A Brief Moment To Talk About 2009 Film

Issues

2009 has been one of the saddest years in film. There have been few to little highlights, and the best films I viewed were The Wrestler and Drag me to hell. The Wrestler can't contend because it was pushed out before Christmas last year and ignored at last years academy awards. Of course the film was impossible to see until March/April of this year. Same as the year before with There Will Be Blood, couldn't see it until March.
This is one of the main reasons I have not stept foot in a movie theater in over 6 months.

Now here comes the wait for Oscar noms to come out in viewable format, or on a big screen anywhere close by. So we wait while the academy gets private viewings of Moon while we're stuck with Ice Age 3 on Dvd and The Blind Side is in theaters. I understand the theater is in business to make money but maybe through the slow months of October, November, and December some films worth of Oscar noms could be featured in some bigger theaters. Or maybe replays of films from the previous year that did not see wide release.

These are just some suggestions that have come from a few frustrations of mine. Mainly why Slumdog Millionaire could get wide release everywhere in the country, and Sunshine got little to none and I had to wait 3 long months to finally enjoy it. At home though without a digital projector on a theater screen.

50 Word Review - Drag Me To Hell

Directed by Sam Raimi this film is a revivalof low budget horror comedy. Never substituting CGI for graphics it’s a true return to brass tacks and excellent camera cuts. Allison Lohman creates a perfect persona for this films events. The gross-out horror works here and never feels forced.

A quick word.

At a time when the film industry is snagging the rights up to every great graphic novel and comic series I believe it's time to look at the small screen and see how televesion may have possibly just jumped on the biggest bandwagon of this age with two of the most respected comics being produced as hour long drama's on two networks.

Fables is being produced by NBC and The Walking Dead is being produced for AMC. If you haven't heard or read either of these I highly suggest you do. Fables will probably be butchered on ABC but with Mad Men's success AMC looks to understand how to adapt such an ambitious project. Robert Kirkman the actual The Walking Dead writer is writing the show along with Frank Darabont (Shawshank, Green Mile) as writer directer and executive produce. These two shows will help pave the way for more indy themed comic's being brought to the big and little screens.

Both of these series may never even see a pilot but it's intresting to watch the small screen copying film's strategy of adapting lesser known written works to a non print format.

50 Word Review - Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior

Film set around Tony Jaa showing off his signature style of kung fu and the stunts he can pull off. There is in fact a plot but it takes backseat, along with everything else in this film. The film action replays every unique seen making them extremely less unique.

50 Word Review - Scarface (1932)

Probably the darkest film made for it's time. Story dealing with prohibition and the wealth and greed that comes with it. It's also a unique interpretation of immigrant life in early New York. Paul Muni lights up the screen and his and Borris Karloff’s feud in this film is legendary.

50 Word Review - Death Race 2000

A cult classic from the 70's dealing with another Big Brother version of the future. Except this one plays off the comedy of it and makes for a fantastic thrill ride of bad puns and sweet sweet action. David Carradine works magic in the lead role. Stalone plays Stalone.

50 Word Review - Taken

Action. Neeson. Action. Nesson. Action. Nesson. Action. Neeson. Action. Neeson. Action. Neeson. Action. Nesson. Action. Nesson. Action. Neeson. Action. Neeson. Action. Neeson. Action. Nesson. Action. Nesson. Action. Neeson. Action. Neeson. Action. Neeson. Action. Nesson. Action. Nesson. Action. Neeson. Action. Neeson. Action. Neeson. Action. Nesson. Action.
Nesson. Action. Neeson. Action. Neeson.

50 Word Review - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Created the PG-13 rating and never stops to delve into overgorifying it, instead the pacing is spot on, the set designs rival the best of Lucas’s 3D attempts at background and the title of the film serves as the best summary for the film.

50 Word Review - The Deer Hunter

First act. A group of friends at home. Second act, group of friends in Vietnam, Third act, group of friends back home to deal with the aftermath of Vietnam. A powerful version of American life during wartime. Deniro rarely disappoints. A true American classic.

Under 50 Word Review -Brazil

Brazil is a mash up of 1984 story mixed with Gillam's fantastic brand of insanity. All pulled together with Robert Deniro popping in as a renegade plumber/electrician. Some of the best set design and pacing ever achieved. Soundtrack's pretty catchy too.

Under 50 Word Review - Alone in the Dark.

This film is directed by Uwe Boll. At one point in the film a character is killed off. When they cut back to him he's getting up. Other then these things it's one of the worst films ever made.

Under 50 word Reviews

Occasionally I will put up an under 50 word review of a film. Why so short? I don't like to preach, I can usually some up my opinion of a film in that amount of time. Plus it encourages me to only put important info into that space. Anyone can comment there own opinion but don't expect me to argue to heavy. I enjoy alot of films and the only way to have an opinion is to watch everything. The good, bad and whatever Uwe Boll is trying to accomplish. Here's a Under 50 Word example.




Rashomon.

Story about three different people telling the same tale through there own eyes. Major problem, each story doesn’t seem entirely that different. Sword fighting almost seems silly in parts. Seven Samurai is 3 hours and 45 minutes long and Rashomon still feels longer.




Look forward to them.

1st Entry

This blog will primarily be a place for me to review any older films or newer film news that has frustrated me. This idea spawned when I recently found out that Mirimax's subsidiary Dimension films, which was seconds away from bankruptcy decided to resurrect Scream. And since Wes Craven and Neve Cambell have little else to do these day's there both almost signed on to make Scream 4. Why does this matter at all.
For the record it shouldn't, but with this movie becoming a big budget film with Craven involved the company will be able to fiance the rest of their line up for the future. Dimension films now owns the right to my favorite movie of all time and will be remaking it.

That my friends is a Nazi demon from An American Werewolf in London. And Dimension Films has the rights to remake it. Dimension Films.