music – Page 5 – NZ Film Freak

Stranger Than Fiction

Stranger-than-Fiction-will-ferrell

Director: Marc Forster
Writer: Zach Helm
Released: 2006
Starring: Will Ferrell, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Queen Latifah and Emma Thompson
—

I. Love. This. Movie.

I first watched this in Media Studies class to study the narrative structure, and ever since then I have been able to watch it numerous times and never get bored… I know the entire script almost off by heart now.

Stranger Than Fiction is about a man – Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) – who can hear a voice narrating every event in his life, but it becomes sinister when the narrator casually mentions his approaching death.

Narrator: Little did he know that this simple, seemingly innocuous act would result in his imminent death.

Harold Crick now has to try and find the author to get her to stop writing before she completely writes him out of existence.

haroldcrick

I guess the first awesome thing about this film is the cast. Will Ferrell was never really an actor that I thought too much of until his versatility was shown in this comedy drama. He plays a very mundane and dry person, yet Ferrell’s subtle comedic value turns his character into a convincing yet entertaining person as he discovers his purpose in life is more than just being an IRS agent.

Emmathompson

Emma Thompson shows her insane abilities as a struggling author, yet without becoming a drag. She makes her character, Kay, so comedic yet so believable – as with all of her characters that she has ever played. You totally understand where she’s coming from. She has a lot of great come backs with no hesitation or concern for other’s emotional feelings.

Penny: And I suppose you smoked all these cigarettes?
Kay: No, they came pre-smoked.
Penny: Yeah, they said you were funny.

stranger_than_fiction-dustin

I can’t go without mentioning Dustin Hoffman. His acting is SO accurate for his character – spot on! He acts as Harold’s mentor and does so in full confidence that Harold is telling him the truth, and takes it very seriously. Professor Hilbert has many little habits that I would expect to be accurate for his career and character, such as excessive coffee consumption and loud eating.

Harold: You have to understand that this isn’t a philosophy or a literary theory or a story to me. It’s my life.
Professor Jules Hilbert: Absolutely. So just go make it the one you’ve always wanted.

Maggie Gyllenhaal as Ana Pascal

My favourite character is the baker; Ana Pascal played by Maggie Gyllenhaal. She is a rebellious yet respectable woman who brings Harold to life. I wanted to own a cookie store after I watched Stranger Than Fiction. She’s just such a cool character with strong morals.

Ana: Mr. Crick, it was a really awful day. I know, I made sure of it. So pick up the cookie, dip it in the milk, and eat it.

This movie is not a light chick-flick at all (even though it has my favourite romance storyline of all time). It is about identity and real life – the characters are not stereotyped or perfect by any stretch.

It’s about feeling out of control of your life, but with determination, focus and the right people, you can change your life to make it what you want it to be. You only have your life’s outline written for you; but you can always change it if you really want to.

The music is amazing – it goes so well with every scene – and I am most definitely going to put this on my Christmas list… *Hint hint*. My favourite song is Whole Wide World by Wreckless Eric and Bottles and Bones by Califone.

The structure is perfect, and once it gets going you realise how emotionally attached to the characters you are. Because they have won you over with their subtle comedy, and lines that you will end up trying to find the perfect conversation to drop them into. My favourite line is by Ana: “You. Miscreant.”

I haven’t been able to drop that into a casual convo as of yet though.

If you enjoy Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, you are likely to enjoy this trippy story. However, it is a tragic comedy that everyone will enjoy.

Jodie’s rating: 9/10

Twilight

Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Writer: Stephanie Meyer (novel) and Melissa Rosenberg (screenplay)
Released: 2008
Starring: Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart
—

This is a rather delayed review of the first film of the Twilight Saga. But it has won the poll with an impressive 221 votes! It’s a much longer review than usual, so to keep you interested, I have put in a lot of pretty pictures. So here is my take on it:

First of all, I think we need to ignore our prejudices – whether it’s from the Twihards or the Twilight haters, and watch the film as if we have never heard about it before.

