Movie Reviews by Dusty

Carnage (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 10:36:00 +0000

Directed by Roman Polanski

Starring Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz

Runtime 80min. - Rated R (language)

2.5 Stars (out of 4)

Roman Polanski is one of the great directors of our time. Even the best have missteps though."Carnage" is one of his missteps.

It's an admirable film. It's constructed in a way that makes its stage-play origins known, much like the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "The Sunset Limited". The entirety of the film takes place inside of one apartment. The only exception to this is the opening scene and the closing, which weren't necessary to the plot anyway.

The story is about two couples trying to reach a responsible and civil agreement regarding a mishap between their sons. One hit the other with a stick, knocking out a couple of teeth in the process.

To describe the plot in detail would be giving it away entirely. The whole film is just one long conversation, or more accurately a heated debate. The debates cover a vast range of topics and as those topics change, so do the loyalties. Two-person teams are constantly being formed and dismantled. Sometimes its couple versus couple but positions shift to men versus women depending on the subject.

There's really nothing resolved by the end of the film, which leaves our characters in one big nihilistic circle-jerk. Despite the lack of substance, I did find some parts genuinely funny. The funniest scene involves Kate Winslet projectile vomiting, which isn't saying much. I actually think its Christoph Waltz's reaction that makes the puke scene so funny.

There is one man that could have taken this film from mediocrity to greatness. His name is Woody Allen. This material feels like it was written specifically for Woody Allen. His greatest films were successful based mostly on their dialogue. With 4 talented actors covering the same points with Allen's signature style, this would have been a truly great film. You wouldn't have even needed him to direct, just pay him a couple million to polish the script. Polanski is a great technical director, but his style is a bit too rigid for this material. You really need someone with amazing wit to keep a purely conversational film interesting. Woody Allen fits that bill perfectly. I realize this is all a moot point since the film is already made, but the potential of the script forces me to share my Allen hypothesis anyway.

There's no reason to avoid "Carnage", but there is no reason to seek it out either.

Return (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:47:00 +0000

Directed/Written by Liza Johnson

Starring Linda Cardellini, Michael Shannon, and John Slattery

Runtime 97min. - Unrated

3 Stars (out of 4)

"Return" was released exclusively to V.O.D. platforms on Feb. 28th. DVD available March 6th. See links at bottom.

"Return" is the kind of film that makes you feel guilty in the boring parts. The story is deeply patriotic. Not patriotic in the flag-waving, anthem-singing kind of way, but patriotic in the sense that it's a portrait of sacrifice for one's country. I'm not from a military family and I've never been very close to anyone who is, however, I get the sense that "Return" is alarmingly accurate. Alarming because of the sheer numbers of families who have been through similar hardships. Regardless of political loyalties or ideology, those who sacrifice are worthy of our respect. Not just the soldiers, but their families and friends are worthy as well. I think it's okay to protest war or to protest the decisions of our government, but it's never okay to protest or discriminate against a soldier or veteran.

Kelli (Cardellini) has just stepped off a plane when the movie opens. She's still in her fatigues when she gets the long-awaited embrace from her husband and daughters. It's that iconic scene that frequents newspapers and television, making everyone feel all warm and fuzzy. What happens after the cameras stop rolling is left up to the public's imagination. "Return" is the story of what's left when the warm and fuzzy wears off.

I was impressed with the film "Brothers", about a soldier who was M.I.A. for years and is eventually found, only to come home with PTSD. That's the kind of tone I expected from "Return", just with a female lead. I was wrong. Kelli's problems are subtle. She doesn't seem to have PTSD to me, and the acronym isn't mentioned in the film. What she's dealing with are the common problems soldiers have after living an alternate life for 2 years.

Kelli spent most of her time in a military hospital. She admits that she didn't have it that bad during her deployment. A side-effect of those conditions is guilt. She seems guilty about her tough adjustment period because others had a far more difficult tour. The emotions are compounded when she learns of her husband's affair during her absence. He doesn't appear to be a bad man, just confused about how to handle the situation.

Kelli's mental imbalance also disrupts her responsibilities as a mother. She forgets which day it is and leaves her child at school. The child is found safe and well by the police, but the emotional damage is already done. Her husband decides they should separate and uses the mix-up to justify a temporary custody claim on the kids.

At her wits end, Kelli decides to drown her sorrows in a bottle. Unfortunately, she's not an angry drunk but a sleepy one. The police find her asleep on her steering wheel with the car having rolled over a road sign. Now she's without a license, kids, or a husband. Her dignity remains intact, but fragile. It's no wonder that so many veterans end up homeless or institutionalized. After you've seen combat, everything else must seem empty by comparison.

This is not a film with a happy ending. It could have been, but that would be cheating. I appreciate a movie that doesn't flinch at the thought of realism. The only bad thing I can say is that I found myself bored on occasion. I zoned out so much in the last 20 minutes that I had to watch them again just for the purposes of this review. That doesn't make it a bad film. I could see how it would be much more emotionally and intellectually gripping for those who've had similar experiences. I'm not one of those people, but I respect the film for telling their story. I therefore award "Return" with a cinematic Medal Of Honor.

Watch it now:

AMAZON
VUDU

Exquisite Corpse (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 23:10:00 +0000

Directed/Written by Scott David Russell

Starring Steve Sandvoss, Nicole Vicius and Guillermo Diaz

Runtime 97min. - Rated 18 in UK

2.5 Stars (out of 4)

I have an affinity for b-movie horror. I like the idea of people being creative without having to meet the demands of studio executives. Despite the substandard production values, I find the uninhibited plots to be quite enjoyable. Unfortunately, many of them are just low-budget rehashes of better movies. "Exquisite Corpse" is very derivative, but manages to add its own unique charms to the genre.

The plot could be descibed as a pseudo-erotic version of "Re-Animator". Stylistically it's much more subdued. The tone of the movie is that of a typical romantic drama with a score that consists of melodic, arpeggiated piano. There doesn't seem to be any latent murderous desires in any of the characters. They appear to be normal college-age kids.

Nicholas(Sandvoss) is a biology major working on his thesis. His experiments consists of injecting mice with large amounts of oxytocin. The bad news (for the mice) is that the injections cause instant death. His professor has a lot invested in Nicholas and pledges to do anything to help him succeed with his experiments. Nick thinks he needs to find some way to slow the mice's neurological processes so that the oxytocin doesn't overwhelm them. Luckily, Nick freezes all of his mice after they die and, of course, he decides to try the injections on one of them. He gives the chilly rodent an injection and shocks its heart with "movie wires". "Movie wires" are the kind that produce an enormous blue spark to show the audience they are working. A few seconds later and the mouse is up and moving as if he'd never been dead at all.

Seconds after achieving the worlds greatest scientific breakthrough Nick meets up with a few friends and heads out to a lake house. You may think he'd cancel a mini-vacation in light of his recent god-defying experiment, but I suppose the film is trying to portray his unbridled love for his childhood friend Sophia(Vicius). She has recently broke up with her boyfriend and doesn't know Nick loves her. The two go on an evening walk and he finally sucks up his fear and gives her the news. Thankfully for Nick, this is a movie so she's always loved him too.

Sophia heads out to the lake to tell her late mother the good news. Nick stays inside to make coffee. Their two friends are in another room having sex. Thanks to the sounds of a coffee grinder and some moans of passion, no one hears Sophia fall in the lake and drown. The friends join Nick for some post-coital coffee and he tells them about his new found romance. When they go out to find Sophia it's already too late. Or is it?

You won't be shocked to hear that Nick is able to bring back Sophia with a large dosage of oxytocin. He performs this act in Sophia's apartment and keeps the whole thing very secret. By the time he resurrects Sophia his reanimated mouse has eaten all his furry friends. This is certainly not a good sign for Sophia. The professor reckons the mice need to be suffocated and reanimated every couple of days to maintain their normal social qualities. He likens it to a addicts withdrawal.

If you don't already know, oxytocin is a natural chemical in the body. It's produced when two loving individuals interact. It's produced in higher amounts when they have sex. To keep Sophia normal, Nick needs a lot of oxytocin. To extract it, he hires a hooker and forces her to masturbate. When she nears orgasm he chokes her to death and sucks out the chemical through the back of her neck. To complete the process he has to asphyxiate his girlfriend and then bring her back to life again. If the masturbating hooker isn't enough, Nick also realizes that childbirth produces the highest amount of oxytocin. Don't worry, he's not going to kill a mother during childbirth, he just plans on simulating childbirth by drugging his victim and inserting his arm into her vagina. Isn't love grand?

The film isn't perfect even when grading on a budgetary curve. As a character, Nick is emotionally flat. That's not a good quality for a lead character, especially when he's a love-sick murderer. I did find the film slightly erotic, in much the same way I found May and Love Object erotic. The film is a fascinating exploration into the psychological connection between sex and death. Or maybe I give it too much credit. Either way I found it entertaining and would suggest it to fellow connoisseurs of micro-budgeted horror films.

Watch it now: ITUNES

Oscar Snubs of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 08:31:00 +0000

This article is reprinted with permission from Virtual Margin. Written by Jessica. The Original article can be found HERE.

It's my blog and I can talk about movies if I want to.

The Oscars are only a few days away. Normally I would be incredibly excited; the Academy Awards are my Super Bowl, after all.

But this go around, the excitement isn't there. I was severely disappointed with the nominations this year. It wasn't a particularly spectacular, mind-blowing year for film, but there were still plenty of gems. The Academy apparently didn't dig deep enough to find them. Or more likely, they were found, tossed aside, and the loudest, most obvious pieces of fool's gold were chosen instead.

The Best Picture catgory this year is full of feel-good, cliche-ridden, emotional wank fests. War Horse? Really? It was like Spielberg was trying to parody himself. Oh look it's the horse that brings opposing soldiers together and it saves the farm and it's going to save this blind kid and oh here's a dying child. Whenever I watch "horse films" I always imagine the horses being like "fuck this shit" while the humans paw all over them. What I'd really like to watch is a horse movie where the horse is just like a complete asshole. He's completely uninspiring and every person he comes in contact with has a worse life because of him. Call it something like "My Mortal Enemy Flicka."

[EDIT: I'd like to add as a disclaimer that I haven't yet seen Hugo, so please don't take this as an outright complaint against all the nominees. I'm not saying they're all horrible films. I just feel like they're all safe picks, with the exception of Tree of Life.]

There were some Oscar snubs this year of fairly popular films like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 and Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Both of which I thought were good films, but not necessarily Oscar-worthy. And there are lesser-known films (which I haven't seen yet) that the Academy has been criticized for excluding, like Melancholia, Shame, and We Need to Talk About Kevin.

But this is a list of films I HAVE seen this year that I felt were unjustly denied nominations.

Martha Marcy May Marlene

Talk about an incredible performance by Elizabeth Olsen. Olsen playes Martha, an escapee from a dangerous cult who seeks refuge at her sister's house. While refusing to discuss her experience, the tension between the siblings steadily grows. Meanwhile, Martha has difficulty separating reality from her dreams, and by the end, so is the audience. I love films that play with the audience's perception of time and reality, and this one turned out the be a mind-bender, though it wasn't advertised as such. Disturbing and a bit creepy, it was nonetheless fantastic.

Nominations it should have received:
Elizabeth Olsen for Best Actress

Nominations it actually received: zero.

