ChazBlog

PERSEPOLIS: Animated film carries a mature tone

ChazElmore — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:40:00 GMT

Film's that carry such difficult issues as growing up during the islamic revolution of Terhan in the late seventies or even female independence would come as no surprise if they were shot in scope, with a sweeping score by Howard Shore or Alaxander Desplat and given the full on oscar season onslaught.

Persepolis, however, is the unique antithesis to this type of awards season melodrama. It is animated, filled with several tongue in cheek nods the time it's evoking and delivers equal -but not over- doses of humor and sentiment.

Based on the orignal graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi, persepolis is the telling of Marjane's childhood during the deposition of the Shah of Terhan and eventual islamic revolution (a subject similarly depicted in The Kite Runner). As told Marjane starts as a precocious daughter to secular parents, whom could almost be perceived as bourgeois. They enjoy frequent social dinners, imbibe of the occasional alcohol and never particularly care about the political climate. They laugh at their daughter's outbursts and proclamations as a prophet who talks directly to god while entertaining guests. All this changes after the fall of the shah, whose rule seemed tyrannical and harsh but pales in comparison to the imminent islamic revolution that follows. Marjane takes the turning political tide with aplomb as she soon discovers the wonders of western culture. sneaking around police to find a bootleg record, trotting around school teachers with a jacket that has "Punk is not Ded" emblazoned on the back, bearing the scorn for wearing a Michael Jackson button. Marjane never takes the threat of the fundamental reversion too seriously.

That is until The Satrapis comfortable and cushy lives are soon threatened as civil liberties are soon stripped, alcohol is banned, partying is banned and women are forced to cover their whole bodies. They fear for their daughter's safety and soon send her to Vienna to live out from under such harsh conditions. Vulnerable and alone, Marjane experiences her teen years in a country completely foreign to her. She soon finds refuge with a group of punkish types and she falls for one of the leaders of the group. A Boy who's all talk but no heart as he rambles on about revolution this and freedom that and blah blah blah. It's enough to entrance Marjane into a love that leaves her jaded and lost. How far she's departed from her idealistic childhood. After a traumatic breakup, months living homeless and hungry, Marjane eventually returns home to a drastically different Terhan. Buildings are now reduced to rubble after constant bombings. Thousands dead, even more imprisoned as the fundamentalists tighten their grip over the people. Her parents more fearful than before. It is an enviornment filled with fear and death, not even a shell of its former glory. Marjane attempts to blend in, going to school, finding new friends, even marrying. But she soon finds that even home isn't home anymore. That as much as she's iranian, she can't live in a place so diametrically opposed to her fundamental ideals. And she leaves once and for all. Returning only to visit her parents, her grandmother and friends. Putting on the veil forced upon all women who live in Terhan and forcing her own beliefs aside.

Persepolis is filled with wonderful animation that bears a hand-drawn quality that will please any enthusiast of traditional animation. Throughout the film's deeply serious content it feels as though we are literally watching the artist draw along to Marjane's storytelling. It's beautiful and engaging and a wonderful change of scenery compared to computer animated films of today. It will certainly be an interesting moment on oscar day to see who takes the trophy for best animated film; Ratatoullie or Persepolis, both remarkable and highly enjoyable films.

till next time,

Chaz

GOLDEN GLOBES: For Whom it May Concern

ChazElmore — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 18:45:00 GMT

Today would've been the day when all of us Movie buffs and cinephiles pulled out our awards season bingo cards and sat anxiously awaiting every shiny celebrity as they approached the tall, slender microphone and announce each winner for the Hollywood Foreign Press Associations Golden Globes Awards ceremony.

That is until the Mean, Ugly, Nerds ruined it all. Thanks Ben Silverman, you said it best.

The Golden Globes aren't just any other ceremony to movie fans. If the Oscars are the super bowl of movie awards, the Golden Globes are its Playoffs. Sure their a joke in some circles, but they're the last culmination of preceding critics circles awards and such and people still set their watches to it. At least in this household.

But will people still get as excited by a.....press conference?

Maybe, maybe not.

You see, this whole WGA writers Strike is putting quite a sour taste in the mouths of awards ceremony. In a nutshell, here's why we get a press conference instead of a glorified Gala, televised Awards show.

the HFPA (Hollywood Foreign Press Association) wanted an interim deal to allow writers to write for the awards show. The WGA declined that interim agreement, so the HFPA wanted to have a closed ceremony so celebrities and nominees could still attend without the threat of striking writers marching out front with their picket signs. However, Jeff Zucker (head of NBC) said no deal and basically said, if it ain't televised, it ain't happening. So that's why we get a great and multi-network covered press conference. Would it be any different if stations merely ran a crawl at the bottom of screen as if it were some minor weather alert? What's been even more fun than anticipating the winners is seeing the "celebrity" channels scramble for a backup plan now that there's no ceremony. E! had been running commercials out the yin yang harping about their red carpet coverage for the Golden Globes, sadly, the only interviews Ryan Seacrest and Guilliana (married an apprentice winner) Rancik would get are the day laborers who have to pack it all in or themselves - which I'm sure they wouldn't mind at all. So instead they've got "stay at home Sunday" planned with a glorified cut-in to cover the winners announcement.

So whose going to win anyway? I'm going to go ahead and go out on a limb, put myself in harms way and guess who I think deserves the award and who will most likely win. As an aside, and going back to the whole "Golden Globes are a Joke" thing, many industry trade papers and pundits are of the belief that the HFPA are nothing more than a bunch of glad-handers and backslappers who, when it comes down to it, are only in it to make the BIG NAMES happy. Hence Julia Roberts nomination for Charlie Wilson's War. So with that in mind, some films that seem like dead locks for the win may lose to the more mass-market appealing film or the bigger name celebrity. This is, after all, an industry built on ego inflation. All that aside, here we go.

Oh one more thing, I'm gonna skip the whole TV section of the predictions. That there's a whole 'nother ball-game!

First up is Best Foreign Language Film: 4 months, 3 weeks and 2 days is getting a lot of praise, but it's controversial subject matter may make it lose out to The Diving bell and the Butterfly and with the Diving Bell's win at the BCCA it seems to be a sure thing.

Best Animated Film: For personal reasons I desperately want the Simpsons movie to win, but I have to put my money on Ratatouille. That movie was so good and never once made me feel embarrassed about watching a cartoon. But then again, a Pixar film never does.

Best Original Score: It's a bummer Johnny Greenwood's darkly ominous score for There Will Be Blood wasn't nominated, however Dario Marianelli's score for Atonement was one of the best things about that movie. He should get it.

Best Original Song: This is a tough category! Walk Hard! Heck yeah! but it'll never happen. The HFPA probably takes itself too seriously to actually let it win, nominating it is respect enough. "That's how you know" was one of many wonderful moments in Enchanted but Eddie Vedder's "Guaranteed" is haunting and beautiful. I give it to the lead pearl jammer.

Best Screenplay: Now this is a tough one as well, because you don't get to differentiate between adapted and original. So it's gonna be interesting to see who takes it home here. Diablo Cody's Juno and the Coen's No Country For Old Men will be neck and neck but I think the Brothers will take it home.

Best Director: Again another snub for There Will Be Blood but whatever, they obviously didn't see the movie I saw. But for those who are nominated I go with The Coen Brothers. They just made such a tremendously dark and powerful film that it can't be overlooked. Runner up, Julian Schnabel for the Diving Bell.

Best Supporting Actress: Both Amy Ryan and Cate Blanchett were superb in their respective roles in Gone Baby Gone and I'm Not There. The HFPA could play it safe and go with Amy Ryan as the damaged single mother whose daughter is kidnapped but I think it'll go to Blanchett's perfectly believable interpretation of Bob Dylan from the Don't Look Back era.

Best Supporting Actor: Hands down, no bones about it this will be shoved into the hands of Javier Bardem! He is evil incarnate with the highest of principles in No Country For Old Men. Who else is nominated?

Best Actress in a musical or Comedy: So the HFPA won't have a best adapted screenplay and a best original screenplay category but they'll have a best drama and best comedy or musical? Where's the logic in that? Anyways, Nikki Blonsky could get it because of her plucked out of nowhere, hometown girl charm but all signs point to Ellen Page as the funny and sarcastic Juno but don't be surprised if Marion Cotillard swoops in and steals it for her great depiction of Edith Piaf in Le Mome.

Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy: The safe bet is Tom Hanks in Charlie Wilson's War but I say it's gonna go to Johnny Depp's devilishly dark turn as the demon barber of fleet street. He sings his own songs to boot!

Best Actress in a Drama: Jodie Foster for the Brave One? Really?! Most are saying Angelina Jolie for her turn as Mariane Pearl in a Mighty Heart but I got my fingers crossed for the wonderful Julie Christie in Away From Her.

Best Actor in a Drama: Anyone whose seen even a glimpse of Daniel Day Lewis in There Will Be Blood can't deny that this award belongs to him. Finally some love for Blood!

Best Motion Picture- Musical or Comedy: Here's where films like Across the Universe shock everyone for getting a nomination. Just 'cause there's songs. Some say Sweeney Todd, others say Hairspray. I say there's too much momentum and good ole fashioned heart in Juno for it not to win.

And finally Best Picture- Drama: For some strange reason there's like two extra nominees in this category than any other? But I guess there were just too many great films to narrow it down to just five. Or maybe the HFPA thought Denzel would show up for his film The Great Debaters (where else is it nominated?). Granted I've seen all but the Debaters, so I can't say for sure if it's good or bad and all the others are fine examples of film. Some are even masterpieces (Blood anyone?) so it's going to be a tough upset either way. If you can't tell already I desperately want There Will Be Blood to win but I'm thinking it will get vindicated come oscar time. So My vote is for No Country For Old Men. Whine all you want about that ending, you can't argue that this isn't a powerful and masterfully crafted film. The HFPA can't and you shouldn't either.

There you have it. My picks for the Golden Globes. Now I just have to wait, dust off my Awards Bingo Card and wait for the awesome press conference/breaking news coverage of the winners announcement. And that's when I'll be proven tragically wrong in all categories. Because life just likes to laugh at me like that.

Till next time

Chaz

Updated: 9:00pm

Winners:

ATONEMENT, BEST MOTION PICTURE DRAMA DANIEL DAY-LEWIS, There Will Be Blood, BEST DRAMATIC ACTOR JULIE CHRISTIE, Away From Her, BEST DRAMATIC ACTRESS SWEENEY TODD, BEST MOTION PICTURE, MUSICAL OR COMEDY JOHNNY DEPP, Sweeney Todd, BEST ACTOR, COMEDY OR MUSICAL MARION COTILLARD, La Vie En Rose, BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY OR MUSICAL JULIAN SCHNABEL, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, BEST DIRECTOR THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY, (France/USA), FOREIGN LANGUAGE PICTURE JOEL and ETHAN COEN, No Country For Old Men, SCREENPLAY JAVIER BARDEM, No Country For Old Men, SUPPORTING ACTOR CATE BLANCHETT, I'm Not There, SUPPORTING ACTRESS RATATOUILLE, BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM DARIO MARIANELLI, Atonement, ORIGINAL SCORE "GUARANTEED", Into the Wild, SONG

Okay so, not too bad. I got most of them right. A few were surprises, atonement winning best picture surprised even me. I should've seen Sweeney Todd taking Comedy or Musical over Juno. It really is a great film. Also I was surprised to see Julien Schnabel win for best director. It seemed like the Coens were a sure lock. But I guess, like New Hampshire, you should never believe what the media says. Oh well, now let's hope we can dust off the tuxedo and make the Oscars a big show and not just a silly press announcement with the every annoying Billy Bush!

The Orphanage: Creepy new film is filled with delightful scares

ChazElmore — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 05:19:00 GMT

Those of us who are becoming quick to loathe the current state of affairs that is the horror film genre will find a much appreciated respite in the Spanish-language thriller El Orfanato (The Orphanage). But when the film bears a name like Guillermo Del Toro, one of cinema's most original luminaries, one shouldn't be too surprised. No doubt, Del Toro leveraged his success with the stunning Pan's Labyrinth to deliver this spooky send up of the classic haunted house tales we all love so much.

As a young girl, Laura was one of several orphans that lived in an old manor that towers over the children like creaky, old castle. After a brief glimpse of young Laura and her sickly and defective foster-siblings, she is adopted out and already we are filled with a foreboding sense of dread as we find Laura as a grown woman, now a wife and mother. With her husband, Carlos and son, Simon, Laura has returned to this place to reopen the orphanage as a school for special children. But soon after, Simon befriends an imaginary boy named Tomas and not long after do things go bump, floorboards go creeeaaaak and your skin begins to crawl at the thought of what could be there. Blowing off her son's imagination leads Laura to confront one of her hidden most secrets and during the welcome party for the newly reopened Orphanage, Simon disappears without a trace. In one of the film's first and effectively scary moments, Laura frantically searches the house for Simon only to discover a young child, wearing orphan's clothes and a scarecrow's sack-cloth mask. But still no Simon. Soon Laura believes that supernatural forces are to blame and the film ratchets up the suspense as Laura exhaust every possibility for her son's disappearance. One that will dig up a terrifying tragedy from her own innocence.

The Orphanage is director Juan Antonio Bayona's first feature length debut and he delivers a delightfully eerie film filled with creeps and jolts that will satisfy any craving for reason to leap from ones seat. Directing from a screenplay by Sergio G Sanchez, Bayona creates an unsettling film swelling with dread and cringe inducing sound design. The creaky old Orphanage House itself is a classic element of any good horror film and this one will stand with the best of 'em. Cavernous, dark and old, your hair will stand on end simply with the creek of a door, a looming shot of a shadowed corner or the high-pitched groan of a metal merry-go-round creaking in the wind on the front lawn. The Orphanage takes you down a path of supernatural thrills and hauntings but the truth to this mystery may hold a more simple and deeply disturbing answer. And to my delight, The Orphanage packs one of the better "twist" endings in a horror film for quite some time. One that will certainly leave audiences heartbroken and shocked.

I must say that for as good as The Orphanage is, it's quite depressing that we continue to be schooled by foreign filmmakers when it comes to horror. It's actually rather embarrassing. Not to say that there's some sort of right of ownership to the genre or anything, but rather we were doing so well for a while, what with films such as The Exorcist and The Shining. Instead, nowadays, we get disappointingly unscary films like Hostel I and II and the atrocious Halloween remake that feel more like disgusting human anatomy courses than entartaining and SCARY HORROR FILMS!!!! It seems like all that's attempted is to make some futile attempt to rehash a classic(Rob Zombie!) or schlack the sexually preoccupied, vacuous american varnish onto the body of a classic foreign horror film(Eli Roth!). It makes me wonder everytime I have to read and be scared at the same time; Will we ever get it right again?

Till next time,

Chaz

IT'S TIME FOR THE AWESOME, ONCE A YEAR, YEAR END FINALE TOP TEN LIST!!!!!

ChazElmore — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:28:00 GMT

Whoo hooo!

Yep, I know, I'm a little late. Sue me!

Anyway, now that most every critics circle, list or year end report has already been released, I may sound a little like white noise but the following are my ten favorite theatrically released films of 2007.

10:Judd Apatow- Okay, he's not a movie. But he is a force to consider! This was his year and he made me enjoy comedy again. With Knocked Up, Superbad and Walk Hard, he mixed with crude comedy what so many others sadly miss: Heartfelt emotion. These movies were absolutely hilarious. My favorite of the three has to be Superbad, even upon second veiwing on DVD I can't stop ROTFLMAO, as the kids would say on the internets. Sure it's vulgar and crass and immature but to qoute the wise sage Homer Simpson, it's funny cuz it's true. Knocked Up and the Christmas counter-programming Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story are equally comical and heartfelt but it's the teen ruanch-comedy that makes me laugh.

9:Lars and the Real Girl- Not too many movies move me to tears. They don't make me stand up and feel better or sadder in the end. Lars and the Real Girl and Ryan Gosling did it. This is a sweet and simple film about dealing with loss and overcoming anxiety. Worth catching on DVD.

8:Gone Baby Gone- Ben Affleck redeems his poor choice in recent film roles with this impecable first outing behind the camera. It didn't hurt that the source material came from the solid and proven writing of Dennis Lehane. Affleck brings his hometown observations to this film that depicts tragedy in the bleak streets of a Boston neighborhood.