The first thing that I can comment truthfully on is the music. If anything, I do enjoy the music very much, so much so that I have bought the soundtrack. Researching into it further, the music supervisor was Alexandra Patsavas who also worked on the famous soundtracks of Grey’s Anatomy. She picks unknown and indie songs along with well-known musicians and their more unheard music. If anything, the emotion comes from the music in this film.

Emotion, however, is not something that would be seen throughout the protagonists. Bella (Kristen Stewart) and her vampire boyfriend, Edward, (Robert Pattinson) are predominately absent of extreme feelings or overall facial movement. This makes me feel awkward throughout the whole film because I can’t relate to Bella’s lack of action or opinion in anything she does

kristen_stewart_1173804060 — Kristen Stewart and Jodie Foster in the amazing thriller Panic Room. An awesome film – with surprisingly great acting on Stewart’s behalf… Where did it all go wrong?

(who would have thought that this is the same actress who played the girl in Panic Room alongside Jodie Foster!?).

Bearing in mind that she is in a house full of vampires… I’m just saying, if I were in a situation where I was hanging out with vampires for the first time, I would not have a blank appearance… I would either be totally fascinated and asking them a ton of questions, or I would locate the nearest emergency exit.

However, lets be honest, these vampires are not the traditional sort.

zurial-30-days-of-night — The type of vampire from 30 Days of Night directed by David Slade (who also directed Twilight: Eclipse)

Although it could be applauded to go outside the box and stay away from the tall, pale, black-haired, cloaked, haunting figure who has fangs and sleeps in a coffin. But I don’t think that Twilight’s Hollywood-moulded type of vampire really works for me.

Vampires are/were my favourite super-natural fantasy creature, with the likes of The Lost Boys and 30 Days of Night being just a couple of my favourite interpretations of the blood-sucking killers.

edward_sparkling-1 — “Vampire” of a different kind…

But now, every time a vampire is mentioned in casual conversation, the first thing that pollutes our mind is Meyer’s lustful image of a certain Mr. Edward Cullen, and not the fearless, sadistic killers that would once come to mind.

But the 25 year old-looking high schoolers who glittered in daylight and are transformed into sexualised and attractive killers… Well. It just doesn’t go down well for me. I think that vampire + sparkles = evil fairy… Not a pin-up highschool boy, like Hollywood has portrayed Edward Cullen to be. It makes nobody scared or nervous, but practically asks the internet to make numerous memes about him.

I would also like to note that the vampire Cullen family drive a Volvo. A Volvo. Not a dangerous motorcycle. But the immortal beings who can not be harmed drive a safe family vehicle… I… I can not fathom this peculiar choice of automobile. If I could not be hurt or killed, I would not only drive a dangerous and rebellious-looking motorbike, but I would drive it at great speeds… Without a helmet on too! What kind of vampire drives a Volvo? Aren’t they one of the safest cars on the road? Made for safety-conscious families who can in fact be injured..? But, I guess fantastical one-hundred year-old creatures with skin as cold and clammy as a rock on a chilly winters day, who would not sustain a mere scratch in a severe car crash, would also be attracted to the top safety ratings and efficient air bags… Makes sense. -_-

I also have a huge problem with how Bella is portrayed. It just seems like she is happy to throw away her entire life for a boy. She’s seventeen and runs away with some guy she just met – a guy who she knows to be a predatory killer. It just seems crazy. She was going to go to university and everything.

Plus, we are frequently reminded that she is totally vulnerable and in danger of being hurt all the time – she has to be looked after and looked out for. It just feels like she’s a pathetic and battered down “pet” – which is in fact how she is referred to in Twilight: New Moon. I always prefer a female lead to be strong, like Trinity in The Matrix and Katniss in The Hunger Games. Why would I want to be put in the shoes of a weakling?