Hanna

I love it when a smart, unique action film comes along. Hanna doesn't sport a particularly original storyline -- telling the story of a child hidden and raised in the wilderness to become a warrior -- the film makes up for it in great characterization in the protagonist, played by Saoirse Ronan (Atonement, The Lovely Bones). Hanna is a fierce fighter, confronted by new experiences, new acquaintances, and a world harsher than the frozen tundra where she was raised. If you're tired of action films filled with CGI, constant slow-motion kung fu, and female action stars in leather, you should check this one out. And if you like it, you should also get your hands on a copy of Chocolate, a Thai film directed by Prachya Pinkaew, featuring an autistic girl as the ass-kicking heroine. The fighting scenes in both of these films are phenomenal, and are shot in longer takes, such as in Oldboy. No epilepsy-inducing strobe editing here.

Nominations it should have received:

Best Score. Hanna has an excellent score written by the Chemical Brothers (sample). Most scores aren't noticeable, but this definitely was. Another film's score that should have been nominated is The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, arranged by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor (sample). I thought it would be a shoe-in, after the Fincher/Ross/Reznor success last year with The Social Network. Instead, The Artist (sample) and War Horse (sample) are nominated in this category. Fun fact: both scores made me want to run out of the theater screaming. I love John Williams, but this wasn't his shining moment. And he's nominated twice this year, also for The Adventures of Tintin. He's like the Meryl Streep of film scoring.

Then again, I've never trusted the Academy on the film score category, since Clint Mansell has never been nominated in it. That...is unacceptable. Have you heard the soundtracks to Moon or The Fountain? Requiem for a Dream or Black Swan? Just, the best. And do you know how long it took to retrieve all the links in the last two paragraphs? Like 15 minutes. You're welcome.

Nominations it actually received: zero.

50/50

I went into the theater not wearing eye makeup, knowing I would bawl my eyes out. And I did. Loosely based on the real life experience of screenwriter Will Reiser and friend Seth Rogen, it portrays a young man's struggle with cancer, and how he and his family deal with the situation. The way the film deals with death felt incredibly real. Death isn't falling on your knees and yelling into the sky "NOOOOO!!!" (cue montage). It's on a hospital bed, saying goodbye to your loved ones, knowing it may be the last time you see them -- a 50/50 shot that you'll never be in this world again (cue me and my friend blubbering in the theater).

Nominations it should have received:

Best Original Screenplay by Will Reiser. It packs just the right amount of humor and empathy, without it becoming an exercise in emotional masturbation (cough warhorse cough).

Best Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt. An all-around great performance. The fact that he isn't nominated makes me want to kick George Clooney in his handsome face.

Nominations it actually received: zero. I actually went back and checked this like three times to be sure. That's how surprised I am that it wasn't nominated for anything.

Drive

I wasn't as blown away by this film as I hoped I would be, given the rave reviews and recommendations from its fans. But I was still impressed. It had a unique style and pacing, and the soundtrack was wonderful. The protagonist reminded me a lot of Leon from Luc Besson's The Professional, since both are silent, moralistic men working in immoral professions. And I'll have you know it only took me ~45 minutes into it to realize the title was a double entendre. I are a college graduate.

Nominations it should have received:

Most supporters of the film are upset that Ryan Gosling didn't get a Best Actor nomination. But I don't think there was quite enough to his role to warrant one. He was even better in Lars and the Real Girl. I would go more along the lines of Best Editing. The scene when the Driver kisses Carey Mulligan in the elevator in slow motion? Perfect.

Nominations it actually received: Best Sound Editing. If you say so. Wouldn't call myself an expert on this category.

Young Adult

If you asked me to name my favorite film of all time I would laugh in your face. But ask by year and chances are I could answer. And my favorite film of 2011 was Young Adult. I felt like it was criminally underrated, and hasn't been coming up at all in the "best of" conversations. This is a shame.

Directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody, the same team behind Juno, it's a character and dialogue-driven film that lives up to their previous collaboration. Marketed as a comedy, it turns out to be a pretty dark film; it's anything but quirky.

Following her divorce, YA fiction writer Mavis Gary returns to her small hometown to steal back her married high school flame. Stuck in a perpetual fantasy land, Mavis is delusional and refuses to accept reality: that she is no longer the prom queen, and that "true love" doesn't always conquer all. Or possibly even exist. It's pretty dark and a bit depressing, without a feel-good ending, which is probably why audiences didn't flock to it like they would, say, Slumdog Millionaire.

Nominations it should have received:

Best Original Screenplay, Diablo Cody. I thought Cody's writing was marvelous. The characters, the dialogue -- let's all just forget Jennifer's Body and focus on the two brilliant pieces she has put forward.

Best Actress, Charlize Theron. It can't be easy playing such a despicable and pathetic character, and still manage to make the audience identify and eventually feel sorry for her.

Possibly a Best Supporting Actor for Patton Oswalt. I admit I'm a bit biased here since I love Patton. But he showed off his serious acting chops in his role as "hate crime" Matt, the loser in high school (and afterwards) who becomes the voice of reason for Mavis.

I can't wait to see this film again when it's released on DVD mid-March. It was the little things that all together made it spectacular. The fact that in high school she was given the "Best Hair" award, and now she wears a wig. The manicure scenes that show the development of her character, and her change of tactics (black when she's on the offense, clear when she's ready to come clean, etc). The KenTacoHut (the combination KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut). Matt's sister yelling from the kitchen about ranch dressing... it is a comedy too.

My beef with the Academy

A report came out a few days ago that revealed the members who vote on the Oscars are overwhelmingly white and male. Specifically, the group is 94% white, and 77% are men. That is nowhere near an accurate representation of the audiences who watch movies -- or even the people who make them. So is it any surprise that of the nine Best Picture nominees, only ONE features a female lead character? The Help. It's also the only film featuring a lead who is a person of color. Not just lead, come to think of it -- persons of color are almost entirely absent from the scripts of the other eight nominees; unless you count the "savages" in The Artist, and I don't think you want to do that. The Help has come under a lot of scrutiny itself for its portrayal of black women and racism in the 1960s (I won't be jumping into that), so its nomination probably feels bittersweet to many. Such as when Driving Miss Daisy won Best Picture in 1989, while Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing wasn't even nominated. Guess which one you will actually watch in a respectable film class. Regardless of what you think about The Help (I liked it, and I feel like I've been apologizing for liking it ever since), you have to agree that Viola Davis' performance was spell bounding, and I will be crossing my fingers for her Sunday night.

So why do the nominations this year feel so old and stale? Probably because old, stale people are voting for them. With the exception of Tree of Life, the Best Picture noms are exercises in old-fashioned filmmaking. In the case of The Artist, very old-fashioned. I have such a love/hate relationship with the Oscars. On one hand I love to see great films get recognition, where otherwise only those making $100 million plus get any notice. On the other hand films like Crash, Braveheart, and Shakespeare in Love (and nearly The Blindside one year, god help us all) end up winning the top prize. Ten-year-old me loved Braveheart. But the Academy's voter pool shouldn't be made up of ten-year-old me's.

I'll still be watching Sunday night, probably cursing up a storm and throwing things at the tv. I'll be cheering for Emmanuel Lubezki to win Best Cinematography for Tree of Life, Jean Dujardin for Best Actor in The Artist, and Midnight in Paris for pretty much anything. I'll look for Jack Nicholson in the front row wearing sunglasses, and will be sad when he isn't there. I'll probably be laughing at whatever Billy Crystal is saying, and praying he comes back next year.

Then I'll pick up a book, read it in its entirety, and share what I thought about it on this blog. HAHHAHHAAAAHHAHA. Sure.

My Week With Marilyn - Post Script

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 03:17:00 +0000

In my most recent review I ranted and raved about Michelle Williams' performance as Marilyn Monroe. Tonight she won the Film Independent Spirit Award for that role. In this article from E! Online she sheds some light on the role. Congratulations Michelle Williams. Awesome job.

http://www.eonline.com/redcarpet/2012/oscars/news/michelle-williams-reveals-the-secret-to-playing-marilyn-you-let-yourself-be-really-bad/296816

My Week With Marilyn (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 23:19:00 +0000

Directed by Simon Curtis

Starring Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne and Kenneth Branagh

Runtime 99min. - Rated R

4 Stars (out of 4)

Sadly, I know little about the real Marilyn Monroe. I know the obvious things, all the stories that have been portrayed so repetitiously they're embedded into pop culture. But I'm no scholar. I'm familiar with the iconic scenes, but I've never watched one of her films in its entirety. I know that fact devalues my reputation as a movie critic, but there are just so many films to watch. I'm 28 years old and there were innumerable films made before I was even born, many of which are considered classics. About a year ago I vowed to start watching Humphrey Bogart films. Now I've seen all but 3 films he starred in and I've seen many of his supporting roles as well. After watching "My Week With Marilyn", I think I may be forced to take a similar vow. I'll know a lot more about her the next time her name comes up in a review.

I really didn't know anything about this film, except that it had generally positive reviews. I assumed that it was a story revolving around Marilyn Monroe. It's not. The movie is an adaptation of a memoir by Colin Clark. His experiences are the foundation of the story.

Who was Colin Clark? At the beginning of the film he's just a boy with ambition. In the movies, ambition is all it takes to make something of yourself. Clark proves this by spending several hours each day at the office of a movie producer. It's sheer determination that lands him his first job in film. So that he may join the union, Clark gets the title of 3rd assistant director, a title that is less glamorous than it sounds.

"The Prince and The Showgirl" is the film Clark is assisting with. It stars Sir Laurence Olivier (Branagh) and Marilyn Monroe (Williams). It's a light-hearted romantic comedy, but behind-the-scenes it was all suspense. Olivier and Monroe have totally opposite perspectives on their career. Colin sums it up nicely to Marilyn, "It's agony because he's a great actor who wants to be a film star, and you're a film star who wants to be a great actress. This film won't help either of you."

Olivier is driven to the brink of madness by Monroe's antics. On the days she decides to work, she's usually several hours late. She has a terrible time remembering her lines and often suggests changes to the script. Along with being her co-star, Olivier is the director and he doesn't take criticism well. Marilyn's personal acting coach travels with her and she often ignores the directing of Olivier in favor of her coach's advice. When Olivier does confront her on these issues, she becomes very emotional and ends up leaving the set on several occasions.

Marilyn Monroe is an incredibly deep character. In public, she's the calmest, coolest girl you could ever hope to see. She's got the wit to snap back at any reporter who tries to rattle her. No matter how shaken she might have been moments earlier, she becomes a extra-confident seductress when publicity is at stake.

In the studio, Marilyn isn't nearly as confident. Every little misstep shatters her self-esteem. Her acting coach is constantly assuring Marilyn that she's the greatest actress in the world. Retrieving Marilyn from a backstage meltdown is a daily task for her coach and manager.

Through the majority of the film, Marilyn's life away from movies is a mess. Those who are invested in her keep her sedated with pills and booze. They all seem to realize her emotional and mental anguish, but they only want her to continue working. If that weren't enough, her new husband, the playwright Arthur Miller, is writing about her in an unflattering way. When she finds his journal a confrontation ensues that ends with Miller flying back to America.

Colin Clark is sent to Marilyn's room to search for a script copy. He thinks the room is unoccupied until Marilyn walks out of her restroom in the nude. Marilyn isn't the least bit shy about this and thinks Colin's embarrassment is kind of cute. Once her husband leaves, she begins inviting Colin over for drinks and conversation. His employers threaten to fire him if he becomes too involved, but Marilyn exercises her authority to ensure Colin's employment. At first, he's just her confidant. But like most men, he becomes completely smitten. Unlike most men, she is taken by Colin as well.

