Helly's Film Take- The Social Network

You would have to have been living under a rock for the last five years to not know what Facebook is. But what most people don't know is the full story of it's creation and the controversy surrounding it's founder, the enigmatic Mark Zuckerberg. I knew tid bits of information from an article I had read in Rolling Stone but I certainly wouldn't have been able to guess just how deep the rabbit hole goes on this topic.

From the very first scene, this movie ignites your intrigue and propels forth, never loosing it's momentum. The dialogue is sharp and punchy but still believable as some of the characters in this film are quite literally geniuses, so naturally they would have an incredible grasp of language. The cuts between the live action and impending law suit scenes really help build your anticipation for the unfolding events, whereas usually so much talking could easily bore an audience.  One of my favourite lines of dialogue comes at the end of the first scene and is delivered by Erica Albright (Mark Zuckerberg's irate girlfriend) -

' Mark, for the rest of your life you're going to think that girl's don't like you because you're a nerd. But I'm telling you right now that it's because you're an asshole!'

The performances in this film are extraordinary. Some of the characters (the Winklevoss' for example) seem  larger than life but it's almost a symbolism for the on-line exaggerated personas that people create for themselves. I know that some of my actor friends were not too thrilled to see Justin Timberlake appear in this movie and think they should have given the role to a real actor. But I have to say that it was perfect casting if you think about the thought process behind it. Fincher and Sorkin clearly wanted to capture the essence of Sean Parker- rebellious, cocky, magnetic...basically a rock star. So why not cast an actual rock star to portray him?! Timberlake oozes charisma as Sean Parker and it's easy to see how the Zuckerberg character could fall under his spell.  Jesse Eisenberg is used to using his awkwardness to endear an audience, the difference here is that his awkwardness manifests itself in such a way that makes it hard for his character to know how to behave in social situations and he's often not very likable (I mean this in a good way.) Still, one can't help but admire Zuckerberg's ambition and extreme intelligence  and he definitely wins you over in the final scene, when you see maybe a hint of regret in his eyes as despite everything, he still wants to just have a friend.

Even if you are the person I mentioned at the top of the page who's been living under a rock and have no idea what facebook is (or just have no interest in it for whatever reason) the themes present in this movie such as friendship, class, betrayal and greed are elemental in creating solid drama and are as old as the dawn of time.

'You don't get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies.' That says it all...

Helly's Video View

Firstly, I must sincerely apologise for the tardiness of this post and to make up for it I'm going to do a video view extravaganza! The following is going to be mini reviews of the four films I have watched in the last two weeks, so I hope you enjoy.

Swingers


Written by John Favreau, it is a semi-autobiographical account of his experiences from when he was first starting out in LA, but this becomes more of a backdrop of the film and we soon discover that the film's larger theme is about relationships and dealing with break ups.

It stars Vince Vaughn in the performance that defined his career and he doesn't miss a beat as the suave,slightly obnoxious, swingin' bachelor. John Favreau also does a great job and in many ways his poignant performance is what gives the film heart.

This film has some truly great moments including the scene with John Favreau leaving the multiple answering machine messages, it's so painfully desperate that you're heart just goes out to the poor guy.  The  pep talk that Vince Vaughn gives Favreau when he's trying to help him pick up women is truly hilarious, so hilarious in fact that you just have to watch it-  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODjE-_OB3JI. I also love the swing dance number with Heather Graham towards to the end, they have a sizzling chemistry which is quite unexpected.

The film has a very raw quality and you can definitely tell that it has influenced other films and possibly even TV shows such as Entourage. The film is insanely quotable, the two most famous quotes probably being 'You're so money' and 'Vegas baby Vegas!'. It's a very enjoyable, rough little gem of a movie.

The Village


This film from M. Night Shymalan seems to divide audiences, people either love it or hate it, no one seems to sit in the middle which is why I was very keen to see it. In the interest of full disclosure I should say that I had somehow already heard what the 'twist' was but I only had a vague idea and I tried to just watch the movie unfold and not think too far ahead.

I think that some of the contempt that people feel towards this film comes from the fact that it was marketed entirely the wrong way.  People thought they were in store for a spine tingling thriller and hence were disappointed when this didn't turn out to be the case. The film is still quite suspenseful but for me I would classify this film as more of an un-conventional love story over anything else.

Bryce Dallas Howard gives an incredible performance as the heroine Ivy Walker. Her blindness may seem like just a gimmick at first but Howard's charm and commitment to the role make for a fully realised and unique character. Joaquin Phoenix has surprisingly little screen time but really manages to establish his character in the time he has been given and the film really needs that as the love story is what everything hinges on.

I appreciated this film's truly original concept and it's enthralling performances and think that it gets far too much negative criticism.

A Fish Called Wanda 

This is another one pulled from my vault of all time favourite movies and I had the pleasure of re-visiting it last week. As you may have worked out it seems that most of my 'all time favourite movies' tend to be fairly light hearted comedies and I guess the reason for this is that they tend to be the most re-watchable as they're just so much fun! This film echoes that sentiment exactly as I've watched it countless times ever since I was a youngster (which I realise now might not have been entirely appropriate!) and it still manages to make me laugh every time.

Written by and starring John Cleese, this film retains that Monty Python brand of silly, British humour.  The comedy is quite big and may not be everyone's cup of tea but I think what I like most about this film is that it doesn't take itself seriously and acknowledges it's own ridiculousness (the text at the end on the future of all the characters is the perfect example of this.)

In terms of characters you have John Cleese as the uptight barrister, Jamie Lee Curtis as the scheming seductress, Michael Palin as the stuttering animal rights activist and Kevin Kline as the Nietzche spouting former CIA agent. They're all thrown in the pot to simmer together and the end result is a wonderful comedic stew! Kevin Kline is the real stand out and his hilarious performance as the buffoon-ish Otto won him an academy award. My favourite scene in the entire movie has to be when Wanda (Jamie Lee Curtis) finally snaps and unleashes a tirade upon Otto (Kevin Kline) about what an absolute idiot he is.

So if you're a fan of British comedy and you haven't seen this movie than it's about time you gave it a look! Just don't call me stupid...

Remember Me


Okay, so I know at this point you're probably wondering why I bothered with what looks like a C grade teen movie designed for 'Twi-hards' but me and this Cat I know had been informed that it was actually fairly decent so I thought I would at least give it a shot.

We had to stop the movie half way through and watched the rest another day. At the half way point I found that the movie was far from perfect but still quite a promising drama with a great soundtrack. I'm kind of wishing that I'd just left it there as the second part of the film is where things take an overly dramatic turn and there is quite a bizarre plot twist . The problem is that up until this point the film had just been an intimate little drama and the plot twist that happens is so epic that it hasn't earned it and it feels completely out of place. There is a Ghandi quote which is repeated in the film which is 'Whatever you do in life will be insignificant, but it's very important that you do it' so I think that's clearly what they were going for in regards to the plot twist and I understand the sentiment but think it could have been done is a much more subtle way.

The two leads (Robert Pattinson and Emilie de Ravin) far surpassed my expectations and have fantastic chemistry, without which the film would have been much less successful. Robert Pattinson was actually fairly believable as the confused yet endearing Tyler, but at points he became overly dramatic (which I think was more a fault of the writing but he could have easily reigned it in a little.) Emilie de Ravin is enchanting as the impetuous Ally and has an understated sexiness. I liked the character quirk of her eating her dessert before her main course to show that she wants to live life to the fullest and not deprive herself of anything but I thought there could have been more examples of this in her character. Pierce Brosnan is laughably bad as the cold, work-a-holic father and I can't fathom why anyone would cast someone so identifiably British (he was James Bond for cripes sake) in a role that requires them to do a Brooklyn accent!

This film still has more merit than I judged it would from the outset and if nothing else I've learnt from this film to not be such an elitist and to give anything a go.

Helly's Video View- Elizabethtown

I found that this movie had a lot of charming quirks and was set to a great sound track but failed to resonate with me on a deeper level. I think that this film pulled out all the stops in trying to pluck at my heart strings but I was left emotionally unaffected.