7:Death Proof (Quentin Tarantino's half of Grindhouse)- This film is wicked! Sure the Grindhouse film as a whole bombed at the box office (due in no small part to the weinstein company idiotically releasing the 3 hour plus film over easter weekend), but Death Proof is pure Tarantino and pure gold. Every time I hear the man talk I want to just knock his big, moon shaped face off, but then he goes and floors me with another well executed, intelligently crafted film.

6:Once- I missed this film in theaters but caught it on DVD. Man am I glad! This film is a gem of low-budget, digital filmmaking that never discards the true emotion of it's story. An Irish Busker "Boy" (street musician) and the Czech immigrant "Girl"join together for a whirlwind week of writing and recording music that beats anything you'll catch on the radio. It's the joy of writing, the sparkle of creation in each characters eyes as they make something memorable together that made me love this film. Anybody in love with music and artistic creation, rush out and see this film.

5:Juno- I recently reviewed this and I'll say it again. This film is disarmingly funny, full of as much honesty and truth as it does sarcasm and humor. The sign of any great comedy is it's equal measure of drama and this film has both in spades.

4:The Diving Bell and The Butterfly- This film hasn't been released in Tulsa yet but when it does, please, please go see this film about a former Parisian magazine editor who suffers a debilitating stroke leaving him with control of only one eye. His journey of coping with his affliction is heartbreaking and uplifting and it's almost all told through his one-eyed point of view. Masterful!

3:Zodiac- David Fincher's technically proficient examination of the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper during the reign of terror by the Zodiac Killer shows just how exhausting a decades long case can be on all that's involved. From the Reporters to the Detectives to the small town local officials everyone is left tired, worn out and weary, even us.

2:No Country For Old Men- Joel and Ethan Coen bring to Cormac McCarthy's novel the same ink black view of the world that has made other films like Blood Simple and Fargo masterpieces. With No Country For Old Men the occasional optimism in those films is eschewed with downright bleak pessimism. It's all in the ending and it's why so many viewers continue to voice concern. That of a character who can't understand the world as it's become. People want sweet, soy wrapped perfect endings that explain the drama and subtext and when a film forces them, bluntly, to figure it out themselves, then it's the scary, glaring reflection of the mirror being pointed back at us. Like so many of their other films, the Coens' knew just what they were doing.

1:There Will Be Blood- This film isn't out yet either so a more in-depth review is in store. However, PT Anderson's newest film is a stark, emotionally bare drama that is as sharp of u-turn from his previous work as one could make. The story of a driven, emotionally violent man whose blood very well may be replaced with the very oil he's driven to prospect. It's an American masterpiece in the finest sense. It's out January 18th and you should see it!

There you have it, my top ten. There were a ton of films that were worthy of this list -We Own the Night, Eastern Promises etc.- and still others that I missed -No End in Sight, The Orphanage- that I wanted to see to be considered. But these ten are what it came down to.

I'm sure you've got your own and I'm happy to hear them. So, what's on your top ten?

I've also got a top ten worst coming up. I'm just trying to sift through the steaming, heaping pile of dreck that we were bombarded with this year. If I can climb for air, I'll be lucky.

Till next time,
Chaz

JUNO: A girl-centric, humor-filled coming of age film...

ChazElmore — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 16:45:00 GMT

Juno would've been the girl I swooned over in my high school years. She's smart, spunky got just the right amount of sassy attitude while still seeming genuine and honest. She's the epitome of every girl I was best friends with in school. Sort of the anti-molly ringwald (from pretty in pink). The girl you can always talk to, confide in, pull a sweet prank with and never grow tired of.

But what would happen if she got pregnant?

This is the central theme of the new film JUNO, due out today directed by Jason Reitman and wrttien by Diablo Cody and starring Ellen Page, Michael Cera and Jennifer Garner. When Juno Mcguff, a whip-smart and sarcastic 16 year old discovers she's "fo shizz, up the spout"(pregnant) after a night of boredom with her best friend, Paulie Bleeker. She does what almost every teenage girl debates in her mind, should she have it or the alternative? She contemplates the latter but the situation is just too nervewracking for her and soon she chooses to have the baby with hopes of adopting it out to a happy, welcoming couple played by Jennifer Garner and Jason Bateman. Through the journey of her pregancy, Juno faces a heaping pile of issues she deems "beyond her maturity level" yet she never seems overwhelmed or put off by the whole situation. It's a character trait that makes this story of maturity and responsibility deeply enjoyable.

Without impeaching my high school, I have to admit, teen pregancy kinda ran amuk when I was in school. Teen pregnancy is, of course, the central issue of Juno, and the filmmakers and cast handle the sensitive issue with aplomb and zest that takes a plot device that could easily veer into generic, lifetime channel domain from becoming all weepy and saccarine. Instead director Jason Reitman (son of Ivan Reitman director of Ghostbusters) and first-time screenwriter Diablo Cody develop a unique, albiet odd, group of characters that are brought to life by the scene stealing Ellen Page as Juno and Michael Cera who gives Paulie Bleeker the perfect amount of shyness and geek that he's perfected in Superbad and Arrested Development. J.K. Simmons and Allison Janney are just right as Juno's supportive parents and also enjoyable are Garner and Bateman as the cookie-cutter yuppies who are anxiously awaiting Juno's baby. Both Ellen Page and Jennifer Garner deliver two of the best performances in this sweet and sincere film. Page's precocious and snarky teen is the perfect antithesis to Garner's upright, susie homemaker mom-to-be. These two gals would be remissed if they weren't acknowledged for what they brought to the table in this film.

With the latest headlines screaming about the youngest Spears girl and her teen pregnancy, some might say Juno encourages such behavior. They would be wrong. It never overlooks the consequences of Juno's decision or her behavior. She suffers the isolation from her classmates who look at her as a cautionary example and with mocking glances. At the same time she feels left out of the finer things a high schooler gets to experience. Missing her prom, her friends accomplishments. The film shows the warts and all of a situation like teen pregnancy. If some attempt to compare this to the awe-shucks geekness of a film like Napolean Dynomite they couldn't be further from the truth. Instead, Juno is a film filled with unique characters, a heartfelt and sincerely funny film that had me leaving the theater uplifted, happy and most of all glad to have experienced such an enjoyable film.

Till next time,

Chaz

ATONEMENT

ChazElmore — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:08:00 GMT

Fledgling writer Briony Tallis, as a 13-year-old, irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister's (Keira Knightley) lover (James McAvoy) of a crime he did not commit. (Source:imdb.com)

The lover is Robbie Turner. A well heeled, educated young man who returns to the Tallis estate to aide his housekeeper mother with the groundskeeping. The crime is rape. Or rather, in keeping with the film's manipulation of perception and what we think we saw, the rape of a teenage family member. After young Briony believes that it was Robbie who acosted her female cousin, she immediately places blame on the young groundskeeper. Police are alerted, Robbie is arrested and in one fell swoop Robbie and Cecilia are torn apart because of this harrowing accusation.

Robbie is sent to prison and as WWII devastates France he is presented with a leave from imprisonment if he chooses to fight. As the war rages on and the years go by Robbie and Cecilia are driven further apart, yet their love and desire grows deeper and closer. Amid this heartbreaking journey is an older and slightly more mature Briony. Now 18, forgoing college to train as a nurse (possibly to atone for her wrongdoing as a child) and trying to come to terms with the horrendous mistake she made as a child. She wishes to make right with her sister and Robbie. And as the war ravages on, she may never get the chance.

We realize early on in Atonement that we are only getting partial information. One person's slanted perspective of events. That perspective belongs to young Briony Tallis. A 13 year old with a vivid imagination who spends her days at the family estate writing plays and eavesdropping on her older sister, Cecilia. It's a warped perception of partial information that leaves Briony dealing with issues of regret, guilt and a desire to make right for the duration of this film.

Atonement is a deeply heartbreaking tale of regret, wrong decisions and unfailing love. Both Soairse Ronan as young Briony and James McAvoy as Robbie deliver powerful and emotional performances that should surely get them recognized come awards season. (and even though Kiera Knightley spends most of the film smoking and pouting around the film, she's far more enjoyable here than on a pirate ship!)