It may seem like I've spoiled the whole film, but I promise I left out some secrets. They may not be secrets to hardcore Marilyn fans, but there are some dark elements that may surprise the average viewer.

Michelle Williams did not act in this film. She channeled, conjured up or was possessed by the spirit of Norma Jean. Marilyn was a total enigma who had the most seductively magnetic personality on earth. Williams accurately portrays those traits, especially the magnetic seductiveness. I think much of Marilyn's appeal came from her voice. Her tone suggested a helplessness and curiosity that drove men crazy. Michelle Williams matches her tone and speaking rhythm with great accuracy.

I honestly did not expect to like this film. Biopics and historical dramas have a tendency to bore me when I'm a novice on the subject. Fortunately, I underestimated the entertainment value of the characters. Everyone involved with the film is no less than easily watchable. The characters are lively, spirited people who all mesh well on the screen. I love the fact that this film is full of happy, decent people. When Marilyn is at her worst, they all at least try to help her get well. Sir Laurence Olivier is portrayed as a dictator on set, but even he has good intentions. It's rare to find a good film that has no bad guys. This is one such film.

Short Film Contest Announcement: Submit a short story/screenplay. Win a DVD!

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 21:53:00 +0000

Here's the deal. I want to make a short film and I want it to be awesome. I'd also like my website and twitter account to gain some followers. So, submit a short story or a short screenplay to monstrmac1@aol.com. It doesn't have to be formally written or in any particular format. I'm looking for good ideas rather than well-written scripts. If I decide to use your idea I'll send you a DVD from my personal collection for free. I might even send two and I'll give you a list of movies to choose from. You will be credited as a writer on the project and will recieve a digital copy of the finished short film. Here's some catches.

1. There is no word count limit but I'd like the finished film to be between 10-20 minutes.

2. The story may be altered as neccessary depending on technical and budgetary restraints.

3. By submitting you are turning over all the rights to the story to Dusty Wallace. Don't submit something that you may want to use elsewhere.

4. This will not be a professionally produced product. I am working with amateur equipment and actors.

5. To be eligible, you must be a twitter follower @DustyOnMovies or follow this blog with your Google account.

6. Unless it's a pure masterpiece, the film will probably be posted to YouTube.

7. Have fun.

Bros on Bikes (2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 02:57:00 +0000

Directed by Charles E. Cullen

Starring Nelson Oliver and Phillip Hurt

Runtime 3 fucking hours - Unrated

I normally give ratings ranging from 0-4 stars. Normality doesn't apply here.

Charles Cullen at CullenStudios.net and Amazon.com

What do you get when you cross Avatar and Inception? I have no fucking clue. Until then, we'll have to settle for "Bros on Bikes". This isn't the first Charles Cullen film to grace this blog. If you are a regular reader (which my statistics page indicates is unlikely), you already know that Cullen films are mind warping. If you have never used illegal drugs, you may want to after viewing this film. If you are a drug addict, then a viewing may compel you to quit. In other words, the 3 hour-long "Bros on Bikes" can leave you forever altered and puts you at risk of emotional and mental scarring. This may be why the "chicken man" has such a loyal cult following. His fans have spent so much time soaking in the material that they have been inadvertently lobotomized. Now they have to watch Cullen films because sensory overload has built up a strong immunity to normal forms of entertainment. This is all just a theory of course. Clinical studies on the phenomenon are scheduled to begin in the summer of 2053.

"Bros on Bikes" begins with the finding of a rare archeological artifact by a duo of gay bikers, Saltine (Oliver and Juanita (Hurt). These two lovers are members of the Krackers Motorcycle Club, which I dearly hope is fictional. Not all of the bikers in the gang are gay, but Saltine is the leader and he doesn't appear to be closeted. This leads me to believe they are a tolerant biker gang, sort of. It may be a useful visual aid to imagine that the "rare archeological artifact" was probably purchased at a local Goodwill.

The film is divided in to three fairly distinct chapters. The first chapter is solely dedicated to character development. It's an exploration of Saltine and Juanita's complicated relationship. Saltine doesn't always show enough affection for Juanita and that leads Juanita to, um, switch teams briefly. Naturally, Saltine is jealous and shoots a hole through Juanita's hand. This sequence has tons of hilarious one-liners but one stands above the rest. Just after being shot, Juanita declares, "You do care." That is followed by what felt like a 20 minute montage of psychedelic make-up sex. Saltine's penis is about 3 feet long and I know for a fact that it is ~~not a prop~~ a strap-on. Oh so very thankfully, the majority of the sex takes place in silhouette. There is a mummy playing a theremin in the same room where the "magic happens". I suppose he's trying to provide a little music to set the mood. The most disturbing part about the scene is the absence of any lubricant.

The second chapter introduces us to the town our characters inhabit. Somewhere near Haiti and Jamaica is the little outpost of Mayor's Cove. The titular mayor of this town has simple policies, "no bikers, no gays and no coloreds." The Krackers are given a pass because they tend to the town's marijuana crop and "keep out the other trash."

The local radio D.J. doesn't subscribe to the racist, homophobic proclamations of the mayor. He's physical handicapped and the mayor's enforcers bully and intimidate him into promoting the town rules over the airwaves. Spinning some vinyl at a local bar's "soul night", the D.J. makes himself a target by playing "colored music", such as "Ben" by Michael Jackson. When the Saltines start dying by way of spontaneous head explosion, the mayor and his henchman blame the D.J. for attracting the trouble. Spontaneous head explosion is coincidentally how I describe my (lack of) sexual stamina.

As an aside, the D.J. is played by Ian Little. Let's hope that he never has to use a walker for real. His character's skills with a walker are virtually non-existent. His perseverance is on full display however, as he methodically makes his way down several flights of stairs. Also, this is the second Cullen film in a row where Ian Little has sustained a vicious beating. I'd suggest he start an intense regimen of Tai Chi so he can better defend himself.

The aforementioned beating takes place at the hands of The Krackers who have been absent from the film for about an hour. Apparently they are pissed off by their lack of screen-time and decide to take it out on the D.J. Actually, they have been dispensed by the town council at the advice of the mayor.

The final chapter begins with a lengthy romantic sequence involving Saltine and Juanita. No sex this time, just long walks through the park and a quick trip to the battery store to charge up Saltine's leg brace. Did I forget to mention that Saltine has a leg brace made of PVC pipe, springs, batteries and old-style fuses? It's not really important to the plot, but it is pretty damn funny. I also forgot to mention that Saltine is occasionally haunted by a rabbit. We're not talking about "Donnie Darko" or "Harvey". This rabbit consists of a plastic skeleton on a stick that has been retrofitted with a stuffed bunny head.

It's in the final act that the source of the exploding heads and bunny hauntings are revealed. Another biker, from parts unknown, murders a traveling band. He's wearing a denim vest that reads "Voodoo Dolls MC". After the roadside massacre this mysterious traveler turns up in the marijuana fields while Juanita is out tending to the crop. Juanita reveals to the stranger that he's gay. In return, the stranger reveals he is black, he's just got that "pigment disease like Michael Jackson." These revelations seem to develop a bond between the two. They share weed and rum while getting to know each other. The stranger pulls out a bag of goodies to show off to his new friend. Among them is a metal pendulum of the supernatural sort. The stranger hypnotizes Juanita with the pendulum and then, um, his head explodes. That's right, he hypnotized him to explode his own head. He does warn Juanita first, but that seems to be of little value since he was already in a trance.

I'm not sure how to end a film like this and I don't know that Charles E. Cullen is either. The ending he chose left me scratching my head. Come to think of it, head-scratching may have been just the reaction he was going for. There are no answers to the mysteries that lie in the heart of "Bros on Bikes". Even in its conclusion, the best we can do is contemplate the meaning of it all.

So am I recommending this film? Yes I am. Everyone should see this film. Good or bad doesn't matter. It's an experience not to be missed. There are times I wanted to pull my hair out, but there were other times that I laughed myself to tears. What more can you ask from a movie?

"Bros on Bikes" was released on Valentine's day and is available for purchase at Amazon.com.

Chronicle (2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 23:24:00 +0000

Directed by Josh Trank

Starring Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell and Michael B. Jordan

Runtime 84min. - Rated PG13

3.5 Stars (out of 4)

Yes, they all have superpowers. Yet they are not superheroes.

"Chronicle" is a found-footage film. That means its in the shaky style of "Cloverfield" and "The Blair Witch Project". The majority of footage is taken by a high-school outcast named Andrew (DeHaan) with a terminally ill mother and an abusive father. The camera is his way of observing life while distancing himself from the pain. Thankfully, he is a more competent cinematographer than his peers in the genre.

Andrew reluctantly takes his camera to a local party to which cousin his Matt (Russell) has invited him. Matt and his friend Steve (Jordan) are more popular than Andrew but they don't bully him like their peers. The party-goers find a large hole in a nearby field from which a mysterious sound emanates. After the others get back to the party, Andrew, Matt and Steve go down the hole and find a large glowing blue object of unknown origins. An event occurs in the hole but no one is quite sure what happened afterward. They return the next day to find the hole has been sealed off and the area has been secured by the government. That is all of the explanation we get for the origin of the object. In fact, the object's subplot completely dissapears from the movie once its purpose has been served. That's okay with me though. I'm down with enigmas.

After their underground encounter, the boys start noticing some bizarre changes. They now have the ability of telekinesis. At first they can only move small objects but after some practice they get strong enough to crush cars with their minds. Overexertion of those powers leads to nosebleeds, which seems to be the most common medical issue among those with telekinetic powers in movies. They eventually learn to fly, but that seems to be an extension of the aforementioned telekinesis.

The first hour of the film is a comedy. A good comedy. These three kids could have benefited from uncle Ben's advice because their power comes with no responsibility. They spend all of their time screwing with strangers. A woman in a store reaches for something on the shelf and ends up chasing her shopping cart around the aisles. A man browsing the magazines gets jerked around by the gum he is chewing. After some practice they even move cars to different parking spots. These are exactly the kind of things I'd expect out of high-schoolers with telekinesis. I found their shenanigans to be not only funny, but a refreshingly accurate portrayal of the teenage psyche.

Super-powered practical jokes are fun, but the movie had to take a darker turn. Andrew's abusive father and severely ill mother has left him in a fragile emotional state that is unsurprisingly the catalyst for the films climax. It begins with an accident. He means to nudge a tailgater so that they'll increase their following distance. Instead he knocks them off the road and into a lake. They manage to save the aggressive driver, but Andrew's taste of power is at odds with his since of remorse.

After his mother dies Andrew becomes increasingly volatile. This leads to a epic battle between he and his cousin Matt. It's a fight that made me nostalgic for "Superman 2". There are vehicles used as weapons and buildings being destroyed. General Zod would have been proud. The source of footage in this scene is cut between security cameras, a news helicopter and a few other sources. At times, the director seems to forget what genre he is working in, because traditional cinematography comes into play. It is possible that I just couldn't keep track of what video source was being portrayed.

The filmmakers had a neat trick for dealing with shaky camera work. Andrew uses his mental abilities to control the camera, allowing him to be in front of and behind the camera at the same time. The movie states that Andrew is more adept than the others at using subtle movements. The filmmakers use this as excuse for employing traditional equipment like dollies, tripods, cranes and cables. It's a useful gimmick that allows the frenzied approach of shaky-cam to be merged seamlessly with other techniques.

