NZ Film Freak

The Dictator

Director: Larry Charles
Writers: Sacha Baron Cohen, Alec Berg, David Mandel and Jeff Schaffer
Released: May 2012
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I love Sacha Baron Cohen’s work (for the most part), Ali-G and Borat as well as his amazing performance in the musical Sweeney Todd, where we discovered that he is a half decent singer!

I went into the cinema with admittedly low expectations, since I quietly thought that perhaps Sacha had sold out after Bruno was released… Which although I did not see, I was sort of put off by all the grossed-out people I knew who did see it…

So The Dictator is basically about… A dictator… who fights against Democracy being introduced into his country. He picks on America, describing how great their country would be if their Government ditched democracy and adopted dictatorship, “the leader could help out his friends financially, forget about the poor, give 1% of the population 99% of the money…”

The Dictator was different in the fact that it was not a mockumentary… It became a Hollywood version of Borat, with Anna Faris as the love interest and a recycled character of Ali-G + Borat as the protagonist; Admiral General Hafez Aladeen with the accent slipping in some places.

But! It was certainly an enjoyable film! There were some pretty hilarious parts – despite them all being extremely racist… But why would that be a surprise?? I would mention some of the funniest lines but… I won’t.

Anna Faris played Zoe who owns the vegan/fair trade/organic/non-racist/feminist/sustainable… store that the Dictator works at whilst in America. Those scenes are pretty funny, I’m not going to lie…

Just like every Sacha Baron Cohen film, this isn’t for everybody. But if you go in with low expectations and an open mind it is a good laugh for sure – especially if you watch it with friends.
However, I think Baron Cohen should probably think of a totally new character and stick to mockumentary style.

Not bad, not bad.
Jodie’s rating: 5/10

This isn’t the trailer, but it’s an extended clip which is more funny to watch than the official trailer to be honest… 4:07 is where the most hilarious facials are at…

The Wedding Singer

Director: Frank Coraci
Writer: Tim Herlihy
Released: February 1998
Starring: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore and Christine Taylor
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This film is the eighties equivalent of the sixties-based The Boat That Rocked, so it is very funny and has an awesome soundtrack!

Adam Sandler plays Robbie Hart the wedding singer who is very talented and loves his job until he loses faith in love. ‘Love Stinks’ is probably the most memorable song in the entire movie, which is covered by Sandler who has a surprisingly good voice!

The Love Stinks scene is my favourite scene, not because he is at the depths of heartbreak, but because his anger becomes pretty hilarious…

I think if Sandler had carried on doing the more tasteful films like The Wedding Singer, I would be a fan of more of his movies… It’s a shame that this is the only film I own with him in it.

Julia is the sweet girl-next-door type played by Drew Barrymore. Julia is such a cool character who is marrying the wrong guy; Glenn Gulia who is arrogant and rude.

That is until she starts “spending more time with this other man… Robbie Hart” who is, to her mother’s disappointment just “the wedding singer”.

Drew Barrymore has never looked more innocent with short blonde hair, this character shows her versatility as an actress since I always imagine her to be a bolshy and over-confident person in real life.

This film is probably my favourite rom-com of all time because it has a dry sense of humour, but above all it has a soundtrack that I absolutely love! Literally the best of the eighties.

Like all classic rom-coms, stereotypes and inevitable story lines fall into place, but the incredibly accurate fashion trends and set designs – at the very least – will keep you entertained and/or reminiscing!

I am now on the hunt for blue mascara…
Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Six Month Anniversary!

2nd June: Yes, I take every opportunity to celebrate the survival of my blog – let’s just be thankful that I’m not doing one every month… But I won’t make any promises.

So thank you for all of your support! Especially America; you guys are always reading my blog. New Zealand… I am ashamed. You’re like… Sixth on the “countries that read my blog often” list. Jeez!! Thanks a lot. I was hoping to be a Kiwi icon along with the All Blacks, Pavalova and Marmite.

…You guys would call me “our Kiwi film freak”. But then Australia would try to steel me like they tried with the Pineapple Lumps. So then both countries would fight over my personal items between the museums… Ah… I could go on…

But I won’t.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Please continue to comment, too!! I love reading the comments. Especially the criticism. I find it very entertaining. Sure, I cry inside. But, it is still very exciting to read. I shall continue to approve your criticising comments.

Unless they’re really pointless like that dude who wrote a comment saying “Harry Potter sucks” about 200 times… Yeah… Nah. I did not approve that. Because if you really hated Harry, you wouldn’t have wasted about 5 minutes of your life telling me so… THRICE! So go tell J.K Rowling. I just write about the films… But I still laughed out loud so all good! :-D

You may have noticed that we have extended my menu of film reviews, political rants and random thoughts with ‘cool-ass songs’. Yay! I hope you enjoy.

So, happy six month survival, NZ Film Freak!

Jodie.

A Great Speech: The Girl Who Silenced the World

severn-suzuki-earth-summit-rio-de-janeiro-1992 — In 1992 Severn Cullis-Suzuk was only 12 years old when she gave this compelling speech.

