NZ Film Freak

Broken Record – Short Film

Director: Andy S. McEwan
Writer: Andy S. McEwan
Released: April 2014
Featuring: Steven Patrick, John Gaffney, Darren McColl, Chris Quick, Paul Massie, Karen Quick, Alan Cuthbert, David Marshall and Tony Quigley
—

A great 11 minute film about two men finding a suitcase full of old records which they reckon will bring them thousands of pounds.

I enjoyed this film, it is simple and very well produced. The lighting is great, the camera work is steady, the sound is even, and the acting is natural. It’s come together very well indeed.

The storyline has a couple of plot-holes, like the context of the first scene, I’m not sure if they are painters painting a house or clearing out a deceased relative’s home. Not that it would have contributed hugely to the story anyway.

I’m not sure what the men decided to do regarding getting rid of the third guy who wanted some of the profits either, it wasn’t entirely clear.

BR02 I think if each scene began with a wide or establishing shot, it also would have helped to give context of the situation.

The continuity was impressive, every shot led seamlessly to the next.

Despite those nit-picking critiques, I thought it was funny and enjoyable. A great scene is hidden at the end of the credits so keep an eye out!

A fantastic piece of work by Pentagram Productions UK (@PentagramProdUK and their Facebook Page).

This team have clearly worked well to make a short film. They should certainly be recognised for their skill and technique of film making.

Check out this fun Glasgow film below.

Jodie

Book me to independently review your favourite song, music video or film here.

A Great Speech: Touchscreen

I’ve been getting into ‘Poetry Slams’ which are basically poetry competitions but with the energy and intricacy of rap battles.

I posted one called Shrinking Women a while ago which was incredible.

Since then, I have found many others, with this one standing out called Touchscreen.

It’s about the lack of physical touch in our technology-drowned world, and our desire for our more primal and natural interaction to return.

This is incredibly well written and delivered.

…Apple picking has always come at a great cost
iPod iMac iPhone iChat
I can do all of these things without making eye contact…

…so when my phone goes off of my hip iTouch iTouch iTouch and iTouch because in a world
Where laughter is never heard
And voices are only read
we’re so desperate to feel
that we hope our Technologic can reverse the universe
until the screens touch us back
and maybe one day they will
when our technology is advanced enough …
to make us human again

Jodie.

The Way Way Back

The Way Way Back is a funny, feel-good film, similar to Little Miss Sunshine and Juno. It’s an uplifting tale about Duncan (Liam James) who has to endure a summer with his mum Pam (Toni Collette) and her new boyfriend Trent (Steve Carell).

Struggling to withstand Trent’s subtle bullying, Duncan goes out as often as possible. He soon gets a secret job at the local pool, where he gains a lot more confidence and gets a good reputation.

Toni Collette, Steve Carell

It is extremely well cast. Carell does a fantastically accurate job of being a total a-hole. Collette, just like in Little Miss Sunshine, plays the warm mother figure convincingly. She is a fantastic actress. The main character, Duncan is aloof but certainly not played as an emotionless character, which I think should be applauded.

THE WAY, WAY BACK

My favourite character is laid-back Owen (Sam Rockwell), Duncan’s boss at the local pool. He’s a hilarious character who balances the heavy situations out with a lighter perspectives.

The storyline shows how every character is being manipulated somehow. The Way Way Back has the humanity of Little Miss Sunshine, and the devastation of The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

THE WAY, WAY BACK

It’s a blend of sadness and comedy, which I love. It’s definitely worth a watch!

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Directors: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Writers: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Released: April 2014
Featuring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Cobie Smulders, Frank Grillo, Emily VanCamp, Hayley Atwell, Robert Redford and Samuel L. Jackson
—

Wow! Okay, I haven’t seen the first of the Captain America films (Captain America: The First Avenger) but I feel I still got the impact of the movie without much of the back story.

I haven’t seen the Avenger movies either (don’t kill me!).

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is about Captain America’s (AKA Steve Rogers) past haunting him. He was once in the army where he lost a dear friend, Bucky. The flash backs are gorgeous; back to the 1940s. Steve Rogers is trying to fit into the modern day but the values of the people in charge don’t sit well with him.

Basically there is a lot of action, awesome characters who are well developed, and the plot is so relatable with our current battle against Nanny States and over-surveillance.

I thought Captain America was going to be a patriotic conservative goody-two-shoes… A wannabe Superman if I may say so…

How wrong could I be.

