Welcome 2013

SO first off, my solid stance with The Master being my favorite of the year was crushed by the powerhouse entertainment that was..."Django Unchained"...and that might not seem like a surprise given my appreciation for Quentin, but let me tell you, it is a huge surprise. I was not overly excited about Django, of course I wanted to see it but I wasn't counting down the days that I had done with previous Tarantino flicks...Kill Bill and Basterds. In fact I didn't even see this flick on opening night! What kind of sick shit is that. But I did see it and now it stands solid as my favorite film of 2012....a really great year for film indeed, did I mention that yet?

The film was so entertaining start to finish that I had a permanent smile on my face for weeks after I saw it. I love this movie. It is QTs love letter to the spaghetti western/70' genre flicks that he has loved all his life. leo and Waltz steal the show in my opinion, even though the title has Foxx' characters name in it...the film belongs to the supporting cast.  10/10


Alright what else is new....I saw Lincoln, and I almost fell asleep. And for me to almost fall asleep in a flick is unheard of...but aside from DDL's performance, there was nothing keeping me invested in this film. ANd whats with Spielberg not showing us the guy getting shot....I mean come on.

Hmm what else...Affleck not getting a directors nod from the Academy is criminal. PTA not getting any recognition at all this awards season is absolutely sickening. Pleasantly surprised with Amours presence in the race...at least there's a bit of surprise left with the Oscars...and not ridiculous snubs...which don't count as surprises. 

So yeah top 3 of the year: Django, The Master, Looper

Looking forward to a new year of film...may it be as as exciting as the last.

2012 Adapting and whatnot....And my favorites thus far

Well I haven't contributed much to the blogosphere as of late.....so my apologies to my blog for the neglect. 

But there is a reason for it. The more I read peoples blogs/reviews on movies, people I know on a personal level even...the more I start to hate writing any of my opinions at all. Because we are a generation of social media...everyone has an opinion and everyone writes it down, which is good and bad. Personally I have no intention of being a film critic on a professional level, and I have maintained my position that everything I write on here is just my personal rants and opinions rather than to the book "reviews". Honestly as far as a film critic I have nothing to contribute......I want to make movies, not write about them. And its just as funny as it is embarrassing for me to go back to the beginning of this blog and read some of what I have written. First off I will never try to compile a best of the decade list again...because there's just to many flicks to take into account for that time, and narrowing shit down is tough....and basically those lists are flawed. And my Fight Club review or essay is just plain awful to read.

And I'm just getting sick of the snobbery in peoples posts on the subject of their medium. Film buffs are brutal...I can and have been brutal. People watch movies all the time, but people don't necessarily watch movies for the same reasons. The number one reason is entertainment....absolutely. But for the snobs.....we dissect every fucking frame and dig wayyyy to deeply for higher meanings and whatnots. And to be completely honest, were fucking irritating to be around for the most part. But hey people need to have their "thing"...just being a cinephile is a tad more obscure than being a sports fan. Most guys can suck back the booze and talk endlessly about their favorite sports teams....whereas us weirdos speak a different language altogether about studios and directors and writers a metaphors and shot composition and all that gold. I love talking about that stuff. But to anyone else it just seems like your being a snob if you ask someones favorite flick and they respond "Happy Gilmore" and you stick your nose up. I mean Adam Sandler may be the worst thing about the film industry right now, but Happy was a funny fuckin movie....so who am I to belittle the person to spurt that one out. Its just a different language, and I suppose I have to dumb myself down for the little people that arent on the same level as my expertise :). All joking aside, I have decided to adapt and use my snobbery for the people who actually give a shit about what I'm talking about. Because for the most part....a conversation about a movie goes as follows...."Did you like that one?" ...."yeah it was good"  THE END. But I love talking flicks...I want to know your favorite scene and what you liked and what you didn't, and I want to have a drink and talk for hours about it. Some people are better than others, but for the most part I have yet to find another in my circle of homo sapiens who is passionate about the same things I am. And the few I do know...to relate this whole rant.....are snobs! And I sure as hell hope I don't come off as brutal as the things I have read lately.

So yeah! Hence the blog neglect, aside from a bit of tweeting, I have kept most of my opinions to myself this year, but it feels like the Dam is ready to crack and I need to spill my thoughts to cyberspace.


