Archive for the ‘movie review’ Category
I AM A BELIEVER IN JOY DIVISION. HALLELUJAH!
While I admittedly know very little about the ins and outs of the history of modern music, one thing that I do know is that the 80s rock/new wave/techno behemoth New Order was once known as Joy Division. In 1976 in the sleepy industrial city of Manchester, England, four men brought a new sound that, to this day, is still replicated by scores of 21st century bands. The film “Control” chronicles the short years over which Joy Division rose to fame amidst the obscurity that was frontman Ian Curtis’s life.
Photo: Momentum/The Weinstein Company
Based on the memoir Touching From A Distance, penned by Curtis’s wife Deborah Curtis, the audience is presented with a picture of a young man whose aspirtations of singing on stage came from teenage years filled with David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” and the Sex Pistols. At a very young age, Ian Curtis meets Debbie, the woman who’s dating his best friend but manages to fall in love with Ian nonetheless. In the years after their teenage marriage, everything else seems to happen so quickly, from finding a home, having a baby, starting a band, signing to a label, Ian’s love affair with a young Belgian woman named Annik and a diagnosis of epilepsy.
Soon it becomes very apparent where the film gets its name from, as control is something Curtis quickly loses sight of. At the age of 23 and on the eve of Joy Division’s first American tour, Ian Curtis committed suicide. “Control” is a poignant picture, filled with moments that are both genuine and heartwrenching. To be quite honest, some of what I saw was quite difficult to absorb, particularly the duality of Curtis’s life.
“Control” was simply a black and white story with none of the glitz or glamour normally seen in rock movies. It’s been several years since I’ve seen a British film that was so rich in account while also vacant in terms of what I was presented with visually. I believe that the last film to have this kind of cinematic impact on me was 1996’s “Trainspotting.” Another crown in the jewel of the movie is that, in all scenes in which Joy Division plays live, the actors themselves actually performed the tracks.
“Control” has been labelled as the “the coolest British movie of 2007,” and it comes to me as no surprise why.
POKEY POKEY POKEY
It’s probably been at least a 67 years since I last posted a link fest, so here you go, Tuesday. Here’s a link feast…
P.S. I love my MacBook Pro
AERODYNAMIC ARMPITS
Since Tony didn’t feel like writing a review of Pineapple Express, I’m taking matters into my own hands. After a sunny-ish Sunday afternoon spent wandering up Robson Street with Jen, we decided to cap the afternoon off with a matinée.
Less than 30 minutes in, my initial thoughts were “awesome…I just spent $12 on a stoner comedy.”
Oh how wrong I was…
Photo: Sony Pictures
The film follows devout stoner, Dale Denton (Seth Rogan), and his dealer, Saul Silver (James Franco). The title of the movie itself reefers (very much intended) to a particular strain of marijuana that Dale and Saul fall head-over-heels for. It’s also what links them back to a murder of which Dale accidentally witnesses in his capacity as a process server. I think that means he’s a butler or something.
What begins under the guise of just another stoner flick, Pineapple Express ends up delivering so much more. It has memorable characters, lines that will certainly go down in pop culture cinematic history, more action than you can begin to expect - truly, and best of all: it’s funny. Really funny. There are more than a handful of instances in which you may not believe that what you just saw is what you really did see.
Photo: Sony Pictures
Truth be told, when Jen and I walked into the theatre, I was convinced that her and I were the only two that didn’t indulge in a smoke before the flick. And in saying that, some of the humour can probably only be truly appreciated by those who do smoke…particularly the lady in the front row who incessantly laughed her head off at all times, funny or not.
Don’t be fooled though. Pineapple Express is not a comedy to be missed. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if soon enough, people will flock to any and all Seth Rogan movies simply because it’s known that the flick will be great. Here’s just hoping he doesn’t crash and burn like Will Ferrell has in recent years.
Check out the film’s official trailer below and the website here.
WE KISSED ON THE BEACH AND DOT, DOT, DOT
You don’t have to like the music of ABBA, you don’t have to like glitter…you don’t even have to like musicals at all. Anyway you slice it, however, “Mamma Mia!” is certainly “a trip down the aisle you’ll never forget.” When you have a superb cast helmed by Meryl Streep, there’s nearly no conceivable way it could go wrong. I saw the super-hit musical at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre a few years ago, and by the end, the entire audience was on their feet, singing and dancing right along with the cast. I’d hoped the film would have the same magic to it.