This is a unique film that manages to be fun throughout. This isn't about superheroes, but rather about kids who get a lot more power than they can handle. The fun parts are intensely fun and the serious parts are equally intense. In all, the film exceeded my expectations in every way.

Underworld: Awakening (2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 21:43:00 +0000

Directed by Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein

Starring Kate Beckinsale and India Eisley

Runitme 88min. - Rated R

1 Star - (out of 4)

It amazes me that this film has 6 writing credits. All 6 of the writers must be special effects experts because they certainly didn't produce anything that resembles a story. The purpose of the plot is to produce as many violent encounters as possible between vampires and werewolves. If you subtract all the footage that doesn't include action, the movie would be about 5 minutes long. The formula very closely resembles the "Resident Evil" movie franchise except with even less drama.

Many sci-fi films use persecution of their non-human characters as a makeshift lesson on racism. Dune instantly comes to mind. Humans have learned of vampires and lycans in this installment of "Underworld". The ensuing "purge" is an obvious stand-in for ethnic cleansing. It's a premise that "X-Men" used pretty well, but this film is so superficial that the moral lessons seem cheap and possibly even offensive.

The plot contains so many mind-blowing revelations for the characters, but none of them seem to care. The writers never give them the time to care. In the first 10 minutes Selene (Beckinsale) gets captured and put into cryogenic storage. It's 12 years before she is thawed. When she emerges she learns that her lover has died and that she has a 12 year old child. What's her response? Kicking werewolf ass. The woman's entire universe has changed but she's never given a chance to contemplate or reflect on those changes. The only therapy the writers allow Selene is killing werewolves. The poor girl could use a hug every once in a while.

The acting in a movie like this is irrelevant. If you can look sexy in leather and make some mean faces, then you are qualified to "act" in an "Underworld" film. I was very excited to see Wes Bentley appear in the film. He's starred in such films as "American Beauty" and "P2". An extremely talented actor like Bentley could have brought a lot of credibility to the film. Unfortunately he's killed after about two lines of dialogue. Bentley isn't even officially credited for the role, which may have been his choice. Unless you are a star, being credited in a sub-par action film for a virtually non-speaking role can't do much for your career.

There is one positive in the film. The werewolves are impressive. Especially the one who has been chemically enhanced. If "Twilight's" Jacob ever came across that werewolf he'd pee himself before tucking his tale and running. I'm not a hater of "Twilight" though. Sure, it's full of romantic melodrama that targets a tween audience, but at least it has a story and doesn't serve a purely visual purpose.

I don't expect any bad reviews will keep people away from "Underworld: Awakening". It's an action-packed special effects extravaganza that many people will enjoy. It is the kind of film that can be as poorly written as it wants to without ever being boring. To call its thrills "cheap" would be an understatement, but at least they're still thrills.

Filth to Ashes, Flesh to Dust (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 08:35:00 +0000

Directed by Paul Morrell

Starring Meredith Lane, Linda Bella and Allison Ochmanek

Runtime 90min. - Unrated

Zero Stars

Normally I provide links to V.O.D services. I feel morally obligated to leave them out of this review. I also feel obligated to tell you the DVD is available on Amazon.com - avoid it at all costs.

This movie is one ripe piece of shit. I am a long-time fan of micro-budget horror films and I even have made an acquaintance in filmmaker Charles Cullen. Charles makes films on the lowest budget imaginable. So I know a better movie can be made for $18,000 than the thoughtless piece of shit Paul Morrell has made. Did I mention it's a piece of shit?

The movie apparently made $86,000 even though it was only on 11 screens. That bit of information is what led me to seek out the film. Now I'm wondering who the audience was. Were those 11 theaters filled with mentally disabled adults from some sort of outreach program? It seems that would be the target audience. I'm not trying to be insensitive towards the disabled. In fact, I believe they deserve much better than what this film offers. It just seems to me that something so shallow could only be enjoyed by people with inhibited mental faculties.

I'll try to briefly summarize the plot, though I don't think it will matter much.

A group of friends go out to a remote location to get the scoop on a local serial killer. The killer is named Purge because of his tendency to kill what he considers "undesirables". That includes any non-whites and anyone who may lead a morally bankrupt life. Purge's requirements for deeming someone kill-worthy seem to be quite low. I sadly note that this sentence concludes the synopsis of the entire film.

The plot alone is enough to make the movie bad, but not this bad. This is by far one of the worst movies I've ever seen. Some movies are so bad that you at least get a chuckle out of it. Not this one. It gives the impression that the filmmaker put everything he had into it and failed miserably. I did laugh occasionally, but I was laughing at the film and not with it.

The film needs no further review but I'd like to name some specifics that make it so awful.

The characters tell us that the killer chooses his victims based on their lifestyle and race. He apparently adheres to a strict moral code. Why is this stupid? The killer is mute. He doesn't have one line in the entire film. How does a mute killer become notorious for his moral code?

Two of the main characters know exactly where this killer lives. They just drive out there and he starts picking them off. How do a couple of average kids know the whereabouts of a serial killer? If its common knowledge, then why have the authorities not arrested this man?

Purge's hideout only contains instruments of death and some old newspapers. There is no explanation about how he sustains himself. His clothes are trashy and permanently stained with blood. However, he manages to keep his mustache and goatee perfectly groomed.

All of the kill scenes are stupid. The first one is just Purge stepping on someone's face. They die instantly. There is one kill scene that tops all the others in terms of ridiculousness. Purge punches a girl through her back and all the way out the other side. He leaves a gaping fist-size hole right in the middle of her chest.

A girl walks up to the front door of her friend's house with a pump-action shotgun. They are getting ready to go rescue their friends. Upon seeing the shotgun he gives her an incredulous look. Her response is "I live in a rough neighborhood". Really? I'm not sure many people regularly carry shotguns around because they live in the "hood". I can understand a handgun. But a shotgun? I'm just not buying it.

The aforementioned shotgun is pointed at the killer's head on numerous occasions. Do they pull the trigger? No. They try to escape without violence even though he's already maimed, killed and beheaded over half of their friends. When they point the gun at him for about the hundredth time they finally pull the trigger. It jams up and they toss it to the ground.

All of these issues compound and make the movie terrible, yet that's not why I didn't enjoy myself. The problem I have is with its lack of originality. When you are operating on a small budget it is of the utmost importance to have unique ideas. Filmmakers like Sean Tretta, Travis Betz and Gregory Hatanaka have that creative edge. Paul Morrell does not.

What concerns me most is the $86,000 that this movie made. I'm afraid it may convince this crew to make another film. That wouldn't be a horror, but a tragedy.

Trailer for "Beyond the Black Rainbow"

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:44:00 +0000

This is quite possibly the coolest trailer I've ever seen. It's so cool that I'm afraid the film might not live up to my very high expectations. I will find out though.

Roger Ebert: Life Itself (2011 Book)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 03:02:00 +0000

This article was originally published on Technorati. You can view that post HERE.

When hearing the name Roger Ebert, many people picture a short chubby man who argues about movies. Those who follow his work closely (like me) realize that he's also an accomplished writer who provides valuable insight on a range of topics including movies. With the publishing of "Life Itself" both casual viewers and loyal fans of Ebert get a extensive view of the man behind the image.

If you follow Roger's blog, you have a general idea of his health issues. He had cancerous tumors removed from glands in his neck a few years ago. The surgery was more extensive than had been predicted and required Ebert's lower jaw to be removed. After several failed attempts at reconstruction, he has resigned himself to accept his current status. He's no longer able to speak, eat, or drink.

While many people would retire or fall into depression, Ebert has remained active and arguably, is more productive than ever before. In my opinion, Ebert has had a surge of introspection due to his close encounters with mortality. I think the book says this too, but never in such a direct way. His online journal is constantly updated with personal stories and opinions while his following on Facebook and Twitter have never been better. He won the Webby "Person of the year" award in 2010 and was honored with a lifetime achievement award by that association. Though he's lost his voice, he's gained a powerful, inspirational voice in the virtual world.

"Life Itself" is a culmination of Ebert's personal journals. Many of the stories are actually reprinted directly from his blog. Other chapters contain interviews and essays he wrote earlier in his career. This may seem like a cheap way to make a book longer, but when read along with the new material one views the articles with a perspective that is otherwise impossible.

Before reading the book I never realized how well-read and well-traveled Mr. Ebert was. You wouldn't think a movie critic would have the time to bury himself in books. Yet, he does exactly that in both a literal and figurative way. There are so many books in his home office that he barely has room to open a door. With a bit of mortar you could build a life-size replica of the Empire State Building from Ebert's books.

His travels began at an early age. Roger enrolled in a college program that allowed him to spend time in South Africa. He also spends an entire chapter describing every step he ever took in London. There are similar fond recollections of Venice and Cannes. He has truly been a world traveler for his entire life.

The personal details revealed in this book are a testament to courage. Many reviewers have mentioned the passage where Roger describes losing his virginity to a South African prostitute, but it's the emotional disclosures that really impacted me. He talks at length about his alcoholism and its effect on his relationships, many that could have lead to marriage. Though he's never had children, he conveys a great desire to have them. He admits to sending money to a woman claiming to bear an illegitimate child of his. He's not gullible, but has a strong subconscious desire to be a father. Those paternal instincts have been at least partially fulfilled by his full acceptance into his wife's family. His wife is black and Ebert gives us his honest opinions about what it's like to marry into a black family. He refers to them as if they were blood relatives and you get the sense that he also thinks of them that way also.

Ebert's interviews with celebrites are considered some of the best. His style is unique and uninvasive. When he visits with someone like Robert Mitchum, it's truly a visit. He simply spends time with his subject and writes down every action they take along with every word they speak. This allows them to speak on their own terms which usually yields surprising results. He laments that his loss of speech has taken his ability to have a real conversation with people he admires. Though he is content in his current condition, he still desires to have intimate conversations with the current crop of movie stars like he did in his prime.

His celebrity profiles are excellent, but my favorite chapter is a profile of one of Ebert's friends. The man called Billy "Silver Dollar" Baxter turns out to be a bigger character than any movie star. Roger met him at Cannes where "Silver Dollar" was king. He was a beloved figure at the Cannes Film Festival even though he never called anyone by their name and never tipped more than a dollar. This chapter is a reprint from one of Roger's journal entries, but it absolutely belongs in the book. It exemplifies the unique writing style for which Ebert is known. Because it's a online journal entry I can link to it HERE. Consider it an excerpt.

"Life Itself" begins with Ebert's birth and ends in the current year, never sparing a detail. I'm not sure what else you can expect from a memoir. Even though I was already a fan, I found that Roger Ebert's life has a depth of character that most lives will never attain. If you didn't admire him before, you might after reading "Life Itself". If you already admired him, you will do so even more.

Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:01:00 +0000

Directed by Werner Herzog

Runtime 90min - Rated G

4 Stars (out of 4)

Cave of Forgotten Dreams is currently playing on Netflix Instant.

Due to a plague sweeping through the valley, my day job temporarily became a night job. I've regularly worked overnights in the past, but these days I've grown accustomed to sleeping during those hours. Luckily, my job provides internet access. I began browsing Netflix for something that would keep me from falling asleep at the cash register when I stumbled across "Cave of Forgotten Dreams". I love Werner Herzog documentaries and have been itching to see it for a while. It seems strange to choose a documentary about cave paintings as your cinematic coffee, but it worked. I've been in this situation several times and I've found that intellectual involvement keeps me alert better than explosions and car chases.