On a positive note some of the dialogue is really intriguing and Mr Crowe certainly knows how to wield a phrase (after all he was the man who coined 'you had me at hello'). The specific examples I can think of are all said by Kirsten Dunst's character Claire. In the beginning conversation on the plane that she has with Drew regarding names, he tells her that her father's name is Mitch, she replies cheekily 'so you're a son of a Mitch?' just a simple, clever word play which makes for a flirtatious moment. Later Claire describes herself as an 'ice cream cone' and elaborates this by saying 'I'm a sweet treat that will make you happy and melts in five minutes.' This is such a perfectly succinct way to sum up her character and I suspect is true of their relationship, as I get the impression that they wouldn't last long after the credits roll. I also like some of the subtle character traits like Claire's imaginary photo taking and Drew's collection of last looks.

One of the major reasons that this movie didn't move me the way it was intended to is because the story revolves around the death of Drew's father Mitch and I never got a clear idea of who Mitch was and also of the kind of relationship they had as father and son. The other contributing factor is that I didn't buy the connection between Drew and Claire and why they would be attracted to each other. Or rather why SHE would be attracted to HIM as he has to be one of the most boring protagonist's to ever have appeared on screen, while she conversely is an effervescent breath of fresh air. Even in their first initial phone call they don't seem to be making a real connection, I couldn't hear a conversation going on, all I heard was each character spouting their life philosophies. I don't think that the actors had very great chemistry and subsequently I didn't really care if they ended up together or not, in fact I think it could have been more interesting if they DIDN'T end up together and the gesture of her making the map was just a romantic memory that he would always have. After all she is a fantasy dream girl, so this ending would make sense.

There were some very peculiar scenes which didn't seem to work. There is a scene in the beginning where Orlando Bloom's character is contemplating suicide, but is interrupted by a phone call in his sister and he says (with his voice cracking) 'Could you call back later?!' I think they should have decided if that scene was intended to be either dramatic or comedic as trying to combine both styles with such a heavy subject matter didn't really work. Later in the movie Drew puts on a video to calm the kids down and there's no other way of saying this, what the hell was it? Did he have this video made specially? How did he know there would be a gang of kids misbehaving? Why would a guy blowing up a house enthrall those kids so much? It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Susan Sarandon's one woman show routine at the end is another bizarre touch.

A word on the performances. I have never been a big fan of Kirsten Dunst ( the only thing I have liked her in previously has been The Virgin Suicides) but I have to concede that she was the saving grace of the film, even if her southern accent is as inconsistent as Sydney weather. Orlando Bloom on the other hand had absolutely no charisma and I think that having to do an American accent was just to big of an obstacle for him to overcome. I think that he was simply mis-cast and I think an actor like Joseph Gordon Levitt would have been able to do more with the role (although he doesn't have the pretty boy looks which it seems they wanted for this character.)

Overall this film has a certain endearing quality but failed in producing something captivating.

My Top 10 Films (Part II: 5-1)

To read Part I, click here.

5. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

From the opening scene of this film, in which FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is jogging through the Virginian woods, I was hooked. The camera follows as she is pulled aside by two agents, and asked to accompany them to meet with her superior. Clarice has the job of interviewing the spine-chillingly intelligent Dr Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a former psychiatrist and cannibal - hoping that he can provide an insight into the FBI's number one wanted serial-killer: "Buffalo Bill". The film won the top 5 academy awards, best picture, director (Jonathan Demme), actor, actress, and screenplay. The mixing of crime and horror genres is probably not something new, but Demme pulls it off with such ease, leaving you hanging on the edge of your seat throughout the entire picture. Hopkins delivers his masterpiece performance, whilst only being on screen for something like 16 minutes (according to wikipedia). Ultimately it is a classic tale of hero vs villain - except in this film, you want the baddy to win.

4. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

SPOILER ALERT
For those who know me well, they know that I love this movie - and how could you not! Personally, it is the greatest action film ever made; as it has some of the most mind-blowing special effects for its time, epic explosions, on top of a story that left me crying in my mothers arms when Arnie was lowered into the steel at the end. James Cameron has got to be one of Hollywood's great directors - a true auteur, Cameron wrote the story of the first two Terminator films and brought them to life. In my eyes, T2 is just a continuation of the story that Cameron showed us in the awesome The Terminator (1984) - featuring my favourite line in cinema history. It is when Kyle Reese (Michael Biehn) first meets Sarah Connor (Linda Hamilton) as she is being confronted by death robot T-800 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) - lying on the ground of the 80s disco hall 'Tech Noir', she looks up to the charming saviour as he lends her his hand as he offers, "Come with me if you want to live". That line is so poetic it makes me shiver. T2 in many ways copies a lot of the gimmicks from the first film, but most of these are what the terminators do - such as when Arnie says the aforementioned line. In saying that, T2 goes beyond what was possible in The Terminator, introducing a superior killing machine, T-1000 (Robert Patrick), sent back in time to kill John Connor (Edward Furlong) before he can lead the human resistance against the machines. The T-800 was also sent back, after future John reprogrammed it to protect he and his mother from the slick newer model. Basically, this movie fucking rules, and if you haven't seen it - shame on you.

Bond leaning on his Aston Martin DB5

3. Goldfinger (1964)

Ah James Bond, I love you. There is no other character as cool and collected as Bond - to read about my love for him, click here. When I first saw this I was probably about 8 years old, and as a child didn't understand everything that was happening. I re-watched it a couple of weeks ago with my dad (another member of the Bond fan-club), and I realised that this film is so well written, with such a complex plot that I wondered how I ever enjoyed it as youngster. So to have a film that is just as enjoyable, whether you're 8, 24 or 54, is a testament to the power of Goldfinger.  I won't give too much of the plot away, but it tells the typical Bond story of a villain, in this case Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) trying to employ some ridiculous scheme to become extremely powerful and rich. There are also of course bond girls, with Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) being one of the more memorable notches on Bond's belt. And then there's Sean Connery, who is by far the actor (out of those to play Bond - 6 to be precise) that is able to achieve a level of suaveness that the others lack.

2. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

SPOILER ALERT
In an essay by film critic Roger Ebert, he postulated that 2001 could very well be a silent film, as it only uses dialogue (the first piece coming at the 25 minute mark) as plot cues for the viewer to follow the story - I couldn't agree with him more. Visuals and music are the true heroes of this film, the other being us. We are the ones that are watching the movie, and partaking in this evolutionary journey that Stanley Kubrick takes us on. From the opening scene in which we hear classical music from Richard Strauss's Thus Spake Zarathustra, showing the Earth, Moon and Sun in perfect alignment - to the Star Child looking over the Earth with the same tune, we are transfixed on the the events that are unfolding before us. The film opens with the 'Dawn of Man', showing apes sitting around a water hole drinking. A leopard kills one of them. The next day a black monolith appears, with perfect edges and a shiny surface, obviously not from nature. The apes go ape over it, creeping up to touch it and quickly backing away. The next day we see an ape sitting next to some bones, looking at them, thinking, learning. It picks one of them up and starts to move it from side-to-side, increasing the force of the movements, and eventually bashing it into the ground with great power; these scenes being inter-spliced with animals falling dead - they had learned to kill. Cut to the year 2001 and we see a space craft moving through the universe. The majority of the film takes place on the spaceship Discovery, as Dave Bowman (Keir Dullea) along with one awake crew member, 3 in hibernation, and one on-board computer (HAL 9000), are on a mission to Jupiter. Even though there's not much dialogue, I think the best is between HAL and Dave; from playing chess to discussing a broken(?) part of the ship. We learn along with Dave that HAL is not to be trusted from a human point of view, and therefore must be disconnected. As Dave is disconnecting HAL, a pre-recorded video is played explaining that 18 months earlier another black monolith was found on the surface of the moon (which we saw), that was 'unexplainable' except for a beam of radiation directed towards Jupiter. The film ends with the memorable 'star gate' sequence in which Dave is taken through a wormhole somewhere beyond Jupiter, and ending up in an antique room only to watch himself decay into an old man. The last scene shows a third monolith, this time in Dave's bedroom, and as he reaches for it Kubrick cuts to the famous Star Child in a bubble. But what does it all mean??? I think when people say, "Did you get it?", in regards to a film, there are two ways you can take it. The first is understanding the plot, which is one thing; the second is to understand the themes and to interpret them however you wish. I do understand the plot, as I've seen 2001 a few times. As far as the themes go; evolution, time travel, aliens - a discussion of those goes beyond this top 10 list. In saying that, next time you see me, mention this film, and I can talk for hours.