This is so inspirational. This kid deserves a high five and a gold star sticker, for sure.

It’s sad how somebody so young has so much common sense and confidence. It’s rather pathetic that nobody in power is taking action. Probably in the name of financial gain.

Please watch and be inspired and angered. Because although it’s an older video, it is certainly not out of date. Unfortunately.

Jodie.

The Lost Boys

Director: Joel T. Schumacher
Writers: Janice Fischer, James Jeremias and Jeffery Boam
Released: 1987
Starring: Corey Feldman, Jami Gertz, Corey Haim, Edward Herrmann, Barnard Hughes, Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Dianne Wiest
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Want to see a real vampire film? This ain’t no glitter-in-the-sunshine crapola! This is the real deal of blood-sucking beasts who aren’t bad on the eye and have traditional vampire qualities.

It isn’t a full-out horror though. More of a black comedy similar to Shaun of the Dead in style. It includes the good lookin’ Kiefer Sutherland in his younger days (if you don’t like vampires, you will after seeing Kiefer). Plus my favourite Dianne Weist who plays the mother of a comic book enthusiast (turned vampire hunter), and his brother (turned vampire). Talk about family feuds!

I have to mention Nanook – he’s the Huskie and I have loved that name ever since I watched this film. Apparently the dog was inspired by Nana in Peter Pan.

So it goes through all of the stereotypical vampire qualities, but it’s funny because they make you aware of the stereotypes. Intolerance to garlic, growth of fangs, demon dogs to guard the vampires during the day, motorbikes and, of course, being unable to tolerate sunlight. Or they’ll burn (not sparkle).

I love the characters. Michael Emerson (Jason Patric) as the protagonist who gets caught up with the “wrong crowd” in their new neighbourhood. Plus, his brother Sam (the late Corey Haim) who makes friends with brothers Edgar and Alan Frog (Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander) who chase down the vampires using their extensive knowledge of comic book characters as a guide.

lost-boys-frog-brothers — The vampire hunters! Armed with comic book knowledge.

I love the soundtrack! I mean, it’s certainly eighties music but it’s pretty powerful with chilling songs that I really enjoy – even for a devoted sixties fan.

A fantastic film! A classic. Not too gory or scary, not too light hearted and shallow. A fun film for a wide audience, even if it’s just for the hard-core 80’s permed hair.

I’m not planning on ruining my love of The Lost Boys by watching the sequel…

Jodie’s rating: 7/10

I’ll Be Seeing You – Billie Holiday

I adore this song – it’s relaxing and very reflective of the 1940’s sound.

This song is used in The Notebook as a very romantic song, yet also in Misery as an uneasy tune. It just has a feel about it that fits for the two opposing genre of film, which is unusual.

I hope you enjoy listening, singing and dancing to it as much as I do!

Jodie.

Times They Are A-Changin’ – Bob Dylan

Do you want to be inspired? Lifted up? Be given a ray of hope?
Do you want to hear one of the best protest songs ever written..?

Well. This is it. This is the key to your hopes and dreams. Bob Dylan’s song is like Imagine by John Lennon and Blowin’ In The Wind by Joan Baez combined. Just as inspiring, just as awesome, just as timeless.

Depending on what mood you are in, this song could make you just totally despise what our world has come to, and make you want to make your own protest outside parliament listing all the reasons that you hate their selfish ways and that you are finally fed up with feeling fristrated and powerless against their blatant lies and flip-flops.

You could feel at peace knowing that times really are changing, and that the great peace warriors are on your side.

Actually, I decided to liberate your minds with this song because Michael Moore covered it for the Occupy Movement album :) Look it up!

Peace out, dude-faces.

Jodie.

Misery

Director: Rob Reiner
Writer: Stephen King (novel)
Released: 1990 (It seemed like late 90s though)
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It has been a long time since I felt uneasy going to bed after watching a horror film.

Actually, this psychological thriller isn’t that horrific (for the most part..), it’s just when it finishes that you realise how disturbed you feel…

I haven’t read the book, but it’s pretty common knowledge that Stephen King’s work translates to film very successfully (The Shining, The Green Mile, Secret Window…) so I knew that I was in for a spectacular treat.

In a remote town, the popular author Paul Sheldon (James Caan) checks out of the hotel where he stays every time he writes a novel. On the completion of his new book, he begins his drive home until he gets caught in a blizzard. His car flips out of control and lands out of sight buried in snow.

But somebody is there to save him – his biggest fan, Annie Wilkes.

She treats him at her isolated house, which is fine until Paul realisees that he is actually being held captive.

Annie Wilke’s mood swings on a dime, yet she is not easily fooled! Her use of language is so freaky… Yet sort of funny… Which makes you feel very uneasy when laughing while watching this film.