Much like the live musical, “Mamma Mia!” follows the story of a young girl, Sophie, who’s raised on a small Greek Island by her mother, Donna. As Sophie’s wedding approaches, her desperation to find out who her real father is becomes impossible to ignore. After finding her mother’s journal from the year Sophie was born, she invites three possible men in hopes that one of them will be her father. When ensues after that is anyone’s guess - and surprise!
Photo: Universal Pictures
Luckily, seeing “Mamma Mia!” transition from stage to screen was nearly seamless. The point of the film, in my opinion, is pure entertainment, and entertain it does. The characters seemingly have a way of connecting with the audience in such a way that one could almost understand their inside jokes together. Each and every song and dance number is a treat to watch and Meryl Streep’s turn as Donna had me astounded. The woman’s got pipes!
If you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself constantly (and hypnotically) torn between admiring Meryl Streep’s flawless cheekbones or Amanda Seyfried’s near perfect breasts. Either is a welcome distraction from Pierce Brosnan’s unfortunate turn at singing. Let’s hope making musicals doesn’t turn into a new career move for the former James Bond.
Check out the trailer below if you haven’t already, and visit the “Mamma Mia!”
website for more goodies.
Thanks for another superb and super fun date, Becky!
THE HEART OF THE MATTER
I promised, and so I deliver. Now that I’ve given myself a few days to absorb all that was Sex and the City (movie-style) – and all of you a fair chance to see it for yourselves – it’s time to talk.
Throughout the entire film, I felt excitement and elation and that sense of a fuzzy security blanket as I watched the ladies of Manhattan reunited. It had been more than three years since we left the ladies brunching at their usual spot upon Carrie’s return from Paris, and I couldn’t have been happier to play catch up. Miranda and Steve were well settled into married life with Brady in tow, Charlotte and Harry had their hands full with Lily (and finally a new baby on the way), and Samantha proved that some things don’t change – including her lust for Smith Jerrod.
Photo: New Line Cinema
Since hearing that Sex was being filmed for the silver screen, anytime the topic had come up, there was one thing I always stated: after six years, I simply cannot handle any further drama between Big and Carrie. But let’s be honest here – how can you not have a film that centres on Big and Carrie without the contents of Charlotte’s pants hitting the fan? I suppose it was inevitable.
After finding their dream penthouse on Fifth Avenue, Ms. Bradshaw’s insecurity over having no legal rights turns into a discussion about marriage, and so in a rather formal and contractual manner, Big and Carrie agree to get married. Like almost anything in life, the path to matrimony soon becomes a slippery slope, finding Carrie vying for Vivienne Westwood while inviting 200 guests to the New York Library. John James Preston, on the other hand, is vouching for a low-key civil ceremony (that man’s got the right idea).
Photo: New Line Cinema
‘A’ leads to ‘B’ and ‘B’ leads to ‘C,’ and before you know it, Miranda’s dispelling toxic love advice to Big on the eve of the wedding – a result of yet another fight between her and Steve spurned out of his heartbreaking infidelity. The day arrives, Carrie’s in couture and – to no one’s surprise – Big’s limo is headed in the opposite direction. In one of the most passionate and angry scenes between these two we’ve ever been witness to, Charlotte’s “no!” was the no heard ‘round the world.
The majority of the film, beyond that point, brings us to another level – something beautiful that showed the viewers that it wasn’t a movie about a love story gone wrong. Beyond all the cynicism and doubt the preceding events enforced in my own head and heart, I was open to the concept that it was about the two “F’s.” I’m not talking about another word for colouring (though there is plenty of that), but about forgiveness and friendship. Through the eyes of the girls, we’re actually shown how important it is to love others, to love yourself, to forgive others, to forgive yourself, to accept where one falls short and to celebrate triumph.
Photo: New Line Cinema
When all was said and done, Samantha decided that she had to be true to herself and leave Smith in Los Angeles while she returned to New York City, Miranda and Steve were able to let true and real love create forgiveness and move forward even stronger than before, while Charlotte, Harry and Lily welcomed Rose to the family. And as we watched as the now Carrie Preston and John James Preston left New York City Hall after a touching reuniting of the two, my feelings changed from glad to sad. Truth be told, I felt the marriage between the two was completely unnecessary.