Having had a rage at the characters and the actors, I can say that I do like the filters that were used. The ice blue filter that makes you feel cold whenever there is a vampire in the room. The accented green in the woods to show the intimidation yet fascination around Edward Cullen.
I only wish that this filtration was continued throughout the sequels because it does not show the collection of films as a uniform, but jars the relation between each addition. I can only contrast this to the Harry Potter movies where the feel of each film is similar or only enhanced with each sequel, not necessarily changed.

I would also like to comment on the use of special effects and stunts, despite some of the directorial decisions being questionable, I do think that the stunts are simple, yet effective (although perhaps not always particularly believable). Especially with the fight between Edward and James in the mirrored dance hall where the camera work was done quite well, despite the use of wires being obvious.

To end this positively negative review on a high note, here is a funny video:
Bad lip reading of Twilight...

keifer-sutherland-vampires — Keifer Sutherland is the best [looking] ‘teenage’ vampire. And at least The Lost Boys didn’t take themselves too seriously; it was a black comedy after all.

I think that there is a lot of hype over nothing, but also a bit of shame among those who secretly enjoy the film. I don’t think it’s “bad”. It’s just… poor. It could have been done better if the cast was re-thought. But, even so, the characters were pretty pathetic too… It should have become a film that faded into the background; a one-hit wonder.

I don’t think it really deserves the hype – or the hate – that it has attracted. The appreciation would have been more appropriate if the movie came and went. It would have done much better as a fantasy horror – not a fantasy highschool chick-flick.

Jodie’s rating: 4/10

Whip It

Director: Drew Barrymore
Writer: Shauna Cross
Released: 2009
Starring: Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page
—

First of all, don’t be put off by Drew Barrymore as the director… Your preconceptions are invalid.

Whip It is certainly a fun and enjoyable film based around the exciting sport of Roller Derby. Since watching this movie, I really wanted to go to a Roller Derby bout which I was lucky enough to do this year. Boy, the violence portrayed in the movie is clearly through the eyes of Hollywood – it is so much more brutal in real life. Or maybe our Kiwi players are just more violent…? It was awesome nonetheless.

So, Whip It is about a seventeen year old girl called Bliss (Ellen Page <3) who discovers the world of Roller Derby and sees it as a way of setting herself free from her mother’s “50s womanhood” household.

EllenPageAliaShawkat — Pash (Alia Shawkat) and Bliss (Ellen Page) at their day job in the “bustling metropolis know as Bodeen, Texas”.

It explores friendship, change and rebellion. It is truly a cool film which makes you want to become a Roller Derby player after every watch; the energy is contagious! By the end of the film you will be picking our your derby name!

Ellen Page has always been one of my favourite actors (Inception, Juno…) and every female character has such a strength about them – almost androgynous – similar to the

LandonPigg — Bliss (Elen Page) and Oliver (Landon Pigg) make a fantastic pair, with Landon Pigg being a musician in real life, his band’s songs were included which were fantastic.

likes of Trinity from The Matrix. It’s very empowering.

I guess because Bliss (who becomes Babe Ruthless) is an “alternative” girl from a misfit town who beats all odds and becomes her own hero. A powerful message that is portrayed is that you should do what makes you happy at that moment – it doesn’t matter if it is not your career path or that you do it forever; just that you experience it and live in the moment is what matters.

Musically it transforms the potential chick-flick feel into a deeper and more emotional journey. My favourite score being “The Road To Austin” by the Section Quartet. As well as Jens Lekman’s “Your Arms Around Me” which is best heard with the scene that it is used with. They go together perfectly.

Drew Barrymore has really made a reputable name for herself behind the camera as well as in front, for sure. A fun and easy-watch but also an inspirational story that captures a vivid snapshot of Bliss’ life in a way that includes the realistic ‘ups and downs’ of life.

A feel-good comedy-drama. Worth a watch!