“…he didn’t get out of the COCKADOODIE CAR!”.
“You’re just another lying ol’ dirty birdy.”
“…you just better start showing me a little appreciation around here, Mr. MAN!”

misery-1 — Kathy Bates plays Annie Wilkes. This scene being the most memorable… For all of the wrong reasons…

With the famous novelist being bed-ridden in Wilke’s home, he has to find ways to reach the outside world. Still reliant on his capturer for medicine, he needs to play along to ensure she doesn’t get suspicious whilst thinking up plans to alert the outside world.

Kathy Bates will always be the Unsinkable Molly Brown (Titanic) to me. (As well as being an uncanny resemblance to my year 13 English teacher…). So to see her as a controlling, deceiving and deeply unsettling person was quite a shock. Bates really was incredible in this role!

The cool thing is that James Caan’s character is one step ahead of you, but Annie is two steps ahead of him.

The music imitates the mood very well. In fact I honestly didn’t notice the music because it added to the scenes so perfectly. In the credits “I’ll Be Seeing You” was played… I can’t listen to that song in the same way any more. So creepy.

This film is full of anticipation and anxiety – but not with the usual frustration you get when the victim is just not getting away fast enough, it’s much smarter than those gags.

“Book’s almost finished, your legs are getting better. Soon you’ll be wanting to leave… I have this gun. Sometimes I think about using it. I’d better go now. I might put bullets in it.”
– Annie Wilkes.

The shots and lighting have to be kept interesting as the film is more-or-less based in one room (King’s novel was made into a stage play first). So check out the extras on the DVD if you’re interested.

The low angles make Annie’s innocent exterior look distorted which reflects how she is on the inside, and the lighting gives you hints as to if and when to feel hopeful. Very clever when you take notice of it.

This film is not a blood-bath, but has graphic violence. But not for the sake of being graphic (like all seven Saw films…). It really keeps your attention strongly from start to finish. A fantastic watch!

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10

The original trailer:

21 Jump Street

Directors: Phil Lord and Chris Miller
Writers: Jonah Hill and Michael Bacall
Released: 2012
Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Ice Cube
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So it’s not the typical genre that I would watch at the cinema, so my expectations were somewhat low. However, I am happy to say that this film was certainly a good laugh! I did enjoy it.

I guess it was specifically marketed at the Gen-Y population – I couldn’t see my parents enjoying it.

It surprised me that it was the same directors as Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs – what a change in genre! Yet, very well done nonetheless. It reminded me of Hot Fuzz because it mocked the action genre, pointing out typical occurances that would happen in an action film such as when a car would blow up and what would happen etcetera…

My favourite part was when the failed policemen (Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill) were sent to high school undercover thinking that they would have it all under control since they were experienced high schoolers, until they realise that the classical sterotyped groups were all different this time around. So true – something only a recent graduate would truely get.

The scene about The Miranda Rights made me wet my pants it was so funny!
“Uh… You have the right to be an attorney…”
“Did you just say.. You have the right to be an attorney??”
“Well, you do have the right to be an attorney.. If you want to..”

Although some pretty crude humour and a whole load of swearing, which was definately to be expected, I enjoyed this film. And the only reason why I wouldn’t buy it on DVD would be because I don’t like this genre in general. But this is the best comedy I’ve seen in a while.

Jodie’s rating: 6/10

Little Miss Sunshine

Directors: Jonothan Dayton and Valerie Faris
Writer: Michael Arndt
Released: January 2006
Starring: Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin and Alan Arkin
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If you adored the humour of Juno, you will fall madly in love with this film! It was full of that dry, black humour where you don’t know if you should laugh or cry.

It has that ‘typical family’ quality where you can relate to every character because we all know somebody like them. Sort of.

26suns.2.600

Olive (Abigail Breslin) wants to compete in a beauty pageant, which is a good one-and-a-half day’s drive away. With an unpredictably suicidal uncle (Steve Carell) who can not be left by himself, the whole family decides to go.

You automatically adore Olive, who brings an innocence to the family who are full of ‘failures’. Her brother refuses to talk, her grandfather is a heroin addict, her uncle is suicidal, and her father is a failed life coach. Meanwhile, her mother is struggling to keep the family together.

arts-graphics-2007_1175871a

Despite me making it sound like a total downer, it’s actually a beautifully triumphant film where everyone slowly makes peace with themselves and each other. I thoroughly enjoyed the adventures and internal conflict with a lot of deep and meaningful messages throughout the film.

A film that will make you laugh, cry, and reconsider your priorities in life.

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10

The Horse Whisperer

Director: Robert Redford
Writer: Nicholas Evans (Novel)
Released: 1998
Starring: Robert Redford, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sam Neill, Dianne Wiest, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Cooper
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I am a sucker for any great horse film – such as Black Beauty, but unlike War Horse.
And The Horse Whisperer is certainly way up there in terms of lack of soppiness, being accurate in the training and horse terms as well as having a strong sense of realism.

So it begins in the most idyllic farm blanketed in thick snow. Grace (the young Scarlett Johansson) puts her riding boots on and tip toes out of the house. She sees he friend over in the next field and yells “HELLO!!” with steam coming from her mouth and her voice echoing. “HELLOOO!!” her friend replies and they run toward each other, then make their way to the stables.