In one particular scene, as ‘Auntie Carrie’ is reading Cinderella to young Lily, she wisely states “you know, things don’t always happen like this in real life. I just think you should know that now.” And you know what? She was right, and that’s the irony of it. In this film, Cinderella did get her prince and they did live happily ever after. While it didn’t bother me that John and Carrie found reconciliation, but the actual marriage was unnecessary. They seemed perfectly happy in a common law relationship, having found the right balance between them.
Photo: New Line Cinema
That being said, the fact that all four of the ladies got a perfect ending, while it created closure to the story, seemed like a bit of a slap in the face. What I’ve always appreciated about Sex (as Jennifer also wrote), is that it’s better to lean on your friends and not be with a man out of desperation. The show always made me feel like it was okay to not be living a fairytale life, and that sometimes fairytales are just that.
However, do not get me wrong. In retrospect, I enjoyed the film very, very much. It was precisely what any Sex fan needed to make the circle complete and it won’t be the only time I see it on the big screen. It’s all perfectly peppered with sweet memories, humour, laughter and tears. If you haven’t seen it yet, and I haven’t already completely ruined the film for you, get thee to the theatre immediately…and make sure you wear something fabulous.
And so for those of you who have seen it, thoughts? Comments? Critiques?
BIGGER THAN BIG
Would you believe me if I told you that by the time last night arrived, I wasn’t really all that excited to see Sex and the City on the silver screen? Maybe I’d hyped it up too much over the last several months, or maybe it was a subconscious way of not allowing me to feel disappointed if the film fell short of what I had hoped it’d be. Either way, once the curtains lifted and the screen glittered in shades of blue and pink, my apathy had been dispelled.
Photo: miss604 on Flickr
Watching Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte together again brought on a huge surge of relief. Each of the four actresses (Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon and Kristin Davis, respectively) slipped back into the roles they made famous as comfortably as a favourite pair of Manolos. And don’t be fooled into thinking that you’re going to see a really, really, ridiculously long episode of the HBO hit; the film plays like the movie that it is (especially considering that it clocks in at just over 2 hours and 20 minutes). Much to this girl’s delight, the fab foursome are joined in their big screen venture by the men in their lives: Mr. Big (Chris Noth), Harry Goldenblatt (Evan Handler), Steve Brady (David Eigenberg) and Smith Jerrod (Jason Lewis).
Despite expectations, predictions, leaked storylines, possibilities and probabilities (not to mention the countless images we’ve seen of the girls’ costume changes over the last few months), Sex still delivers surprises, tears and more laughter than you ever experienced in your living room. The truth is, I’m dying to discuss the details, but I have to be fair. That being said, I am giving you, my readers, until the end of the weekend to see the film for yourselves. After that, all bets are off and anything from the film is fair game for discussion on my blog.
Click here to visit the film’s official website.
I MAY BE PEPPER POTTS
…but that’s an entirely different blog post altogether.
My most recent chat with Amy went somewhat like this:
Amy: i’m waiting for your Iron Man review on your blog
hahaAmy: you should find some super sexy photos of RDJ for it
Me: omg, horny much?
Photo: Paramount Pictures
Needless to say, the girl’s been enamoured with 2008’s reinvention of Iron Man since she saw it opening night. Being that I’d never hear the end of it until I saw it with my own eyes, I agreed to go with Amy this past Wednesday. I have to be honest, I’m not exactly what you’d call a fan of comic books (or the movies into which they’re made). True, they provide for exciting entertainment, but I’m not one to go out of my way to watch. I’ve never even seen an X-Men flick.
I had seen a preview for Iron Man several months ago on one DVD or another, and barely batted an eyelash. Truth be told, I’d never even heard of the Iron Man comics, and so knew nothing about the story or the characters (or even what the hell Iron Man’s deal was).
Photo: Paramount Pictures
Robert Downey Jr. stars at Tony Stark, a genius technology magnate with a penchant for women, alcohol and life in the fast lane (in one of his many fast Audis). He’s also the head of a massive weapons manufacturing corporation. After being wounded and captured in Afghanistan, Stark finds himself in a life or death situation while being faced with the reality his destructive weapons create.