1. Pulp Fiction (1994)

Yolanda: [about to rob a diner] I love you, Pumpkin. 
Ringo: I love you, Honey Bunny. 
Ringo: [Standing up with a gun] All right, everybody be cool, this is a robbery! 
Yolanda: Any of you fucking pricks move, and I'll execute every motherfucking last one of ya! 


I would have to say that whenever I quote a movie, 85% of the time it is from this one. The reason is that this film is just so damn quotable! Quentin Tarantino has a knack for witty and catchy dialogue in his repertoire of films, and his talents are on perfect display in his 1994 Palme d'Or winning masterpiece Pulp Fiction. Tarantino defined his own genre in this film, it combines elements of comedy, drama, noir,  action - all intertwined into a beautiful movie massage. John Travolta made his comeback into "good" films (after a string of camp Look Who's Talking flops), as the gangster Vincent Vega, gaining him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor. Samuel L. Jackson plays Vega's crime equivalent, Jules Winnfield, in a role that pretty much typecast Jackson from that moment on (a typecast he seems to have embraced!). The plot is presented out of chronological sequence, disorientating the viewer whilst drawing them in. When I think about Pulp Fiction it's hard to define why exactly I love it so much, but I guess that's where my love comes from, it is so different to anything I've ever seen. There can be no prequel, no sequel - it is every bit an independent film as it is a Hollywood blockbuster. It is loved by many for being so true to itself and not being in the slightest bit pretentious. Film buffs and occasional movie-watchers fall in love with it's charm for different reasons, meaning that it appeals to the masses whilst still has a cult following. Thank you, Quentin.

- Russell

Helly's Video View- Brothers

I'd seen the trailer for this movie a thousand times as it's on the promotional dvd we play on a continuos loop at work. From the trailer, I thought I knew exactly what this movie was going to be and how everything would play out but because of the actors and Jim Sheridan as director, I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. This movie is further proof that trailers should be ignored as it definitely wasn't the predictable melodrama that the trailer would have you believe, In actuality it is more of an intimate, kitchen sink drama.

I would compare this film to another Natalie Portman film Closer in as much as it's a film which is made for actors and the acting is what takes centre stage over the other filmic elements. And the acting is extraordinary, even if some of the casting seems a little odd. I thought that I would struggle to believe Natalie Portman as a mother as she's so young and pixie-like, but she exudes maternal warmth in this film and she won me over by the end. She should also be commended for a beautifully restrained performance, as there were plenty of opportunities where she could have easily fallen into the trap of playing the hysterical grieving widow. Similarly, Toby Maguire is not the most obvious choice to play a marine (mainly because of his small stature and baby face) but the relentlessness he demonstrates as a soldier lead you to believe that this is a character who is equipped in overcoming huge obstacles and therefore his small frame seems to suit the character. Jake Gyllenhal is the stand out performance for me as the outcast yet charismatic brother. (Spoiler alert) When the children say that they would rather spend time with their Uncle Tommy than their father you can clearly understand why they would say that as his character has an appealing magnetism. The only performance which didn't quite work for me was Sam Sheppard as the father. I think this may have to do with the writing of his character and less to do with his performance. We've seen that bitter war veteran character who's tough on his kids before and I just felt that his character was two dimensional and lacked complexity.

A word about child actors- Even though I am a fan of Anna Paquin's work as an adult, I still can't believe that she won the oscar at nine years old for her role in The Piano. That role didn't require her to act at all, what we saw on screen was just a child, playing a child, she just happened to have a Scottish accent. That is definitely not the case with the two young child actors in this film. In particular, the older daughter needed some serious acting chops to pull of some of the scenes in this movie and I honestly don't know where she pulled it out from! She's so uninhibited and powerful, you would swear that this kid as a wealth of experience behind her. Maybe this also speaks volumes about Jim Sheridan's directing talent as he seems to be able to extract amazing performances out of child actors (I'm referring also to one of his other films In America

There is a dinner table scene in this movie where the tension is palpable and every actor is acutely aware and reacting in the moment. This film is worth watching for this scene alone.

This film is not overladen with story and it's not without it's faults, but if you enjoy watching powerful yet subtle acting than I would recommend you watch this film.

My Top 10 Films (Part I: 10-6)

10. Days of Heaven (1978)


Terrence Malick is a visual master. He may as well be a painter, because the cinematography of his films are the most beautiful I've ever seen; Days of Heaven won an Oscar for Best Cinematography, and it couldn't have gone to a better made picture. The story of the film is simple, a steelworker (Richard Gere) from Chicago gets involved in a murder and flees to a farm in Texas with his girlfriend and sister. There they work for a rich farm owner during a seasonal harvest. The backdrop of the Texas plains is a perfect canvas for the story to unfold, allowing the actors to be like Malick's paintbrush, moving so purposefully across the screen as he so wishes. The ending of this movie is one of the best I've ever seen.

9. Wings of Desire (1987) 

I only saw this movie about a month ago, but it had such an impact on me I knew there would be a re-shuffle of my beloved top 10. The only foreign film in my 10, it is a masterpiece. Three languages are spoken throughout the film, German, French and English - however the film is German. The film begins with a black screen; a child recites poetry in German: "When the child was a child...", reads the subtitles. Wings of Desire is about angels who live in West Berlin (since the beginning of Earth apparently), looking over the world but with no power to interfere, only observe (akin to meditation). The films protagonist, Damiel (Bruno Ganz), falls in love with a French circus performer and desires to become mortal in order to have his turn at seducing her. Throughout the film Damiel and another angel have long scenes together, partaking in philosophical discussions - perfect dialogue. Another cool thing about this movie is the mixing of black and white with colour, showing the balance between life and death, mortal and immortal, human and angel. The 1998 film City of Angels is the remake, and after seeing the original, I don't really want to watch Nicolas Cage (as cool as he is) as Damiel; because if it aint broke, don't fix it.

8. Magnolia (1999)


SPOILER ALERT
Magnolia is my favourite P.T. Anderson film, however that doesn't make his others any less, this one is just my favourite. It features without a doubt the best performance I have ever seen by Tom Cruise, as the son of dying television producer, Earl Partridge (Jason Robards) - who lies at the centre of the film. Anderson is well known for his ensemble casts, and for using the same group of actors pretty consistently throughout his films. Regulars such as Philip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore and John C. Reilly are all fantastic. The film begins with three coincidences all ending in death. Throughout the film the cast cross paths in coincidences of their own, and ultimately leading to the death of Earl. The voice-over explains at the end of the film that perhaps these events (deaths) were not coincidences, but just "a thing that happens" - as Stanley (Jeremy Blackman) says somewhere in the movie. One of my favourite characters is Jimmy (Philip Baker Hall) as the host of a TV show called "What do kids know?", who is, like Earl, dying of cancer. The film is long and complex, but ultimately comes together perfectly, in a nice little bundle.

7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)


The first time I saw this movie I had two conflicting reports. First was from Lee, always a trust-worthy source for film recommendations and hasn't let me down yet; second was from my Mum and Sister - two people who know a good movie when they see it. I later found out that they actually hadn't seen it, but rather turned it off after 15 minutes because it was "boring" and "nothing was happening". After seeing the film I realised that that's the point! The film begins with Joel (Jim Carrey) waiting for a train on a frosty New York morning, supposedly going to work, and quickly (at the last minute) runs across to the other platform to catch a train that is going to the beach. On this train ride he meets (for the first time?) Clementine (Kate Winslet), and it is obviously love at first (or second?, third?) sight. The film brings together two outstanding artists, director Michel Gondry and screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (he won an Oscar for the script). The mixture of Kaufman's mind-bending story with the trippy visuals of Gondry make for a film delight. Elements of science fiction and non-linear narration are used to tell ultimately a story about true love. Some of my favourite actors also appear with 10/10 performances, notably Tom Wilkinson and Mark Ruffalo. Oh, and to top it all off, the movie has David Cross in it, and he gets high, what more could you ask for!