Captain America is a bad ass super soldier with a ridiculously calm attitude. What a dude. With awesome morals, too.

My favourite quote of his comes about when Nick Fury (director of the super-spy agency, SHIELD, that Captain America is a part of) says that the world needs more surveillance to eradicate potential threats to humankind. Captain America/Steve Rogers, finds it difficult to justify this lack of privacy:

“…holding a gun to everyone on Earth and calling it protection… That’s not free, that’s fear!”

But the most impressive character was Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff. She is equal to male superheroes intelligence-wise and combat-wise. She is also witty… I don’t know if I’m going too far saying this, but she is CLOSE to being a female version of Batman… I’m not taking it back! It’s out there.

It happened.

Natasha is just the coolest. She doesn’t have a fat cry when things get difficult, she is sneaky and knows how to work the system. She is still so feminine without wearing next to nothing too.

I said Black Widow should have shorter hair, but then I realised that would be inconvenient for Johansson’s stunt double whose face is obscured in all the long-shot fight scenes.

captain-america-winter-soldier-sebastian-stan-set-photo_jpg_crop_display A super exciting film that doesn’t let your mind wander during the fight scenes. Relatable characters and plot with awesome enemies. The Winter Soldier is a good-looking son of a gun, yet ridiculously ruthless with an upsetting back story.

Fantastic. Such a fun film. Even for somebody who hasn’t seen the previous film, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Scary, funny, exciting, thrilling and dark.

Go see it.

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

Pokey LaFarge Comes to Town

I had the best night of my life so far on Tuesday, March 18.

Pokey LaFarge is a ragtime/jazz band whose sound is like no other. Their thirties-based, feel-good music is absolutely incredible, you can’t help but dance and smile.

I knew about these guys months ago, I heard ‘Hard Times Come, Hard Times Go’ on an advert and looked them up. Although, it was their song ‘Pack It Up’ which got me hooked.

I emailed their manager and asked if they would be coming the New Zealand any time soon, because they are now my favourite band and I quite simply have to hear them live. The reply was, to my disappointment, saying it may happen one day but there were no official plans in place.

However, by Christmas I found out they were to play a gig in Auckland.

You can’t imagine my excitment.

When that Tuesday finally rolled around, I was so excited that I decided to get to the venue two hours before the doors opened. I could hear them practising and even caught a glimpse of some of the members!

The total grandiloquent moment that happened next was unexpected to say the least.

Pokey LaFarge noticed me outside and we chatted for ages! Well. 15 minutes. We even got a photo together! He told me about his travels and how he’s really just “a writer at heart”.

To put it into perspective, this was like a tween girl hanging out with Justin Beiber… I know. Incredible, right!?

He asked me what song was my favourite and I said “Pack It Up!” He replied, “Ooo. I may have to practice that one for yah!”

Their set was a gorgeous up-beat hybrid of jazz, blues and ragtime I was dancing and clapping and screaming the entire time.

TJ, the trumpet player, is a talented man to say the least! Gave me chills! He asked if I took swing lessons… He noticed us dancing in the front row!

Ryan, the percussionist, was fascinating to watch. It looks like he gets completely emerged and lost in the music. So awesome. I’m gutted I couldn’t find him after the gig!!

The clarinet and saxophone player is Chloe. I have to be honest, she made me regret giving up learning the clarinet when I was 9… I’m going to dig it out now that I know it is possible for it to sound that amazing!

The highlight was when Pokey said that this next song is dedicated to a “Kiwi named Jodie Hart”. I just died. On the spot. I do remember blurting out an inaudible “blaaaaa… That’s me!”. The song was Pack It Up. It was the single most incredible moment ever.

After the energetic gig, I met up with Pokey again. He signed the song list (that I subtly retrieved from the stage after the set) and told me to keep writin’!

I asked the bouncer if I could sneak past him to meet Joey (double bass), Adam (guitarist) and TJ, he said no. So the only logical thing was to look like I was about to turn away, but then skip past him. He laughed though, so no harm done. I did feel like quite a rebel though…

Everybody was easy to talk to. They are such interesting and talented people who look awesome in thirties attire.

What an unforgettable evening! How will I ever beat that night…

Thank you to the Pokey Lafarge band!

Jodie.
…I’m going to go ahead and take the title of “biggest fan”.

The Louise Log (web series)

I watched Episode 2, Series 3:

After reading a bit about the background, I found the short-and-sweet episodes to be easily digestible.