Jodie’s rating: 7.5/10

Pitch Perfect

Director: Jason Moore
Writer: Kay Cannon. Based on Pitch Perfect by Mickey Rapkin
Released: September 2012
———-

Okay, this movie was actually pretty funny! I felt like I needed to suppress my laughing fits so that nobody thought I had such a weird sense of humour – which this movie kind of does.

I really enjoyed it – perhaps more than I would care to let on since it is just a chick flick… But it’s not your typical “boy gets girl”, “random dudes stripping off”, “getting drunk and hooking up”… Okay, well that’s a lie, there was all of the above, but the movie tended to make fun of these stereotypical characteristics of the genre, which set it apart.

Beca – the protagonist – is played by the awesome Anna Kendrick… I reckon Ellen Page would have suited this character too…

Also, the fact that it certainly focussed on the music more than anything – you should see the list of songs in the credits! Plus, I liked how Pitch Perfect had a ‘point’ despite being just a fun, entertaining film. It emphasised diversity and non-conformity while either avoiding stereotypes, or blatantly stating them.

I guess I’m missing out on the main point of the movie, which is that it was all about the competitive world of acapella. I thought “Glee + Bring It On”, but it was actually a thousand times better than either of those. Competitions between numerous groups of dudes and girls who battle for the best performance of any song using nothing but their vocal chords. They all sounded fantastic… Even though their voices were obviously perfected in post. Almost too flawless actually…

Fat Amy has to be everybody’s favourite character, just because she is so freakin’ hilarious. I was so disappointed that they didn’t include the “pirate dancing” scene though… They replaced it with the “mermaid dancing” scene. So, here is the pirate dancing clip since you won’t see it in the movie (25 seconds in):

But the character who made me laugh the most was actually Lilly aka “The Quiet One”… I shan’t give away too many details – but look out for her!

My favourite thing about the movie? Probably that it was set in a university and not a High School! I’m so fed up of 20-something year old actors playing 16 year olds… Also, the love story took a major back seat! So refreshing!! There were also a lot of rather funny one-liners. Most of them being puns… Which were really quite “punny”… Ha.

The worst part? The pointless and really weird idea of having a character that has a tendency to vomit… A lot. Not only does it take you by surprise, but it makes one ponder the reasoning behind why this addition was actually required.

Over all, a very funny film that is worth seeing!

Jodie’s rating: 7.5/10
(Omg, higher than Looper!)

The Dark Knight (2008)

Director: Christopher Nolan
Writer: Christopher Nolan and David S. Goyer. Characters created by Bob Kane
Released: July 2008
Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Morgan Freeman
—

Oh. My. God. What a spectacular film! Well made – as per usual – with incredibly talented actors from the late Heath Ledger to Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman. The epic music made shivers go down my spine! The total lack of humanity that Batman’s enemy, The Joker, had put me on edge. This is by far, the best superhero film I have seen.

Bruce Wayne has Iron Man’s wealth and ingenuity, James Bond’s gadgets, Superman’s intelligence… and he is nothing like Spiderman. Batman is the ultimate hero – especially since he really doesn’t have any super powers.

the_dark_knight_joker — Heath Ledger as The Joker, and Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes

He certainly has the scariest enemies too. The Joker has the best lines in the film with the constant feeling that one would not be able to reason with him. This film is pretty freaky with no time to catch your breath! It’s fast paced with tongue in cheek humour. You will frequently catch yourself laughing nervously – particularly when The Joker is speaking.

Here is one of many fantastic scenes with Heath Ledger’s character:

The cinematography is absolutely flawless! The dim lighting is certainly taken advantage of, with eerie shadows and silhouettes being used so well that every shot could be paused and it would be good enough to frame and hang on your wall. The look of the film is just as if it is a moving comic book.

This film isn’t worth seeing once, it’s worth buying. Because you will catch fantastic lines that you missed before, and see things that you didn’t see before in the detailed shots.

Without a doubt, this film was way beyond my already high expectations.

Jodie’s Rating: 9/10

Your Arms Around Me – Jens Lekman

I found this song on the film Whip It. I didn’t like it at first, but the harp sounds so magical against the solemn strings…

Hope you enjoy it too!