Herzog's documentaries are so unique. His subjects have included Antarctica, the death penalty, a Christian minister, a man who lived with bears and cave paintings. Despite the diversity of topics, all of his documentaries could be viewed as one long movie. That's because his true subjects are the people. Most filmmakers go to Antarctica and come back with footage of penguins and icebergs. Herzog goes to Antarctica and focuses primarily on the people who live in a tiny frozen village. This village houses scientists, filmmakers and labourers that never felt at home at any other latitude.

Like the films that preceded it, "Cave of Forgotten Dreams" also focuses on people. We meet a man who walks through the wilderness sniffing rocks. That's right, he sniffs rocks. Traditionally, caves are found by feeling for airflow coming from cliff-faces. That's how Chauvet Cave was found. The sniffing man hopes to accomplish this feat by smelling around the rocks for anything that doesn't match the natural wilderness aromas. It would be hard for a normal man, but this man is a master perfume-maker whose proboscis can distinguish much more than the common nose. The perfumer exemplifies the kind of characters you meet in a Werner Herzog documentary.

Representation of an extinct species of cave lion.

The cave is just as fascinating as the characters. Discovered in 1994, Chauvet Cave is home to the oldest known cave paintings in the world. The previous holder of this status was around 15,000 years old. By comparison, some of the paintings in Chauvet Cave are 32,000 years old. To me, France seems an appropriate place for the birth of artistic culture to occur.

I mistakenly assumed that paintings by cavemen would be primitive at best. It turns out that early man was much more artistic than Geico commercials would have you believe. The cavemen painted buffalo, cave lions, horses and other animals with an eye for detail I didn't expect. Their art didn't just depict the animals, but the relationships between them. They would paint things like a male cave lion courting a female. There was no mistaking this because the gender of the animals was, uh, obvious.

They also depicted motion in their drawings. An animal with 8 legs was a portrayal of running. Other larger paintings featured animals moving in herds. Some artists would use a dissipating outline to show movement.

The lone human figure is that of a nude woman painted onto a pointy rock hanging from the cave's ceiling. Herzog wasn't allowed to view this initially because he would have been disturbing untouched stalagmites by walking to the back-side of the rock. He circumvented this problem by attaching his camera to a stick and stretching it out over the ground.

The fact that this film got made is pretty remarkable. No other film crews have been allowed into Chauvet Cave. Herzog had to make conditional agreements with the scientists before they let him film. There was to be no more than four people in his crew. Much of the footage is done with one guy holding a light and the other with a handheld camera. Even if they were allowed to take large amounts of equipment, they would have had to carry it down a several-stories high ladder. The original cave opening had been closed off for 25,000 years and there was only one way in and out. I think the challenging conditions probably made the project even more alluring for Herzog.

This film was filmed in 3D. Unfortunately, 3D gives me terrible migraines. The version I watched was in glorious 2D. However, I support the use of stereoscopic imagery in this case. The proportions and textures of the paintings would be especially evident when viewed in the third dimension. If given the choice, I'd suggest trying the 3D version of this film. This is not a suggestion that I'd normally make, but I believe that Herzog would use the medium wisely.

In addition to the paintings, the cave is filled with animal bones. Bears, wolves, lions, horses and other animals had decayed and then been covered in calcification. The same minerals that cover the bones have perfectly preserved the paintings. The artwork is so well-preserved that it was initially accused of being a hoax.

Herzog ends the film with a bizarre post-script. Twenty miles away from Chauvet cave is a nuclear power station. The water that is used to cool this station is diverted to an artifically created tropical habitat. Crocodiles are densely populated in this ever-growing experiment. A croc-filled swamp in the mountains of France is a perfect opportunity to deliver some of his existential philosophy and he seizes it promptly. He ponders if this man-made climate would ever reach Chauvet Cave and how the crocodiles might perceive the paintings.

"Cave of Forgotten Dreams" is a great example of Herzog's style and prowess as a documentarian. This would be a great introduction to Herzog for those who might be interested in his work. I found the entire 90 minutes captivating. Pretty impressive considering I had been awake for 24 hours straight. Herzog narrates his own documentaries with his surprisingly soothing German accent. It's that personal touch that makes all his films so special. While exceptional, this one is no exception.

Watch it streaming now at:

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Pete Smalls Is Dead (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 06:33:00 +0000

Directed by Alexandre Rockwell

Starring Peter Dinklage, Mark Boone Junior and Tim Roth

Runtime 97min - Unrated (PG-13 level)

3 Stars (out of 4)

Now available on DVD and V.O.D platforms. Links available at bottom of post.

Peter Dinklage as K.C.

If you aren't a Peter Dinklage fan you don't know what you're missing. Who's Peter Dinklage? His résumé is extensive. Recently, he won a Golden Globe for his TV role in "Game of Thrones". Dinklage is a stellar actor who deserves more starring roles than he gets. That is likely due to his dwarfism. Luckily, he is so talented that he occasionally lands a role that doesn't focus solely on his height. Such is the case with "Pete Smalls Is Dead".

Pete Smalls (Roth), K.C. (Dinklage) and Jack (Junior) are three estranged friends that set out in search of Hollywood success many moons ago. The movie opens with the news of Smalls' death which is the catalyst for the rest of the film. Despite the title, K.C. is really the main character. When we first meet him, he's having his nose busted by a loan shark to whom he owes $10,000. When his old friend Jack calls to invite him to Smalls' funeral, K.C. is hesitant. Jack promises that he'll front him the 10 grand if K.C. will just come out to Pete's services. With a big gambling debt and a struggling business, he can't say no.

Upon landing in L.A. things get off to a rough start. Jack is two hours late when he arrives to pick up K.C. on a moped. He gives K.C. a football helmet to keep him safe on their journey. This is not the kind of behavior one would hope to see from a man promising to bail you out of debt. Jack assures him that the moped is just a loaner because his car is in the shop. I'm not from L.A., but I've never seen an insurance agency use a moped as a loaner vehicle. This must have been an ordinance passed by the "Governator's" administration.

The movie hasn't had much buzz. It currently has a 5.1 rating on IMDB. That's probably because the plot derails from the beginning. K.C. narrates the film in a classic noir style and the film progresses noir-ishly as well. If you are a fan of that genre, then a loose plot is something you're familiar with. "The Big Sleep" is considered one of the finest films in the classic film-noir style. It's a 1946 film starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. While widely hailed as an all-time great, it's almost universally agreed upon that the plot is incomprehensible. Even the screenwriter of that film couldn't put all the pieces together. "Pete Smalls" unfolds in that same style. So many things are unraveled that it would be impossible to tie up every loose end.

Regardless of the weak storytelling, the movie is quite enjoyable. The characters are all wonderfully strange. The inimitable Steve Buscemi makes an appearance as a sex-crazed wannabe movie producer who claims to have connections to big money. Buscemi is always a welcome sight in a movie that celebrates eccentric characters.

K.C.'s loan shark stole his dog since he couldn't pay the 10 thousand. It's the dog that motivates K.C. to stick with Jack in the face of obvious doubts. While in L.A. we learn that Pete Smalls' swan song was a movie written by K.C. This is an opportunity that promises a hefty payday if he can sell the rights to the film. Selling the film proves to be a big challenge that involves numerous shady producers and an Armenian secret society. The theft of his dog Buddha may also be tied into the plot in a bigger way than first imagined. You can see how this might all be hard to follow.

Pete Smalls Is Dead - Trailer

If you've seen the trailers then you probably already know Pete Smalls is most certainly not dead. There are allusions to him being alive early on in the film. It's no big shock when he makes his grand entrance during the climax of the film. Even K.C. has a negligible reaction to Smalls' resurrection.

The lack of surprise isn't a detriment. The destination is unimportant. This film is all about the journey. The ill-weaved plot didn't bother me because the individual situations were hilarious and well acted.

Mark Boone Junior is a big part of this film's appeal and I would be negligent not to mention his performance. Readers may know him best as Bobby from "Sons of Anarchy". Thinking of him as a biker makes the moped scenes much funnier. Dinklage and Junior have a sort of Abbott and Costello relationship. Dinklage's character is serious and logical whilst Junior plays a goofball with good intentions, big dreams, big plans and a blindness to reality. The two actors pair well together and I hope they coordinate their efforts again someday.

While it's not a great film, I was always entertained. Comedy is usually divisive because humor is such a personal taste. The sense of humor in "Pete Smalls Is Dead" was a good match to my own. I'd suggest to anyone who favors a Coen brothers-style comedy.

Watch Now at:

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Take Shelter (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:25:00 +0000

Directed by Jeff Nichols

Starring Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain

Runtime 120min - Rated R

4 Stars (out of 4)

My wife is not the biggest fan of subtlety in movies. Despite its subtleties, Take Shelter held her attention for the entire 2 hours it graced the screen. That's because its appeal is multifaceted.

The premise involves the main character having apocalyptic visions about storms. It's never quite certain whether they are premonitions or hallucinations. That's the kind of thing that hooks me on a film. I like being held in suspense for a couple of hours as long as the payoff is satisfactory.

So why did my wife like "Take Shelter" as much as me? In addition to its suspenseful fantasy elements, it's also a world-class family drama. You could see this film as being about a small-town couple facing financial crisis while trying to raise their deaf daughter. If the threat of imminent destruction were left out, the movie would still be enjoyable.

Curtis (Shannon) is a labourer who is the main bread-winner for his wife and daughter. One night he dreams about a massive storm approaching his land. The rain isn't normal. It seems to have both the consistency and color of fresh motor oil. He wakes up frightened, but largely unconcerned. It was just a bad dream.

The dreams evolve and become scarier. Now it's not just rain, but people trying to hurt him and his family. Early on in the film, Curtis dreams that his dog attacks him while the storm is approaching. The next day he creates a fenced-in area for the dog to live. His wife Samantha (Chastain) is a little alarmed since the dog has been inside his entire life.

Since the dreams disturb his sleep, Curtis' doctor prescribes him some mild sedatives. It works. He sleeps the full night with no nightmares. Things seem to be getting better until his visions start plaguing him during waking hours. Now he has to deal with hearing claps of thunder and seeing electrical storms that no one else can perceive.

At about Curtis' age, his mother was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. He seeks out his mother in her institution to see what her first symptoms were. Those symptoms turned out to be alarmingly similar to Curtis' visions. He understands this and seeks help. So far he's kept all of these visions to himself, so he forgoes seeing a psychologist in a nearby city and settles for a "counselor" closer to home.

Though he understands that he probably has schizophrenia, he's not able to ignore these visions. Curtis becomes obsessed with preparing for the oncoming storm regardless of what condition he may have. Since he lives in the mid-west, there's already a small underground storm shelter in his yard. He spends his nights cleaning out the shelter and stocking it with food and supplies. Still not satisfied, he borrows a back-hoe and digs out around the shelter. He expands the shelter with a modified storage building and installs ventilation. He also manages to get electricity and running water to the shelter. To cover all his bases, he makes sure to buy some gas masks and oxygen tanks.

The cost of these preparations is devastating. He borrows against his home to finance the project. While the loan is costly, losing his job is the bigger problem. His employer didn't appreciate his use of company equipment for personal reasons. This all happens at a time when he is supposed to be saving money for his daughter's cochlear implant surgery.

Was it all worth it? Is there a storm? Is he just hallucinating?

You won't find out from me. Actually, you really don't find out from the movie either. The ending could be interpreted a number of ways. I prefer the most direct interpretation.

