Archive for June, 2008

Strong Enough To Break (2006)

{ June 27, 2008 @ 2:15 am } · { Documentaries }
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Strong Enough To Break:

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What started out as a “Making of…” video, turned into a Documentary over time. “Strong Enough To Break” tells the story of Isaac, Taylor, and Zac Hanson’s 3 year struggle with their record label to make an album, THEIR way.It also gives an inside look at how major record companies do business. After many unproductive years, Hanson cut ties with Island Records in April 2003, which lead to the launch of their own company, 3CG Records, and a highly successful Acoustic Tour that paved the way to what would become one of the most successful self-released albums of all time.

I watched this yesterday and i have to say it is one of the most interesting documentaries i have ever seen. It gave me a real insight as to how the music business works and how hard The Hanson Brothers had to work to get to where they are now. people who have never liked Hanson will find this piece riveting. The long-awaited “Strong Enough To Break” details the 40-month battle between Hanson and their then record company, Island DefJam. After years of their fans complaining about the length of time it takes between the release of albums, this documentary reveals why as it showcases the faithlessness and muck that the music industry feeds on and continuously feeds to the public.

This is the story of Isaac, Taylor, and Zac, the three brothers from Tulsa, Oklahoma who became superstars a decade ago seemingly overnight. If you thought that they were just some out-of-date fluff piece, you couldn’t be wronger. Their ambitions were to become a great rock band; unfortunately, they were also young and cute, and ended up being marketed as some throwaway teen idol act. In reality, these are three hardworking musicians who have fought tooth and nail to record the kind of music they wanted, instead of giving in to their former record company’s pressure to make another “MMMBop.”

This Documetary is narrarated by youngest brother Zac Hanson, and basically catalogues the step by step long and painful journey to create one of their most well known albums “Underneath”. From the beginning of making the album they were critisized and patronized by their so called supporters and especially their producers. You get a glimpse of their family life and their relationship as brothers. The documentary ends with a (somewhat) happy ending, when the brothers receive word that their album, released in April 2004, debuted at #1 on the Billboard’s Independent charts.

This a very powerful and truthful documentary which i found very interesting and well-made, i really respect the Hanson Brothers a lot more after watching this, not that i didnt before, i just didnt have that much knowledge of them before watching this. I recommend this doco to anyone who likes Hanson or even if you dont like them, I’m preety sure you will respect them more after watching this.

Speed Racer (2008)

{ June 23, 2008 @ 4:50 am } · { Blogroll }
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Speed Racer:

Hurtling down the track, careening around, over and through the competition, Speed Racer is a natural behind the wheel. Born to race cars, Speed is aggressive, instinctive and, most of all, fearless. His only real competition is the memory of the brother he idolized-the legendary Rex Racer – whose death in a race has left behind a legacy that Speed is driven to fulfill. Speed is loyal to the family racing business, led by his father, Pops Racer, the designer of Speed’s thundering Mach 5. When Speed turns down a lucrative and tempting offer from Royalton Industries, he not only infuriates the company’s maniacal owner but uncovers a terrible secret-some of the biggest races are being fixed by a handful of ruthless moguls who manipulate the top drivers to boost profits. If Speed won’t drive for Royalton, Royalton will see to it that the Mach 5 never crosses another finish line. The only way for Speed to save his family’s business and the sport he loves is to beat Royalton at his own game. With the support of his family and his loyal girlfriend, Trixie, Speed teams with his one-time rival-the mysterious Racer X – to win the race that had taken his brother’s life: the death-defying, cross-country rally known as The Crucible.

I saw Speed Racer on Saturday with 3 of my friends and i have to say that it was’nt completely what i expected but it lived up to what i thought it would be like. The Wachowski brothers have brought us The Matrix films and although Speed Racer is very different from these films i think that it delivers a fun and entertaining 2 hours. The world shown on screen by the Wachowski brothers is marvelous. The animation is perfect for the atmosphere they’re trying to create. Don’t go in expecting Matrix-esquire effects, because there aren’t any bullet time scenes. The effects used are so fitting for this movie because they’re almost cartoonish and the movie doesn’t take itself too seriously.
The film, an adaptation of the long running Japanese anime, revolves around natural racing phenomenon Speed (the wonderful Emile Hirsch) and his family, which somehow includes John Goodman and Susan Sarandon (whoever pulled off this casting deserves some kind of award). Oh yeah, and the casting directors managed to get Matthew Fox and Christina Ricci as well. What really stood out in this area is that everyone involved really understood the characters and the world that Speed Racer is supposed to display. It’s not supposed to be overly serious, nor is it supposed to be that realistic either. With the warm performances of Hirsch, Goodman, and Ricci, you get transported into another world (isn’t that the point of movies anyway?). Matthew Fox is also great as the mysterious Racer X, whose role is sort of misconstrued by the previews. He showed a different side that I didn’t think he could on ‘Lost’.

