Have you seen the movie, The Commitments? It’s based in Ireland where a bunch of teenagers make a band which turns out to be ‘unsuccessful’, as in, they didn’t strike national fame.
I think the most beautiful part of the script is where the wise trumpet player, Joey, consoles the broken-down manager, Jimmy:
Joey: Look, I know you’re hurtin’ now, but in time you’ll realize what you’ve achieved.
Jimmy Rabbitte: I’ve achieved nothing!
Joey: You’re missin’ the point. The success of the band was irrelevant – you raised their expectations of life, you lifted their horizons. Sure we could have been famous and made albums and stuff, but that would have been predictable. This way it’s poetry.
A similar point is reached in the movie, Little Miss Sunshine.
This is the scene where Dwayne and Frank are talking about a famous writer. They ponder the writer’s inspiration and why he became so successful. They realise most of his material was derived from his worst experiences, and that these bad memories should be treasured.
I wrote a post about this scene HERE.
Frank: …he gets down to the end of his life, and he looks back and decides that all those years he suffered, those were the best years of his life, ’cause they made him who he was. All those years he was happy? You know, total waste. Didn’t learn a thing.
I don’t know. It just got me to thinking that when bad things happen, they usually make far more interesting stories and more inspiring art.
Give it a go! Go fail at life and write something inspiring = 2014 resolution
At the beginning of 2014 a science teacher of Iowa released his results after eating McDonald’s three times a day for 90 days. Surprisingly he lost weight!
Boy did the papers lap this up!
John Cisna went about proving that it’s not McDonald’s making us fat, but our choices.
John Cisna lost 37 pounds after 90 days of regular exercise and a 2000 calorie per-day diet
The articles covering Cisna’s experiment frequently compared his endeavours to Morgan Spurlock’s 2004 documentary “Super Size Me“. Spurlock ate McDonald’s three times a day for 30 days resulting in weight gain, and deteriorating health.
However, Cisna’s and Spurlock’s McDonald’s binge diets have totally different guidelines.
Morgan Spurlock gained 25 pounds after 30 days of eating a 5000 calorie diet and walking just two miles per day.
Spurlock only exercised as much as the average American does – two miles a day – and tried everything on the menu with no daily calorie limit. This often resulted in a 5000 daily calorie consumption.
Whereas Cisna stuck to 2000 calories per day which included daily exercise appropriate to the amount he ate.
I am writing about this because I am concerned about the confusion of many readers. Don’t write off Morgan Spurlock’s results – they shouldn’t be forgotten now that Cisna has lost weight on a similar diet.
When eating a high-fat, high-sugar, high-salt and high-carbohydrate diet, a significant amount of exercise and quantity restraint is needed. This is all Cisna proved.
However, for the average consumer, an intense exercise regime and a strict calorie-count is not a part of the deal. This was proved in Super Size Me.
Just because Cisna lost weight, doesn’t necessarily make his diet healthy!
Iodine deficiency, high cholesterol, liver and kidney problems were just some of the results of Spurlock’s experiment. I am curious to see if Cisna had any nutritional deficiencies or health problems too.
McDonald’s must be happy to hear about this story – I bet it’s smoothed over the cracks in their reputation made by Super Size Me. Especially since they gave all of John Cisna’s meals to him without charge.
Don’t compare apples with oranges. These were two totally different experiments with completely different results. Just because they ate similar food doesn’t mean the experiments can be compared.
I hope John Cisna’s results don’t give people permission to eat crap all the time, and I hope Spurlock’s results are remembered.
This year has been a huge learning curve for me; my writing has improved and how I critique movies.
I have been accepted into my journalism major which I hope will get me closer to my dream of travelling the world and writing about what and who I discover.
Since the beginning of my blog – exactly two years ago today – filmfreak.co.nz has received 70, 000 hits. So thank you for paying an interest, I am very proud of this accomplishment. The United States have been my biggest audience, with New Zealand, France and United Kingdom close behind! A huge thank you!!
This year has been a year of the superhero. Batman, Superman, Thor, Wolverine, Avengers… I’m not complaining though. Superheroes are an awesome trend to have.
I have certainly noticed films have been getting longer though. Three hour long films are becoming popular. Although, like 3D films, I am hoping the excessive length will move along too.
I have joined up with Fiverr, so my indie films, and many of my song reviews, have been via that site. Not only has it helped fund my blog, but it has introduced us to many emerging artists from all around the world. These are inspiring and ambitious people – so well done to all of you! The list of their films are at the bottom of this post.
Keeping with my tradition, I shall present to you the film reviews of 2013. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty being the hugest accomplishment of the year, with Movie 43 being at the bottom of the heap.