Michael Shannon is a phenomenal actor. He has a knack for playing characters who bottle everything up until they eventually burst with emotion. This character is no exception. After losing his job and being called out on his mental issues, Curtis is convinced to attend a Lion's Club luncheon by his wife. A confrontation from a co-worker turns out to be the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back. Curtis lashes out at the entire room, warning them about the oncoming storm. Shannon plays the scene with an obsessive anger. It's probably the most unforgettable moment in an totally unforgettable film.

The Independent Spirt Awards - Who needs an Oscar?

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 04:14:00 +0000

This article was first written, by me, for Technorati. You can view the original HERE.

For 84 years the Academy Awards have been the highest honor in the world of cinema. Just a nomination has always meant instant credibility. As theater revenue drops and video-on-demand services take the world by storm, could that elite status be waning?

The biggest award the Academy gives is for "Best Picture". There used to 5 nominees in this category. With a list that short you could be sure only the best would be nominated. In 2011 there were 10 nominees. This year there are nine. The nomination and voting process is complicated at best.

Among those nine is Tom Hanks' new film "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close". It currently has a 67% favorable user average and a 46% rating from critics at Rotten Tomatoes. Not among those nine films is Melancholia, Drive, Take Shelter or Shame. The average critic rating of those 4 films is 86% while the average user rating is 79%. I'm not suggesting that the Academy rely on statistics to choose nominees, but its pretty obvious there's something wrong when a movie whose mediocrity is universally agreed upon makes the short
list for "Best Picture".

In fairness, the rest of the nominees are well liked by critics and users. Even with that exception the averages are still 83% and 80% for critics and users respectively.

A much younger awards ceremony, The Independent Spirit Awards, has been around since 1984. Only independent films are available for nomination, but don't be fooled into thinking they are low budget. "Low" is a relative term. "Pirates of The Caribbean: At World's End" had an estimated budget of $300 million. Anything is low-budget when compared to that astronomical figure.

Among the nominees are "Drive" and "Another Earth". One is a violent car-action movie and the other a science-fiction drama. The one word you won't be thinking when you see these two films is "cheap".

The averages for Oscar nominees in the "Best Picture" category is very good. However, the Independent Spirit Awards have better ratings in that same category. Their nominees have a critic's average of 92% and an average user rating of 85%.

Mickey Rourke makes the ISA more fun too!

Thanks to Netflix, Vudu, and ITunes, independent films have become extremely easy to find. Distributors used to be the only option for independent filmmakers, but these days they can forgo the distribution negotiations and send their films straight to video-on-demand platforms.

It's this ease-of-accessibility that make the Independent Spirit Awards something to watch. I predict they will become more prominent with each passing year.

For anyone whose taste in cinema has matured beyond the point of robots and superheroes, I'd suggest seeking out the ISA nominees. Without a major budget a film must have intelligence and substance to succeed. That's what the independent spirit is all about.

A Dangerous Method (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:13:00 +0000

Directed by David Cronenberg

Starring Michael Fassbender, Viggo Mortensen and Keira Knightley

Runtime 99min - Rated R
2.5 Stars (out of 4)

David Cronenberg is a true talent and one of the most imaginative filmmakers of all time. There are glimpses of greatness in "A Dangerous Method", but overall the film is mediocre. In the long run, I think this will be written off as a small blemish on a fantastic body of work.

Before I rant about the problem(s) with the film, I'd like to mention some of its finer qualities.

Michael Fassbender is a perfectly adequate Carl Jung. The character itself is a little flat, but that seems normal for someone who is constantly analyzing people. There are scenes that feature Jung's sadomasochistic affair with his patient and colleague Sabina Spielrein (Knightley). Fassbender does a good job at expressing arousal and shame simultaneously. He's also very good with those subtle, uncomfortable moments when he's around his wife afterwards.

As good as Fassbender is, Viggo Mortensen is even better as Sigmund Freud. He has the look and the talent to bring the character to life. His portrayal of Freud is saturated with confidence and stubborness, the kind of man who would rather slander and disown a friend than adapt his own beliefs. In my opinion, Mortensen didn't get nearly enough screen-time. A whole movie about Freud, with Viggo in the lead role, would have been much more entertaining.

Cronenberg's visual style is beautiful like always. There's a great deal of outdoor scenery in "A Dangerous Method" and the photography is composed with care. There's some particularly breathtaking shots featuring a small sailboat on a lake.

So why do I think the film is mediocre? Keira Knightley.

Keira Knightley is a talented actress, but she single-handedly spoils this movie. Her first scene in the movie looks like it belonged in a cheap "The Exorcist" rip-off. Perhaps it wouldn't have seemed like over-acting if it weren't for Fassbender's contrasting subtlety. If that weren't enough, her accent is terrible. It may be an accurate Russian accent, but it's still annoying. That's a big deal when you are attempting to play a seductive character. She reminded me a bit of "Ivana Humpalot" from "Austin Powers".

I personally don't understand why she needed a Russian accent in the first place. She's Russian of course, but Freud and Jung are Austrian and Swiss respectively. In the film they both have English accents. In fact, everyone but Knightley had an English accent. Unless you are going to give every character their native accent, then you shouldn't give any character their native accent. I just doesn't fit.

If Knightley had been using an English accent, the film would have been pretty good, still not great. No matter what accents were used, the relationship between Sabina and Jung just wasn't that interesting. The film's advertisements suggest a lot more Jung-Freud encounters than it actually delivers. Even Freud's involvement centers partly around the quasi-love story.

Vincent Cassel makes a brief appearance as Otto Gross, a psychoanalyst who is pushing Jung to cheat on his wife. Gross is a proponent of sexual freedom and the abandonment of social repression. He's basically an intellectual anarchist who uses his views to justify his voracious sexual appetite. An Otto Gross biopic directed by David Cronenberg and starring Vincent Cassel may have been an instant classic.

So without any Knightley and with a lot more Mortenson and Cassel, "A Dangerous Method" could have been very good. As it stands, it's a film that never gets boring, but is still just mediocre with a few flashes of greatness.

Higher Ground (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 06:42:00 +0000

Directed by Vera Farmiga

Starring Vera Farmiga and Joshua Leonard

Runtime 109 min.- Rated R

4 Stars (Out of 4)

I spent about 7 years as a devoted protestant. That's not much time when compared to the lifetime commitment made by the lead character in "Higher Ground". However, most of the key events of the movie paralleled events in that 7 year span. During that time I worked as an unpaid intern in a program that would have bestowed upon me an official ordination. Instead of sticking with the program I became less and less convinced of my own beliefs and eventually came to the conclusion that I never really believed in the first place. These days I am perfectly content as a nonbeliever, but the lure of fellowship and a sense of belonging is something I understand completely. It's also something that this movie portrays with authenticity.

If what you know about actors is mostly learned from checkout-aisle tabloids, then you may have never heard of Vera Farmiga. Much like Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Farmiga doesn't grab the paparazzi's attention, but they are two of the greatest actors alive today. Hoffman recently made his directorial debut, "Jack Goes Boating", of which he was also the star. "Higher Ground" is Farmiga's debut and also her star vehicle. It takes a great amount of talent and confidence to operate on both sides of the camera at once, or at least to do it well.

Corinne (Farmiga) and her sister grew up in a loving home. All of that changed after her mother had a miscarriage. The movie starts in this tumultuous time that sets the stage for the rest of Corinne's life. In conjunction with (and possibly because of) her family's hard times, she has a early religious experience. During sunday school the little girl raises her hand and officially becomes "saved". Her sister tells her mom the exciting news. She replies, "saved from what?". That's a question that looms throughout the film.

Married and with a child by their early twenties, Corinne and her husband Ethan (Leonard) make road trips with his rock band. This includes plenty of drugs, alcohol and profanity. Not happy with this environment, the young mother vows to never attend a gig with her husband again. That vow barely has time to take effect before the tour bus runs off the road and into a river. Everyone is okay. The couple see this as a clear sign from God. They believe he spared their life and their child's life so that He may know them better.

The movie skips ahead a few years. The evolution from "rolling stone" to fundamentalist protestant is complete. Now with multiple children and steady jobs, both husband and wife are able to quote scripture verbatim. Ethan's roots in the church grow deeper with every moment. Corinne is faithful but struggles with some of the more conservative aspects of her life. After saying a few words in church she is pulled aside and chastised by a senior church member for "appearing to teach the men". Later on she is wearing a maternity dress that draws an innocent compliment from a man. After that brief exchange she is warned against her revealing clothes. Only her shoulders were showing.

While she seems to be able to deal with the repressiveness of the church, her home-life is even more conservative. She is no longer sexually or emotionally fulfilled by her husband. She envies her best friend who, while still Christian, lives a more expressionistic lifestyle. At one point she even sexually fantasizes about her best friend. I don't believe it's from an underlying homosexually, more likely she is just wishing for a companionship and freedom that she doesn't currently have.

Trailer for "Higher Ground"

About halfway through the film a tragedy occurs that completely shatters Corinne's world-view. I don't wan't to give away anything else that happens after that event. What I like about Farmiga's character is her honesty. When she's having a religious experience she lets everyone know. She also lets them know when she feels like she's been abandoned by God. It's that honesty that causes her conflict with the church. While they preach truth, there is an unspoken emphasis on discretion and conformity.

The character's in this film are so completely genuine. There's a level of reality involved that may actually disinterest some viewers. The charm of the Christian community is so accurately portrayed, but so is the repressiveness of that same community. At 38 years old, Vera Farmiga is still an absolute beauty. She's also proven that she is an acting talent beyond reproach. Now she's on track to prove the same thing about her directing talent.

Higher Ground may seem like a fiercely religious film, but it's really a character study. It also works as cultural education. People who haven't grew up in this sort of environment can get a glimpse into a unique world. I'd suggest this film to anyone regardless of their religious beliefs.

Instant Streaming Online

VUDU

AMAZON

ITUNES

Perfect Sense (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:09:00 +0000

Available on ITUNES and AMAZON INSTANT VIDEO

Directed byDavid Mackenzie

Starring Eva Green and Ewan McGregor

Runtime 92 min. - Unrated -R level content

3.5 Stars (out of 4)

If you haven't heard of Eva Green then you've been missing out on someone special. Green is a former stage actress who made a huge impact in her film debut. She landed that role in "The Dreamers" by impressing legendary director Bernardo Bertolucci. The film was rated NC-17 and most scenes required Eva to be nude. Many seasoned actresses would be uncomfortable with so much nudity but Green's confidence is evident every second she's on screen.. That performance has lead to plenty of success, including roles in "The Womb", "Camelot", "Kingdom of Heaven", "Franklyn" and "Casino Royale". So if you haven't already, seek out the work of Eva Green.

"Perfect Sense" is a steamy romance that works under the veil of apocalyptic science-fiction. The film starts like any good romance with our main characters longing for something more, until a chance encounter brings them together. Then an event takes place which takes the safari far off the beaten path. It starts with a few people breaking down in tears. They seem to experience every tragedy and every regret of their lives simultaneously. When they finally come back to their senses, they have lost their sense of smell. Soon the malady spreads to every person on the planet.

This event is especially important to the lives of our lead characters, but in two completely different ways. Susan (Green) is an epidemiologist. She's on the front lines looking for any contagion that may have caused the condition. Michael (McGregor) is a chef for a restaurant that happens to be right next to Susan's apartment. Without aroma food becomes bland. To combat this, Michael and his coworkers work on new recipes that are drenched with flavor. They make everying thing saltier, sweeter, spicier or more sour.