The visual effects, as I’ve said before, aren’t going to be Matrix-esquire, but there are a few “whoa” factor sequences that had my jaw dropping. I also need to warn you that, if you can’t take fast camera movements or rapid shots, be careful. It’s not as bad as Cloverfield or Blair Witch (because the quickness only occurs in the race sequences), but I’d still try to grab a seat in the middle or back of the theater. The film is visually stunning outside of the races themselves as well. The buildings, the cities, the homes, the cars themselves…all beautiful.

My advice: don’t listen to the critics, see this movie for the fact that it’s pure entertainment for the audience, and it will take you away to a visually stunning world for a couple hours. Definitely an enjoyable movie for the entire family.

Gerry (2002)

{ June 23, 2008 @ 4:18 am } · { Blogroll }
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Gerry:

A friendship between two twenty-something men is tested to its very limits when they go on a hike in a desert and forget to bring any water or food with them.

There are mixed feelings about this film, especially as to what it is trying to get across. Personally i think that it has no meaning beyond what the viewer ascribes to it, and may range from nothing to cosmic significance. For me what made up Gerry was through visuals, music, sounds and pacing.

The visuals of the vast expanses of desert are entrancing. If you have ever been in an isolated area of a desert, you will understand that this movie captures the sense of mystery, aloneness, and spiritual awareness that so many people experience in that environment. The time-lapse shots of sun, desert, and clouds are highly reminiscent, and equally as effective, as those in “Koyaanisqatsi.”

The music offers perfect augmentation for the meditative frame of mind induced by the desert landscapes. Then we come to the pacing, which is the single issue that divides opinion on this film. You get introduced to this pacing issue in the first five minutes with uninterrupted shots of a car driving along an isolated desert road accompanied by Pärt’s “Spiegel Im Spiegel” (mirror in the mirror). If there is nothing in the opening sequence that appeals to you, then you should bail out and save yourself some time; on the other hand, if you find the opening sequence the least bit appealing, then you might want to stick around.

Whatever you can say about the film, you have to admit that it is unique. Scenes that seem like they should go on for thirty seconds can go on for minutes. At one time I was thinking that, with proper editing, this could make a good thirty minute movie, then I realized that that movie would offer an entirely different experience. For better or worse, the slow pacing is what makes this movie what it is. There is much walking in silence. If you have ever taken long hikes, you will understand the meditative state one can easily slip into by rhythmic tedious walking. I think that capturing that is what is being attempted here – notice how accentuated the sounds of the footsteps are.

Although both Matt Damon and Casey Afflect dont really talk that much throughout the film, i think they used their presence and situation to really do all they could with their characters. To me the characters are very diverse and interesting, and i have to say that i think that Casey Affleck has very much been underrated, but hopefully will get more attention, although after the release of Gone Baby Gone and The Assanation of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford people have recognised him more and more. He is an amazing actor in my opinion.

anyways i like this film but at times it is hard to keep concentrating, but give it a go.

Elephant (2003)

{ June 23, 2008 @ 12:58 am } · { Movies }
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Elephant:

The movie starts as a car has a hard time driving straight down the road in a residential area. We think some kid has stolen this car. Nah. It’s the dad driving his son to school, and he’s drunk. The teenage son must take over. So, adults give up all responsibility towards their children and mayhem can take place. The film shows one day in the life of several teenage students as they go in and out of classes. They live their student lives and we follow their steps through the corridors and doors, taking them as guides one by one, like avatars in a giant video game.

On April 20th 1999, two highschool boys carried a daunting arsenel of weapons harnessed with military web gear into Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, and gunned down thirteen students. Gruesome though it was, the incident was just one of eight fatal high school shootings between 1997 and 1999. These traumatizing events began a debate about what was wrong with the nation’s youth, an issue that is the subject of Gus Van Sant’s Elephant.

Elephant was the winner of the Golden Palm at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival, Elephant is a brilliant and deeply affecting film that makes a corageous attempt to grasp today’s youth. Van Sant shows us all the surface rituals: the girl cheerleaders, boys playing football, hallways lined with lockers,  the academic discussions, yet an ineffable feeling of loneliness pervades. The picture features impeccable acting by a group of non-professionals from the Portland, Oregon area. Each character is introduced separately and we see them going about their business on a seemingly ordinary school day. The steadicam-tracking camera follows them as they walk through the sterile halls that seem endless. The school appears without life — a place where one feels a desperate sense of loss.