Please enjoy reminiscing over these films released or viewed by my good self, Jodie, during 2013:
Thank you for sticking with Film Freak. I have really enjoyed this year, and I hope 2014 will bring more incredible movies to enjoy and critique!
I would love to hear from you; I read every comment you write – even the spammers’! So keep getting in touch, it means so much to hear your feedback. Let me know what movies you want reviewed!
Director: Ben Stiller
Writer: Steve Conrad. Based on The Secret Life of Walter Mitty by James Thurber
Released: January 2014
Featuring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine, Adam Scott, Kathryn Hahn and Sean Penn
—
An inspirational fable to say the least. I have been waiting for a movie like this for a long time.
“Having a Walter Mitty moment”, you’ve probably heard the phrase. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty explores the ‘what if’ situations in life.
Coincidently, there is a hilarious reference to Benjamin Button in the movie.
Everybody can relate to Walter Mitty. Dreamers, travellers, photographers, bored office workers… Anybody who fantasises about running away or doing something crazy.
Ben Stiller not only produced and played the lead, but he directed it too. I have a new-found respect for this man. I have fished him out of the pile of cheap laughs in comedies with Owen Wilson or Adam Sandler. He is way up there with respected artists and creatives. Absolutely incredible.
The shots are beautifully framed and the locations are simply breath-taking.
Iceland has been on the top of my travel list for a few years now, so the fact that this movie is mostly based in Iceland just gives me warm and fuzzies. No other location could offer this film with a better foundation. What an exceptional choice.
The characters are real. The acting and casting is superb. Kristen Wiig, Ben Stiller, Sean Penn, Patton Oswalt, Adrian Martinez… Holy beans. This cast is gorgeous.
I can’t think of another movie that put me in these situations and locations first hand. I feel like I experienced the courage Walter experiences, and how he felt when he is embarrassed or intimidated. I don’t know how they did it.
I suppose it is the genuine dialogue, the seamless transitions between scenes and the emotional and realistic reactions. Genius.
Now. The music. The soundtrack and the use of music for the scenes is simply a HUGE part of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Jose Gonzalez and Of Monsters and Men in particular had songs that complimented the film perfectly.
My favourite scene is the montage of Walter Mitty going through the mountains to the song ‘Lake Michigan’ by Rogue Wave. The music is more than icing on the cake… This is the flour IN the cake; it is so essential and so well mastered.
House on fire leave it all behind you,
Darkest night let the lightning guide you
– Step Out by Jose Gonzalez
I won’t lie to you; I did have a fat cry. But I shan’t be ashamed! This film just gave me chills, and the songs moved me. I blubbered like a baby. Deal with it.
Films should be entertaining and transport you to another world, and make you feel different when you walk out the theatre. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty did this. I walked out feeling inspired, excited, exhilarated, happy and feeling the urge to travel, even more so than before.
My favourite component is how a lot of the characters’ mistakes were things that would happen in real life, such as throwing something away absent-mindedly or daydreaming about having a conversation with somebody.
This is more than a feel-good film. This is a lively, funny, adventurous film, full of rich and interesting characters and places. I cried, I laughed, I felt empowered and excited. It’s just a magical adventure. I’m going to see this again.
Don’t just dream it; live it.
Jodie’s rating after first watch: 10/10
The first 10/10 ever given on filmfreak.co.nz!!
November 2014: I have to say, after almost a year of watching Walter Mitty, I think it’s realistically closer to an 8/10 because Kristen Wiig doesn’t really work with the genre, and the movie can look a bit sterile.
However, I’ll stick with 10/10, because that’s how it feels after the first watch.
Director: Joe Scott
Writer: Joe Scott
Released: December 2013
Production company: Ace Film
—–
Tamla Rose is a pleasant reminder of what a dedicated independent film crew can produce.
This feature-length film is about three aspiring singers who transition from back-up singers for an ego-driven solo singer, to taking centre-stage as a successful trio in their own right. The group, which perform Tamla Motown-type music, experience personal struggles and conflicts as their egos inflate.
The Commitments
Tamla Rose initially reminded me of the 1991 film The Commitments, with its young wannabe-musicians and the strife they go through as they fight for fame.
However, the originally upbeat and energetic tone of Tamla Rose quickly resembles a Spice Girls-like film… Which is fine if you like the Spice Girls.
Lacking the grittiness and raw talent shown in The Commitments, Tamla Rose is a clean-looking 2D insight to the cut-throat industry of producing bands.
The film is sprinkled with original songs that unfortunately appear to be badly synced, yet the tracks are enjoyable and well produced. The filmmakers clearly knew what they were doing when it came to recording the catchy songs.
