Alice in Wonderland

So today I finally saw Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland. I had heard mixed reviews about the film previous to my screening and I must admit, I really liked this one. Johnny Depp was mad good in his portrayal of the Mad Hatter. And overall the acting was superb. The witty and imaginative background and scenic views on screen were classic Tim Burton imagery. I think the essence of the Chesire Cat was captured in this portrayal of the classic film. Alice is in a battle of real life and dream as she travels the wonderful world that she has fallen into. The journey she takes follows the motif of the hero's journey as she transforms into a character with strength. She could not have made it that far without the input of all the magical characters who are depictions of people in Alice's real life. Overall, I would recommend that everybody see it and make their own opinion. This film particularly caused a ruckus upon its release because it shortened its run in theaters and the transition into DVD release. Nonetheless, there has not been evidence that this earlier DVD release has made a difference. Go out and watch this film and the magical performance of Johnny Depp. Well so long to all, may your dreams come true.

Hannibal Lecter

So in honor of Halloween last night I watched 2 films. Silence of the Lambs followed by the sequel Hannibal. The first, Silence of the Lambs made the horror genre a legitimate genre. It won an Oscar in 1992 for best film, best actor in a leading role for Anthony Hopkins, best actress in a leading role for Jodie Foster, best director for Jonathon Demme, and best screenplay. The film follows the relationship between Clarice Starling as she works on Dr. Hannibal Lecter, as he helps her solve a crime. The story is chilling which therefore declares the success of the acting by the main characters. The use of cannibalism is also quite chilling. Anthony Hopkins shines in this role as Hannibal, and epitomizes the serial killer, but also the intelligent serial killer. Jodie Foster also does superb as Clarice Starling, but her southern accent can be distracting at times. The most famous line from the film is "Hello Clarice," which Hannibal says. The camera work in the film is phenomenal, and I really appreciate it. The sequel to the film, Hannibal, was another great film. Anthony Hopkins returns as Dr. Hannibal Lecter and Julianne Moore replaces Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling. The plot of the film is setup as Hannibal is tired of being out of hiding and would like to be public again. This film can compare with the Silence of the Films, but there are many aesthetic changes with Ridley Scott (Gladiator and Robin Hood) at the helm. The camera work in this film provides a darker take on the character of Dr. Hannibal Lecter. It is interesting also that within the film, there is direct tribute to Silence of the Lambs with the shot of Clarice running throughout the woods. These films I would recommend to anybody, but just know that they deal with cannibalism and there are some disturbing images within both films. Anthony Hopkins is reason enough to watch these films with his phenomenal acting. So go out and watch these films and you will be in for a treat. Well so long to all, may your dreams come true.

Legion, Brothers, and The Machinist... Plus a Film I couldn't even Finish

    So the last 24 hours have consisted of 4 films and counting. I guess it could be 5 if you included Jackass 3-D from earlier last night. So the first film I watched was Legion and I have to be honest, I did not hate it. I went in to it expecting to absolutely hate it. The trailer of the demon grandma climbing on the ceiling, a man with wings, and the casting of Dennis Quaid. The plot of the film is St.Michael disobeying orders of an apocalypse by God by protecting the last baby to be born along with some twists of the action. The trailers for the film definitely not show that plot. Dennis Quaid, an actor whom I like, but I think his better suited roles are as a father like in The Parent Trap and The Rookie, did a good job in this film. There were some moments in the film that were cheesy, but I assumed there would be. The camera was nice and accented the narrative, but at times too hypo-Hollywood. Overall I enjoyed the movie and was thoroughly surprised. I would recommend it with lower expectations.
     The next film I watched was Brothers starring Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Natalie Portman. This film I broke down in depth according to acts, dangling and hook causes, and distinction of time. Do not worry though, again DO NOT WORRY, I will not, again I WILL NOT, bore you with that analysis. I really enjoyed this film. The narrative can run slow throughout, so beware. The trailers play tricks on the viewer because the trailer depicts it to run a different direction. The plot is reminiscent of the love story line in Pearl Harbor, with the supposed death of one love and the emergence of another, while the original love "returns from the dead." The acting was solid with the three headliners. Overall, I recommend it, go see it.
     The Machinist was one of Christian Bale's best work as an actor. The role offered a very mental and physical toll on himself, which is very obvious at first glance. The film is a psychological thriller because of the mind trips that make up the narrative. There are many times when the viewer feels very uncomfortable. The plot of the film is Trevor (Bale) has not been able to sleep in a year and is physically distort because of it. He believes he sees this man following him, and throughout he is trying to find this man because he thinks he is being followed. The film consists of many narrative trips and is interesting and disturbing at the same time.  I would recommend this film, but beware, it is disturbing at times and can take toll on the mind.
     So finally... the film I could not finish was Aeon Flux. The only reason I watched this film was because the cover of the film always intrigued me so I decided to take a chance. The film starred Charlize Theron, whom I like as an actress. The plot was just too over the top, crazy, and mind boring. I do not recommend this film. I do I am held liable though since I did not watch the whole film, but thats my half film review. Well I think that is enough to write, so I will move on with my viewing. So long to all, may your dreams come true.

