended for those prone to gagging at excessive sweetness or to tearing up at glurge. You have been warned).
I'm glad that you:
- put up with me tickling and hitting you. I'm sorry - aggressive female and that probably won't change, though I'm trying to cut down.
- let me play Super Mario Galaxy with you or just telling you what to do when you're playing whatever random game of the moment. I know it's hard to put up with a wife that likes video games (not).
- understand my love of reading and have figured out that reading myself to sleep is probably what I'll be doing until I'm a hundred and eight.
- share a love of movies. We might not always see eye to eye on all movies, but we both enjoy a well-crafted, cinema experience.
- are patient with all my various neuroses and compulsions, 'cause I know dealing with me takes lots of patience.
- trust me, even when driving your car when my driving scares the snot out of you.
- encourage me, whether it's in my random artsy projects or finishing my MA or even just going out with friends for a night.
- rub my feet when I've had a long day.
- take me out to a steak dinner every now and again, even though you're a vegetarian.
- get along with all my family and I yours so that we have no "dreaded in-laws". I'm especially amused that you're becoming friends with my brother.
And finally, I know I said that it was awkward being the only one at Megan's party who was in a happy/stable relationship because of all the male-bashing going on, but that was actually a good kind of awkward.
So yeah, we will have been together for five years this July and married for one and I can't imagine the next fifty years without you.
So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Okay, see you, love you, bye.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Happy Geek BDay to Me!
So, today is my birthday and normally I keep it a quiet affair, but today had to share the great geek gift one of my friends got me. I'll preface this with both her and I are geek girls - we share a love of sci-fi books/movies/tv as well as japanese anime and Joss Whedon. So for my birthday she baked me some cookies and got me this:
That's right, she bought me a stuffed DRD!!! If you have no idea what one is, well, all I can say is WATCH SOME FARSCAPE (or actually just go here for quick info on DRDs). And if you're drooling you too can buy one on Amazon here or here. And for uber-geek there's even an "1812" version (sadly on backorder).
I think it looks real cute at the bottom of a bookshelf peeking out on the world:
(note the Cthulu and the greek amphora on the top shelf - yep, I'm a geek).
And now I think I'll have a cupcake, 'cause it's my b-day.
"You know, I'm going to track down this cute droid and rip off both his antennae." ("Farscape", season 1, ep 10)
That's right, she bought me a stuffed DRD!!! If you have no idea what one is, well, all I can say is WATCH SOME FARSCAPE (or actually just go here for quick info on DRDs). And if you're drooling you too can buy one on Amazon here or here. And for uber-geek there's even an "1812" version (sadly on backorder).
I think it looks real cute at the bottom of a bookshelf peeking out on the world:
(note the Cthulu and the greek amphora on the top shelf - yep, I'm a geek).And now I think I'll have a cupcake, 'cause it's my b-day.
"You know, I'm going to track down this cute droid and rip off both his antennae." ("Farscape", season 1, ep 10)
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Behind...
This has been one of those week's in which I've felt behind all week. In work, at home in the evenings, when I wake up in the morning again. It's not that I'm actually behind or that I have projects that I'm in the middle of and can't finish, it's that I *feel* like I'm behind. And all the while my brain feels like putty; like I'm trying to think through fog. Maybe not fog, maybe just a light mist. Either way, can't think of anything interesting to expound upon.
So I think I'll just share something that was shared by Jon Hodgman via his twitter-feed a few week's ago. If you go here to this google map of a location in Pittsburg, and click on "Street View" you'll see them. No, go and look. I'll wait.
Seen them now? Yep, those are LARPers and they can be seen in another view which someone else blogged about here. It's not just some weird coincidence that these guys show up on Google maps. There was actually a big project to create specific scenes and groups of different people at different places in Pittsburg so that they would show up on Google Maps at street view. Or as Hodgman described it, "a street-long art project/google mind-eff." Full details of the project with pictures and everything can be found on their main website here. Go, browse, it's amusing.
Meanwhile I'm finally watching The Forbidden Kingdom. Not a great plot, but the kung fu is pretty good. I do enjoy some fun and/or drunken kung fu. Best fun kung fu though is not Jackie Chan's drunken style, but Jet Li's Monkey King; he really does gain all the winsomeness of a simian.
So for now, "Leopard style, Dragon style, fly through air, fight on water, Crouching Tiger, Spanking monkey." (The Forbidden Kingdom)
So I think I'll just share something that was shared by Jon Hodgman via his twitter-feed a few week's ago. If you go here to this google map of a location in Pittsburg, and click on "Street View" you'll see them. No, go and look. I'll wait.