6. Adaptation (2002)


Charlie Kaufman is a genius, period. No other screenwriter has written such thought provoking films in such a short amount of time as this man. Adaptation is the "true" story of Charlie Kaufman (played by Nicolas Cage) trying to adapt the novel, The Orchid Thief, by real life author Susan Orlean (Meryl Streep). In real life, Kaufman was asked to write a screenplay on the novel, however he experienced writers block, so decided to write a screenplay about him adapting the novel into a film. I didn't know that when I first saw it, so it made the film that much more confusing - but that doesn't matter, Spike Jonze is such a good director that you don't need to know anything going in to enjoy it (which is what all movies should strive to achieve). Adaptation features Charlie's non-existent twin brother, Donald (also played by Cage). Donald is an aspiring screenwriter himself, admiring as he is of Charlie, Donald writes a successful slasher film called The Thr3e, which gets picked up by a production company. A side story of the film is about New York Time's writer Orlean, and her meeting with the charismatic John Laroche (Chris Cooper) and her subsequent relationship with him. The novel The Orchid Thief is based on Laroche's character. I love this movie because it has an outstanding script, directed to perfection by Jonze; the acting is superb (Cooper won Best Supporting Actor); and the very fact that it dances with reality so closely that you are not sure whether you are watching a Documentary, Mockumentary, Drama, Comedy or some fusion of all four. The film builds to the third act which explodes in drugs, action and violence - three things that Kaufman/Cage say that you shouldn't do to get cheap thrills - but by putting them in his movie you're not sure whether he just ran out of ideas or he is a genius; I'll go with the latter.


Note: This list is a constant work-in-progress, if I see the greatest movie of all time tomorrow, it can very well go to number 1. That being said, my top 5 hasn't changed in around 5 years - so stay tuned for the next instalment!

To go to Part II, click here.


- Russell

Eden Recommends

We saw three movies in the time we were away and they have all been pretty sweet. The one common theme was that each movie had to be seen without any prior knowledge to get the best impression, so only read the after discussion after you see it.

Also, I think this should be called Eden, Luke and Jay recommend cos we all liked the movies, but I wrote it, so it’s just me.

Inception:


Before you see it: An epic cinematic experience that plays with the unknown concept of dreams and the power and freedom that remains floating in the infinite expanse of our unconscious.

After you see it: This might sound cheesy but the whole viewing experience of Inception for me was like a dream in itself. I knew very little going in, bar the fact that I love the work of Christopher Nolan and Leonardo Dicaprio, and I came out of the cinemas blown away. I was and still am, however, finding it hard to know what to say about it, and harder still to truly piece together what took place –much like a dream ey? I guess if you surrender to the fictional elements of the story then it is very difficult to find fault in the movie. It may be long but, like The Dark Knight, it keeps the viewer engrossed throughout with exceptional pacing. I guess the only complaint could be that it doesn’t seem to address any issues, but then again it is an extremely well made thriller based on an extremely difficult and interesting concept – pure entertainment - so I can’t really complain.

N.B. I have only watched this once and hope to see it again soon...maybe I’ll have a different outlook

Cyrus


Before you see it: A fun and emotional character based indie flick that sticks with you despite a few flaws.

After you see it: I knew even less about this film than Inception, a random stab at an indie film with a cool cast was all it took for us to spend a chilly San Fran night at the cinema. The first fifteen minutes of this movie leads you on to thinking John (John C reilly) and his journey out of a depressive existence will be the focal point of the story. But then you are introduced to Cyrus (Jonah Hill). This is a little off putting but it pays off as he turns out to be another very interesting character. Supported by the forever hot Marissa Tomei the trio have some great chemistry that really clicks on screen. I really enjoyed the way the film spread the funny moments and the dramatic moments, which often catches you off guard but gives the scenes a stronger impact. The most refreshing aspect of the film is the openness of each character. The dialogue helps prevent it from trailing down too many clichéd story arcs, though in the end it does end a little abruptly. Also, at times I found the camera work to be a little odd (I’m no film expert so I don’t really know how to describe it) but it made it hard to believe the illusion of the story telling. This isn’t really a big deal and all in all this is a great little film with great characters, solid script and great acting (especially if you like the actors).

Mr Nobody


Before you see it: A mind bending exploration of the impact of choices, whether our own or others’, that ultimately defines our fate.

After you see it: I had no idea at all what this film was about before seeing it; we saw it on a last minute impulse to find something other than Sorcerer’s Apprentice to watch. This film had an idea it wanted to present and definitely gets the message across. It relates to everyone by dealing with the inevitable occurrence of life altering choices by presented one to a nine year old boy who refuses to make it. A quote perfectly sums up the movie “I couldn’t make a decision without knowing what would happen and after finding out what would happen I still can’t make the decision.” I guess in a way that is why we can’t know the future, because it really wouldn’t help us decide on anything. It was this kind of philosophy in the film that I found most intriguing. It finds a clever way, without seeming forced, to provide interesting information on the nature of space time over the course of the universe and relates that to the much smaller scale of one boy’s life. There are also some cool existential elements dealing with false realities and wondering whether anything really exists. However, the coolest aspect of the movie (a close second place being the soundtrack of original music and remixed old tunes) is the shots and scenes imagined by the director. Some tricky dick film techniques create very impressive visuals and it is easy to feel each emotion that Nemo feels throughout. The only complaints would be that the story is a bit of a mess by the end (although the point is made by that time), and although a very original film in essence it did borrow a little from The Butterfly Effect in my mind.

Anyways as you can see these are all movies that I recommend you see before finding anything out about them. Once you see them come back and discuss.

- Eden

Bond, James Bond

Ever since I was a youngster, I've been mesmerised by the enigma that is James Bond. For the longest running film series in history (the first James Bond film, Dr No. hit the silver screen in 1962) EON productions have been able to consistently put out 22 interesting movies that have stayed true to the character created by the legendary Ian Fleming.

Speaking of Ian Fleming (which I thought I should do considering this blog is sharing my love of his character), he wrote 14 James Bond novels between 1953 and 1964 - all 14 being adapted into film. I've read only one of these tales, Goldfinger, which also happens to be my favourite Bond film (and my third favourite film of all time for those playing at home). A Bond novel is so easy to read, especially if you're a fan of the film-adaptations, creating suspense at every juncture. Fleming died at the age of 56 in August 1964, shortly before the release of the aforementioned Goldfinger.

My favourite actor to play Bond is Sean Connery, partly because he is the original, partly because he is the best actor out of the bunch, and partly because he is so bloody suave (I secretly want to be Connery's Bond). Connery played Bond in 6 films between 1962 and 1971, and 7 if you count the non-EON Never Say Never Again released in 1983. There are so many one-liners that have been said by Connery during this time, but one has stuck in my mind. It is during the first scene of Goldfinger; Bond is busting up a drug-ring somewhere in South America and walks into his room where a naked girl is waiting for him in a bath-tub. As they are embracing each other, Bond sees the reflection of a villain advancing towards him in the girls eyeball (how fucking cool is that!) and turns around and a 60's fight sequence ensues. The villain ends up in the bath-tub, Bond sees a heater on a stool next to the tub and flicks it into the water, electrocuting the villain in the process. Bond stands up, fixes his suit, and quips "Shocking", "Positively shocking".

Somehow the films were able to evolve with the times, whilst remaining amazing. Advancements in technology have meant that Bond's gadgets are always going to be able to do more and more, but somehow a machine that can sketch a villain's face from one viewing by Bond (For Your Eyes Only, 1981) seems simply sensational. The bond girls are also a key feature of all the films, probably because sex sells, but I'd like to think it's because Bond is such a suave mo-fo. When I was a kid, there was one bond girl/ fling in particular
(I say in particular because every Bond girl is sexy) that I had a massive crush on, her name is Lynn-Holly Johnson out of For Your Eyes Only, I was in love with her.