This is my idea of paradise which is why this film starts out on an instant high.

Unfortunately during their ride, Grace’s friend and her horse get hit by a truck and die. The accident was filmed so well! And when I say that it was filmed well, I mean insatiablely exquisitely well! I can’t even put my finger on how they did it… Perhaps they really did get a horse to do all of the stunts or perhaps they got away with realistic dummies due to the many quick-edited shots. Anyway. I almost don’t want to know because it was so convincing.

The accident leaves Grace and her horse Pilgrim physically and mentally injured so Grace’s mum (Kristin Scott Thomas) takes them to a ‘horse whisperer’ called Tom Booker (Robert Redford) in order to help them both recover.

The thing that stood out for me was the acuracy in the training techniques. The Horse Whisperer is based on a training system called Natural Horsemanship where the rider asks the horse for submission, acceptance and softness.

Obviously the reactions of the horse are not always particularly realistic, nor would the lack of time spent on Pilgrim result in the horse becoming totally cured. However, I think we are all grown up to accept that this is a film that has certainly taken the horse’s reactions into consideration, without it becoming an instructional video of how to train your horse.

The epic music is as incredible as Titanic and Black Beauty. I blame the music for my constant blubbering throughout the entire film…

I remember when I last watched this and I felt like there wasn’t enough of the horse’s story in it. However, this was about ten or so years ago and I am rather thankful that a parallel storyline of how humans interact and accept each other was weaved throughout. The love story is strong and does not take from the overall story of the horse’s journey through recovery.

You kind of get to know how cruelly we treat each other, how trauma affects people differently and how we listen and communicate with each other through the recovery of the horse. It’s really quite deep.

The end of the story is unexpected… But I can’t decide if it was in a good way or not. Everything is concluded except for the love story which I was eager to know more about.

After watching this I wanted to buy a ranch in Southern America so badly! Get a horse and go out riding for days. It made horseriding look incredibly natural – which I suppose it isn’t really – with big western saddles, loose reins and calm canters over the endless hills. A fantastically jolting contrast between the uncontained farm land and the claustrophobic New York City show within the film.

A fantastic watch for any horse lover or lover of deep emotion-driven films. I enjoyed the culture of the farm in the south.

Robert Redford has style! So keep an eye out for the use of shadows and colour.
A film that is very well done.

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10

Hereafter

Director: Clint Eastwood
Writer: Peter Morgan
Released: 2010
Starring: Matt Damon Cécile de France, Bryce Dallas Howard
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Released in 2010?? Are you kidding me? I thought we would have mastered the art of writing and making films by then… Jeez!

And Matt Damon. Matt Damon. Where is your head?? You are on my top 10 actors… And you sign yourself up for this??

So anyway, having bought this DVD on a bit of a whim I felt obliged to like it. But I found it difficult since the story line was virtually non-existent.

Don’t get me wrong, the first ten or so minutes were SO intense! A tsunami comes out of nowhere and you feel the panic under water – similar to the movie 2012. But after that, you pretty much get whip lash from the sudden decrease in pace of the movie.

You can see the Tsunami here:

George (Damon) is a psychic who denies his gift and tries to live a normal life. He eventually meets Melanie (Bryce Dallas Howard) who pushes him to give her a reading which abruptly ends the date… We never see Melanie for the rest of the film. Which was actually a blessing in disguise because Howard did a terrible job of acting – all hands and awkward pauses… rather jarring actually.

There are three story lines that intertwine which could have been effective if it wasn’t so damn slow and predictable. It really was obvious because after you find out George is a psychic and how he got his powers, you can fit the puzzle very quickly. Because you know that whoever dies in the film and comes back to life will have these powers, and the people who witness death will somehow find George.

I called it a ‘puzzle’ but it was literally a three-piece puzzle. Where you could figure out the picture before you had even put the pieces together…

Clint Eastwood is a master of light. But the lack of light in every scene made me squint and it ended up not making the film mysterious because it ignored the audience. Like, the lack of light shut the audience out of the scene.

The scenes of the natural disaster and the car crash scenes were very realistic though. I have to give him that.

I am selling this DVD online – I am confident that I will ever waste two hours of my life on this movie again. It was sssoooo boring!!

Unfortunately Matt Damon is in that We Bought A Zoo film so it looks as though his awesome days of Good Will Hunting, Saving Private Ryan and The Bourne Identity are sadly over…

hereafter — Matt Damon – Please pick your films more carefully next time!

Matt Damon – I have not lost faith in you yet!

Jodie’s rating: 2/10

The Hunger Games

Director: Gary Ross
Writer: Suzanne Collins (novel)
Released: March 2012
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Willow Shields
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Imagine the over-powering control as seen in The Truman Show, the effect on the audiences’ instincts as felt in the 2010 film 127 Hours, but with the overwhelming popularity of Twilight.

Wow, chills went down my spine!

Although I haven’t read the novels, I found I got totally immersed in the storyline of the first of the series about a world of twisted priorities with little respect for life, with a brewing love story beneath the conflict.