It is a popular underground web-series about a New York woman surrounded by ‘crackpot relatives’.

The episode I watched was quirky and weird, but almost to the point of being cringe-worthy. The characters were theatrical and outrageous – certainly made for the stage.

It is, however, created by several accomplished writers, directors and actors, particularly with Sundance Film Competitions on their CV.

Although this webcom is not my cup of tea, I can appreciate the amount of work that must go into these weekly episodes. What dedication to make it to their third season of the show, raising over $20,000 to fund it! Plus, the bravery and perfectionism they have to change the actor playing the main character three times during the series.

A very specific kind of humour which I may be missing because of my lack of American culture. But worth a look!

Jodie.

Book me to independently review your favourite song, music video or film here.

Breathe – Jen Hannah

This is a soulful and soft number with talented singer, Jen Hannah.

I can see this song being used on a film actually. Although a tad slow and with repetitive lyrics, I certainly feel the overall emotion and idea of the song has impact. It would support a romantic-comedy, after the ‘crisis’ and during ‘turning point’.

I really enjoy the violin in this song, it binds the whole composition together. The piano is a perfect choice too.

A “primarily self-taught musician”, Jen Hannah is a fantastic singer and deserves much success.

A beautifully composed song for easy-listening, like Norah Jones, Brooke Fraser Kate Bush or Bic Runga.

Check out Breathe and Jen Hannah’s many other tracks on her website HERE.

On her YouTube account is an acoustic version of Breathe

Worth a listen on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Jodie.

Book me to independently review your favourite song, music video or film here.

Piano Man – Billy Joel

This song is as American and as inspiring as the iconic the Don Mclean song American Pie and the Bob Dylan song Times are a-Changin’.

Sing us a song, you’re the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we’re all in the mood for a melody
And you’ve got us feelin’ alright

I love songs that tell stories. In Piano Man, Billy Joel is playing the piano is a bar on a Saturday night. In each verse he sings about a regular customer. My favourite story is about the barman who is the nicest of men, but wants to be anywhere but here…

Now John at the bar is a friend of mine
He gets me my drinks for free
And he’s quick with a joke or to light up your smoke
But there’s some place that he’d rather be

He says, “Bill, I believe this is killing me.”
As the smile ran away from his face
“Well I’m sure that I could be a movie star
If I could get out of this place”

Billy Joel has a gorgeously soft, yet strong voice. I heard his song Vienna on the movie 13 going on 30 (aka: Suddenly 30). I looked it up on YouTube and I recognised the song named Piano Man on the side of the page.

The final verse is so powerful!

And the piano, it sounds like a carnival!
And the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say, “Man, what are you doin’ here?”

Give it a listen!
I love the music video too…
Jodie.

Flo-Rida & Ke$ha – Right Round (†∆$ Remix)

Flo-Rida’s cover of Dead or Alive’s 1980 dance-floor filler You Spin Me Round (Like a Record), was pretty good – a modern take on a high energy crowd-pleaser. Flo-Rida’s version was a new take on this club classic.

The original was featured on the fun ’80s-based film, The Wedding Singer, and the cover featured on Pitch Perfect. (Both versions were very well utilised in these comedies.)

But Thomas Sturges’ remix of what was a fantastic rendition of a great song, and has put a whole new spin on it.

His dub-step / club version has taken the song in a different direction. His remix of Flo-Rida’s track should be released by the singer’s label. Yes, it’s that good. I reckon it’s much better than Flo-Rida’s version.

Thomas Sturges has, with this remix, proved himself to be a music producer.

In his mix you can hear Flo-Rida’s unmistakable vocals, but instead of a ramble of words, it has become an echoed and vibrant verse.

I can’t fathom how Sturges actually achieved his remix. It must have taken hours. I wouldn’t be surprised if his version gets snapped up by a record company.

Well done, Thomas.

Check the remix out on SOUNDCLOUD. Follow Thomas on TWITTER.

Jodie.

Book me to review your favourite song, music video or film here.

American Hustle

Director: David O. Russell
Writer: Eric Warren Singer and David O. Russell
Starring: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner and Jennifer Lawrence
Released: January 2014
—

I honestly didn’t know what to expect. All I knew was Jennifer Lawrence is in it. Which sold it for me.

Bright, bold, glossy and rawkus. American Hustle shows off the glamorous seventies in a gorgeous light.