Another theme that resonates in all of the Bond tales, are the villains. Fleming must've had an extremely creative mind to come up with as many villains as he did, in addition to the newer villains that have been created by the writers. My favourite villain is Jaws, the 7 foot plus man-monster with metal teeth. He has appeared in 2 Bond films I believe, The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Moonraker (1979) - however it is the former where he makes a greater impact. But Jaws is no match compared with Bond's archenemy, the megalomaniac supervillain and the Number One of the worldwide criminal organisation SPECTRE (Special Executive for Counter-Intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion), Ernst Stavro Blofeld, appearing in six films.

One last aspect of Bond films that I'll talk about (as I can talk for hours about Bond), are the locations that he visits. Not only are they beautiful on screen, but I've learnt more about geography from Bond films that I did from high school. It has made me want to visit places such as Egypt and India, purely because James Bond went there. The map below shows all of the countries that appeared in the film, as well as the filming locations:

James Bond World Locations

Before I go, there are two more things I would like to discuss. The first is to mention the character of Q, famously played by Desmond Llewelyn. His scene in Goldfinger is one of the best in cinema, a real treat. Q works for MI6, and is the 'gadget guy', he always presents Bond with the latest in gadget goodness and shows Bond the car he will be driving/ blowing stuff up in/ using as a tool to seduce women. Which brings me to my last topic, the cars. From the 1960s/70s British classics such as Aston Martins and Jaguars, to the BMW that he drives in 1997's Tomorrow Never Dies, to the tank (literally) that he drives through the streets of St Petersburg in GoldenEye, they never fail to impress me and millions of viewers around the world.

And just for fun, below are my top 5 Bond films, and yes - I've seen all 22.

1. Goldfinger (1964)
2. Casino Royale (2006)
3. The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
4. Live And Let Die (1973)
5. GoldenEye (1995)

- Russell

Helly's Video View- Elephant

I'm going to say right up top that it's impossible to talk about this movie without giving anything away so if you haven't seen it yet, I would advise you to stop reading now! This Gus Van Sant pic first sparked my interest when one of the hosts of the Filmspotting podcast named it as their favourite film of last decade. Lee also said that it was an unmissable movie.

In typical Lee fashion he told me I was not allowed to read the blurb or the tag line on the front of the dvd case. It was pretty hard to not read the tag line as it was on the front cover. It read 'An ordinary high school day. Except that it's not' which I thought was suitably vague. It's only now that I've seen the movie that I realise how perfect that tag line is.

When the movie first started I thought that it was just an ultra realistic version of the movie American Teen. The film just seemed to be following the everyday lives of high school students, some kids just happened to be more interesting than others. They even had the archetype characters of the jock, the arty kid, the geek girl, the popular girls and the outsider/loners. But then we see an image of two kids walking in to school dressed in camouflage and armed with two massive bags and everything suddenly takes a chilling turn. What's great about that moment is that the shot literally is a flash which made me ask myself 'Did I really just see that?' Which then made me watch the movie more intently to figure out if that moment really had the gravitas that I was giving it... which it definitely did! The film is shot in such an ultra realistic way that you really do feel like you are a student inside that school, running away from the gun men, or even scarier that you ARE the gunmen. I've never admitted this before, but when I was in high school I can remember being conscious of the fact that I never wanted to ruffle anyone's feathers because at the back of my mind I had a secret fear of someone terrorising the school Columbine style and I didn't want to be made a target. In other words I wanted to be the blonde kid in the movie. So the experience of seeing this movie was like watching my worst fear being played out in front of me and I was paralysed to stop it. I love the ambiguity of the ending also. It's not like we're watching a news broadcast of this event, we don't get to know the repercussions for the killers which is an uneasy feeling to be left with.

The film is so cleverly shot, manipulating the concepts of time and perspective. At first you think you are watching the same scene again and then you realise you are watching the scene from the character that was perhaps running by at that moment or in the background.

Gus Van Sant employed real high school kids for this film just as he did with one of his later films, Paranoid Park. This approach of using 'real people' is extremely effective, for the most part. But it can also lead to a few hiccups for example one of the 'popular girls' is very stereotypical and over the top in her mannerisms and facial expressions. She's essentially 'acting' too much which negates the whole purpose of using real people. This is also the case with a similar character in Paranoid Park (the girlfriend character if you remember). But such things can easily be forgiven by the sheer boldness and bravery it must take in using such an unusual technique.

This film is not for the faint of heart, but is truly a work of art.

 - Helly

Easy Rider

 Things I love about Dennis Hopper's film, Easy Rider.

 - Captain America, Billy and George smoking pot around the fire and talking about aliens. Basically watching George open up and see both sides.

- George on the bike. Too funny.

 - The music.

 - The acid trip.

 - The idea that we can always move forward and go somewhere new.

 - The restaurant scene.

 - Trying to work out the line, "We blew it."

 - Learning that society doesn't rule us, but it's something to overcome.

 - How cool Billy the Kid and Captain America look, and the fact that if they want to call themselves that, then they can.

 - Lee

Helly's Film Take and Video View

Hey Guys! Welcome to my new weekly film segment. I won't technically be 'reviewing' films as that implies some sort of rating system and is usually urging you to see a film or not see it. I will simply be giving my opinion of a film and analysing it. Feel free to post your opinion also! The blog will always fall into one of these categories- 'Helly's Film Take' or 'Helly's Video View'. Film Take is where I will talk about a film currently playing in a cinema. Video View will be for movies I've recently watched on dvd (not necessarily current.) I tend to be fairly succinct in what I say, so I may sometimes just write a few paragraphs, not an entire essay. As this is the first edition it will be a double feature, I hope you enjoy!


How to Train Your Dragon

It definitely is no secret now that the realm of animation is not strictly for kids (despite what some of my pretentious actor friends might say.) Pixar seems to have dominated when it comes to animated film in the last few years but this picture shows that Dream Works are potentially becoming serious competition for Pixar.

I hadn't heard of Dragon until Lee suggested we see it the other week. I caught a glimpse of the poster on the way in and gave Lee a sceptical look. But I then sat back and was treated to two hours of viking verility! (Not sure if that really makes sense but I love alliteration he he.) What I like most about this film (as with last years Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs number 5 on my top 10 list for those of you playing at home), is the new transition that animated films making by employing the 'anti-hero'. A character who does not have the stereotypical qualities of a hero (eg. Good looks, bulging biceps,etc.) and who is often an outcast or underdog is the one who inevitably ends up saving the day. This not only makes them a more interesting hero, but enriches the plot overall and sends a much better message to children. It sounds a bit trite I know but I think that teaching kids about the value of individuality and difference is a good thing. This reminds me of a line that Glinda the good witch of the North says in The Wizard of Oz, when she informs Dorothy that '...only bad witches are ugly'. What kind of message is that sending?! But I digress...

All the characters were perfectly matched to the actors who voiced them including Jay Bucharel, Gerard Butler, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Kristin Wig to name a few. Having watched Jay Bucharel in Undeclared which was made ten years ago, it's great to see that his career is taking of as I particularly like his brand of awkward comedy.

The relationship between Hiccup and Toothless is reminiscent of relationships such as Elliot and E.T. and Hogart and the Iron Giant. A misunderstood creature is discovered by a child and a sweet, poignant friendship ensues. All in all a great movie and I know I said that the purpose of this blog wasn't to persuade you to see films but...SEE IT!


Mulholland Drive

This is a movie I have been hearing about for a while and because it was placed in lots of 'top 10 films of the decade' lists last year, I thought I should probably check it out.

Now I hate it when people use the the term 'over rated' when they're referring to a film (or any piece of art for that matter). As personally I believe that your opinion should be just that YOUR opinion and not based on what the general public thinks. So I won't say that Mulholland Drive is over rated but rather I feel that people think they will appear stupid or ignorant if they admit that they didn't really like it. An Emperor's new clothes kind of deal.