It’s an exciting plot about Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) who volunteers in place of her younger sister to be the tribute in a murderous game that is televised for public entertainment. A blood-thirsty game of physical strength and instinctive survival skills, out of 24 tributes, the final survivor will win.

The game is played in a controlled arena where the makers play God with the harsh environment – similar to that in The Truman Show.

I love the idea of the cruel business-like approach of life and death. In order to have the best chance of surviving, the tributes have to make themselves liked by the audience watching the game from home, which encourages sponsors to support the players in their plight for survival.

Gary Ross used a lot of point-of-view shots and shaky camera work which occasionally separated me from what was actually going on, but certainly added to the intensity of the importance of Katniss’ survival.

I assumed Katniss was 18 years-old, but it turns out she is supposed to be 16 which I don’t think was very convincing. However, Katniss was a strong protagonist who split from the group from the get go. She escaped the “blood bath” at the starting line and we follow her survival from there.

Jennifer Lawrence is a very talented actress who kept the character believable yet admirable and relatable. She kept Katniss neutral enough to be adored by everyone, but personable enough not to let the character become emotionless.

I was hoping the film would be a bit more realistic in regards to the fighting as it appeared a tad tame. However, I suppose the rating needed to stay low for the novel’s younger readership to be able to watch it.

With a mixture of old and future technologies it reminded me of Harry Potter (lack of guns and ammunition, yet futuristic medical potions, computers and genetically modified animals). But I think this made the land even more mystical and unknown.

This may well become the new “in” film series, except with a much wider audience who will be inspired by the strong characters rather than the submissive love-struck protagonists of Twilight.

The Hunger Games is much deeper than just another romantic fantasy story.

“May the odds be ever in your favour”

Jodie’s rating: 8/10
Check out the sequel: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire review

April 2013: Since reading the books, I can see that the adaptation was pretty decent! Of course novels and movies are different mediums so there are obviously some amazing scenes that were left out. But the way I see it, the novel is the behind the scenes of the movie, with cool details and extras to discover.

The trailer is average compared to the emotion you get from watching the whole film.

The Down Home Shake Down! – Big Mama Thornton

I AM ABOUT TO LIBERATE YOU WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC!

Holy crapolahs peoples! Big Mama is back!! It’s got harmonicas, a beat and a strummin’ bass and it makes you want to get moving. The flat-footing days of the south have been preserved for our era… And I’m loving it!

I tell you what, if I could go back in time, I would go back to the days of this kind of music! So freakin’ awesome.

I love this Down Home Shake Down because of Big Mama’s voice in the background – it makes chills go down your spine.

If you want to feel like dancing, I strongly shove you in the direction to watch this:

You don’t have to thank me. Thank the Mama, Dr. Ross, Shakey Horton, John Lee Hooker and the other AMAZING musicians of this genre and time for making incredible, outstanding and really, really cool music.
Jodie.

Twilight Saga VS Roswell TV series

Wow! So guess what I’ve been watching and totally thought it was extremely similar to a certain film series…

That’s right! After watching the Twilight Saga films which were written by Stephanie Meyer during 2005-2008 (which has created multi-millions in recent years) I realised that it is rather similar to the Roswell series which debuted in 1999 with the final episode airing in 2002.

Let me explain further. I am no “twi-hard”, nor am I a “twilight hater”. I do not enjoy the storyline, the actors or characters within the Twilight films. However, I do watch them because I enjoy the fantasy element and the behind the scenes of how the films were made – as I believe they are made rather well.

I have also enjoyed the Roswell series… Or at least the first series when the storyline is introduced. I have recently returned to the Roswell DVDs I own (post-Twilight) and the similarities are staggering.

Not only are both series set highschool, but their characters have a remarkable likeness. Bella and Liz are both smart, biology-loving, emotion-lacking highschoolers who stumble upon a ‘being’ previously thought to be fictional.

It was quite a shock after I watched Roswell and realised that Twilight is not such a unique idea after all…

For example:

Roswell’s protagonist: Elizabeth (Liz) Parker
Twilight’s protagonist: Isabella (Bella) Swan

Both brown hair brown eyed.
Both enjoy science.
Both meet their freaky boyfriends in BIOLOGY CLASS.

Bella_Swan_in_Eclipse — Bella (Kristen Stewart)

Liz (Shiri Appleby)

Freaky alien boyfriend: Max Evans
Freaky vampire boyfriend: Edward Cullen

Both monotone, intense and emotionless.
Both have brown hair and brown eyes.

The-four-aliens-roswell-36975_485_606 — Max (Jason Behr)

Max Evans has a blonde ‘sister’ named Isabel Evans
Edward Cullen has a blonde ‘sister’ named Rosalie Hale. Both have a chilly disposition against the protagonist. Both are sassy, strong and take care of their looks.

Both have a family or clan of similar beings.

Vampire clan of teenagers Edward, Alice, Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper
Alien family of teenagers Max, Michael and Isabel
All of whom are not believed to be blood related and each have individual powers.