Jodie.

West Coast – Coconut Records

So a friend recommended that I listen to this incredible indie pop song. It’s super uplifting. But even if you don’t love the song, you’ll love the video!

A great ‘easy listening’ song… An even better road trip song too. Particularly if you’re going to the West Coast.

Jodie.

A Minor Incident – Badly Drawn Boy

So I found this dude’s music from the film About A Boy and I fell in love with this song in particular. It is a sad song… Yet, a song that almost puts things in perspective on bad days.
Loving the bridge with the harmonica :).

His other songs that are worth a listen are “About A Boy (Something To Talk About)” and “Silent Sigh” which is a song that I will probably blog about soon since it is equally as awesome as A Minor Incident.

Enjoy!!
Jodie.

The Wedding Singer

Director: Frank Coraci
Writer: Tim Herlihy
Released: February 1998
Starring: Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore and Christine Taylor
—

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.

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
—

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)
___

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:

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
—

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

Pop Star Sings like Family Guy’s Herbert

Herbert-Family-Guy — Herbert does a little more than the occasional song on Family Guy – turns out there is a sound alike in an Indie rock band!!

You never guess what I stumbled across!!

Herbert the Pervert (voiced by Mike Henry) off of the hit cartoon series Family Guy has an accidental sound-alike!

The band is called Sleeping At Last and the song is called Turning Page with the sound alike singer named Ryan O’Neil.

If you’re a Twilight fan, you’ll know it from the Breaking Dawn Soundtrack.

I couldn’t stop giggling at the similarity. Just close your eyes and picture Herbert singing…
Go right ahead and skip 35 seconds in…

Jodie.

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.

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
—

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
—

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!”

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.

O’ Children – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

HP & Deathly Hallows pt1 dance — This scene was perfect for this song!

If you have seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1, you would have heard this epic.

Sure it’s long, but it is a song so full of emotion and such an incredible deep story that is being told that you end up using up all of your internet allowance listening to it on repeat.

It kind of has a gospel sound which I really enjoy. It makes you feel the pain they’re trying to portray, and like there’s an urgency to get a statement across to somebody. I’m not sure what it is, but the emotion of this sound really comes through.

I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do. If you don’t have a lot of time to listen to it, try skipping about half way through it. That’s where the magic begins.

Jodie.

Coldplay Plays Playschool – Mylo Xyloto Album

coldplay mylo xyloto — Coldplay with their new album Mylo Xyloto

So I absolutely idolise Coldplay. Their albums are spectacular, their songs are well written and Chris Martin seems like a genuine guy with a great voice – especially live.

So when I got Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay’s latest album, I was expecting to find many hits that I would put on repeat for hours. But I felt they were pushing their usually faithful audience just a little too far.

It didn’t take long before I lost all confidence and enjoyment in the music by the time I reached the second song on the CD “Hurts Like Heaven” with lyrics sounding like they were being sung to pre-school children:

Written in graffiti on a bridge in a park
‘Do you ever get the feeling that you’re missing the mark?’
It’s so cold, it’s so cold
It’s so cold, it’s so cold

Written up in marker on a factory sign
‘I struggle with the feeling that my life isn’t mine’
It’s so cold, it’s so cold
It’s so cold, it’s so cold…

…Yes, I feel a little bit nervous,
Yes, I feel nervous and I cannot relax,
How come they’re out to get us?
How come they’re out when they don’t know the facts?

Cold, is it? These lyrics really did not fit with the tune which was disappointing when you compare their new shallow and electronic-sounding music to their older songs that are richer sounding and more emotional.

But I suppose if I’m honest, these kind of lyrics did begin on the previous album with the song Violet Hill:

It was a long and dark December,
One the roof tops I remember,
There was snow,
White snow…

Yeah… All joking aside, snow is typically white. If you need to fill in a line, maybe try something a little more adventurous.