I don't want to just throw my hands up in the air and say 'I don't get it' but I honestly don't know if you can classify that footage as a movie in the conventional sense. In the beginning I thought it was a little strange but that everything would probably make more sense at the end (like Memento), but I had no such luck. Forty five minutes from the end the movie descended into total and utter madness. It may sound harsh to equate it to a student film, but that's exactly what it reminded me of. Just a collection of images and concepts, totally unrelated to each other, strung together in order to make people believe that they are viewing something profound. A car crash, Crying over you being sung in a creepy theatre in Spanish, a 1960's movie set and some lesbianism thrown in there for good measure.

A positive I will say about the film ( as I generally like to be a glass half full kind of gal) is that there is a scene in the movie which taught me a lot about acting. Naomi Watts' character is auditioning for a really badly written suspense/thriller movie. In an earlier scene she is rehearsing for the audition in the way that the script would suggest that the scene should be played and it's terrible. When she goes in for the audition, she is told to play the scene in a really close proximity to the other actor and this changes the entire context of the scene. The dialogue is still terrible, but the dynamics and subtext in the scene transform into something captivating. It was a perfect acting example of thinking outside the box and not going for the most obvious choice. So that is something that will definitely stay with me from this film.

I know that this film is beloved by many so please post your comments and tell me the reasons why I am totally wrong about this film!

-Helly

Kenneth Anger

"It's time that Kenneth Anger's work became more available, because he is, without a doubt, one of our greatest artists" - Martin Scorsese

Saturday 5 August 2006 – it was a beautiful warm summer’s day in Santa Monica. I had just returned from a bicycle ride from Santa Monica Pier to Venice Beach and back, and was enjoying a cold beer at the hostel in which I was lodged. It was then that I met a guy from London (his name I cannot recall) - an event that would lead me to discover one of the most powerful and original film-makers of the 20th Century.

As we got past the usual get-to-know-you chit-chat, it was evident that we had similar interests. You see at the time, he was studying at Cambridge Film School, a fact that made me instantly interested in his affairs. Like me, he was travelling California by himself, and as I didn't have plans for the evening I inquired in his - "I'm going to UCLA to see a presentation of films by an Avant-Garde director called Kenneth Anger; and he'll be there in person to introduce the restored versions of a selection of his films over the past 50 years", he explained.

So after I invited myself to his adventure, we caught the bus over to UCLA, grabbed some burgers, and bought our tickets. The old theatre was buzzing with anticipation, not only because Anger was in attendance, but as my new-found-friend informed me, Anger's films had never before been widely available as they were in such poor condition for many decades. Therefore these restored versions were very-much sought after.

We saw around 4-5 short films, each introduced by Anger. The way that he described the themes and motifs within each film was intoxicating. The style was so new to me, I hadn't seen much independent cinema at that stage of my life and the images were giving my eyes an orgasmic experience. His use of pop-music and stylised shock sequences surely have influenced the modern-day music video. Furthermore, Anger's interest in the occult and homoerotic images makes the films so unique, so wonderful.

I left the theatre with a deep appreciation for Avant-Garde and experimentalist film-making, and a great desire to seek out more. David Lynch is a product and innovator in this respect, and since my Anger experience my love for his films has grown.

Around 6 months after that night, The Films of Kenneth Anger Vol. 1 were released on DVD, after the UCLA Film & Television Archive transferred Anger's Magick Lantern Cyle films (his key films) to digital. I immediately jumped on Amazon and made my purchase – and now own both Vols. 1 & 2, ready for my viewing pleasure whenever I so desire.

Embedded below is one of the films I saw that night. It is only 3 mins 26 secs long, as Anger did not finish. The images remind me of something the Coen's would make - such as the opening sequence of The Big Lebowski.

kustom kar kommandos (1965):




- Russell

Dean's Top 10

Hello people, Dean here. You’ve probably heard my name whispered around campfires and read all about the conspiracy theories which doubt my existence. But I assure you I exist and I am here to deliver my top 10 movies of the year. Enjoy!

10. Fantastic Mr Fox
I’ve never been the biggest Wes Anderson fan but this movie sucked me in completely. The quirky humour, the nostalgic animation style and the brilliant voice cast all worked together to make this one of my unexpected favourites of the year.

9. Up
I never cry in movies. Ever. Maybe because I’m super macho or maybe it’s because I’m a heartless robot, either way, nothing gets by my invincible barrier of non-emotion. So it came as somewhat of a surprise when I was blubbering like a schoolgirl within the first 10 minutes of UP. After delivering this emotional sucker punch, UP went on to be both heart-warming and hilarious all the while featuring rich characters and beautiful visuals.

8. The Hurt Locker
Intense. That’s the one word which sums The Hurt Locker up nicely. Broken down, the film is basically one intense situation after another with very little down time in between. The movie genuinely puts you in amongst the action and makes you feel every moment of dread and confusion these soldiers feel. Did I mention it was intense?

7. Coraline
While UP may have warmed my heart, Coraline connected with my love for all things dark and creepy. For what is essentially a kid’s movie, Coraline is one dark puppy. It’s not often you see a ‘kids’ movie which features an Easter egg hunt for the eyes of dead children. Damn that sounds messed up.
Wildly imaginative and sometimes disturbing, Coraline was my favourite animated film of the year hands down.
This is so the kind of movie I’m going to be taking my kids to see one day.


6. Watchmen
Greatest. Credit. Sequence. EVAR!
Now with that out of the way, Watchmen was an amazing experience. A deep and intellectual superhero film, which focused on, the flawed characters rather than epic set pieces. It manages to remain mostly faithful to the brilliant original source material while omitting very little from it.

5. District 9
Nothing says good times quite like exploding bodies; well that’s what I took away from District 9 anyway. Imaginative and exciting, District 9 contains a far more interesting and engaging story within its first 5 minutes than most movies have to offer over their entire running time.

4. Pontypool
Now here’s an awesome little flick I urge everyone to seek out. A sort-of-but-not-really-zombie-film set entirely within the confines of a small town’s radio station. To say anything else would take away from the surprises it has in store so all I’ll say is that this is one of the most unusual and original films I’ve seen for a long while. Check it out!

3. Zombieland
Here’s a simple equation I came up with; Zombieland = Good Time. It’s that simple.
Zombieland entertained the pants off me (literally) and left me with a big goofy grin plastered to my face from start to finish.

2. Drag Me To Hell
Sam Raimi’s return to horror was well worth the wait. I’m not going to lie, I had my doubts going in, but they were soon swept aside. Featuring some of the craziest and most memorable scenes in any movie I saw all year, Drag Me To Hell is straight up fun. Subtlety goes out the window early on as the film launches a full frontal attack of craziness to keep you entertained. The amount of times I blurted out ‘WHAT?’ while laughing my ass off is beyond me. After all, this is a movie which features a talking goat and a river dancing ghost in the same scene.

1. Inglourious Basterds
It’s not often a film not only lives up to your expectations but actually surpasses them, but that was exactly what I experienced with Basterds. The 2 ½ hour run time flew by and I loved every moment of it. My only complaint, now I have to wait who knows how long until Tarantino makes his next film (sad face).

Dogman's Top 10

Here can be found the forth 'Top Ten' list. Since when did this site turn into a bunch of lists? Oh well, they're easy. Like your Mum. I didn't seriously do that? OMG I did... epic failing of ruzzley proportions. Anyway, here is my Top Ten, slightly revised from Oscar day to represent more closely what I really think. Behold:

10. Coraline
Watched it in 2D at first, illegally, ‘twas ok. Then I saw it in 3D! It really is a good little story and it’s so lovingly hand-made it’s hard not to be impressed by it. They didn’t use a stereoscopic camera for this, each frame was setup, then *click* - move the camera slightly to the side - *click*. Beautiful.

9. I Love You, Man
Firstly I’d like to say Rashida Jones gives me wood. Now, aside from how funny this movie is, it showed me something that I was afraid I would become at one point in my life. It was confronting for me. Oh, I loved all the bits with Rush!

8. The Hangover
Seriously, fuck, how funny is this film? “Leslie Chow”, who thought of that? It’s honestly the funniest name I’ve ever heard. I should point out this movie is also an extremely clever detective story.

7. Zombieland
I saw the trailer for this and thought it looked shit. Dean loved it. So I got around to seeing it and man… I was not disappointed. Left 4 Dead turned into a movie. Well Zombie-wise anyway. Awesome!