All the characters are completely diverse from one another, We see John (John Robinson), a blonde-haired surfer type, take over the driving from his father who has had too much to drink, then get called to task by an administrator for being late for school. Eli (Elias McConnell) is a photographer who asks classmates, including John, to pose for pictures. Football player Jordan (Jordan Taylor) meets his girlfriend Carrie (Carrie Finklea) for lunch. Three friends Nicole (Nicole George), Brittany (Brittany Mountain), and Acadia (Alicia Miles) gossip and argue about who is whose best friend. Michelle (Kristen Hicks) refuses to wear shorts, is admonished by her teacher, and then goes to work in the library. The paths of these students crisscross throughout the film and each has their own destiny to fulfill when the violence erupts.

The main protagonists, Alex (Alex Frost) and Eric (Eric Deulen) are modeled after Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold of Columbine. When we first meet Alex, he is being shunned by his fellow students, called names and pelted with spitballs in science class. Alex is more outgoing and creative, Eric more passive, but their personalities complement each other. Alex and Eric wait at home until a strange package arrives in the mail while Alex plays Beethoven’s “Fur Elise” on the piano. When they return to school, they are dressed in combat gear and ready to kill.

Rather than giving us pat answers, Van Sant bases his approach on the elusiveness of truth, and our insatiable desire to know more. The imagery and camerawork are almost painfully beautiful, while the disconnected narrative deliberately withholds closure. On top of all this, the pacing is superb, slowly building up the almost unbearable tension. When it is finally released, the explosion hits you with a frightening energy that is as unforgettable as it is chilling.

I think anyone should watch this, but i must warn people that it is quite confronting, i watched it twice and i think it is a amazingly brilliant film.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008)

{ June 11, 2008 @ 10:12 am } · { Movies }
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The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian:

The four Pevensie children return to Narnia, only to discover that hundreds of years have passed since they ruled there, and the evil King Miraz has taken charge. With the help of a heroic mouse called Reepicheep, and the exiled heir to the throne, Prince Caspian, they set out to overthrow the King, once again with Aslan’s help.

I got to see this film for the first time on saturday 7th with my friend and her family and i thought it was an amazingly mature and dark sequel to 2005’s The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe. From the moment the film began i was immediatly engaged and interested.

The film starts off with a group called the Telmarines who have invaded and taken over narnia, wiping out loads of old narnian creatures. As it happens the Pevensie children, Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edmund (Skander Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) are summoned to Narnia to help out Caspian and the Narnians.

I think what blew me away the most was how much the actors have stepped up to the plate in this instalement, they were great to watch in the first film, but in this one they have really fulfilled their roles to every degree and have matured. All four of the Pevensie kids, just like the last time, add the right amount of drama and humour to their respective roles. It is hard for me personally to admire a certain character in this movie because i enjoy all 4 of the Pevensie’s in different ways, but i particularly enjoyed Georgie Henley as Lucy, she has really matured as an actor and as her character in every way, I also really enjoyed William Moseley as Peter but he has been a favourite character of mine since the first one, I really enjoy him as a character because he is really the leader of the siblings and i guess you could say the protector and ive always admired that about his character and the way William portrays him. But like i said all the actors really stepped up and matured in their characters and in their incredible acting. I think what gets to me the most is the fact that these actors have to act to nothing most of the time, with all the animated characters, I think this must be an incredibly difficult part of the acting and this for me is why i think their acting is so well done.

I must mention the new worthy addition to the cast, Ben Barnes as Prince Caspian. He acts like a courageous and brave prince born to lead an army. I think this role is an incredible breakout for him. Also worth mentioning is King Miraz played by Sergio Castellito, a great villian since Tilda Swinton, as for a few cameo appearances you should also look out for, the performances are amazing.

The other outstanding details I loved, yet again in this sequel was the Cinematography, The Production Design and the Visual Effects. The shots were amazing and lavish. The Long shots were great and New Zealand yet again was a great place to film. The locations are outstanding, very vibrant. And of course the Visual Effects, those everlasting details add another level entirely. I think a lot of people will appreciate all of this coming together, I know I did.

The action and Battle Scenes feel very much like a stand to something no one can win. At moments I would be cringing at the action and then the next I would be laughing, its a mix of drama and humour, like i said earliar. It is filled with dark themes and more mature elements. When thinking back I think hey the first one was really good, but then I think Prince Caspian was really good also. To be honest I really think this film was better than the first, much more mature.

All I can say is, go and see it, you wont be dissapointed.

“For Narnia and for Aslan” – Peter Pevensie.