Building a life-saving suit and a means of escape, Tony makes a decision to use his smarts for the good of humankind, all the while preventing his brilliant invention from falling into the wrong hands.
Photo: Paramount Pictures
Backed by a phenomenal cast including Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeff Bridges, this was a film that I actually enjoyed - quelle surprise! Iron Man is a superhero without any genuine superhero powers. It’s all in the suit (and maybe a little in his heart).
If this film is any indication of the summer film season to come, I think we’re all in for a couple months of great flicks. With Indiana Jones strapping his lasso back on next week and the fab four from Manhattan making their big screen debut the next, my Festival Cinemas membership card will be getting quite the workout.
On an unrelated note, there is next to no one in the office today, so my boss graciously and unexpectedly gave me the green light to bail after lunch. Being that my “island jitney” doesn’t depart until 4pm, I’ll take the extra time as an opportunity to enjoy my first light Mint Mocha Chip frappuccino of the summer with Becky in the sunshine.
Have a super long weekend, everyone!
HUMP DAY LINK LOVE
“Insurgents”
“War Crimes”
“Weapons of Mass Destruction”
These are some of the countless words and phrases we hear each time we flip on the news. In fact, the current war in the Middle East has been raging for more than six years years. It’s no wonder that in that time, every news report from the region blends in with the one before it and the one after. It’s even probably safe to say that we as a Western nation have become desensitized to the brutal reality faced each day by the innocent civilians who know no other way of life.
Last night I watched Brian De Palma’s ‘Redacted.’ Never before did I understand what even a narrow slice of living in the middle of the Iraq war is like - from both sides. It wasn’t until I saw this film that I understood the complete absence of any civil rights in the lives of Iraqi citizens. It broke my heart, it enraged me and thoroughly disgusted me.
You owe it to yourself to see this film. [trailer]
NO NV08 FOR THIS CHICA
Two weekends, two disappointments. The head cold from hell dropped it’s bomb on me Wednesday evening and fully exploded by last night. I woke up this morning feeling worse than I can remember, even after a 12-hour, Nyquil-induced sleep. That being said, I was unable to attend this year’s Northern Voice conference at UBC. I was really looking forward to meeting a lot of bloggers whom I’d only read or heard about, as well as picking up a few tricks of the trade for myself.
Photo: Buena Vista Motion Pictures Group, a division of Walt Disney Pictures Group
Instead, I occupied my day under covers with the likes of cowboys, cowgirls, suspected terrorists, AWOL U.S. Army officers and the like. I watched no less than Tombstone, The Quick and the Dead, Rendition and In the Valley of Elah. All fantastic movies featuring fantastic casts.
However, I’ve been known to have somewhat of a stellar immune system, so I have no doubt that I’ll be up and running again soon. Here’s hoping for NV09…
HOLY CRAP I’M SO EXCITED!
Yesterday afternoon I received a near-cruel e-mail both informing me that close to a foot of fresh powder had fallen on the slopes of Mt. Washington during the course of the day, and also wishing me to “have fun in the city.” I am quite sure the sentiments were shared with tongue planted firmly in cheek. I enjoyed the humour no less.
The truth is, my love for carving grows each time I am on the hill. Being that I live in downtown Vancouver, some may say that I’m nuts for crossing the Georgia Straight each time the desire to ride strikes and that I should simply cross the Burrard Inlet instead. However, I say they’re nuts because for me, it’s well worth the trip.
Photo: quaelin on Flickr
Need I say more?
Anyways, I’ve planned a solid handful of trips home over the remainder of the season to get in as much ride time as possible. That being said, my curiosity got the better of me so I checked in to see which events I could partake in.
Imagine stuffing 5, 6 or even 10 of these in your mouth? And keeping them down?
Since posting that photo on my Flickr site, a few of you have inquired about getting your hot little mitts on a BeaverTail of your own. Check out their website over here.
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On a final and unrelated note, if the mood for comedy strikes, I recommend renting ‘2 Days In Paris,’ a writing and directorial debut by Julie Delpy. It’s funny, smart, well-written and takes bits and pieces from her own life. The actors playing her parents in the film really are her parents. Adam Goldberg is comic gold.
I likey.