6. District 9
One of my most anticipated movies of the year and it did not fail to impress me. A purposeful allegory that works on every level. It shows the hypocrisy of humanity in a new way and entertains the shit out of you at the same time. There is no other film maker that excites me more than Neill Blomkamp. What will he do next?

5. Inglourious Basterds
ROFL. How it is that someone is able to write dialogue the way Tarantino does astounds me. Insanely engaging. You know what? If you’re one of those people who are all like “Ohhhhhh I don’t like Tarantino films” and “Inglorious Bastards was shit boo hoo hoo”… I feel sorry for you more than anything. Your loss.

4. Watchmen
Like Sin City this movie is faithful to the source. The story is unlike any other and oozes a style that I just can’t get enough of. I’ve only seen the theatrical cut, which was awesome but I hear the directors cut is where it’s at. If you don’t like this film it means you’re not very smart and don’t appreciate film or life in general.

3. Avatar
Hyped up, talked down upon, yet 3 months and 2.6 billion USD later here it is at my number 3. Quite an honour, right? I love 3D. I love you James Cameron. I wanna fuck a Na’vi.

2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
YES! Never have I been let down by a Potter film. The Potter universe was imagined perfectly yet again (gets better every time actually). Hermione is getting even hotter, Gambon is getting even more wizardly and wise, and Radcliffe is perfect as Potter. The next two movies are going to be incredible, and here’s a prediction people – they’ll make around 3 billion dollars (collectively).

1. Up
Cried like a baby for the first 20mins. Then I laughed, I was in awe and then cried some more. I like it when a movie makes me feel like this, it’s so rare. This movie made me feel love - the core of humanity.


Wow... I saw some great movies this year!

- Dogman

Russell's Top 10 of 2009

10. Terminator Salvation - I must say as a fan that a Terminator movie being released after T2:Judgement Day is very ambitious, however I did enjoy the fresh take on the story that McG discoverd in this film. Great action scenes and cool FX. An entertaining adventure.

9. The Hangover - Damn, I gotta go to Vegas! Zach Galifianakis is king in this movie, transforming his quirky stand-up presence onto the silver screen very effectively. I enjoyed how the movie started with the "hangover", and worked backwards, automatically placing the viewer in the same state of mind as the characters.

8. Up - Made me a kid again. This was one of the first movies that I saw in 3d - roping me into the story from the opening scene. Pixar is building a long list of classic films - I'm eagerly awaiting the next.

7. Where the Wild Things Are - Ever since I saw the trailer to this film the excitement started to build. To me, the hype surrounding its release didn't affect my viewing experience, because I had this book read to me every night before bed when I was 7, so the hype's been building for a while. Spike Jonze somehow brought these characters to the big screen with no/little special effects - and the backdrop of the South Australian coast/dunes made the fantasy even more real.

6. Up in the Air - When I grow up, I want to be George Clooney. I was pretty excited to see this movie after enjoying Juno so much, and Reitman delivered on both script and film. It made me appreciate life and all it's worth - that's a good enough reason for number 6.

5. A Serious Man - Oh boy, what a movie experience this was. To me the Coens are up there with the best in making quality films. Every one of theirs I have seen has evoked so much mixed feelings, and none more so than A Serious Man. I think everyone identifies with Larry, a confused everyman asking questions to which there can be no answer.

4. Shutter Island - I don't want to give too much away, so I won't. Leo and Ruffalo are top notch. Just watch this movie if you haven't already. Scorsese is the man.

3. District 9 - My heart was pounding from the get-go. Blomkamp somehow made you feel love for the ugly alien creatures through the infiltration of Wickus into their domain. The blatent reference to apartheid was used effectively to evoke emotion from the viewer, while at the same time raising awareness of its existence to the broad public with a kick-ass movie.

2. Avatar - This 2 and a half hour roller-coaster is the ultimate fantasy. The story is so simple, yet it makes me think about life and love so much more than if a Michael Bay made this film. The 3d is so freakin awesome as well - it's strange to think that it won an oscar for cinematography, but I think all you need to do is watch this again and you'll realise why.

1. Inglorious Basterds - I wish that I could shrink Quentin Tarantino, put him in my pocket, and make him write everything that comes out of my mouth - if I could do that, I would be the coolest motherfucker out. I'm not sure how he did it but the script in this movie is perfect - the words spoken by the actors put a big fat smile on my face. QT was lucky to have such an awesome cast as well, both Waltz and Pitt delivered their lines with such gusto - especially Waltz. The opening scene is probably my favourite - when the "Jew Hunter" downs the glass of milk.. cinema gold.

- Russell

Eden's Top 10

10. Where the Wild Things Are – The hype didn’t help but this film still delivers on capturing the imaginations and confusions of childhood.

9. Hurt Locker – Intense! The tensions of life and death situations in war torn Iraq are portrayed with chilling realism. I’m never joining the army…

8. Anvil – Real life Spinal Tap. This doco is as much about human spirit and being true to one’s passions as it is about the funny fortunes of a forgotten hair metal band that never gave up the dream.

7. Inglorious Basterds – Tarantino gives his unique view of the world once again with this masterpiece. Tensions rise in each slow burning scene before letting the viewer relax for only a moment before the next one lights up the theatre.

6. Avatar – An amazing cinematic experience. One to tell the grandkids about.

5. Zombieland – An unexpected gem. Uses a tired genre, boy meets girl and odd couple clichés, and predictable story arcs yet this film has limitless charm and perfect casting to put a fresh spin on all the old storytelling tricks.

4. Hangover – Insanely funny movie. Brought Zach Galifianakis to the mainstream and he delivered. Full of great one liners and moments with a storyline that takes the characters and audience on a rollercoaster ride around Vegas.

3. A Serious Man – I think I will be forever intrigued by this film. The Coens seem faultless as they continue to break all the rules of cinema. This story is about so many things and nothing at the same time. It raises the eternal question and gives us all the answers we don’t want to believe.

2. District 9 – I don’t know how Neill Blomkamp pulled this one off. With a tiny budget for his epic story he uses a lost alien colony to show us the weaknesses in humanity and the hypocrisies of race and class separation in society. Wickers is an amazing character. I love the fact that it all happens in South Africa, it is so free of the restraints of a Hollywood blockbuster.

1. Up – Never have I felt like a kid this much since, well, I was a kid. The idea is far fetched and childish, as are the characters and creatures and yet the whole movie just made me smile, choke up, get shivers, laugh. It was just so much fun to believe in this movie. All the emotions felt by the good guys in the movie were felt by me. I don’t know how Pixar do it, but I hope they keep doing it.

Lee's Top 10

10. The Hurt Locker - A movie that made me really feel a part of the action. To see what these guys go through wasn't necessarily eye-opening as much as it was a reminder. I was feeling it for days.

9. Inglorious Basterds - Tarantino was in total control while still seeming out of control. He came from behind and delivered big time.

8. The Hangover - As soon as this was over, I wanted to see it again. My mouth was sore after this one.

7. Avatar - Truly balls out entertainment. This is what the movies are all about. 

6. Up - I can't think of many adventure style movies to rival this. I remember thinking about fifteen minutes in that if there were talking animals it wouldn't work. I was wrong. This movie reached my gut.

5. Where The Wild Things Are - This movie sprayed itself all over me. It hit a nerve with me from my childhood and the way I loved to explore things. It captured for me the spirit of believing whatever you want to believe and is connected to the reason I love listening to music. 

4. District 9 - I was gripped from the first second to the last. And I had no idea what to expect at any point which is all too rare. A great conversation starter, you can spend all night with it.

3. A Serious Man - The Coens have made some of my favourite movies and this one lives up to their career of masterpieces. Like alot of my favourite movies, I could try to sum this up in a few sentences but it would sound laborious. The Coens obviously like a challenge and here they pulled it off.

2. Funny People - My love for stand-up and movies collided here to give me one total experience. Yes it's a full load, but I was wanting it to go on forever. Obviously it'll be a while until we see, but I think Apatow might be the new Woody Allen. One thing for sure is that he definitely is the new James L. Brooks, a perfect mix of experimenter and crowd pleaser. 


