I know, but even considering that, it's just freaking bizarre throughout a lot of the runtime. I don't know if we've had a film that's this much raw BAY before.
I didn't post about this last night because I was exhausted, but I attended a screening at Yale University of the world famous Merchant-Ivory film Howard's End (by the same producer-director team who brought you A View from the Window, Remains of the Day, and Maurice) with director James Ivory in attendance and had a conversation about the film afterwards. One of the weirdest things about this screening was that 75% of the attendees were over the age of the 65 and the latter 25% were film students like me. That felt pretty great however.
I had never seen Howard's End before, but I love Remains of the Day and I wanted to be there, so I went. I loved the film and listening to Ivory speak was fascinating. I expected Ivory to have a hoity-toity air about him (which was a preconception of mine based on the kinds of films he made), but that was totally not the case. There was no bullshit factor about this man at all, he is just a guy who wanted the make the films he wanted to make and had great taste in going about it. I asked him a question and he was very gracious about it.
Afterward, I got to speak to him as he was leaving for a bit and he gave me a lot of advice about being a director which I was extremely grateful about. Overall that was a great night and I won't forget it soon.
Just watched Gummo, so that was a thing. I'm not quite sure what to think. I like the structure of it, even though its not exactly what I'd call a story. Kind of like how a lot of albums I like have short tracks of sound effects or weird tones as a transition, It does this with short clips that don't seem to serve much purpose other than to separate the different sections of the "plot" and just give a greater view into this weird world. While there is somewhat of an overall story, it really just feels like a snapshot of this strangely white-trash town. Sometimes its hard to tell whether or not the scene was staged or if they just started filming these peoples lives, and the film is made up if a mixture of the two. Because of its use of locals and the real locations the whole thing feels like some fucked up documentary at times.
Pain and Gain is the prime example of having the right story for the right director, if you enjoy 90s style action-comedies with three modern day stooges, go watch this.
Indie Game: The Movie was good stuff. I knew what was going to happen with Super Meat Boy's release, but I didn't know anything about Fez.
There was a point to where I honestly felt that the Fez guy's story was going to end up being him committing suicide.
The Braid dude was odd to me. It was weird how he was saying people didn't understand him or his game when people were reviewing it. It seemed pretentious.
Also seeing PAX East made me miss PAX so much.
Overall, good watch.
Edit: Also via twitter, Trogdor tweeted this at me and gave me many lols.
The Braid dude was odd to me. It was weird how he was saying people didn't understand him or his game when people were reviewing it. It seemed pretentious.
I get being frustrated that people aren't getting the meaning or message of his game, but it really just came out as "you aren't having fun the right way."
Pain and Gain was some kind of awesome. It was actually really funny and it surprised me how clever it was. I think the screenwriters (including Bay) actually used a lot of the source material to the fullest when it came down to the details. All of actors were amazing and knew what kind of movie this was and what character they were playing. This movie works completely with Michael Bay's strengths of camera work, showcasing sin, and showing bros/dummies in their element.
There are big problems. It's too damn long (It felt as long as Django, despite being 45 minutes less) and it gets very uncomfortable with the sheer levels of torture and evil acts that happen. And there's a lot of narration in the first half, almost too much. I still had a lot of fun because it plays out like a beautiful disaster, you aren't supposed to support these people and it actually has some real clever commentary in there.
Iron Man 3 had a disjointed beginning, a really fun and enjoyable middle, a mediocre end, a really fun and highly enjoyable credit sequence and an awesome stinger.
Overall I'd say it was better then 2 but not as good as the first. Still I enjoyed the crap out of it. The fact that they made interactions with a little kid amusing is amazing enough.
Watched Django Unchained. It had a really good first 40 minutes, and then kept going for a shoddily paced and disjointed two more hours. I nearly turned it off near the end it was so bad.
Binged this week on John Dies at the End, Cabin In the Woods, and Hunger Games. I have no idea how I found time to watch all those. The first was the most interesting by far, not because it was good but because it did the best at trying something new without feeling like a rehash.
Multiple friends are reporting that Gatsby was terrible. Not sure what they were expecting. It's Luhrrman. He's an acquired taste. None of these reports have doused my interest in the film, though.
The King's Speech was very, very good. I love the way they shot conversations. The scene where the speech therapist was talking to his wife over the dinner table was priceless
And ah, god, George VI's wife. Such good acting. Every time she was onscreen I couldn't tear my eyes away from her eyebrows.
I actually really liked Gatsby teh movie picture thingy. All of my problems with the book go away in a visual medium (as they are primarily related to the presentation, not the premise), the acting was quite good, it had an otherworldy sort of style to it that jived well with the themes, and the way music was used reminds me greatly of A Knight's Tale.
Comments
WHAT
I had never seen Howard's End before, but I love Remains of the Day and I wanted to be there, so I went. I loved the film and listening to Ivory speak was fascinating. I expected Ivory to have a hoity-toity air about him (which was a preconception of mine based on the kinds of films he made), but that was totally not the case. There was no bullshit factor about this man at all, he is just a guy who wanted the make the films he wanted to make and had great taste in going about it. I asked him a question and he was very gracious about it.
Afterward, I got to speak to him as he was leaving for a bit and he gave me a lot of advice about being a director which I was extremely grateful about. Overall that was a great night and I won't forget it soon.
There was a point to where I honestly felt that the Fez guy's story was going to end up being him committing suicide.
The Braid dude was odd to me. It was weird how he was saying people didn't understand him or his game when people were reviewing it. It seemed pretentious.
Also seeing PAX East made me miss PAX so much.
Overall, good watch.
Edit: Also via twitter, Trogdor tweeted this at me and gave me many lols.
http://whatwouldphilfishdo.com/
There are big problems. It's too damn long (It felt as long as Django, despite being 45 minutes less) and it gets very uncomfortable with the sheer levels of torture and evil acts that happen. And there's a lot of narration in the first half, almost too much. I still had a lot of fun because it plays out like a beautiful disaster, you aren't supposed to support these people and it actually has some real clever commentary in there.
Absolutely recommend it.
I picked it up on blue ray because of how awesome Voices of a Distant Star and The Place Promised in our Early Days were.
Overall I'd say it was better then 2 but not as good as the first. Still I enjoyed the crap out of it. The fact that they made interactions with a little kid amusing is amazing enough.
Edit: I watched the first two Iron Man movies over the weekend. They did a pretty good job going full circle in regards to the story line.
It would be cool to see how his sushi tastes, but it probably won't happen anytime soon.
Even watching this movie on a full stomach makes me crave sushi.
And ah, god, George VI's wife. Such good acting. Every time she was onscreen I couldn't tear my eyes away from her eyebrows.