In the same way The Boat that Rocked made the sixties nostalgic, American Hustle enhanced our recollection of the seventies.

I was utterly gob-smacked to discover that Danny Elfman composed the music… You can’t even tell. Certainly a step away from the stereotypical sound expected from Elfman.
The actors were incredible. Everyone was so believable and realistic. Kudos to Amy Adams. I lost my faith in her acting ability after Man of Steel, (as Lois Lane) but she has made a come-back, for sure. She even does a fantastic monologue without make-up on.

Bradley Cooper, Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Jennifer Lawrence – absolutely flawless acting.

Someone told me American Hustle is “all cleavage and big hair”… I can’t really disagree with this statement. But it’s shot in such a classy and upbeat way, the plunging neck lines and big up-dos fit perfectly.

The script is beautiful! There are double meanings and strong themes in the dialogue, with funny lines and meaningful quotes.

The story was below average though. It was over-complicated, and relied too heavily on voice-overs. But the overall idea of two con artists and the characters they play to do the illegal dealing is cool.

The music was fun, the pub scenes were moody, and emotions ran high.

Probably not needing to be a two and a half hour movie, but a playful and provocative watch nevertheless.

Jodie’s rating: 6.5/10 – mostly for the acting and script

Movies About Time Travel

I do love time travel. It can be matched up to any theme; romance, action, a light-hearted chick-flick, drama, thriller, comedy… It’s so versatile, yet remains so interesting. It is a theme that explores freedom, risk and responsibility.

But be careful! There are many of us who will be happy to point out the inconsistent, nitty-gritty details when making a story based around time travel.

These are just a few movies that are worth a look if you’re into time travel:

Back to the Future I
Back to the Future II
Back to the Future III
My favourite trilogy of all time. Creative, exciting, relatable and fun. It explores many aspects of time travel – to the future, to the past – and how fragile it can be.

The Time Traveller’s Wife
A romantic film, yet with the time travelling theme. Very well intertwined! I feel like time travelling and not being able to take your clothes would be an unfortunate likelihood. So in that respect, someone’s put a bit of thought into the logistics.
Also, Rachel McAdams… She’s incredible.

About Time
A light hearted and cheeky take on the hereditary time travelling gift. It has a brilliant cast including Rachel McAdams (again) and Bill Nighy. I like how it’s about ordinary people with time travel ability.

The Butterfly Effect
A haunting tale of all the things that could go wrong when time travelling. An ultimate thriller, although very creepy indeed. It has a cringe-worthy feel that reminds me of Requiem for a Dream. Probably not a ‘fun’ film, but certainly an incredibly well-made film.

Looper
Although the storyline was a little disappointing, the creativity of the time travel theme was refreshing. We were seeing a gangster and under-handed use of time travel. It has an action twist to the sci-fi subject.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
My second favourite Harry Potter movie. Purely for the time travelling, I have to admit. But it’s a great story.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
This is my favourite Harry Potter film. They ‘aparated’ (a magical method of transportation) all over the country. Although, I guess that’s not technically time travel.

Midnight In Paris
No watch, no Tardis. Yet, at midnight every night a 1920s vehicle would pick Gil up and take him back in time. This was a beautiful film, harnessing everybody’s fantasies and bringing them to life.

Hmm. Maybe one day we’ll have time travel!

Jodie.
PS. Where are the female time travellers at?

Top 9: First Class Films About Travelling

I know I need to stop going on about it! But The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a fantastically inspiring film. It really did make me want to travel. Coincidently, Iceland is my dream location anyway. So that was just the cherry on top.

This got me thinking what other films make you want to quit your day job and get lost in the wilderness.

Into the Wild
A film that keeps coming up in conversation when I talk about travelling films. I have seen the first 40-odd minutes of it, but it didn’t quite grasp my imagination… Perhaps I should give it another shot though. Still shots taken from the film look extraordinary. (Finally reviewed it).

Midnight in Paris
It is a film I marvelled over. It’s a perfect marriage between the environment of a magical and unfamiliar city, plus a fantastical and romantic storyline. Can’t go wrong with a bit of time travel too! The mysterious and enchanting themes will make anyone want to book a flight to Paris.

Eat Pray Love
Now, I need to disclose that this was so disappointing! I thought it was going to be a deep and meaningful tale of self-discovery. However, it was pretty much a chick flick based in three different countries; Italy, Bali and India. But I have to say, I did buy into the dream. To take off for a year! What an experience.