1. Anvil -  Perseverance, passion and love. That's what this movie is about. And metal. It's also the funniest and most quotable movie of the year. I'll never forget watching this with my best friend, the relatability of what was on the screen not escaping us. Because truly this is about the power of friendship and nothing is more important to me than music and friendship.

Space Camp

When I was five years old I saw an awesome movie about a bunch of kids that go on an airplane that gets taken over by baddies and they have to beat the baddies and take back control of the plane and there's this cool scene where the black kid throws a bomb out of the plane just before it explodes and you watch it blow up in the sky and the sky was black because they were flying at night and then they have to land the plane without any training after they tie up the baddies.

I never saw this movie again but it was without a doubt the most sought after movie of my childhood. Every now and then, I would think of it, wishing I could watch it again. I remember when I was 11 and for christmas my sister got a book listing about every movie you could think of (the publishers of that book must hate IMDB). The first thing I thought when she opened her present was, ohmygod, if it has every movie then it has the kidsintheplanemovie! So I grabbed the humungous alphabetically arranged book and flipped through thinking of every possible title but I needed a first word: kids, plane, bomb... I was out. There was nothing.

Cut to a few weeks ago and I'm flipping through the Foxtel movie channels. I see a movie on the family channel called Space Camp. I keep watching for a bit and I get a weird feeling in my soul. I think this is it. But how could it be the right movie. This movie is about a bunch of kids that go to 'space camp' or something. But alas, as I kept watching I realized that this was the elusive movie that had ingrained itself into my mind for years.

But it wasn't a plane, it was a space shuttle. It wasn't set at night, it was out in space. And I guess they did have some training to land the thing. But the black kid was definitely still black. Oh and one more thing, this 'awesome movie' is almost quite literally a piece of shit.

I always said I'd do anything to see this movie again. But now that I finally did, I know the truth about 'Space Camp' and my memories are tainted forever. Thanks Foxtel, for ruining my childhood.





P.S. That's Joaquin Phoenix in the middle. Apparently he used to go by the name Leaf. Yeh sure dude, Joaquin is heaps better. Faggot.

Alien: An Essay

 

In the spring of 2008, whilst studying at Macquarie University, I undertook an elective entitled Philosophy and Cinema. For the second of two essays that I wrote I chose the 1979 Ridley Scott film, Alien as my topic. The task was to explore how the film philosophises - itself reflecting on and evaluating its own views and arguments, as thinking seriously and systematically about them in just the ways that philosophers do. The essay went a little something like this...

***

As the camera pans across the empty skies of the Universe, piece by piece the letters ALIEN appear from the stars, a stern warning of what’s to come for the viewer. Ridley Scott’s Alien (1979), as Stephen Mulhall describes in On Film , explores our human anxieties concerning embodiment, sexual difference, biological reproduction, and our relationship with nature. Furthermore, this essay will give support to Mulhall’s ‘philosophical reading’ of the film through the use of filmic examples.

The opening sequence of Alien pulls the viewer into the unknown, setting up what looks to be a standard science-fiction film. After the release of Star Wars two years earlier, the underside shot of the Nostromo may suggest a similar film – that of an intergalactic fantasy. The film that ensues however is very different, drawing on techniques found in the horror genre, to produce a nail-biting thriller. 

Cinema with Russell Gill

This film is perfect. Every piece of dialogue floats beautifully on the screen, staying there for just the right amount of time before drifting into the back of the viewer’s eyes and ears. Tarantino made with Pulp Fiction something special. Every actor in this movie does their job with such grace; Ving Rhames' soothing voice, Walken's unforgettable monologue, Travolta's comeback, and Jackson's 'bad motherfucker'. Within each scene lies gripping drama betwixt with pulsating action and hilarious lines.
This film will carry on as not only one of the most memorable films of the 90s, but of all-time.
By far my favourite movie.


Oh what a treat this movie is. Two film-making geniuses come together on one of the most intriguing and warm stories put to screen. Kaufman's script is amazing, blending an inevitable love story with elements of science fiction, and using an unconventional narrative style to do it.
Gondry's ability as a director transforms my psyche.
On top of all that, I reckon the acting in this movie is awesome, not to mention Jon Brion's effective use of music. Definitely recommend watching this, and then watching it again.

I saw this film when I was about 7, and was mesmorised by its appeal. I have seen it many times since and that appeal still sticks with me; and since have noticed that as a film it is a piece of art. Connery plays on Bond's every mannerism to perfection, making you want to be a part of 007's world. James Bond is one of the original film hero's, and the formula works to perfection in Goldfinger.
I mean c'mon… the Aston Martin, Q's scene, Oddjob, the golf scene, Pussy Galore, the one-liners, Felix, and one suave dude named Bond, James Bond.


THE best action movie of all time. Both the first Terminator and T2 provide one of the greatest stories I've ever been told. James Cameron creates a powerful film with T2, not only delivering on groundbreaking special effects, but on drama as well.
I believe that the Terminator story should finish here, with this film. T2 brings everything to the viewer that he/she desires. So please, please watch these movies; they will not disappoint.
"The unknown future rolls toward us. I face it, for the first time, with a sense of hope. Because if a machine, a Terminator, can learn the value of human life, maybe we can too."
- Sarah Connor

Exciting, thrilling, a classic! Well-told story of Hitchcock's wrongfully accused man with a beautiful blonde getting mixed up in the drama. Clever use of 'Northwest' symbols throughout and hidden innuendos. Hitch was one of those directors who was able to make slightly offbeat/ different films, whilst having one foot in the Hollywood door. NbNw is oh so enjoyable.


Mulholland Drive is a film that explores how ones deepest desires (or the inability to achieve those desires) are contrasted with that of pure fantasy. Diane uses fantasy as a way of escaping the reality of her unattainable love for Camilla, as shown by Lynch in the first half of the movie. The fantasy scenes are presented with a clear narrative structure, using a plot of what Lynch calls the perfect mystery, suggesting that we can only experience or make sense of our desires by following fantasy until it self-concludes.
David Lynch follows Diane's fantasy until a traumatic silence is achieved, absent of the noise of everyday life - and possibly of the noise surrounding Hollywood itself.

A chilling return to the story of one of the most exciting and interesting superheroes. An excellent revamp of the batman series that goes back to the roots of where it all started in Gotham City.
Tim Burton's classic Batman films are great, but should exist within themselves. Christopher Nolan's 'new' Batman however, is something special.
Jim Gordon: I never said, "Thank you."
Batman: [looks back to Gordon] And you'll never have to.


Absolutely fantastic. It is amazing how much turmoil that Francis Ford Coppola and the crew were put through to make this movie, and still put out a great film.
Martin Sheen is perfect as Willard, a confused man given the task of tracking down an estranged war hero (Brando) that has been consumed by both the jungle and the Vietnam War.
In many respects, the most real movie depicting war I have seen; possibly not in the historic sense, but in the shocking human reality it displays.

Such a special insight into one of the most important periods in music history. I like how Scorsese focused on Dylan's early life and 60s beginnings, as this time period is able to show who he was the most clearly. I also enjoyed seeing the current thoughts of Dylan and a host of other people that have shaped his life.
It was cool how Scorsese made it not only on Dylan's music, but a commentary on his influence and just how important he was as a figure in a new generation that was saying f*#% you, this is who we are, and we are the change America needs.


Life and death. This is the key theme that I took away from what seems to be a convoluted movie on the surface, but as is the case with all of Kaufman's scripts, there lies something hidden. That hidden thing will have a different meaning for each viewer, but the driving force behind the director’s pen and camera is the same.
The central truism I speak of is that we will all die, and Caden knows this; Caden knows this, Sammy knows this, and Kaufman knows this. The fact that he can be so honest about it is very refreshing, allowing one to see past any anxiety we have about mortality, and accept our existence. These existentialist themes of human value and worth are explored in a way that I have not seen before.
The movie does get confusing, however if you look at it hard enough the plot will make sense; it's the ideas that become confusing, but isn't that what life is all about?

- Russell