The composition of the shots were well thought out and there is a clear, linear storyline. The acting was believable and well-cast with Adi Alfa, Alexandra Johnson and Tisha Merry playing the leads. A huge shout-out is also needed for the hair stylist, Sarah Gannon.
Overall, it is an enjoyable film that bounces along quite nicely considering all the young talent involved. However, it could be even better with less dialogue, a little less music and shorter scenes. It’s a fantastic accomplishment nonetheless, and worth watching for the soulful music.
Making a feature-length long film is not easy. The amount of organisation, preparation and dedication put into this independent film, Beer & Seed, does not go unnoticed.
Accomplishing all these things on a budget only makes it more difficult; the cast and crew deserve immense credit.
Beer & Seed is well shot, well lit and well framed. However, the acting is sometimes wooden which lets down the feel of the film somewhat.
Many of the characters are college students. who are portrayed as one broad stereotype; undedicated drug-taking drinkers. Although the opportunity for character development was skimmed over, it was comedic nevertheless.
The dark themes, the basic sets and the static shots created a stage-play look which worked well.
Although I do think a ‘mockumentary’ style would have done wonders – using the rough look of the filming to its absolute advantage.
Beer & Seed reflects a team of creative and dedicated filmmakers.
Quirky and entertaining, although certainly a ‘seedy’ storyline.
Worth a watch! Check them out at their website here or rent/purchase the film on Amazon.
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Director: Peter Jackson
Writers: Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and Guillermo del Toro.
Based upon The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien
Released: December 2013
Starring: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch,
Evangeline Lilly, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Ken Stott, James Nesbitt and Orlando Bloom
—
This movie is about three hours long, but I felt like I was in the cinema a lot longer than that. Perhaps because we went to the midnight premiere. Being in a theatre until three in the morning can be tiring…
However, despite not being too fussed about the Lord of the Rings trilogy, or anything to do with The Hobbit, I did enjoy this film.
Despite not seeing the first instalment, I certainly found The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug entertaining.
Well shot, incredible visuals, powerful Howard Shore pieces and a fun storyline! Actually, it was quite funny – particularly the ‘barrels on the river’ scene. Absolutely absurd! Yet brilliant! …you’ll know it when you see it.
There are wicked scenes and it was quick-paced for the most part. But I must mention the exhausting monologues and the drawn-out scenes. It was easy to lose interest during these parts.
I’ll tell you this for free: if Peter Jackson let his movies be edited down to no more than two hours long, I think they would be highly rated by a much wider audience. But I guess he has captured an extremely devoted viewership.
Fair enough though. His films tend to be vast and epic to say the least.
I feel like this movie needs two ratings. For The Hobbit fans, I’d say you will adore this movie and a 7.5/10 would be about right.
However, for those of us who appreciate the movie for what it is, and are not affected by the hype, I think a 6.5/10.
Jodie’s rating: an average of 7/10
As a side note, the scenes that included a dark forest with giant spiders reminded me of
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Remarkably similar.
This is a beautiful articulation of the differences between the societal expectations of men and women.
Lily Myers is a student who performed this spoken word poem in CUPSI 2013 – The College National Poetry Slam at Bernard College, New York.
I wanted to say: we come from difference, Jonas,
you have been taught to grow out
I have been taught to grow in
you learned from our father how to emit, how to produce, to roll each thought off your tongue with confidence, you used to lose your voice every other week from shouting so much
I learned to absorb
It is about a woman’s relationship with food, and how it reflects self worth.
I’ve realized she only eats dinner when I suggest it.
I wonder what she does when I’m not there to do so.
Maybe this is why my house feels bigger each time I return; it’s proportional.
The beautiful use of words. “the house feels bigger” rather than “my mother gets thinner“. The house feels bigger because her mother doesn’t think she deserves to take up much space. It is spine tingling imagery.
Matthiew Klinck follows his brother, David, throughout his day-to-day life in Guangzhou, China. The culture shock is evident, but with a twist.
David is an English language teacher, so not only does the documentary follow the Westerners learning the Chinese culture, but the Chinese students learning the Western culture.
This documentary is upbeat and exciting; a totally different angle on the interaction between Western and Chinese cultures. The environmental hazards, work ethic and business dealings highlights the divide between East and West.
English teacher, David, and his Chinese girlfriend
David and his girlfriend run their own English language company, but when David’s not teaching he’s recording an album with a group of friends. The documentary follows the band as they get an investor, before creative and business priorities begin to clash. These ‘characters’ aren’t quite expanded on enough though, making them seem quite harsh and hard to relate to.
There are a few parts where I think the editing could have been snappier, with a faster pace because it begins to look like a home movie. If this was to be aired on television, a re-edit would probably be needed with an obvious climax and resolution to make the footage have a larger impact.