Up In The Air
I know, I know, you pretty much only see airports in this film. But my imagination was harnessed by this movie! Turning up to an airport, picking a place, and going. No strings attached, no worries, just leaving everything behind.

Water For Elephants
Have you ever fantasised about joining a travelling circus? Perhaps it’s not a common dream now days, but I can definitely relate to it. Living rough, never being in the same place twice or staying in one location for too long. The people around you, mesmerised and spellbound by the circus performances.

Cemetery Junction
It’s all about escaping the ordinary life. After being inspired by Julie, a young aspiring photographer, Freddie realises he doesn’t want to live in a sleepy town either. He wants to go on an epic adventure. The film is about him building up the courage to leave; to ditch a town of no potential, to go around the world. It’s a grand idea to ponder.

Chocolat
About a mother and daughter who wander from place to place, finding towns to warm up with chocolate treats. They’re always on the road, floating from town to town, until they finally settle. It is more about the people than the places to be honest, but it’s a magical film with beautiful locations nevertheless.

Brooklyn
One of my favourite films about a young Irish girl who goes to Brooklyn to work, but she’s torn between her life in Ireland and her life in Brooklyn. Should she follow her heart and stay in America? Or should she stay in Ireland with her vulnerable mother and the life that’s expected of her?

Jodie.

Top 4: Feel-Good Film Trailers

I love getting to the cinema early to watch the trailers! But if I’m not watching movies, I’m sifting through film trailers on YouTube.

My attention has been drawn to the skill of making compelling and intriguing trailers, there is such an art to it.

Of course, the idea of a trailer is to get as many people to buy a ticket to the movies as possible; trailers are an advertisement.

Recently, I’ve realised the most compelling trailers have no dialogue. It’s the music that sets the mood.

Such as the first trailer released for the movie: The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. This is so fantastic. Relying completely on the powerful music to sell the story… And it works so incredibly well.

To The Wonder is a romantic movie, which would otherwise not appeal to me. Yet, thanks to the trailer, I’ve already decided I’m definitely going to buy the DVD… I don’t even like romantic films.

They use an uplifting and, once again, powerful piece of music. But this time, a well-spoken speech is added which gives me shivers.

Up In The Air is another example of a speech over music, edited together with a collage of appropriate clips. It simply gives you chills. Although, if I’m honest, it doesn’t quite give you an accurate feel of the actual movie. But it sells it, nevertheless.

Gravity‘s trailer shows so much contrast, sound-wise, music-wise, and the shots used. So intense!

Trailers are the only kind of advertising I consume willingly. I’ve realised it’s the music that has the most impact. The footage isn’t always true to the movie, but the scenes picked for the trailer are purely used to sell the story; it doesn’t need to be accurate.

What trailers have convinced you to go see the movie?

Jodie.

Wild Girl Waltz (Indie film)

A0108 — From left, characters: Angie, Brian and Tara

Director: Mark Lewis
Writer: Mark Lewis
Released: 2013
Starring: Christina Shipp, Samantha Steinmetz, Jared Stern, Brad Hemsath, Scott Lewis, Kim Barlow, Kim Gordon, Alexander Cook, Julian Lowenthal and Sean McDonald
—

This cast and crew deserve applause!

This is a comedy about the adventures of two girls, Angie (Christina Shipp) and Tara (Samantha Steinmetz), who pop some unknown pills to escape boredom in their small town.

Brian (Jared Stern), Tara’s boyfriend, comes home to find the girls high. Brian ends up ‘babysitting’ them and we follow their crazy and hilarious journey through the town.

The script is actually really genuine and funny. Talking in depth about colours and other irrelevant and random subjects.

Brian provides a great balance in the film. We are seeing what is happening through his eyes, rather than the story turning into a ‘Dumb & Dumber‘ kind of deal.

Some of the scenes, particularly the montages, could be edited down to make them snappier and keep the comedic pace.

The acting is certainly believable. The delivery of the dialogue is so genuine in most cases.

The reaction of Angie getting doused in milkshake was great. Also, Brian’s (Jared Stern) conversation about how the girls’ got a pie after leaving them alone for just a few minutes, were all very memorable moments. Very well portrayed!

Actually the ‘pie’ scene where the girls have to hide their drug induced high in front of Mrs. Wolvertine, a church-group friend or Tara’s mum, was hilarious. It was so awkward, but so natural!