315px-Newmoon_cullens — Twilight characters

So, what am I saying? I am saying that there are similarities. I’m saying that a lot of money has been made out of something that is not wholly original. I’m not saying Twilight is bad. Just unoriginal. Which is a little disappointing considering the amount of money that has been made from it.

But will there be original work anymore? Really.
I mean Harry Potter is remarkably like Star Wars. I’m sure you can think of more.
But perhaps I’ll blog about that one another day.

Is this worth getting worked up about? Or should we just enjoy it?
Just because you can’t be first at something, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Otherwise you’ll never do anything. (Wise words… Thanks Dad.)

Hmmmm…

Jodie.

Jodie’s take on the first of the Twilight films:

Twilight

3D Films… Are they really necessary?

So more and more films are either being made and released as 3D, or re-made in 3D… Is this a necessary evil to keep the industry on its feet? Or are they just doing it because they can?

I’m guessing it is just another money-making scheme.

I honestly enjoy 2D films better than 3D with very few exceptions. VERY few exceptions. In fact, I will name them for you right now:

Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland and Coraline

I think both of these films benefit from 3D because they are animated, the genre is ‘fantasy’ and they are both set in ficticious lands. So the environment is more fantastical without pointless objects being thrown at you for no apparent reason.

Titanic – a step too far? I mean the fact that the sinking of the Titanic was an actual occurence where many died… So by making another, but in 3D, are the production companies simply taking advantage? Then again, thank God it’s not a sequal!!

Having said that, Titanic is a fantastic film that James Cameron did very well on. And it is essentially a love story that happened to be based during a tragic, historical happening…

I just don’t think 3D is needed for good films… (ie: Titanic) But, maybe that’s why. Bad films that would not sell originally, sell very well if they are in 3D. But, you’re paying more for it too. It’s like… $3 extra for watching a crap film that hurts your eyes while using glasses that dig into your face. It’s even worse if you wear prescription glasses.

It’s true. I am not a supporter of this fad. Man, I sure hope it is a fad. I can’t see it becoming a permanent way of watching films to be honest.

I don’t know anybody – who is not under 11 years-old – who actually prefers 3D so… Yeah… Film companies: make sure you keep the 3D films away from the PG rated films and over.

Cool thanks.

Jodie.

About a Boy

ABout A Boy Poster

Directors: Chris and Paul Weitz
Writer: Nick Hornby
Released: 2002
Starring: Hugh Grant, Toni Collette, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult
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I am in no way a fan of Hugh Grant. He seems to only play one character and that character appears to be exactly what he is like in real life. Having said that…

He is in some pretty wicked films like Bridget Jones, Notting Hill, but the most impressive being this one: About A Boy.

about-a-boy It’s about Will Freeman (Hugh Grant) who has never needed to work and is a professional womanizer. The parallel story is about poor Marcus (Nicholas Hoult) and how he deals with his mother (Toni Collette) who is suffering from depression, all the while having a tough time at school.

Will thinks that having no family and friends is liberating until he meets the friendless Marcus who is looking for family.

It’s such a breath of fresh air because Hugh Grant keeps his typecast role of the ‘handsome’ Englishman yet it is intermingled with Toni Collette’s role as an incredibly sad and hopeless character.

This film is another melancholy coming-of-age film with sparks of comedy through it. If you enjoyed Juno, Little Miss Sunshine, The Way Way Back or Scent of a Woman, you will adore this movie for sure.

This is my new favourite!

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10

Hound Dog – Big Mama Thornton

Her voice is stronger than Aretha Franklin’s and her stage presence is as breath taking as… As somebody who has a lot of stage presence…

But this song will get you dancing and longing for the fifties!! As well as longing for a singing voice as strong as Big Mama’s… You just can’t sing along to this song unless your voice measures up to her’s. You just can’t.

I actually prefer the lyrics to this song than Elvis Presley’s because Big Mama doesn’t sing about catching rabbits… I never really got that line anyway…

Jodie.

Por una Cabeza – Carlos Gardel

This is a fantastic classic.

After watching this scene (tango scene in Scent of a Woman) I wanted to take tango lessons! Yet, I don’t think it was the visuals, but the song that made me fall in love with the scene.

Por una Cabeza (“By a Head”) was written in 1935 by Carlos Gardel and Alfredo Le Pera. Originally with lyrics, it tells a story about a gambler who compares his love of women with his addiction of betting on race horses.

I think it’s the whining instruments that makes the piece sound like it’s yearning for something, like the song is telling a story of losing somebody… I don’t know. It’s awfully touching though!

This is the best version I have found, I think it’s the French accordion that completes it.

I hope you enjoy it just as much as I do!

You can read my review to Scent of a Woman here. Including the trailer.

Jodie.

Scent of a Woman

Director: Martin Brest
Writer: Based on Ibuio e il miele by Giovanni Arpino
Released: 1992
Featuring: Al Pacino and Chris O’Donnell
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Getting this film in a “two for $20” sale I was cautious, particularly because the front cover showed a rather dated looking image and the title sounded a tad creepy. However, the name ‘Al Pacino’ gave me hope.