Marketing and branding needs to be worked on. The title, My Brother Lives in China could be made more catchy. The backwards ‘N’ on the poster does make it look like the film is based in Russia, so perhaps the presentation of the poster could be revised.
The entire movie soundtrack is made up of the band’s music which fits so perfectly! The band, Tomorrow Is No, represents the perfect mix of Chinese and Western cultures in a pop-rock genre really well. Fantastic voice-overs!
The visuals are superbly filmed, particularly in the light-deficient areas.
Overall, a decent watch! I enjoyed seeing a different side to intercultural communication. I think this film is just shy of a seven. It is a great concept, but a faster paced version would pick up the slower points.
Well done to the filmmaker, Matthiew Klinck! Sincerely hope you get funding for the sequel.
Jodie’s rating: 6.5/10
Check out the documentary, My Brother Lives in ChinaHERE
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Director: Francis Lawrence
Writers: Simon Beaufoy, Michael Arndt and Suzanne Collins. Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins
Released: November 2013
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, Stanley Tucci
and Donald Sutherland
—
What a total disappointment!
The first movie was INCREDIBLE! A breath of fresh air. A new and exciting concept – different to the usual slog. Themes of anti-corporation, anti-government and shining a light on the absurdity of focussing on reality television rather than the actual reality.
But the second movie barely mentioned these themes. And if they did, it was literally one line of dialogue which summed the whole idea up, causing an originally important theme to become meaningless and redundant. It is pretty much leaving the best parts for the third movie. Catching Fire is just a set-up for Mockingjay.
“Yes” I have read the book, which was incredible. The first movie covered the book well, the second didn’t. I know one shouldn’t compare the book to the movie because they are very different mediums. But quite frankly, the makers left out all of the good parts and focussed on the Twilight-esk star-crossed lovers storyline. Which I felt was a mere footnote in the novel.
However, if you haven’t read the book, I will expect you to find the movie slow-paced, underwhelming and lacking action. The movie spends WAY too much time outside of the arena trying to set up the situation of district rebellion, which isn’t done convincingly anyway.
When you FINALLY make to the arena, it’s literally like you’re being shown one problem after another with no time to catch your breath or analyse character development. There is very few battle scenes too. Very disappointing.
The actors were well cast and the acting was very good. Particularly Jennifer Lawrence who is equally as convincing as she was in the first movie… Despite the inexhaustible crying.
In terms of shots and visuals, there is one impressive birds’ eye shot, and the fire on Katniss’ dress is more realistic. But I can’t say it was worth the hype I’ve heard recently.
I’m so upset. The movies are expected to make a lot of money, to ensure this, the deep themes and interesting ideas have been ditched for a cheap love story to cater for a wider audience. Which goes against the entire point of the actual Hunger Games story! Anti-corporation and anti-consumerism.
I reckon a small independent film company would have done a far better job; staying true to the ideas of the story, rather than aiming for a cheap buck.
…the musical score were average. But perhaps the soundtrack will be different.
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Writers: Alfonso Cuarón and Jonás Cuarón
Released: October 2013
Starring: Sandra Bullock and George Clooney
—–
This movie is out of this world!
Ha.
I saw Gravity 3D and it was spectacular. The director, Alfonso Cuarón, said movies should be a visual experience – a lot of dialogue isn’t necessary to tell the story – and he certainly did that well.
Claustrophobia, agoraphobia, isolation, suffocation and death. This is a terrifying movie, playing on our natural fears. It is a very ‘human’ film – it goes back to basics – which is extremely effective in such an alien environment.
I’m not sure how to describe the epicness of the visuals… It is inviolable. Simply spectacular. The shot of the Northern Lights from outer space, and of the sun emerging from behind Earth… Wow.
Ryan (Sandra Bullock) and Matt (George Clooney) were absolutely incredible. I am a huge fan of George Clooney anyway, who played a chatty and upbeat character. But I was pleasantly surprised with Sandra Bullock! She convincingly played a strong protagonist.
All the dialogue used makes a huge impact. There is literally no unnecessary dialogue. The spoken word is almost used as a parallel storyline; Ryan’s back story links to her current traumas.
The audio is so detailed and layered. The use of silence is powerful and serene. Ryan’s heartbeat can often be heard in the background. The point-of-view shots include the dampened sounds of collision as though heard from inside the astronaut suit.
Speaking of audio, the soundtrack is incredibly moving – especially in the final scene! RANDOM FACT: Steven Price, who composed for Gravity, also composed for The World’s End.