The restaurant is a microcosm of civilization and the director uses it as a surrogate for society. When people adapt to their new odorless lives, they begin to frequent the restaurant again.

Smell was just the first sense to go. There are no pulled punches here. The writers take their story to completion even if that means there's no resolution for the audience. Without specifics, I can say the ending is both frightening and beautiful. It's been about a week since I saw the movie and I'm still contemplating the ending. It's that sort of thought-provocation that drives my love of cinema.

"Perfect Sense" doesn't lack in its science-fiction elements. All the normal cinematic representations of the apocalypse are present. There are overturned burning cars in the street and litter blowing around like tumbleweed. There are also plenty of people looting because apparently televisions are of high worth in the end times.

There is a trick used for portraying global panic that probably stems from budget constraints, but is still quite effective. It consists of large amounts of cleverly edited stock footage. Much of it has probably appeared on CNN at some point. Instead of hiring a voice actor there is actual audio used of Barack Obama. He's probably talking about some other global issue but the quote fits perfectly in to the plot.

With lesser actors this film may have been mediocre. McGregor and Green are world-class talents and prove it with their performances. The film was well-received by critics and audience at the Sundance Film Festival but failed to gain a distributor. This sometimes happens with independent films that take a chance. Distributors like their plots to be packaged with a pretty bow and this one doesn't fit that bill. Fortunately, Hollywood's loss is the public's gain. Films that lack distributors turn to video-on-demand services like Vudu, Itunes, and Amazon. That means you don't have to plan a theater trip to see this great film because you can watch it instantly and for far less money. I suggest you do that right now.

Perfect Sense on Amazon

Perfect Sense on ITUNES

2011 Oscar Predictions

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 22:37:00 +0000

He just found out that Melancholia didn't get a nomination.

The official list is out and as I feared, Melancholia didn't get a single nomination. I believe that the Academy snubbed Melancholia because of Lars von Triers controversial statements at Cannes. It can't be undone so I guess I should just move forward. Here are my picks for this year's Oscars.

Lead Actor: Jean Dujardin (for The Artist)
Dujardin was perfect as silent film star George Valentin. It takes a very talented actor to tell a story without using his voice. The facial expressions, body language and even his stride should propel Dujardin to the Oscar this year.
2nd Choice: George Clooney (for The Descendants)
Clooney's performance is not undeserving. Also, he's an American whereas Dujardin is french. Make no mistake, the Academy favors American actors. It wouldn't surprise me if Clooney got the nod based on his performance and his citizenship status.
[Other nominees Demian Bichir(A Better Life), Gary Oldman (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Brad Pitt (Moneyball)]

Lead Actress: Meryl Streep (for The Iron Lady)
I've not seen The Iron Lady but it has gotten a lot of buzz. Not all of it good. However, the Academy loves Streep and has nominated her countless times. With no clear frontrunner this could be her year. I'm not confident in this however. My personal pick would have been Kirsten Dunst for Melancholia, but since she's not nominated......
[Other nominees Michelle Williams (My Week With Marilyn), Viola Davis (The Help), Rooney Mara (Dragon Tattoo), Glen Close (Albert Nobbs)]

Supporting Actor: Nick Nolte (for Warrior)
I think the field is weak for this category, but Nick Nolte is probably the most deserving. He plays a MMA trainer who is trying to make amends for being an abusive alcoholic during his children's formative years. The performance has an emotional range that shows Nolte's skill as an actor.
[Other nominees Max Von Sydow (Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), Jonah Hill (Moneyball), Christopher Plummer (Beginners), Kenneth Branagh (My Week With Marilyn)]

Supporting Actress: Berenice Bejo (for The Artist)
There's been a swell of support for Melissa McCarthy so don't be surprised if I'm wrong. Personally, I think Bejo deserves the award for all the same reasons as Dujardin. The Artist couldn't have been made without a talent like Bejo.
[Other nominees Octavia Spencer (The Help), Jessica Chastain (The Help), Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids), Janet McTeer (Albert Nobbs)]

Best Director: Terence Malick (for The Tree of Life)
As an achievment in directing, its hard to argue against The Tree of Life. The birth of the universe is a sequence that warrants a nomination all its own. This film was expected to get many more nominations that it did, which leads me to believe that it's going to win something big. Every nominee in this category is deserving.
[Other nominees Martin Scorcese (Hugo), Alexander Payne (The Descendants), Woody Allen (Midnight in Paris), Michael Hazanavicius (The Artist)]

Best Original Screenplay: Woody Allen (for Midnight in Paris)
I think Allen stands well above the competition in this category. The dialogue is filled with Allen's unique wit and it's one of his best pictures in years. I'd be shocked if his enchanting screenplay didn't win this category.
[Other nominees A Separation, Bridesmaids, Margin Call, The Artist)

Best Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne, Jim Rash and Nat Faxon (for The Descendants)
The Descendants is a beautiful story. It takes an excellent screenplay to make such a depressing topic bearable. The movie takes you to emotional extremes without ever being gimmicky or melodramatic. The characters are genuine and the performances stunning.
[Other nominees Hugo, Moneyball, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy]

Best Picture: The Artist
If a silent film takes the world by storm in the year 2011, then you know it must be something special. Everything aspect of The Artist is masterful and that is what sets it apart from its competition. All of the nominees have something going for them but none of the rest have the total package. The sets, costumes, acting, directing, cinematography, music and story are so wonderful that they make the dialogue unnecessary.
[Other nominees The Tree of Life, Moneyball, Hugo, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Help, The Descendants, Midnight in Paris, War Horse,

Dusty's Top 10 of 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 04:19:00 +0000

Full Disclosure. There are 3 films that I have not seen that I think could very easily make this list. They are "Shame", "Hugo" and "Take Shelter". I will update this when I finally get to see those movies.

*Originally, "Warrior" was ranked at number 10, but Another Earth is a much more deserving film. "Warrior" has now become the first in what will be many honorable mentions.

1. Melancholia - Directed by Lars von Trier
This film had a great impact on me. The subject of depression is very personal to me and Melancholia does a disturbingly accurate job of portraying the condition. Disturbingly accurate is actually a good way to describe the entire film. It's impossible to tell how the world would react to an impending apocalypse, but the film convinced me that it's characters behaved exactly as their real-life counterparts might have behaved.

2. The Descendants - Directed by Alexander Payne
This movie is as tragic as it is heartwarming. Matt King (George Clooney) comes from a historically wealthy family. He spends much of his time away from home while his wife does the hands-on raising of their two daughters. However, when the movie opens his wife has been in a boating accident which has left her on life-support. Not only does this thrust Matt King in to the unfamiliar role of single dad, but he learns secrets about his dying wife that leaves him in a emotional state that is indescribable. This is Clooney's finest acting in years and its directed with a caring touch. This film is on the level of Million Dollar Baby in terms of emotion and quality.

3. The Artist - Directed by Michel Hazanavicius
You don't need to know anything about silent films to enjoy this piece of art. Everything about this film feels authentic. The movie sets look like they have been frozen for 80 years and recently thawed just so we can get a glimpse into the past. Jean Dujardin gives the performance of a lifetime as George Valentin. He plays a silent film star who is left behind when the "talkie" era begins. Dujardin's facial expressions tell stories as well as any dialogue. He's such an animated and lively talent that I became absorbed in every scene. Besides that, every other aspect of the film is top-notch as well.

4. 50/50 - Directed by Jonathan Levine
Here's a film that has been well received but hasn't had any Oscar buzz. It stars Seth Rogan and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Like the aformentioned The Descendants, 50/50 is a tragic drama that is handled with humor, warmth, and care. Gordon-Levitt plays a very young cancer patient (Adam) who has a tumor wrapping around his spine. His odds of living are 50/50 which his best friend assures him is "better odds than any game in Vegas." If that weren't enough, Adam has just found out his long-time girlfriend is cheating on him. The drama is intense at times but everything feels genuine, not forced.

5. Drive - Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Ryan Gosling is a lot like Brad Pitt. He's good looking and has a huge fan appeal, but he is also undeniably talented. In Drive, Gosling plays a getaway man who dreams of being a professional race-car driver. He takes a uncharacteristic interest in a beautiful single mother who shares his apartment building. Naturally, his feelings for the girl lead him down a destructive, violent road that begins with the murder of her husband. Carey Mulligan is Gosling's equal in terms of talent and beauty and this film finds a nice balance for the two thespians. Refn is known for unique films and while Drive may be his most conventional movie to date, the soundtrack and visual style set it apart from any car movie ever made.

6. The Tree of Life - Directed by Terence Malick
I struggled with where to rate this film. I've came to the conclusion that whether I rate it 1 or 10 I can't be wrong. The Tree of Life really defies film criticism in a conventional sense. Most people who have seen it have powerful emotional responses. Unfortunately those responses sometimes include demanding a refund. This is not a film that you watch, it's a film that you experience via osmosis. All you can do is try to absorb every frame and feel what Malick is saying about the universe. I enjoy films that promote serious introspective discussion and this one certainly fits that bill.

7. Midnight in Paris - Directed by Woody Allen
This is Woody Allen's most financially successful film in many years and its easy to understand why. As a comedy the dialogue has what we've come to expect from Allen, unequaled wit. The whimsy, scenery and intellect set it apart from his lesser works. The (not so) big secret of the films plot involves the lead character accidentally going back in time. Here he meets some of his personal heroes such as Ernest Hemingway, Cole Porter, Salvador Dali, Luis Bunuel, Gertrude Stein and many others. The central theme revolves around the fallacy of nostalgia. Owen Wilson's character is nostalgiac for the 1920's, but those he meets in the '20's are nostalgiac for other eras. Though hard to explain, this film is one of the year's best.

8. The Help - Directed by Tate Taylor
The help is a simple film about common people making a difference. Skeeter Phelan is a young white author who gets the notion to write a book about "the help". "The help" were what middle class white folks called there black maids in Jackson, Mississippi during segregation. Skeeter decides to interview these women but finds that they are less than excited to share their secrets. It wasn't just a fear of losing their jobs that kept the mouths closed, it was fear of losing their life. At the very least, one angry "employer" would keep a maid from ever working in that town again. Though they were called maids, the were responsible for cleaning, laundry, cooking and raising the children. Even with all of those responsibilities they still weren't allowed to use the restrooms in the houses where they worked. It's a shame to think it wasn't that long ago when all of this was happening.

9. Hanna - Directed by Joe Wright
Saoirse Ronan has a breakout performance in titular role of Hanna. I think this is the best action film of the millenium thus far. The camera work here has none of the laziness and shakiness of Bourne-style action. Instead the director opted to capture long, well choreographed takes that resulted in pure visual ecstasy. Hanna is a unique character that evokes a sympathy from the audience. She lived with only her father in a vast frozen wilderness for 15 years, training everyday to be an assassin. When she reaches civilization she's certainly dangerous, but helpless in social situations. Hanna is an action masterpiece with memorable heroes and villains.

10. Another Earth - Directed by Mike Cahill
Another Earth lacks star power but that's not a detriment. Having less recognizable actors allows us to connect more with the characters which is a big deal in this film. The movie begins with a young woman driving drunk. She notices an object in the sky, but not the car she's about to hit. The inhabitants of this car are a mother, father and child of which only the father survives. After her prison sentence, the girl wonders what might have been if she made better decisions. With a duplicate planet in the distance she may get the chance to find out how life could have turned out better. This is unique and challenging material that deserves more publicity than it's gotten.