Jackass 3-D

So today was my highly anticipated screening of Jackass 3-D, and let me say one thing, hilarious! The boys of Jackass have come a long way since the show began 10 years ago. The stunts are more dare-devilish and less immature with a little less childish balls kicking and more hardcore balls kicking. The ones seen in the trailer are just the beginning of what is seen and the 3-D screening of the film was a lot of fun. Johnny Knoxville was of course the lead in many stunts and his fascination with bulls and cattle continued in this film.Steve-o made some very laughable moments and there was plenty of vomit throughout the film. I really enjoyed this film and would recommend it for a comic laugh. It was a good send off to the boys who made being a jackass enjoyable. Go out and see, I would recommend the 3-D viewing, but it is personal preference or if you want to save an extra few bucks. Well so long to all, may your dreams come true.

Paranormal Activity 2

So here it finally came, the screening of Paranormal Activity 2. I must admit that I went into it with some decent expectations because the first PA movie was one of the last horror films to actually spook me. With the release of this film, it must be noted that the director changed, which brought many visual changes. The film's plot is a prequel to the first PA. The two original actors from the first one returned as their characters. The film was a fast view, but the build took longer than expected. The setup of the film seemed to last an hour, with a slow acclimating event. The good, thrilling events of the film did not take place until the final half hour of the film. The thrills of this seem to mask the excitement of the original, but the suspense does not last the whole film like in the original.The camera work also seemed to lose the original home movie feeling of the original in wake of a Hollywood-esqe home movie filming. This change came with the new director ultimately. So overall I would recommend this film for a short thrill, the entertaining moments are entertaining which is good to note. It is also good to know the difference between the original and this one. Well that is my take, so so long to all, may your dreams come true.

Tsotsi and a postponement

     The film of the day was Tsotsi. It was a film from South Africa that was directed by Gavin Wood. After first screening I would have to say I really enjoyed it, but very uncomfortable during some of it. The film seems to have a foreign Hollywood feeling because the journey taken my the main character goes in a very positive direction, but unlike the prototypical Hollywood film, it ended with plenty of loose strings. The film involves the journey of a man who takes the life of a thug in the slums of Johannesburg, South Africa. We learn in the journey the struggles he dealt with in childhood, and the film clearly is representative of the motif of childhood. The evolution of a character is prevalent throughout the film, and  many times is nonverbal. The camera work in the film was phenomenal. The use of crane and dolly shots to evoke the emotion from the camera. There is also a phenomenal street shot in last scene of the film that could make someones jaw drop in completely awe. I highly recommend this film to any viewer.
     As for the film I planned to have on my agenda, Paranormal Activity 2, a review will have to be held off another day. Perhaps I will watch the first one before I see the second to have a mini marathon. I would also like to see Jackass 3-D because I have heard great reviews about it, and I think the 50 million dollar opening weekend can speak for itself especially since it set the record for a Jackass premiere among other things. Well that is all I have for the evening, so so long to all, may your dreams come true.

M and The Hangover.... Plus good foreign films

Well today was another successful day in the world of film in my life. I was able to see one of the best German films, M, from 1931 and directed by Fritz Lang. The film was very cleverly done with the onset of sound just a few years early in Germany. The film set the current model to the psychological thriller. If one wanted to see a classic foreign film, I would highly recommend this one. And on the topic of foreign film, the Danish film After the Wedding is one of the best films I have ever seen. The way the camera captures the truth of pain in ones family and the birth of another. Another film would be Amelie. This film is hyper commercial and could simulate a video game on some levels. The film has a clever story with clever visual effects. But anyways, on to one of the funniest movies to date, The Hangover. It is just a classic film to repeat one liners one after another. The cast is a very strong, and some may have been looked over in their other films until the release of this one. An example would be Zach Galifinakis. Before this film I had no idea he was previously in many films. This film led him to be in 3 or so films released within the last 3 months. Today required a little more attentiveness with M, but it was well worth it. I can only imagine what tomorrow's film viewing will entail. I'm planning on seeing Paranormal Activity 2 at midnight. So so long to all, may your dreams come true.

Still need an ending phrase though...