Joe Wright's direction of the Christopher Hampton script (based on the Ian McEwan novel) never once belies that this is only his second outing behind the camera. His command of cinematic technique energizes a story that in modest hands would seem rote. The film is filled with an amazing style and pace, that never once gives us the entire picture of events, rather we see the reaction before the action, a move that only makes the sad outcome all the more heartbreaking. That this could've all been avoided with but a word. It's a sad tailspin that is reinforced by an awe-inspiring, seven minute, single take shot following Robbie and two soldiers as they stagger through the chaos and aftermath of war-torn Dunkirk. Soldiers await ships to relieve them from the battle, a choir of soldiers singing, thousands of wounded. Robbie staggers through it all wondering if he'll ever get back to his beloved Cecilia, to be in her arms again and start the romance they almost had before they were torn apart by accusations. It is a breath-taking scene of an already powerful film.

till next time,

Chaz

It's Not Called An Escape for Nothing...

ChazElmore — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:19:00 GMT

Hey, all

I hope everyone is faring safely in all this ice storm aftermath. I know for myself, my wife and I have been without power in our house since early sunday morning. Top that with half a forest in our yard and a whopping electician bill, these past few days have been trying on the both of us.

But in spite of all this, or to our benefit, we've made the most of it. We've been welcomed with open arms by family, friends and co-workers to keep our daily routine going and our sanity for that matter.

I hope that by now, most have made progress in restoring power, cable, safety. Made sure family who need medical attention are getting it and that the Storm hasn't caused anyone tremendous duress. I know that in a time like this, something as trivial as a movie review or reccomendation seems irrelevant, but I would argue that it should be a necessity. Everyone needs to get away from the troubles that are causing them stress. Be it no power or lack of television or even if you just want to disappear for a couple of hours. Going to a movie can provide that relief. My family and I are proof of that.

I've gone to two movies this week, both advanced screenings, both still open to the public and both times I came out much happier and optimistic about my situation than when I went in. A friend joined me for the first film and my wife and in-laws joined me for the second. Whatever woes we were discussing before the lights dimmed quickly vanished onces the film came on. And let's be honest, if we hadn't gone, we'd have ended up in a dark, cold house without cable or power whining about how bad this whole thing sucks! But thanks to the magic of cinema, we were distracted and because they were both comedies we felt better afterwards from laughing our troubles away. Don't get me wrong, I'm not diminishing the impact of this storm or the aftermath. Simply, we all need something to recharge our batteries, to refresh our spirits. Movies can do that, friends and family can do that. Grabbing a guitar and playing by firelight can do that. Honest to blog, we need something to keep us from falling into that pitfall of depression, worry or fear. For me, that's going to the movies, even when it seems like I should feel guilty for going, I always feel twice as happy I went.

I hope everyone makes it out of this aftermath, stronger, closer and more prepared the next time and I hope everyone can take a moment to escape and decompress, somehow.

Till next time,

Chaz

I AM LEGEND: I AM SOOOOO DISAPPOINTED....

ChazElmore — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:02:00 GMT

First of all, I'd like to apologize to Richard Matheson. His novel I Am Legend has been translated into film at least four times already (with the latest being the Will Smith film of the same name playing in theaters today. ) and I don't think any have done the source material justice. Whether it was The Omega Man to the newest, none seem to retain the urgency, terror and isolation that the novel held. The Omega Man was filled with seventies camp and the latest is just another sci-fi muffin for todays audiences to devour and then pass without even remembering a single detail.

The story goes like this: A cure for cancer has been discovered, one with a 100 percent cure rate. Three years later the cure mutates into a viral, airborne sickness that kills 85 percent of the world, leaves 12 percent immune and the other 3 percent become nocturnal, blood-thirsty mutants. Enter Robert Neville, one of the few immune survivors and a military doctor specializing in finding a cure. He is alone in the heart of Manhattan Island, his only friend a three year old dog named Sam. He treks around during the day, when sunlight prevents the mutants from striking, hunting for food, driving cars and finding a cure. To break the monotony he talks to mannequins, goes through the local video rentals- alphabetically- and sends a radio signal calling for any survivors.

To me, there seem to be three primary goals for this film. A: Robert's Survival, B: His search for a cure and C: the discovery of survivors. At no point in this briskly paced film did I ever feel the urgency or importance of any of those goals. Never did I feel as though Robert's survival was at stake, even after he was confronted by the mutants several times. His search for the cure just felt tedious and without immediacy and more like an obligation to a dead promise than an actual end-goal and when the discovery of survivors finally does happen it seems like it's only to serve the conclusion of the film and make way for a happy ending that felt forced and contrived.

I walked out of the theater wanting so much more and I don't think a film like this should do that. Especially after teasing me with so many great setups. For example when Robert builds an elaborate trap to capture a mutant to begin biological test on it, he comments about the loss of basic mental capacities in them. Then, just scenes later, the "dumb" mutants actually set the same trap that Robert used on them. Obviously displaying some form of intelligence. Yet the film never elaborates on this, it never attempts to explore the dynamic within the mutant hive. The Hive is clearly lead by an angry and driven mutant, yet the filmmakers never explore the peking order within this society. Heck they don't even show what they do at night, other than some periodic squaking and yowling that sounded more like two cats fighting than some evil unstoppable force. this film is filled with all kinds of missing characterization like this. When Robert finally discovers that his cure his working and reversing the effects of the virus, it's comes across as more of an afterthought than the big, tide-turning moment it should've been.

I know people complain about films being too long or filled with too much story, but I Am Legend is a case where it would've actually benefited the film tremendously. This film could've been so much more than a quick paced action film. But it isn't. Even the action felt empty. For a film that promises thrills and eerie scenery it certainly fails even at that. Even the expected visual eye candy of a desolate and CG-ed New York didn't do anything for me. The one or two "action scenes" (you know where stuff blows up or our hero must overcome the baddies) felt weak and unenthusiastic. In the wake of the intense fight sequences of the Bourne Trilogy and post-wirework action scenes that litter almost every big action film, I Am Legend felt like a step backwards. EVEN Will Smith's usually enjoyable sarcasm and humor that's made him so popular couldn't get me sucked into this film and to tell the truth I started getting annoyed by it.

I remember reading the original Mark Protosevich script several years ago. Back when Arnold Schwarzenegger was to be Robert Neville and Ridley Scott was to direct it. I can only imagine how much of a better film that would've been. It felt bigger, I could imagine it being more intense, more like Alien! Instead this felt soft, Smith's interpretation of the character felt more scared and wimpish than heroic and determined. Where Ridley Scott would've brought the terror and emotion, having helmed greats like Alien, Legend and Gladiator, the director of this version has only Constantine (another watered down take on a richly layered source material) and some music videos. What a disappointment!

The sad thing about this is that this film will still make Big Money this weekend. Probably somewhere in the fifties or sixties (million) come monday. And to me, I don't think this film will have earned that kind of success. But the people love them some jive talking Fresh Prince and that'll be enough to suck the money out of any pocket. Oh well, that's today's audience. Se Le Vie!

till next time,

Chaz

THE GOLDEN COMPASS:CONTROVERSIAL FILM DOESN'T AMOUNT TO MUCH…

ChazElmore — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 06:19:00 GMT

There's been a lot of huff'n'puff about the youth oriented fantasy film The Golden Compass which comes out today. The film has been gaining steam over the past few months due to it's supposed undertones and the controversy surrounding it.

Several concerned groups and parents claim the film's original source material, Philip Pullman's series of books titled "His Dark Materials", carry overt anti-Christian/religious themes and give a negative influence on the hearts and minds of impressionable young readers and they have even gone so far as to point out Pullman's theologically Gnostic views on religion as a reason to boycott the film incarnation of his works. The argument is that if children see this film, they will inadvertently desire to read the author's original source novels, which will then of course send them on a spiral into atheism and the whole hand-basket sort of thing.