Honorable Mentions

Warrior - Gavin O'Connor
There really isn't anything surprising in Warrior. The plot unfolds as you expect it might, but the you can tell everyone involved put forth maximum effort. Legendary mixed martial arts trainer Greg Jackson was a consultant on the film and his expertise is seen in the authenticity of the fight choreography. The drama is thick but acted so well that you don't mind. The story concerns two estranged brothers that end up in a winner-takes-all tournament. If you've seen the trailer its no secret that they end up fighting each other. Nick Nolte plays their father who spent most of their formative years in a drunken stupor. Even drunk, he's still a premiere trainer and his son reluctantly seeks his knowledge. The three main actors seem to have been born to play these roles. Nick Nolte is at his absolute best as a deadbeat dad trying to make amends. This is the best MMA movie to date.

Melancholia (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 01:58:00 +0000

Directed by Lars von Trier

Starring Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg

Runtime 136 min. - Rated R

4 Stars (out of 4)

Roger Ebert recently predicted that Melancholia would not get an Oscar nomination for best picture. He gave it a glowing review but doesn't think it will receive enough votes for a nomination. If that prediction proves true, the Academy Awards should be ashamed. His other prediction was that Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes would get a nomination for best picture. That would only further tarnish the reputation of this year's award in my mind. I actually liked the Apes but it doesn't belong in the elite category.

Lars von Trier's Melancholia is elite. I've seen most of 2011's award-worthy films. The noteworthy exception would be the silent film "The Artist". So with that disclosure I can say Melancholia is not only the best film I've seen in 2011, but possibly the best film of the millennium so far. Without doubt, it's one of the greatest films of all time.

If you're familiar with Lars von Trier then you know he's a master of imagery. His use of imagery in this film is less graphic than he's known for, but profoundly moving. A young beautiful woman fighting depression sneaks out at night. She lays naked on the hillside softly illuminated by the monstrous planet threatening to end the world. The image is seductive not only because of Kirsten Dunst's physical beauty, but because of the director's mastery of lighting and posing.

Melancholia is a sci-fi film, but its strength is in drama. The film is more about life than death. It's about overcoming tribulations and facing your destiny. When faced with the apocalypse, one character chooses to overdose on sleeping pills, but others choose to live the best they know how until they simply can't anymore.

Charlotte Gainsbourg and Keifer Sutherland are widely considered great actors and they perform with greatness in this film. Kirsten Dunst is a beloved actress, but I think she showed a range in Melancholia that many people didn't know she possessed. Her character has long bouts of depression and she portrays them perfectly. Even when she smiles you can tell it's to mask something darker.

There is a lot of hand-held camera work throughout the film. I'm not typically a fan of that style, but it doesn't really distract the viewer too much in this case. A still camera is used for some of the lingering shots that feel more like paintings. The special effects are great too. Unlike some directors, Lars von Trier knows when to use his budget. The final scene of the movie literally had me shaking. My heart raced and my breathing shallowed. It's been a long time since a movie held that kind of influence over my biology.

I'm not recommending Melancholia. I'm just saying that you can not be a legit fan of cinema without seeing this masterpiece.

Slaughter Claus (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 07:24:00 +0000

Slaughter Claus and Bi-Polar Elf #19 as portrayed by David Hawkins and Nelson Oliver respectively.

Visit Charles E. Cullen's website to purchase Slaughter Claus and other DVDs.

http://www.cullenstudios.net/

Directed by Charles E. Cullen

Unrated

Runtime 73 minutes

3.5 Stars (out of 4)

[Slaughter Claus premieres Thursday, December 8th 9:30PM at The Grandin Theater in Roanoke, Virginia]

I've been trying to think of a clever way to describe Slaughter Claus without making it sound so bad. I can't. It's the most atrocious, worthless piece of crap I've ever seen. Also, I loved every minute. If you've never seen a film by Charles E. Cullen before, then you can't really grasp the concept. It's like low-budget sketch comedy that middle-schoolers would post to youtube, except not as good.

The brilliance of Cullen's films is that they disregard any traditional notion of what makes a film good or bad. Accordingly, his films force the viewer to abandon their traditional notions of film-making. Acclaimed film critic Roger Ebert often talks about the way Hollywood trains its viewers. In the 1950's directors were largely prohibited from having homosexual characters. Audiences became trained to spot those characters by their subtleties. For instance, Peter Lorre's character in "The Maltese Falcon" was perceived to be gay by the audience of the time. These days an audience wouldn't notice the perfumed handkerchief found in Lorre's pocket. A simpler example comes form horror movies. When a character opens their medicine cabinet, you know there will be someone in the mirror when they close the cabinet. You've been brainwashed. You are the unwitting subject in Hollywood's big experiment. Don't worry though, Charles E. Cullen has the cure. He successfully manages to skewer those clichéd techniques while at the same time forcing us to redefine the way we watch films.

Now let me get into Slaughter Claus specifically. In the Chicken Man's previous films there was usually a traditional narrative with a beginning, middle and end. Slaughter Claus is more like a collection of short stories. The only two recurring characters are the titular Slaughter Claus and the Bi-Polar Elf. Each section of the film starts by establishing characters so that they can be viciously killed (and usually humiliated) by Slaughter Claus. There's no prologue for the angry old elf and no motive is ever mentioned. That being said, I never found myself longing for an explanation to Claus' violence. Why burden the viewer with needless character development when you could be filming kill scenes?

An early scene in the movie features a little girl having a fire-poker shoved into her brain. To the uninitiated that may sound pretty harsh. Personally, I have a burning hatred for the distasteful portrayal of violence towards children. I think Cullen understands that sentiment. He's had violence towards children in many of his films, but those scenes are made in such a ridiculous manner that you can't help but to laugh. In his movie "Night of The Bums", a couple of bum-zombies eat an infant. The infant is torn in half and is shown "crawling" across the road without its legs and lower torso. Again this is uncalled for, but how can you be offended when its an obvious plastic doll being pulled along with fishing string?

My favorite scene in the movie doesn't feature a death at all. It takes place in a bar where Cullen himself makes an appearance. It's a grand entrance. The camera starts with a close up of boots and slowly pans upward to reveal a mysterious cowboy. Like every good cowboy he sits at the bar and orders a beer. A long conversation takes place that leads to the cowboy being booted (pun intended) out of the bar. What makes the scene special is that it contains hardly any dialogue. The entire conversation plays out in a brilliant series of subtext and body language. It's scenes like these that make me wonder what the Chicken Man could do with a Michael Bay budget and some top-notch actors.

My least favorite scene in the movie takes place in a kitchen. It features a wife who makes cookies for her husband and then pukes from eating too much cookie dough. I summed it up in one sentence but it feels like an hour long segment in the film. Most of the time is spent with lingering shots of bizarre smiles on the faces of the couple. The puking scene is hilarious though. If you've ever seen "Team America: World Police", just imagine Gary's puke scene done with live actors. But even this nightmarish segment is destined for redemption. It's so bad that you can't wait for Slaughter Claus to appear and destroy everyone. I wonder now if that wasn't the point all along.

Now imagine this in live action.

There are two things in this movie which are always constant. The first being if an object is on screen longer than 5 seconds, it will be used to kill someone. Secondly, wherever Slaughter Claus goes his Bi-Polar Elf will be close behind. Officially, the character is credited as Bi-Polar Elf #19, I'm scared for what might have happened to the first 18. Let me confess, I know the actor playing this elf. His name is Nelson Oliver and I worked with him for about 2 years. He's a talented and experienced magician who proves in this film that his performing skills carry over quite nicely. That being said, he doesn't have any lines at all. His only job is to encourage Slaughter Claus with obnoxious high-pitched laughing while clapping like a school-girl who just had her first kiss. He does manage to participate in a couple of kills but he's mostly around for moral support. The elf costume consists of some jester pants, fake ears and a fake nose. No shirt, no shoes? No problem apparently. Given the fact that Slaughter Claus and his elf don't have any other friends, it seems obvious that there is a homosexual relationship between the two. It's not touched on in the movie, you'll just have to trust me. It's a far less subtle nod than Peter Lorre's handkerchief. But who can blame Slaughter Claus when his elf dresses so provocatively? Not me, that's for sure.

David Hawkins has a good performance as Slaughter Claus. He delivers lines that are filled with both hillbilly and sarcasm. He's like a poor-man's Larry the Cable Guy except wittier and more genuine. When you're dealing with local talent, the most important thing is that they actually enjoy performing. You can tell that David Hawkins was having a great time playing this part.

In conclusion, this may not be the best Cullen film you've ever seen but it's certainly a worthy edition to the series. I watched this film alone, in the dark while my family slept. I had nightmares, but not a scene went by where I didn't laugh at least once.

Red State (2011)

noreply@blogger.com (Dusty) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 22:05:00 +0000

Written and Directed by Kevin Smith

Starring Michael Parks, John Goodman, and Melissa Leo

Rated R

2.5 Stars (out of 4)

Red State is available on most V.O.D platforms as of 9/1/11

Expectations are a curse. My expectations for a horror movie directed by Kevin Smith were very high. Its possible that I would have enjoyed Red State more if I didn't know who it was directed by.

The movie starts by introducing us to three horny, foul-mouthed highschool students. Which is to say, it starts out like a typical Kevin Smith film. These three kids are absolutely worthless. They aren't evil, just jerks. One of the heathen has been texting with a prostitute who has sent him dirty pictures. He convinces his friends to drive out to this anonymous hooker's residence for some gang-bang action.

In some of the most blatant foreshadowing ever, there are mentions of a fundamentalist Christian cult in the area. They have a habit of protesting the funerals of gay people. The movie makes a verbal distinction between this cult and the Westboro Baptist Church ran by Fred Phelps. Despite what the studio wants us to think, this group is obviously based on Westboro Baptist.

The next step was obvious, so obvious that I hoped it would be avoided. The three worthless teens find their whore at a run down trailer in the middle of nowhere. She's not exactly the beauty they had envisioned. She's (at least) in her 40's and not in a sexy Nicole Kidman way either. Does this stop the boys? No. One of the boys says it will be like screwing his own mom, but for some reason that doesn't cause any hesitation. The woman gives them beer, lots of beer. Like most horror movie beverages, this beer is drugged.

The kids wake up in a church. You will not be shocked to learn this church is that same gay-bashing cult that was so subtly mentioned earlier in the film. It turns out they don't approve of guy on guy on guy on girl action.

I didn't know who to root for.at this point in the film. The kids are obnoxious little bastards who I would have enjoyed seeing tortured slowly. However, I'm not a fan of self-righteous gay hating "Christian" cults either.

Luckily the viewer doesn't have to choose because John Goodman enters the film. He leads an ATF team that engages in a Waco-like standoff with the cult. Thank goodness he's there to save the day.

Then Agent Goodman (does his character's name matter?) gets a call. Its a supervisor giving him a direct order. There had been some mishandling earlier that lead to a premature shooting. To compensate for this, his supervisor orders him to kill all the men, women, and children in the compound so that there are no witnesses.

So who do you root for now? Easy. THE CREDITS!

Honestly though, its not completely unenjoyable. It has moments of wit that we've come to expect from Kevin Smith. Michael Parks playing the cult leader is an absolute joy to watch. Melissa Leo is impressive at being equal parts devoted and deluded. John Goodman is his normal jovial self in the scenes before and after the compound standoff. So if you can forgive the plot for flying off the rails and don't mind a grotesque amount of obscene language, then you might actually enjoy red state.