Structurally, the story keeps you hooked. The count down before the next debris shower from the destroyed satellite near-by, and the suspense as the oxygen depletes… You literally find yourself holding your breath.
The loneliness, desperation, mourning, horror and serenity creates a hugely emotional journey. The point-of-view shots, as mentioned before, just gets you closer to the action.
Director: Alan Taylor
Writers: Don Payne and Robert Rodat. Based on Thor by Stan Lee, Larry Lieber and Jack Kirby
Released: November, 2013
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston (the ninth Dr. Who!), Kat Dennings…
—
I haven’t seen the 2011 prequel, but Thor: The Dark World was still entertaining.
Obviously this is an action-packed, exciting and a surprisingly funny superhero movie which is bound to be a hit with most.
I saw this movie twice, and I certainly enjoyed it more the second time around – which I think is common for superhero films. The first watch is just about the storyline, but the second time is about the characters.
Loki is my favourite character for sure! He is vindictive and vicious with a quirky comedic element throughout most of his dialogue.
The best thing about Thor: A Dark World is the self-awareness of the characters. The references to Captain America and, my personal favourite, when Loki says that a comment repeated by various characters will “become a line”.
I really like the lighter side of Thor. Marvel films don’t tend to take themselves too seriously, which is cool.
Personally, I don’t think Chris Hemsworth is hugely attractive, but I am aware I’m in the minority. If you’re keen for a bit of eye-candy, you will appreciate this film.
But, if you’re wanting a pretty cool supernatural storyline with frightening villains, then you’ll be quite pleased with the twists and action scenes in this sequel. They jump through time and space which is ah-maz-ing. Any time travel enthusiasts will appreciate these elements.
I love the costumes of the dark elves – so creepy! Also, the environment the characters fought in were amazing – Iceland scenery of volcanic ash wastelands being the most impressive.
If you’re in to old school country/rock ‘n’ roll, I think you’ll be interested in this band.
Billy Roberts and the Rough Riders certainly have a similar style of writing as the likes of Johnny Cash – and I’m a sucker for Johnny Cash songs!
The beginning of No More Mr Nice Guy has a spine-tingling harmonica and a wicked steel guitar. So awesome! My favourite part is probably the bluesy piano though.
The vocals are a little flat, making the singer sound bored. It would be great to pick up the energy for this folky genre, a genre that is great to get up and dance to. The drums sound a little too mechanical for the genre as well – we need a bit more improv!
I say ‘well done’ for completing these decent tunes. If the band sounds like they’re enjoying their music, so will others. A more casual approach would perfect this band. I’m very pleased to be introduced to this band’s music!
Jodie.
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The second speech that has really hit home is this one by Preacher Phil Snider. His 2012 speech creates shock and gives a fresh perspective on the pro-gay rights scene.
If you don’t have time to watch to the end of this speech, here is the surprise ending:
…the liberals leading this movement do not believe in the bible any longer. But every good, substantial, bible believing, intelligent, orthodox christian can read the word of god and know what is happening is not of god.
When you run into conflict with god’s established order you have trouble. You do not produce harmony. You produce destruction and trouble and our city is in the greatest danger that it has have ever been in, in its history. The reason is that we have gotten away from the bible of our forefathers.
You see the right of segregation I’m sorry, hold on.
The right of segregation… is clearly established by the holy scriptures, both by precept and example.
I’m sorry I brought the wrong notes with me this evening. I borrowed my argument from the wrong century. It turns out what I’ve been reading to you this whole time are direct quotes from white preachers from the 1950s and 1960s, all in support of racial segregation. All I have done is simply taken out the phrase racial integration and substituted with the phrase gay rights.
I guess the arguments I’ve been hearing around Springfield lately sounded so similar to these that I got them confused. I hope you will not make the same mistake. I hope you will stand on the right side of history. Thank you.
Not only do we share the same last name and similar place of origin, but we share the awkward and embarrassing everyday situations. The only difference being, the actress who plays the character of the same name, has made her life into a comedic series… While I simply digest my cringe-worthy days on my 40 minute bus journeys home…
Bear with… Bear with…
Miranda is the slightly more casual and relatable version of Bridget Jones. She makes my everyday situations become not an “embarrassing moment” but a “Miranda moment”. Which simply means my life is television-worthy. In my mind.
Miranda Hart has the ability to find sexual innuendos in most conversations, yet the inability of saying certain words.
I also give myself freely to others… I don’t mean ‘s-x-ally’.
A great series, a fantastically comical actress and an awesome character!
I was talking to my hairdresser about how tired I am with the monotonous pop songs and icons who are thrown into the spotlight until they’re wrung dry, with their music played relentlessly on the radio. We both mentioned some artists we enjoy who are quite underground in the music scene, who we hoped to hear more from in popular culture.