To summarize: the film is about Lyra (new-comer Dakota Blue Richards), an orphaned girl with a tough shell and a penchant for disobedience and questioning of authority figures. She's given a unique gift known as an alethiometer, which looks like a shiny, fat compass. This compass allows her to see the truth and only she can operate it. After her best friend Roger goes missing, Lyra sets out on a quest to find him, stop his kidnappers (the Gobblers) and expose the tyranny of the dogmatic institution known as the Magesterium, lead by some creepy British guys and Nicole Kidman's icy villain Marisa Coulter at the same time uncover the mysteries surrounding something called "Dust", a parallel universe that has driven her uncle Lord Asrial (Daniel Craig, keeping loose for the next bond no doubt) on a journey to the frozen terrain of Svalbard, where the armored bears live! There's also flying witches with bows and arrows and a bunch of pirate looking people known as gyptians, oh and everyone each has an invisible animal that's a reflection of their spirit or nature called a deamon. There's a whole lot more to this film but you get the gist.

So is the film really worth the controversy and boycotting?! Fortunately for parents, they really needn't worry.

On the surface, The Golden Compass looks to be a wonderful and captivating fantasy film full of thrilling adventure. And judging by the trailer and its choice of shiny gold fonts and brassy, epic music and swooping epic battle shots that I've seen in previous fantasy films, this film may just take me to a dreamland of magic and jewelry toting little people after all. Too bad the film doesn't live up to that promise. That's not to say the film was dreadful. It was actually quite enjoyable. It's just that with so many fantasy films coming out, it'll be hard to see this film setting itself apart from the almost half dozen fantasy films coming out in the near future.

Case in point, the four trailers they showed before The Golden Compass all had the same "look" as this film. By the third one I couldn't remember which film was being advertised. Was it Prince Caspian or Inkheart? The Waterhorse or Spiderwick Chronicles? But after the first fifteen minutes or so I actually began to enjoy the film, gradually getting into the more fantastical plotlines, willingly tagging along with Lyra and her quest for truth and rescuing and golden compassing. The visuals and special FX were at times stunning and eye popping, on par with other fantasy films, albeit a little carbon copyish, even though the film's elements of metaphysics and parallel universes were highly entertaining. Truth is I wouldn't avoid recommending this film to others.

So the question begs to be answered: Does it live up to the controversy? Should it be boycotted? I invited a local pastor to go along with me to this screening and get his take on the material and although he could see some of the film's more apparent overtones; its anti-authority/anti-dogmatic slant, he never felt as though there was a direct attack on any sort of theology. (And truth be told, without any direct acknowledgement it's impossible to see it as an attack on any one thing specifically.) He couldn't say that he would directly urge a child or parent to not see this film but rather -and we both agree on this- that any concerned parent should, first and foremost, have a healthy and open dialogue with their child about this film (or others like it) should they desire to see it. And honestly that's really where the issue lies. If a parent is truly concerned about what their child is reading or watching then they should be aware of the film or book or game they're partaking in. Will The Golden Compass live up to the controversy? Will it lead thousands of children and young people onto a path of heathen behavior? Probably not. There are probably at least a handful of shows on cable or primetime TV that present a far bleaker view on humanity than The Golden Compass. Not to mention most video game titles. All they will gain is an enjoyable, if cookie cutter, fantasy film that will only keep them occupied for the two-hour runtime of the film. By the time the lights go up they'll be clamoring to see The Waterhorse or Inkheart or The Spiderwick Chronicles or whatever new, shiny gold fonted, fantasy film that's on the horizon. And that's about it.

Till next time, Enjoy Chaz

NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN

ChazElmore — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 15:41:00 GMT

By Chaz Elmore

It's been several years since the Coen brothers have graced us with their cinematic presence. Their last entrée was 2004's Ladykillers, the Tom Hanks film that became a so so remake of a much better 1955 alec Guinness starring film. Nonetheless the Brothers Coen have returned with full force and No Country For Old Men is a vicious, bleak and haunting film that shows a much more mature and steady handed even pessimistic approach from the two who've built such a cult following with films like The Big Lebowski, Fargo and Raising Arizona.

No Country For Old Men is based on the multi-layered Cormac Mcarthy novel of the same name. It's a sprawling story about Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a gruff Vietnam Vet who stumbles upon a messy and violent aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong. There's a truck full of heroin, half a dozen dead bodies and a case of money. 2.4 million dollars of money. After Moss makes the fateful choice to take the money, he unleashes a literal force of nature, Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem). A tweaked out shotgun toting, Cattle-gun wielding manifestation of Evil that hunts Moss with reckless abandon. Chigurh isn't, nee can't be human as he eliminates every person, animal or object that stands in his way of accomplishing his goal of retrieving his money. Even when the corrupt corporation that hired him to return this money, hires another hitman to aide in the return of the money, Chigurh not only brutally eliminate the hitman, but then goes one step further and takes out the boss that hired him in the first place. Why?! Because it's the principle of the matter. But I digress.

In his attempt to flee Chigurh, Moss's journey takes him from the bare landscapes of south Texas to the border towns of Mexico. Surviving gunfights, car crashes and a run in with a vicious pit bull, all while trying to keep the 2.4 million dollars out of the hands of Chigurh. Following the trail of Moss and Chigurh is Tommy Lee Jones Sheriff Bell. Bell is the moral voice of this film as he tries to make sense of the swath of dead body and violence left in Chigurh's wake. Bell tries to keep a promise to Moss's wife, to bring him back safe, to help him from the mess he's gotten himself into, but deep down inside, he doesn't even know how to process all he's seen.

With No Country For Old Men, Joel and Ethan Coen have taken the themes of their most popular films; random violence, characters faced with moral dilemmas who always make the wrong decision that send them on the craziest, often time deadliest ride of their lives, and with them created a much more narrow view of the world. Not to sound too "clichéd critic" here but this is a film that you will have to process for days or weeks after seeing it. You won't immediately know just how to process it. You are taken for a ride and by the time you step out of your seat and it's all said and done you can't help but throw your arms up and wonder what that was all for. But then you start to dwell on it, the film starts to grow on you and you find yourself unable to put the film out of your head. It will be a truly rewarding weeks to follow and you will be the better for it. No Country For Old Men is more Blood Simple than Fargo or Lebowski. The two share the same oil black sheen though No Country never gives us a "kill the bad guy" reprieve, instead it leaves us pondering all that's happened in the hour and a half preceding. Much like Jone's sheriff Bell who can't help but feel as though he has no explanation for what happened just that it did and he lived to tell about it.
I implore fans of the Coen brothers, actually I warn you, do not see this film expecting the hijinks and vulgarity of say a Lebowski or Raising Arizona, instead you should be warned that you will see a film much darker and disheartening than Blood Simple or Barton Fink. Just know that and that will keep you from walking out of the theater going "What was that all about?!" cuz trust me, you'll already be hearing a lot of that!

Till next time, enjoy,
Chaz

PS: to all moviegoers. I'm sorry for this but I have to say it. Because I say this on behalf of lovers of film and specifically filmmakers who slave for months even years to deliver the film you pay 8 dollars to see. And that is this: Once films are made and printed and then delivered to the theater, they are or should be pre-screened to ensure quality of print i.e. no dust or scratches on the film, sound and just as important the projected aspect ratio of the film.

What's aspect Ratio charles?! Well, anybody who's been buying dvds since 1999 should be familiar with the term Aspect Ratio. In this case, it's the frame size that the director and director of cinematography (the cameraman) have chosen for their film to be shot in and eventually projected in. In most film cases there are two variations. 1.85.1 which is standard, (actually academy aperture is closer to 1.66.1 but 1.85 translates closer to what most dvd's are telesynced to.) The other is 2.35.1 or better known as super 35 or a variation is anamorphic widescreen which is closer to 2.40.1. Now I'm sorry if all these numbers are freaking you out or sending your head spinning but I have to explain so you'll understand what I'm about to say. Depending on which of those aspect ratios is used it is then absolutely necessary for the theater to project that film in it's correct ratio. It's a complete affront to the filmmaker if anything but that is done. But, as a casual filmgoer, I'm sure your asking "What's the big deal, why does it matter?" Let me ask you this, say you wrote the best song ever, this thing will make millions of people swoon and hearts melt. You send the song off to a radio station with notes on how to play it and such and such and then one day you turn on the radio and lo and behold there's your song. Only it's not the way you intended, instead it's being played on a ukulele and a kazoo. That's what it's like. So when one of us filmgoers who care how the film is projected, especially as it pertains to the way the filmmaker intended goes to management and asks them to fix the lens that will project it correctly, don't whine or complain or kick up a fuss, because some of us actually do care how the film is presented. That's why we go.