The most famous song on the new album ‘Paradise’ was a good song until my Uncle pointed out that it sounds as if Chris is saying “Pair of Tights” not “Paradise”… Yeah, try getting those lyrics out of your head when you next listen to it. Also, despite the deep and meaningful nature of the lyrics not really being carried through with Chris Martin’s short notes, which didn’t quite fit the bill.

(Dreaming of a pair-of, pair-of, pair of tights)

With my favourite album being Parachute which I still listen to often, Mylo Xyloto (and to some extent Viva La Vida) was a gigantic flop which I hope this ground breaking band will be able to make a come-back from.

I have always loved Coldplay albums before I even hear the first single. But usually I’m not disappointed. Now I will not make that impulse purchase of their newest album with new fears that Coldplay is seeing how ridiculous they can make their music before their devoted fans realise.

I’m not turning into a music reviewer, but I did want to point out this massive flaw in this usually talented band, despite still being a huge fan of the band’s old music.

Verdict: Don’t waste your money, watch the parodies for free on YouTube.

Jodie.

The Boat that Rocked

Director: Richard Curtis
Writers: Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Hilary Bevan Jones
Released: 2009
Starring: Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson
—

If you love groovylicious music and cool fashion from the 1960s, then you are going to LOVE this film!

It’s a film about the pirate radio stars during the sixties who played rockin’ music, whilst trying to keep the government off their backs who didn’t like the kind of influence the radio stations had.

It’s the kind of film where its characters are used to target the typical main-stream movie audience who are in their twenties, but it’s ‘historical’ enough to capture the reminiscing kids of the sixties, yet, unique enough to entice the indie teens, and overall AWESOMENESS to be absolutely: Way. Cool.

It’s an exciting film about each radio host’s personal triumphs as well as the overall capturing story of essentially giving the middle finger to society. The contrast between the conservative government workers versus the wild rock and roll supporters from the boats in the North Sea was drawn which was great to see two sides.

You can also see the same sort of contrast being drawn between the children and their parents. The children being the rebellious worshippers of the DJs who hide radios in their bedrooms, and the parents being the BBC listeners who frown upon the culture of pop and rock and roll music.

The humour was a bit hit-and-miss for me occasionally, but that’s probably because I have a dry sense of humour… As in, I find Napoleon Dynamite hilarious. The majority of the audience would enjoy it very much, I’m sure.

Fantastic music OBVIOUSLY, which compelled me to buy the double-disc album which was incredible! Think of your favourite artist from the sixties, and it’ll be on there… Except for The Beatles… That was a bit of a disappointment, actually…

A loud, crazy, colourful and hilarious depiction of the sixties’ uprising which was almost successful. I felt quite upset at the end when I saw the ship sink and I went into a deep daydream of how the Government should have let the ships be, how it could have been, how they should never have made laws against them and how spectacular the sixties was… and the WAY COOL music… The ending was a bit of a downer, but accurate nevertheless. (Reinforcing my ‘Golden Age Thinking’ as explained in Midnight in Paris)

The Boat That Rocked is an entertaining film where anybody could pick out a favourite bit, moment or character, making it a movie that’s easy to talk about. It is a perfectly orchestrated story with fewer stereotypes than I expected.

The wardrobe was absolutely stupendous (I wish there was a “The Boat That Rocked Shop”) and the cut-aways to the everyday listeners was probably one of my favourite bits, because it gave you a huge scope of the world they lived in – since it could have been very isolated to the life on the boat.

This isn’t just a film worth watching, this is a film worth buying and then replaying. You will finish watching the film and feel an urge to carry a stereo around with you, liberating the boring and monotonous people of the 2000s with epic sounds of the sixties.

You will feel the need to stick it to the man and be rebellious… But you’ll probably just put the film on repeat instead, and that’s cool too.

If American Graffiti represents America in the 60s, The Boat that Rocked represents the UK in the 60s.

Jodie’s rating: 8/10