Seen them now? Yep, those are LARPers and they can be seen in another view which someone else blogged about here. It's not just some weird coincidence that these guys show up on Google maps. There was actually a big project to create specific scenes and groups of different people at different places in Pittsburg so that they would show up on Google Maps at street view. Or as Hodgman described it, "a street-long art project/google mind-eff." Full details of the project with pictures and everything can be found on their main website here. Go, browse, it's amusing.
Meanwhile I'm finally watching The Forbidden Kingdom. Not a great plot, but the kung fu is pretty good. I do enjoy some fun and/or drunken kung fu. Best fun kung fu though is not Jackie Chan's drunken style, but Jet Li's Monkey King; he really does gain all the winsomeness of a simian.
So for now, "Leopard style, Dragon style, fly through air, fight on water, Crouching Tiger, Spanking monkey." (The Forbidden Kingdom)
Monday, April 20, 2009
Of skeletons and crashing skies and trout...
So, I was going to get a lot more blogging done this weekend and then I got caught up in movies and then got sick and then spent the rest of the weekend on the couch. But before sickness was Jason Webley.
Friday night was fun. Me and Kurt went out with a couple friends to a Jason Webley show. Kurt & I first saw Jason at a Dresden Dolls show in LA; he was one of many openers, and we greatly enjoyed the strange man with an accordion singing happy little songs about death. I bought one of his CDs, and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't as good as the live show. The live performance is so much better because of his energy and the audience participation. So, I joined the mailing list to keep up with any possible future performances in the area. Last year he did a couple shows in St Louis and Kurt & I went to one. And then we heard that he was to be back again this April, and we knew we had to go and bring friends.
Jason is an interesting entertainer; one day he decided he would start touring with what money he had and would stop once the money ran out. It's now been eleven years (he's having an anniversary show this July) and he's still going strong. Friday night's show was no different; there was a small crowd to begin with but we were energetic and our numbers grew through the show. The audience participation was even more fun than I remembered, and I got to be the one to eat the poisoned pear and die (go see a show and you too will understand).
Here's some pics I took:
Jason tuning his guitar before the show:
Crazy accordion-man (forgot the red-eye on the flash so he does look **crazy**):
The show will not stop even with a popped string:
An energetic performer, so always blurry without a flash:
A post-show pic of me and Jason (yep, I'm totally geeking out there):
So moral of this post is GO SEE A JASON WEBLEY SHOW! Yeah, it's fun and you'll thank me later. For now I will finish "Buffy" season 4.
But for now, "I showed up on time, so I get to be cowboy guy."
"Do you mind? I'm talking to my demon."
"I think I figured out how to steer by gesturing emphatically."
"I wear the cheese, it does not wear me."
"Wait, you'll miss the humorous conclusion."
*Singing* "And try not to bleed on my couch; I just had it steam-cleaned."
"We'd better build a fort." "I'll get some pillows" ("Buffy", Season 4, Season Finale)
Friday night was fun. Me and Kurt went out with a couple friends to a Jason Webley show. Kurt & I first saw Jason at a Dresden Dolls show in LA; he was one of many openers, and we greatly enjoyed the strange man with an accordion singing happy little songs about death. I bought one of his CDs, and while I enjoyed it, it wasn't as good as the live show. The live performance is so much better because of his energy and the audience participation. So, I joined the mailing list to keep up with any possible future performances in the area. Last year he did a couple shows in St Louis and Kurt & I went to one. And then we heard that he was to be back again this April, and we knew we had to go and bring friends.
Jason is an interesting entertainer; one day he decided he would start touring with what money he had and would stop once the money ran out. It's now been eleven years (he's having an anniversary show this July) and he's still going strong. Friday night's show was no different; there was a small crowd to begin with but we were energetic and our numbers grew through the show. The audience participation was even more fun than I remembered, and I got to be the one to eat the poisoned pear and die (go see a show and you too will understand).
Here's some pics I took:
Jason tuning his guitar before the show:
Crazy accordion-man (forgot the red-eye on the flash so he does look **crazy**):
The show will not stop even with a popped string:
An energetic performer, so always blurry without a flash:
A post-show pic of me and Jason (yep, I'm totally geeking out there):
So moral of this post is GO SEE A JASON WEBLEY SHOW! Yeah, it's fun and you'll thank me later. For now I will finish "Buffy" season 4.
But for now, "I showed up on time, so I get to be cowboy guy."
"Do you mind? I'm talking to my demon."
"I think I figured out how to steer by gesturing emphatically."
"I wear the cheese, it does not wear me."
"Wait, you'll miss the humorous conclusion."
*Singing* "And try not to bleed on my couch; I just had it steam-cleaned."
"We'd better build a fort." "I'll get some pillows" ("Buffy", Season 4, Season Finale)
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