There, I'm done. Thank you for listening.

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

ChazElmore — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 15:08:00 GMT

Review by

Charles Elmore

Somewhere in the heart of New York City lies a small toy shop filled with amazing and magical toys. Inside there are no boundaries, no stifling rules or limits. Toys exist from the most fanciful and exotic right down to the most basic of board games and sock monkeys. Each one filled with the magic and life that only faith and self-confidence in ones true self can give. This is the world, both small and infinite at the same time, created by the titular character, Mr. Magorium (played by Dustin Hoffman.)

Mr. Magorium doesn't run his shop alone, however. He is aided by the sweet yet self-conscious Molly Mahoney. Once, a child prodigy on the piano, she now suffers from a debilitating bout of creative block and it's spilling over into her work at the Emporium. It is something she must overcome if she is to fulfill Mr. Magorium's desire for her to take his mantle at the Emporium. With a little help from Henry Weston, a curious accountant (or mutant) played by Jason Bateman and Eric Applebaum, a young boy with an infinite number of hats, Molly may just find the faith she's lost in herself and in the emporium before Magorium leaves.

Magorium is the directorial debut of screenwriter Zach Helm. Helm wrote The comedic drama Stranger Than Fiction. A film which strove for a kaufmanesque style of Meta storytelling, yet it failed to find it's own distinct voice. It was a nice effort though. With Magorium Helm aims for a more family friendly audience with a film that feels more delightful than Levinson's Toys but doesn't sustain the classic feel of say Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Nonetheless it will certainly be a film worth seeing this holiday season. Considering what there is to see, The bloody and risqué PG-13 Beowulf, the tepid Fred Claus or more adult fare such as Lust Caution (a film I will review later.) Mr. Magorium's wonder Emporium will be a delightful dessert after the family's gorged itself with all the turkey and stuffing. The kids will love it's whimsical, "believe in yourself, anything is possible" philosophy while there's enough site gags, references to older toys and Dustin Hoffman's wonderful acting to keep the adults entertained. Helm populates his film with toys and games that will make many a grown person get all softy, reminiscing about the fun and sheer happiness they had as children and the toys that they befriended. Lord knows I did. Who wouldn't want a sock monkey or a mobile of fresh fish or even a book that could pop up any toy you so desired. If I had that book as a kid, I would've been extremely happy AND saved my dad tons of money! Sadly half my toy collection ended up in the lake behind our house. but only becuase the GI Joes had a secret mission to begin with. Toys will always find that warm place in people's hearts that take them back to a time when they were free, imaginative and full of wonder. And Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium will send you back to that place, if only for a couple of hours.

Up next we'll have a review for Ang Lee's newest oscar contender, Lust, Caution.

Till then,

Chaz

two for the money...

ChazElmore — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 15:09:00 GMT

If you're looking for an alternative to the halloween melee of films this weekend, the you won't go wrong with the brothers journey film The Darjeeling Limited and the sweet and sincere Lars And The Real Girl. Both films offer a brisk and enjoyable escape from the gore and ghouls of this Hallows Eve weekend. With Darjeeling filmmaker Wes Anderson along with new collaborators Jason Schwartzman and Roman Coppola (son of Francis ford.) It's the tale of three disillusioned brothers who attempt to reconnect while journying through India. And thats about all the plot needs before Anderson takes on his visually lush experience. Anderson has always had an eye for the frame and familial discourse and the darjeeling limited is his most mature by far. Lars and the real girl is wonderful and sincere film about a small town recluse played by Ryan Gosling who surpilrises his family and community when he introduces his new girlfriend which happens to be a life sized human sex doll. But before you cringe at the awekward scenario the film actually plays its characters and their reactions rather straight. The community doesn't rebuke Lars, rather they band together to support him in his social awakening. Unbeknownst to his family and only his family doctor, Lars is using the doll- who he affectionately names Bianca- as a security blanket, slowly eeking out of his shell andeventually becoming more socially grounded. The film is wonderfully refreshing film and will make viewer pleasantly surprised. That's all for now, till then Enjoy, Chaz

THREE THE HARD WAY!!!

ChazElmore — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 14:16:00 GMT

A little something for everyone this weekend. Drama, Horror, Feel good….tragedy? This past week has been a busy one, folks. In just a week I’ve seen seven upcoming films, it’s almost a chore to keep them straight. But nonetheless, I shall do my best.

Three films opening this weekend aim to attract three types of moviegoers. Those that seek thills and scares will find them in Columbia’s 30 Days of Night, those seeking their serious drama dark will do so with the mystery Gone, Baby, Gone starring Casey Affleck and then there’s Sean Penn’s Into The Wild, a film that, for anyone unfamiliar with the book, starts out as a man’s uplifting quest to reconnect with the beautiful natural world around him and ends tragically in the final frontier, Alaska. (no not space, silly!)

30 Days of Night takes a stereotypical plot point that’s in every dime-store vampire novel and makes it the driving force behind the terror that ensues this refreshing and thrilling movie. A Stranger, played by Ben Foster, dressed like MacReady from the Thing as he wanders across the snowy terrain towards a small Alaskan town just as its residents are buckling down before the sun sets and the town will be immersed in darkness for a months time. Some leave for the season, while others stay behind because of work, family or because they have nowhere else to go. Those that get out are the lucky ones. Those that stay, have no idea what they’re in store for. Even as signs of something foul abound around them, several sled dogs are mysteriously murdered, the town’s power is cut off, nothing tips them off to the evil that is on its way except the rantings of The Stranger.

Soon a gang of Vampires descends upon the town, for a 30 day/24 hour buffet of the townsfolk. Their only hope rests in the hands of the stoic sheriff Eben, played by Josh Hartnett and his estranged wife, Stella. And they manage to do an okay job, considering. But this wouldn’t be good old fashion vampire flick if an unbelievable amount of people didn’t meet their neck-gouged demises. And this is probably where 30 days of night struggles the most. It doesn’t do anything new for the genre, or suppose any twist on the mythology. Instead its just a solid, highly entertaining, albeit different action/horror film. The film is directed in the competent hands of David Slade, who directed the vastly superior Hard Candy, a film that will make any man squirm in his chair while watching. 30 Days had some fun and exhilarating scenes, most containing different townsfolk trying to best the Vamps. One in particular had Mark Boone Junior, who looks like a disgusting bum in pretty much every role he does, driving what looks like a tractor with a giant chainsaw blazing through town hacking as many fanged fiends as he can before meeting his end.

I won’t be surprised to see this film be the big favorite until the next Saw installment comes out next week. This will certainly get people ready for the Halloween frightfest.

Up next we’ve got the directorial debut of Hollywood star Ben Affleck. Gone, Baby, Gone. With his first foray behind the camera Affleck takes on the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane. Gone, Baby, Gone is about two Boston area private detectives investigating the disappearance of a 4 year old girl from her room in the rough and tumble neighborhood of Dorchester. The film is a rough-hewn tale filled with moral and ethical questions that sometime don’t have easy answers. Affleck and his co-writer Aaron Stockard do a great job of balancing intrigue and genuine suspense when it comes to the truth of the little girl’s disappearance and the twists and turns will certainly lead audience goers guessing the outcome, but will no less leave them conflicted with the conclusion. Where this film excels is in the natural and streetwise atmosphere Affleck evokes through his camera work and casting of locals, including his brother Casey. It also doesn’t hurt to have Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman supporting the cast along the way. In a recent article, Affleck said that he’s putting a lot of eggs in this basket of a film, go so far as to weigh his future career on it’s success. If that’s the case, then he shouldn’t have to worry for a while. Gone, Baby, Gone is a solid and captivating film that stands up to the quality of other thrillers like Michael Clayton and Mystic River, Clint Eastwood’s own interpretation of a Lehane novel. For folks wanting to avoid the bloodsucking at the theater then Gone, Baby, Gone will certainly be the way to go.

And then there’s Into The Wild.