Any artist who goes out of their way to sound different should be applauded. It is certainly difficult to break away from the mold, and I think along with many other indie/alternative artists, Claus Zinger is doing it.
His sound is original, with inspiration from his homeland, Israel, branching into a rock/electro sound. If I had to make a similarity, it would be to Nick Cave. They both have a raw, rough sound which is a great change of pace.
His songs are typically about despair, about “the pain attached to the essence of the world, which cannot be ignored.”
My favourite of the songs I have heard of his is “Last Night”. Reading the lyrics along with the song makes it very powerful. The strings and piano are solid, creating impact and sorrow, with the drums picking up the pace.
The layered vocals can be almost distressing because of the heaviness of it. But his voice is certainly distinctive.
I say good on him! Claus Zinger is doing his own thing. His music is powerful, emotional and original. I hope to hear more from him, and others like him.
I wondered what I was going to be watching when I first saw it actually…
This short film is about a man who calls a lock smith to get him out of a compromising situation.
It is tastefully done and leaves most of it to the imagination – making a bigger impact! The clever thing about the film is that it is based in one room with only two characters and no music, yet it still tells a convincing story.
It will be interesting to see the final cut, so that I could comment on the lighting and audio. But certainly a solid effort was put into acting a scripting with clear morals.
It’s an interesting concept made simple and entertaining – I’m very keen to see the final cut!
I was lucky enough to see the rough cut, but if you are keen to take a look, keep up to date with their progress on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/lockedmovie
Written: Robin Swicord. Based on the book of the same name written by Karen Joy Fowler
Released: September 2007
Starring: Maria Bello, Emily Blunt, Kathy Baker, Amy Brenneman, Maggie Grace, Hugh Dancy, Kevin Zegers, Marc Blucas, Jimmy Smits and Lynn Redgrave
—
This film is up there with Bridget Jones’ Diary, I reckon.
I got this DVD because there was a ‘buy two, get one free’ deal on. Since the choice was limited, I thought I’d give this a whirl.
I was concerned because I had no interest in any of Jane Austen’s romance novels and had little knowledge of the stories and characters. So I wondered if a film about people discussing these books would be confusing…
Not the case, surprisingly!
The first time I watched it, I was just like ‘meh’, better than a chick flick… But kind of average. So it gathered dust on my shelf until one day, boredom and exhaustion from watching my DVD collection five times over resulted in me indulging in The Jane Austen Book Club once again.
I have to say, I really love this film now. The six main characters are empowering and strong, they all relate to at least some part of your own personality or life experiences. I could literally write an entire in depth essay of each character if necessary, they are that ‘real’!
I’m loathed to say they are ‘very human’, but you get where I’m coming from… They are likeable and relatable.
This is a character-based film where each character has some sort of hurdle to overcome, or growth.
Maria Bello as Jocelyn
Jocelyn is my favourite! She’s never fallen in love, which she says is “all like fiction to me anyway”. She’s a dog-breeder, and if you catch onto her mannerisms early enough, you’ll notice she treats men like dogs – she’s strict, short-tempered and dominant with them. Jocelyn is known as the ‘match-maker’, always on the look-out on who she can pair people up with. She’s drawn to ‘Grigg’ because he’s “eager to please” and “tries hard”… Sort of like a dog.
“Alone’s not the end of the world. For as many years as you’ve been married I’ve been quite happily unmarried.”
Emily Blunt as Prudie
Prudie gets on my nerves SO much! But I can’t help but admire her. She is so elegant, controlled and feminine. Her mother was a hippy, so she has a systematic and professional lifestyle to distance herself from her past. However, she is falling for a rebellious student…
Prudie: Trey, you really shouldn’t come on to me.
Trey: Why? Because you’re a teacher? We’ll go back to my place…
Prudie: Let’s not and just wish we did.
Kathy Baker as Bernadette
I would love to have a best friend like Bernadette. She is optimistic and loves people. Bernadette is a free spirit and probably doesn’t think things through very much, she has been married and divorced six times. But she is totally in love with the idea of love and brags about her previous husbands like they are trophies – not regretting any of them.
“My first husband was a politician. He was embarrassed by every move I made. He said I was rude and loud. “Stop pointing your breasts everywhere,” he’d say to me. I was 17… I married the first man who looked at me… But I’d like to get married again, maybe just once more.”
Hugh Dancy as Grigg
Aww, Grigg! You almost feel sorry for him because he is so excitable and happy all the time. You just want to take him under your wing and look after him. He stumbled into the Jane Austen Club because Jocelyn was trying to set Sylvia up with him.