Mrs. Wolvertine: [to Angie] Remind Tara if she forgets, will you dear?
Angie: Actually, there is no way I can carry that kind of responsibility…
*sprints over to the truck and throws herself on the flatbed*

The rest of this scene will have you in stitches.

*Brian gets into the car and looks over at Angie with a pie on her lap*
“…where the f*** did you get a pie?”

His facials were so blank yet so confused, it just made that line so funny.

I think it would have been cool to have a few scenes through the eyes of Angie and Tara, or even just a few flashes of their perception.

The photography is pretty good! There were a few shots that could have had better composition. But for the most part, the film is well shot and the audio is clear.

It felt like the cast were completely comfortable, like they were just hanging out with friends. This gave the whole movie a really natural tone, allowing the funny material to come easily.

I was expecting to see a bit more of a character development or a more obvious moral by the end. But a fun film nevertheless!

Well done!
Jodie.

Check out the trailer HERE

Just as a side note: Samantha Steinmetz reminds me of Vera Farmiga

Films Have Taught Me To: Take Chances

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

*Jodie’s wisdom of 2014*

90 Days of McDonald’s – A Misleading Experiment?

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 — 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_body — 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.

In any case, keep a balance!

Jodie.

Step Out – José González

The first time I heard this song was on the Walter Mitty trailer… It gave me chills!

I thought it must be Of Monsters and Men, who also had music included in the movie. But it turned out to be José González! This guy is so talented.

I first heard of him via a chill-out album which included two incredible songs; Crosses and Heartbeats.

Step out has a thumping drum beat, inspirational lyrics and vocals that give you shivers.

Time to step outside, time to step outside
Time to step outside you.

House on fire, leave it all behind you.
Dark as night, let the lightning guide you…

…living life, feeding appetites.
Stayed through every hard stop, every go.
Being blank
Breathing half the time…

His music is so emotive… Such a beautiful song.

Jodie.

Au revoir, 2013!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

’tis 2014… That’s a scary thought.

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:

Gold, Jerry, Gold!
10/10 (Revised to 8/10 in 2014)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

9.5/10
Gravity

9/10
The Prestige
The Conjuring

Hoochie Mama!
8.5/10
Cemetery Junction
Dead Poets Society
The Butterfly Effect

8/10
Bridesmaids
The Help
The Blair Witch Project
Made In Dagenham
Chocolat
The Breakfast Club
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Elysium

7.5/10
Thor: The Dark World
World War Z
Easy A
The Jane Austen Book Club
Walk the Line
Iron Man 3

7/10
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Morning Glory
Gangster Squad
Megamind
Man of Steel
Star Trek: Into Darkness
Midnight In Paris

Giddy-Up!
6.5/10
The Great Gatsby
Water for Elephants
Jack the Giant Slayer

6/10
This is the End
Django Unchained
Burlesque

5.5/10
The Wolverine

5/10
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Super
Now You See Me
Wreck-It Ralph

Yada, Yada, Yada…
4/10
Oz: The Great and Powerful

A Show About Nothing!
1.5/10
Movie 43

—

Indie Films
Tamla Rose
Beer & Seed
My Brother Lives in China
Locked (Short Film)
Agophobia (Short Film)

PLUS over 40 song reviews!

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!

My Facebook and my Twitter :)
Jodie.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

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.

It is sort of similar to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, because it is the story of a man’s dreams and epic adventures.

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.

New Zealand’s TV3 movie reviewer, Kate Rogers, gave this film a 2.5 out of 5… Perhaps she accidentally watched Anchorman 2 instead. There is no way this movie could be any less than a 9/10.

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.

PLUS an epic extended trailer:

You may enjoy The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, if you enjoyed these:
Big Fish
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Forrest Gump
Stranger Than Fiction
Little Miss Sunshine
Juno
Billy Liar

Tamla Rose (Indie film)

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.

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.

Check out their Facebook page and website.

Jodie.

Beer & Seed (Indie film)

An independent film by Bill Cox.

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.

Book me to independently review your favourite song, music video or film here.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

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.

A Great Speech: Shrinking Women

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.

Fantastic! No wonder this has gone viral.

Jodie.

My Brother Lives in China (Doco)

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.

MBLIC2 — 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 China HERE

Book me to independently review your favourite song, music video or film here.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

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.

What a sell out. Going to go have a fat cry now.

Jodie’s rating: 5/10