Another drama from an actor turned director, Sean Penn. Penn based his screenplay on the book by John Krakauer about Christopher McCandless. McCandless was 22 when he graduated college with excellent grades and a promising future. A future he abandoned entirely to hitchhike across America and eventually to Alaska 2 years later, for one of the last natural refuges in Chris’s mind. During his Journey, McCandless crosses paths with a series of unique and interesting people including a couple hippies played by Katherine Keener and Brian Dierker, a grain farmer who runs afoul of the FBI played by Vince Vuaghn and a lonely former military type played with true sadness by Hal Holbrook.

Many will connect with the film’s message of abandonment and quest to reconnect with the earth we’ve so meticulously pushed away. And I’m sure that’s Penn’s intent. But what really shines about Into the Wild is Emile Hirsch’s portrayal of the doomed McCandless. At times he’s filled with joy and happiness with each new discovery of his journey, immersing himself in each place he stops while other times he’s holds a quiet rage towards his neglectful parents he left behind. An anger he holds on to till the very last breath. Hirsch’s eyes are filled with waves of emotion throughout this film and in his journey, affecting each character he intersects with, touching their lives more than they do his. Each one leaves changed by his presence. Keener’s desire to find her adult son, Vaughn’s whimsical excitement to go along with McCandless’s journey north and Holbrook’s acceptance of his loneliness and opening up to Chris as he would his own son. By the end of the film the audience will leave feeling affected as well. Whether they’ll take stock in their surroundings upon exiting the theater or leaving their cell-phone off a little longer just to breath in the air around them. Into The Wild will leave you saddened, but in that uplifting life can still be better sort of way.

All in all, a good bunch of films, nothing I wouldn’t recommend to see. Hope everyone has a great weekend at the movies, All three films are rated R, for various reasons, also opening this weekend; Rendition, The Comebacks, Sarah Landon and the paranormal hour (Halloween fare for kids) and Things we Lost in the Fire (a film whose title is far too long for any movie!)

That’s it for now, next week we'll have reviews for The Darjeeling Limited and maybe one other, till then, Enjoy

Chaz

SPOOKED- My top 5 Scariest Movies

ChazElmore — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 21:30:00 GMT

Written by Chaz Elmore

Finally! Leaves are turning shades of brown, amber and yellow. The temperature is rapidly dropping.

Fall, I welcome you with open arms!!!

Something else is upon us as well. Halloween!

As is tradition for this time of year, people will be either going door to door, holding out bags for oodles of candy and thus keeping the dental industry in business or they'll be rushing to blockbuster or Hollywood video or whatever thier favorite rental stop is and grabbing handfuls of DVDs that will send chills up their spines and give reason to leave the hallway light on through the night.

So it is in honor of that joyous occasion where, for one day, we seek out that nail-biting, afraid of the dark experience that I gather my own favorite scary movies that have scared the bejeezes out of me over the years. Whether it was the first scary movie I ever saw (at the tender age of 5) or something that I've experienced recently, what follows will be my five favorite, most scary movies. Granted, I haven't seen every scary movie out there. There will be some on this list that will make people scoff or be up in arms about my selection- and please by all means if you have some really cool, creepy, truly terrifying horror movie to suggest, please do so. I'm always searching out that one horror film that will give me the same sense of unease that I felt the first time I was truly scared in the dark, sitting in front of an illuminated screen.

Before I go further I do want to state an opinion of my own.

That is that the horror film as a genre is in a truly depressing state these days. The films that I have in my top five are there because they didn't just gross me out, they terrified me to my very core. Left me wide awake all night. These films had me hearing non-existent thumps throughout the night and checking the locks on my door. Horror films of today don't do that anymore. For those of you who think that horror films are gross or disgusting or vile forms of entertainment, so be it. To that I say, Don't go see them. You'll save me a headache and yourself eight bucks. I don't like going to see Rom-Coms or period pieces and I keep my mouth shut around those that do.

So moving on. Modern horror is at a point where I leave each one more disappointed than the previous. Sure they make me squeamish, such as films like Hostel 1 and 2- the latter being an utter waste of film and not much of an elaboration on the original. These films eschew the timeless cut-away technique in favor of beating the viewer over the head with its gore and violence. The Saw series panders to this style as well as the run of the mill horror film like the recent horror remakes Texas Chainsaw Massacre or the Amityville Horror, two films whose original were far more terrifying and far less gory than their retreads. It seems as though horror films of today have been declawed and then replaced with a disgusting layer of grime and grease that makes the audience feel like taking a bath more than being scared. What's worse is that producers and more importantly Movie Studios see the first week box-office success of these films and then order a string of remakes and sequels that don't add anything new, other than another layer of disgusting - no doubt trying to top the previous films gross out moments.

It disappoints me because I have great faith in horror movies. This may sound macabre but seeing a horror film is the one experience where you can feel truly terrified in the safe confines of a movie theater. If you see one on a busy night, you get to share that experience with a hundred or more other people seeking out that very same experience. The genre wouldn't be the success it is if people didn't enjoy this experience. And so I go to see most new horror film, being enticed by the money-shot packed trailers, only to be disappointed by the punches pulled or the false scares and cheap shots of gore. I'm no longer terrified at the movies. And I want to be. Which is why, I still go back to these following five films to feel terrified, to be truly scared, while still being in the comfort of my own home. If you'd like a very articulate and informative exploration of effective genre-conventions, there's a good article up at www.cinematical.com, the article can be found here:

http://www.cinematical.com/2007/10/15/cinematical-seven-horror-movie-gimmicks-that-always-work/

5- The Exorcist - Written by William Peter Blatty (based on his novel), Directed by William Friedken.

William Friedken says, in the intro of the DVD, that he doesn't think of The Exorcist as a horror film. That's cute and all but I'm sure there are millions of movie-goers who think otherwise. And I'm one of 'em. Now I didn't see The Exorcist until well into my adult life. Probably in my early 20's, so the impact wasn't as blunt as say, the person who saw it in the theater back in 1973. However, being of non-denominational Christian background, the film's religious and spiritual resonance was what scared me. Having heard tales of the glory days of charismatic evangelists on the mission field, confronting demon possessed humans and then seeing little Regan MacNeil in the throes of her possessor and the horrifying things it made her do, scared the snot out of me. Still to this day, I give the ole Exorcist platter a spin when I want a good, unsettling scare.

4- Audition - Written by Daisuke Tengen (from the novel written by Ryu Murakami) and Directed by Takashi Miike.

This film was wicked! I'd heard of this film through a magazine and since it was made in Japan, it wasn't released theatrically in the US. Which is a bummer. Because I would've felt a lot safer seeing it with other people than the night I saw it all alone, at night in my unfurnished apartment when I was 23. Though I was vaguely familiar with Miike's work, and his subsequent bending of genre conventions, I was wholly unprepared for the experience of seeing Audition. This a film that starts as a bold-faced drama. A wealthy, recently widowed businessman longs for love, his movie producer friend offers to stage auditions for a non-existent film, with the businessman as a "producer" so he can choose his future love. He finds her in a quiet and amiable girl whose soft-spoken demeanor is all a calculated front for what becomes a truly magnificent and horrifying u-turn into a terrifying third act. Now anyone who understands the psychological association the human brain and emotion has in relation to the specific expectations of a given film and the genre it purports itself to be, we go into these films with said expectations. In a drama we expect, well drama. A Comedy laughs, a horror well scares. But, when a film superficially sells itself as one thing then, against the viewers expectations, skews from it's genre conventions, it forces the viewer to partake in the most unexpected of outcomes and thus making the viewer vulnerable and at their most raw in processing of images, actions and, in the case of Audition, atrocities forced upon its characters.

Okay that was a little too psyche-major for ya, but you get what I'm saying. It's nothing new. Hitchcock did it with Psycho, Ridley Scott did it with Alien. This is one of the most effective scare tactics a film can wield and it isn't wielded enough. With Audition, Miike wields it with a craftsmanship that has won thousands of adoring fans and imitators one of which is the questionable filmmaker Eli Roth, whose been on record as being influenced by Miike. Hostel is an outright rip-off of Audition. Audition is one of the few modern films that have shaken me and left me dwelling on its payoff days after.