“Hi! Well, I’m excited. Never read anything by Jane Austen before. What is it? I went to the bookstore to buy a copy of each one of the novels, and I saw this. And I thought, ‘Well, maybe they’re sequels’. So, I figured it might be a good idea to keep them all together in one book, in case I needed to refer back…”
Amy Brenneman as Sylvia
Sylvia is a woman who is an amazing mother and best friend. Her husband who she has been with since highschool recently asked her for a divorce and she is devastated. However, toward the end of the film, she realises how much she has grown and changed – perhaps something she was never able to explore in her younger years.
“I don’t want to meet someone [else]. I wanna pull the covers over my head and read novels. And eat. I’m starving. Allegra, go get me a dozen eggs. I’m gonna make a flan.”
Maggie Grace as Allegra
Allegra is the daughter of Sylvia. She is a fresh-faced, alternative, out-doorsy young lady who immediately clashes with the tightly-laced Prudie. Allegra falls in love and trusts “too quickly” causing her strife. She is close to her mother and quickly becomes a strong component to the book club.
Bernadette: How’s Sylvia doing without Daniel?
Allegra: She’s still stuck in the wounded stage. When she’s ready for anger, I’m so there.
Each Austen novel has a curious relevance to each character’s life. The details are subtly interwoven into the story, so even if you haven’t read any Austen, you can guess pretty easily. If you are an Austen fan, you’ll relish the tibits they reference all through the script!
This ‘review’ is more of a character bio, so please excuse that! However, I have to say, the film relies on these characters so heavily, they really ARE the story.
I am so buying the soundtrack! Amazing songs! Particularly “Save Me” by Aimee Mann.
As a side note – I am such a fan of Robin Swicord now. She’s worked on Matilda, and even collaborated with the writers of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button!
Hurricane is the second song I have reviewed of Junior Turner’s – the first being Natural and Nice.
This is a country-pop sounding song with upbeat melodies. It’s really quite inspirational-sounding!
In my last review for Junior Turner’s song, I said his voice sounds “like David Bowie mixed with Robbie Williams”, but I can hear Nick Cave in this one! Pretty cool.
This song has been fantastically recorded and produced – a very clear and professional sound.
A solid beat with great vocal harmonies between the singers. Hurricane is an easy listening song, bound to please many listeners.
A digital version of this song will be available on iTunes, Amazon & Play.com on September 27th, 2013.
Director: Neill Blomkamp Writer: Neill Blomkamp Released: August 2013 Starring: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, Wagner Moura and William Fichtner
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What a concoction! An action sci-fi film with epic fight scenes, storyline, characters and sets.
Elysium (a term from Greek mythology referring to where the blessed dwell after death) is based in the year 2154 where Earth is polluted, diseased and overpopulated by the poor and dying.
On an artificial planet/space station not far from Earth is ‘Elysium’. This is a place populated by the wealthy, where robots and machines take care of all the work and security of the station. They have access to machines that can cure anything from cancer to old age.
We follow the struggle of Max Da Costa (Matt Damon), as his fight to get to Elysium is littered with obstacles and unexpected twists and turns, loss and conflict.
What I like about this film is how it’s not a cold-hearted sci-fi. Every development is paralleled by an emotional character change too. It is clear how Max’s perspectives and values shift as he grows through his traumatic experiences.
The fight scenes are extremely well choreographed and shot! Wow, I got chills when the camera was mounted on the gun, as it moved around – almost first person. The jerky/shaky camera work was effectively used, without giving anybody motion sickness. This technique certainly accentuates the gory scenes! Prepare yourselves for exploding people…
Because Earth was no longer divided by countries, it was a huge boiling pot of accents. A bit of French, Spanish, American, Afrikaans and English accents/dialects were all spoken, but subtly mixed.
The characters were wicked! Jodie Foster’s character verbally bitch-slapped anybody who stood in her way. She began speaking French, and then spoke with a posh English accent with an American twang here and there. I thought her English accent was an epic fail, but considering my previous paragraph, perhaps her accent is accurate of the era.
Matt Damon kicked ass! He’s a talented actor because he plays the emotive dramas (Good Will Hunting) convincingly, with the ability to do actions (Bourne trilogy…) well. These two strengths were perfect for the character.
You’ll all know him as Wikus (the “sveetie man”) in District 9, but Sharlto Copley was far from sweet in this film. He played a vicious character, Agent Kruger, very well indeed. I think he’s one of my favourite actors, up there with good ol’ Christoph Waltz.
The ‘sveetie’ man of District 9
My favourite character, however, was Spider (Wagner Moura). He was not a stereotypical ‘geek’, but an intelligent and complex person. His intentions are confusing at first, which makes his character strong and respectable.