Scent of a Woman is an incredibly fascinating film to watch repeatedly because of the script, which is deep and meaningful to say the least.

Al Pacino’s character – referred frequently to as The Colonel – is a blind man who appears to be as mad as a dog at his first screen appearance. But he is such an interesting character I almost wish he were real. He is an experienced soldier and a wise man, who has a story or two to tell.

Chris O’Donnell’s character is Charlie who is hired as Colonel Slade’s aid for a thanksgiving weekend. He is dragged to New York with him, but learns a lot along the way.

There are a couple of incredibly memorable scenes. One is where Colonel does a very moving speech at Charlie’s school. I wrote all about it here. There are some brilliant quotes, and by the end you have total respect for this flawed character.

Scent of a Woman

Colonel: There was a time I could see. And I have seen. Boys like these, younger than these. Their arms torn out, their legs ripped off. But there is nothing like the sight of an amputated spirit. There’s no prosthetic for that.

The other memorable scene is the tango scene. Colonel and Charlie are sitting in a restaurant when Colonel senses a woman sat by herself behind them and he asks her to dance the tango with him. It sounds creepy, but it’s actually beautiful.

Colonel: There are no mistakes in the tango. If you get all tangled up, you just tango on!

Scent of a Woman reminds me a lot of Driving Lessons (and many other films including The Intouchables and You’re Not You): Where an old person drags a young person somewhere. The young person doesn’t know jack about life, and learns a lot from the old, wise person. Then, the young person finds out that the old person has big secrets. So they help each other out. I’ve written about this in my post One Story, Six Movies.

scentofawoman15

I love these kind of films though, even if the story isn’t original anymore. I guess they’re coming-of-age films. Films such as Driving Lessons, The Way Way Back, Little Miss Sunshine, Juno and Up In Air. They’re funny but thought-provoking too.

Colonel: “Are you blind?!”
Charlie: “No of course not”
Colonel: “Then why do you keep grabbing my arm? I take YOUR arm.”

Jodie’s rating: 8.5/10

In case you’re interested – the speech.

Twist and Shout – The Beatles

Umm… So this is only the BEST SONG EVER COVERED BY THE BEATLES!

If you’re feeling down, put this record on and scream along to it. So friggin’ awesome.

Cool fact: You can totally hear John Lennon’s sore throat in this recording!! Apparently he struggled to sing throughout the entire recording of the album, Please, Please Me. Naw… Good ol’ Lennon…

Jodie.

Driving Lessons

Director: Jeremy Brock
Writer: Jeremy Brock
Released: 2006
Featuring: Julie Walters, Rupert Grint, Laura Linney
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Okay, so this film has been HUGELY underrated. Despite being aware that everybody has their right to their own opinion, I, as New Zealand’s official Freak of Film, would like to say:

YOU ARE ALL INCORRECT.

Driving Lessons is a slower-than-usual paced film with a script as philosophical as Forrest Gump, but with humour as dry as Napoleon Dynamite (in some parts).

It’s about a boy named Ben (the gorgeous Rupert Grint… He’s so cool… *sigh*) who is born into a devoted Christian family, which becomes an oppressive and controlled lifestyle that batters Ben down into an emotionally-absent teenager.

Until he meets Evie.

This film has my favourite actress, Julie Walters playing an eccentric elderly woman named Evie who has been “…married and divorced three times. Once to an actor, once to an English Lord and once to a Californian” and is far from the ‘saved’ friends Ben usually acquaints himself with.

She shows him the ropes of life – with the moral being more-or-less that you can learn about how the world should be and the theory of how life works, but you don’t know a thing until you LIVE it.

She has had such a colourful life and is so liberal, which influences Ben to shake the strong reliance his controlling mother (Laura Linney) has over him.

I LOVE Walter’s interpretation of Evie who is a filthy-mouthed but very warm woman who anybody would wish was their nan in real life!

Ben’s mother, Laura Marshall, was played incredibly well by Linney who showed the character to be an insecure and controlling woman who appears almost like a puppeteer behind the mask of a wholesome church-goer. Laura Linney does such a great job, you begin to dislike the character very quickly!

The religious undertone isn’t something that should put non-religious watchers off, as it is an approach that is refreshing and open-minded. The story does very well keeping a non-bias view of beliefs, that do not suffocate the plot with pre-set ideas.

I have got the soundtrack which I absolutely enjoy! However, a few more like Ben Fold’s song “Jesusland” would have been cool.

I can’t help wondering what a TOTALLY different film this would have been if the old woman was an old man and the young boy was a young girl. Even if the plot remained the same… Just found that peculiar…

This is a film that is deep enough to watch repeatedly, yet, light enough for a social viewing. The humour is fantastic and Rupert Grint shows his versatility. A must see!

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Fave line:

“Evie, you’re in the middle of nowhere.”
“Then I shall cling to the edge of somewhere!”