3- The Descent - Written and Directed by Neil Marshall

Another modern horror film that had a great scare for me. Although it takes place in the Appalachian mountains of America it was actually made in the UK. Sadly, yet another film that makes American horror films pale in comparison, this film does for caves what Psycho did for Showers. Take some of the things we subconsciously fear the most: betrayal, abandonment, claustrophobia. Roll them up into one and you got The Descent. The plot's pretty average, a woman loses her family in a horrible accident, a year later her friends try to distract her by taking her on a hiking/spelunking expedition. When a thrill-seeking member decided to veer off course, things go horribly awry and soon, one by one, each of the hikers is plucked off, whether by fear of each other, panic or a hidden and terrifying force. This film externalized the personal quest that only until you're at absolute rock bottom (in this case the bowels of hell?) can you truly overcome your fears, anxieties and self-doubt. Even if it means coming out a little battered.

2- The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - Written by Tobe hooper and Kim Henkel and Directed by Tobe Hooper

What started out as a bunch of UT students making a film over four weeks of a Texas summer in 1973 turned into one of the grittiest and stark horror films in cinema. The simplicity in its execution (no pun intended), the sheer horror of its plot- a hidden, cannibalistic family stalking a group of wandering friends, a six foot seven chainsaw wielding maniac killing without emotion- these elements still make TCM still scary to this day. From the opening narration to the first, shocking reveal of Leatherface (that metal door, sliding open, the abrupt attack on the young visitor!) still make me jump, even after multiple viewings. This is a film that is often imitated and hardly ever matched. Even it's subsequent remakes and re-imaginings have failed to capture the horror and spirit of the original. Even worse was the attempt to humanize the cannibal family and Leatherface as depicted in the recent pointless sequel.

1- A Nightmare on Elm Street - Written and Directed by Wes Craven

I know what your saying. This is your number one!? After all those other, scarier films this is your number one? To you I say, YES! You see here's the deal. I saw this for the very first time, and my mother can attest, when I was five years old. I remember it as plain as day. My Mother took me along to one of her friends, there were either a group of teenagers or other adults and they were all sitting down to watch this scary movie they just rented on VHS (or was it BETA?) Me being the curious child, I sat down with those other adventurous teens and watched the horror and violence unfold before me. From the haunting opening dream sequence in the boiler room to the surreal bedroom massacre of Tina, all the way to the hypnotic and unsettling denouement, Elm Street had it all. And it stuck with me well into my youth. This is the film to blame for me needing a nightlight till I was 14, this is the film that, even to this day, I tell myself that it's not real before falling into my dreams. Maybe that's what scared me the most about Elm Street. The fact that in the film, there is a evil so terrifying that it can pierce your dreams, a place that some hold sacred as a window to their subconscious, and in these dreams this interloper can strike you down without any defense is what scared me the most. I like dreaming. I love the escape it has as well as the joy of waking up having experienced a world that I don't have access to on a daily basis. And it makes me a little unsettled to see a movie where someone can come in and disrupt that so violently. But of course it's just a movie and I have too vivid an imagination, as my father use to tell me.

Which is why no child should ever see a movie like this at such a ripe young age. (thanks Mom!)

Well, there you have it. Those are my top 5. For Now. I hope that is will someday evolve, maybe you can suggest some of your favorite scary movies. I'm always game. But please, don't suggest any M. Night Shyamalan film as a horror, those, by structure alone, are not.

Some other notables however are The Shining, Psycho, Suspiria, The Hills Have Eyes (original), Something Wicked This Way Comes, Rosemary's Baby, Last House On The Left (another film that faces a remake), Irreversible and the list of honorable mentions goes on, too many to list here.

Anyway, If scary movies aren't your thing, there are plenty of other things to do this Halloween. Whether it's a trip to the nightmare, a haunted trail or a Fall Festival. Whatever you do, I hope you have a fun and safe Halloween and enjoy being scared in the comforts of your home.

Enjoy

Chaz

Review: Across The Universe

ChazElmore — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:42:00 GMT

-Film inspired by Beatles Tunes starts strong, gets all helter skelter (like I could avoid using a beatles pun!)...

Review by Charles Elmore

I once heard a theory from an old musician friend who told me that between The Beatles, Prince and Nirvana there were no new chord progressions on the guitar. Whether this is true or not isn't the issue, this is after all a film review blog and not a music critique blog. I bring it up to point out that even to this day, the influence of the Fab Four still courses through our pop culture and their latest impact can be felt in Julie Taymor's new film Across The Universe.

Across the Universe is the tale of six people whose lives intersect and collide in 60's New York City, as told through the music of The Beatles. As most people know, the early sixties in America was quite a tumultuous time, a tremendous social, political and even musical growth and this is the era viewed from our characters, growing pains and all. The film starts out with our two main characters, Jim Stugess plays Jude, a Liverpool youth and we first see him dancing with his girlfriend in a basement bar where a pre-invasion style "beatles" type band performs onstage. Intercut is Lucy, the wide-eyed American teen, played by Evan Rachel Wood. She shares a experience parallel to Jude's at her High School dance where her and her boyfriend share a sincere moment before he volunteers to go to Vietnam. The scene is interesting in its depiction of two different cultures, the gritty, working class side of Britain's youth and the clean and innocent Americana of the late 50's/early 60's, a clean veneer just moments away from cracking.

Across the Universe doesn't veer too far from the standard story type a film about the turbulent 60's would follow. You can almost predict the direction the film is heading. There's the privileged, collegiate siblings that break from the norm to rush to the Village in New York, spurning their parents wishes to "make something of themselves", the Midwestern teen who feels out of place, both emotionally and physically and the eager british youth, trying to find the GI father who abandoned his mother post-WWII to start one stateside. And Julie Taymor does a great job initially at telling these interweaving stories.

This film will quickly be classified as a musical, although it lacks certain musical tropes. It's more akin to Baz Lurhmann's Moulin Rouge than Bill Condon's Dreamgirls. Across The Universe's use of musical performances comes naturally out of the day to day lives of Jude, Lucy, Pruedence, et.al than say randomly spinning on a mountain singing the hills are alive with the sound of music.

Like anyone who has a deep fondness for music (and Beatles tunes specifically), we can all relate to those moments where we randomly burst into song. Whether in the grocery store and you begin to hum along to the muzak version of Strawberry Fields or with your friends driving around late at night and you burst out in chorus during the break of All You Need Is Love. We've all been there and the musical sing-a-longs come across in similar fashion, more like background music than Busby Berkley set pieces.

The film makes a valiant effort in covering all the bases of the era it is set within, including the Detroit race riots, the protest marches on Washington but where it skews from the cliche is in its choice to show the 60's counter-culture growth in New York's West Village instead of they stereotypical Haight-Ashbury approach to the 60's peace, love and hippiness movement so often associated with the times.

Unfortunately the film loses its focus midway through when the group meet up with a timothy leary type named (get ready for it) Dr. Robert played by a certain humanitarian rock star, with tongue firmly in cheek. This part of the film is obviously set up to introduce the LSD era of the 60's and the turn on, tune out ethos of the decades midpoint but it soon goes crashing horribly down into a random and completely unnecessary performance of For The Benefit of Mr. Kite, with comedian Eddie Izzard as the titular character. At this point, and maybe it's due to a little "sugar cubed" dropping from the director herself, the film just loses any traction it set up, derailing the film. It's an unfortunate scene that probably could've been excised and wouldn't even have been missed.

It takes the film and our characters quite awhile before they get back on course and we have to see these six suffer a little more before they're brought back together, slightly more world weary. And just like in the documentary Let it Be, when the beatles played their last performance atop their recording studio, our characters are brought back together in the end, after their long, hard journey through the sixties, to sing one more song on the roof of , All You Need Is Love.

The music of the Beatles isn't, by any means, the absolute representation of the movements and era of the 60's. Especially since the band didn't even last the whole decade. But with Across the Universe, their music is used as a device to place a magnifying glass over the issues in our society and world that still plague us to this day, issues of race, war and class. Same old story, same old tunes. But just like the timeless standards written by four boys from Liverpool, the issues never grow old.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed hearing each song, reconpeptualized and interpreted more-so than the film itself. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Fan's of the Beatles music will enjoy catching several Beatles-centric references throughout the film as well as a few surprising cameos from big name stars. From the names of characters to the use of song lyrics as dialog, some will make you smile, while others, may in fact make your eyes roll.

Enjoy

Chaz