The bad: There were a few dull scenes and minor plot annoyances, such as certain occurrences being a little too lucky. The motives of the villain – Agent Krugar – are relatively unknown/unconvincing. There were a few dull spots where my mind wandered a tad, and the final fight could have been more memorable.
If I had to illustrate what this movie is like, I would explain it by using the following recipe:
Ingredients:
A bunch of futuristic flying machines, that reminded me of Star Wars,
A few chase scenes and the adventure of Total Recall,
A pinch of In Time – the future representations are similar at times
And for the icing, spread on a DOLLOP of District 9. The set design, attitudes and props are similar. (Due to sharing the same writer and director)
Method:
Mix everything together. Add the neglected love interest, and a sprinkle of violent fire arms. Beat into submission and heat at magma level to make the hottest sci-fi film of 2013.
Director: Louis Leterrier
Writers: Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt
Released: July 2013
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco, Mark Ruffalo, Mélanie Laurent, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman
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Um. Yeeeeaaaah. So the reviews I had been reading before I went to see Now You See Me, basically stated that it was over-complicated and so layered that one would need to watch it more than once.
This is quite simply, not the case.
It is so clichéd, so typical, so obvious, that the ending could be guessed half way through the film.
The ‘twist’ is… Barely even a twist. It wasn’t shocking or unforeseen at all. My reaction was more like, “oh yeah. Hmm. I’m not surprised”.
So, it really is nothing like The Prestige. The magicians are superficial and unlovable, as are the other characters who are all underdeveloped. For the most part, they were unbelievable – despite the epic cast!
I usually love Woody Harrelson’s and Michael Caine’s work, but they really weren’t given the chance to shine. Their characters were brief and shallow. But oh my God, Jesse Eisenberg just got on my nerves! I can’t stand the characters he plays, who are usually very similar.
The story was like something seen on a long-running TV series like CSI or what not. It was so… Average.
The only cool parts were when they explained how the tricks were performed. That was quite effective.
Unfortunately, there were a lot of major jump-cuts that became jarring. Leaving out a lot of footage, although kept the pace, did make you feel disconnected from the film.
I am quite disappointed in this movie. Despite hearing negative reviews on this film I still went into the theatre expecting to be thoroughly entertained and mystified… Yeah.. Nah.
This is one of my favourite songs by Canadian twins, Tegan and Sara.
These indie rock singer-song-writers have been around since 1995, now with seven albums. This song is from their fourth album, So Jealous.
I guess my favourite thing about I Can’t Take It, is the pace of the song. As soon as the guitar starts it suddenly makes me feel super relaxed.
I love those songs that are so emotive!
Check out their other tunage. Most of my favourite songs are on the album called The Con, but So Jealous is close behind.
The more you listen, the more you can tell which song is written by who, and who is singing. Tegan and Sara have very distinctive writing and singing styles.
Director: Benjamin Ross Hayden
Producers: Benjamin Ross Hayden, Fred Alapat, and Plainsight Pictures
Written for the screen by: Benjamin Ross Hayden and co-written by Tyler Hayden
Music by: Chris Tenz
Starring: Kevin Fraser
Genre: Sci-fi
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This short film is unlike anything I have ever seen before.
There are some small thematic similarities to the likes of The Matrix and Avatar. But this is actually an original, thought-provoking, metaphorical and emotionally-charged representation of what I perceive to be our dependant and warped relationship between nature and technology.
This movie is pretty ambiguous, you can read into it as much or as little as you wish. I’m sure different themes, concepts and interpretations could be picked up by every viewer.
You can’t fault Agophobia. The visuals, the imagery and the graphics are incredible – almost looks 3D.
It’s dark and complex, but ultimately, Agophobia is amazing art, with talented actors, writers, visual effects and camera work.
The music fits very well indeed; supports the film perfectly. Almost like you could close your eyes and still understand the story.
Agophobia has already been accepted into several festivals, including:
– 66th Cannes Film Festival – Court Metrage
– 37th Montreal World Film Festival – (F.I.A.P.F accredited film festival)
– 17th FLICKERS: Rhode Island International Film Festival (Oscar-qualifying)
– 9th Monterrey International Film Festival
If anything, this film is inspirational to anybody interested in visual effects or make-up/costume. It also sets the standard for anybody hoping to enter the short film industry.
Agophobia will be available online once it has finished its festival circuit – in the meantime you can exclusively see the film Trailer here: https://vimeo.com/71386060
password: Transhuman
I think the most beautiful part of the script is where the wise trumpet player, Joey, consoles the broken-down manager, Jimmy:
A similar point is reached in the movie, Little Miss Sunshine.
NZ Film Freak 