Shaun of the Dead

Shaun of the Dead Poster

Director: Edgar Wright
Writers: Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg
Released: April 2004
Starring: Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Nick Frost, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton
—

The best black comedy of all time.

I have a weakness for zombie apocalypse movies anyway. However, this film has taken every zombie cliche` in the book and ends up pointing fun at themselves, which is hilarious!

The creators called it a “Rom Zom Com” aka a “Romantic Zombie Comedy” and the “perfect date film” because it has a heart line of a romantic comedy that happens to be set in a time where zombies are attacking the world.

It starts out with Shaun (Simon Pegg) and Shaun’s girlfriend Lizz (Kate Ashfield) at a bar on yet another date at the Winchester Pub, as Lizz bickers about how they never do anything different. The shot slowly widens to show, Lizz’s friends David and Di (Dylan Moran and Lucy Davis) and Shaun’s foul-mouthed best friend, Ed (Nick Frost). Of course, what better to change the monotonous situation than have their lives bombarded with the living dead!?

That’s what I like about the Wright-Pegg-Frost trio. Their ideas are crazy!
Yet they always work.

These zombies are the classic, lazy walker-types where unless you got trapped or are a really slow walker, you would probably not get caught, unlike the kind that is on the TV series The Walking Dead where they run when they are desperate. But these zombies imitate the world we live in – we wake up, go to work, come home again, miserable. So it does have a bit of a wake-up call feeling to it.

Edgar Wright’s signature fast pans, quick cuts and cut always were present which definitely suited the shocking humour and gruesome occurrences.

Another of my favourite things about this film is the parallels between the start and the ending. Such as the trolley boy collecting stray trolleys in the car park of a shopping centre with little enthusiasm. By the end, the remaining zombies are trained and take over the chore in an equally unenthusiastic way… I don’t know. I just find it amusing…

This is the best black comedy because, unlike some others I’ve seen of the same genre *cough* Zombieland *cough*, the comedy element runs through the entire film, not just random crucial parts. Shaun of the Dead make fun of the terrifying situation at every turn.

This is a must-have item in every film-watcher’s collection.

Jodie’s rating: 8/10

Up in the Air

Director: Jason Reitman
Writer: Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner (based on novel by Walter Kirn)
Released: December 2009
Starring: George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick
—

At face value, this may seem like just another shallow idea with a typical love story. But this is far from it.

It’s an incredible story that has a very serious undertone, indeed. It is actually documenting the effects of the start of the financial downfall that we are now experiencing globally.

The movie is not told from the perspective of an employee being let go and the inevitable family and financial problems that would accompany it, but from the point of view of the man that is hired by the boss to tell their employers they no longer have a job.

This is a song that a man named Kevin Renick wrote after losing his job. He sent it to Jason Reitman after hearing about the film and the song is played on the credits. Shows how real this film is, I think.

It’s a fantastic – yet heartbreaking – perspective, because we also see how technology is ruining human connection. For example, it is proposed that instead of Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) flying from city to city letting these people go face to face, that he could actually tell them online via a camera which would be more ‘efficient’, but obviously much less personal. This proposition doesn’t work for Bingham whatsoever. Let alone the people getting told they’re losing a job.

It’s a sad story of how people’s worlds collapse, how in many respects the odds are against us and that people can no longer rely on each other since it is predominately all about profit. It addresses how we have stopped being personal, only professional, and how a job can become somebody’s life. How it can be their only reliable thing.

Of course, being the director of Juno, Jason Reitman has created another fantastic comedy with very quirky lines. I love this kind of humour, particularly in the scene showed in the photo above.

Ryan: I’m not a shrink, Bob. I’m a wake-up call. You know why kids love athletes?
Bob (JK Simmons): I don’t know. Cause they screw lingerie models?
Ryan: No, that’s why we love athletes. Kids love athletes because they follow their dreams… Your resume` says that you minored in French culinary arts. Most students, they work on the fryer at KFC, but you bussed tables at Il Picador to support yourself. Then you get out of college and then you come and you work here. How much did they first pay you to give up on your dreams?
Bob: 27 grand a year.
Ryan: And when were you going to stop and come back and do what makes you happy?
Bob: Good point.

My favourite part is when George Clooney’s character is deliberating which line to join for security screening in an airport:

This fantastic film is pretty much about all the different ways somebody can feel ‘up in the air’ with little substance and solidarity in their life.

It is a sad film if you look beyond its face value, with not much of a happy ending which I think is very appropriate since we are not quite out of the dark yet. However, it’s strong, underlying current of humour keeps us afloat and captured throughout the whole film.

Jodie’s rating: 9/10

Tighten Up – The Black Keys

I have only recently discovered this song. But it is a wicked sound, for sure!!

It is a song that’s easy to dance to, yet its underlying tone of anxiety makes you want to scream the words along with the singer!!

If you like The Black Keys already, you’ll love the band Cold War Kids. Their similarity isn’t obvious until you compare the two singers’ voices. Yet, their sound is still totally new

and unique. Will definitely recommend some good Cold War Kids songs soon!

Jodie.