2012 has been fucking awesome for films! It seems like the every other year syndrome. Because the last great year was 2010...that year was my favorite....."The Social Network" "Black Swan"...these are films that have really stood the last couple years for me and that I know will go down as a few of my all time favorites, those movies you're damn proud to have seen in the theater.

So for starters....yes The Dark Knight Rises came out this year, and yes I nerded the fuck out virally and now I will never see the end of batman posts on my Facebook wall from friends....I guess you ask for it when you dress as Batman every year for Halloween. But yeah that movie was a huge part of my year...it was my Holy Trilogy concluded...some kids have Star Wars, I have my Dark Knight Trilogy. But I tend to put that trilogy in a league of its own as one story and even though "The Dark Knight Rises" is hands down one of the best and one of my favorite films of the year....I'm not going to mention it in my top of the year list.

So here we go. "The Master", what a brilliant flick that was. I saw it twice theatrically and I cant wait to have it in my clutches on Blu Ray. Its one of the greatest character studies I have seen, pulled off so brilliantly by Jaoquin . PTA is one of my top 3 favorite modern filmmakers and I waited very patiently for this flick, and the result could not have made me happier. I love that movie and as of this very moment The Master stands as my favorite film of the year!

Next up is "Looper", I adored this flick. Again I saw it twice in theaters and i wish I had seen it more times, because it is superb. As far as a second feature is concerned its on par with Cameron standards...thats big praise but rightfully thrown. Rian Johnson is going to be a huge force in the film industry, Brick proved he is a great story teller and Looper solidified that fact. And all the more impressive is that Looper had half the budget of most of the action flicks of the past year. Well done Mr. Johnson.

And the thrid will have to go to "Argo". Ben has really proved himself, but in my opinion he did that a long time ago with Good Will Hunting anyways. This guy can write and direct beautifully. From his training as an actor he has been able to watch and study exactly how to pace good action or political drama. Argo was a great true story that was given a great treatment by its filmmakers. Nothign was glorified or taken out of the realm of possibility....no Yankee Bullshit.... if you will. I was very impressed with the flick.

So that's my top 3 so far. I have seen a lot of movies this year....and some honorable mentions could be thrown out...I did enjoy flight flaws and all, but Denzel elevated the material.


Its just the start of Awards season and Oscar bait aside, any way you slice it, this is the time when some great flicks get released. I cant wait for Mr. Tarantino's Django next week....best believe I will be in the cinema on Christmas day. I need to see Lincoln, no excuse as to why I havent already. Amour...the winner of the Palme D'or, Holy Motors has me very intrigued. And Zero Dark Thirty....as much as I really did not like The Hurt Locker...and listen to me....I REALLY didn't like that show, I am hopeful that i will enjoy Ms. Bigelows next outing...because that last trailer is great. Theres a ton I still need to see. But yes i will say it again, 2012 is a solid year for Cinema.

Now if i was a film snob and I saw my top 3 so far. I would say "Mac, that's a pretty conventional list...maybe you should see more films...."

:)

2012 part 2

 So I will be writing up two separate reviews for the couple films below....but for now here it is plain Jane.


                                                  The Best of 2012 so far. Tie ballgame

Below I had mentioned that this year was beginning to look to be on par with 2010, which was an excellent year for film...recall The Social Network, Black Swan, Inception, Blue Valentine. All made my top list. This year is looking really promising. I adored Looper, but will save the gushing for its own review. And the Masterpiece...i mean The Master....well I cant even begin here. PTA is back baby. Bring on more gold 2012, still really looking forward to Quentin's latest effort.

2012 part 1

Okay the fall is here. I haven't been keeping very up to speed with this old blog. But I guess its about time for some updates...because 2012 is turning out to be one of the best years for film since 2010.

SO where to even begin.....oh yeah "THE DARK KNIGHT RISES"

This review has taken some time...for a few reasons. 1. I needed to see it theatrically as many times as i did with its predecessor....which was 9, I have now seen TDKR the same amount of times but I want to beat that number and call it 10 on the mark. But anyways 9 times keeps it fresh in my mind and I have been able to reverse engineer the entire film and break her down frame by frame. 2. I wanted to give myself some time to really let it soak into my mind and not be biased and just write a glowing love letter aboot it!

SO here it is.

This movie is a masterpiece. And had you have talked to me the night I first saw it...I was singing a different tune. I had serious issues with this film. "SPOILERS"......It was hard for me to really be ready for it, as I have seen The Dark Knight countless times and it is so perfect to me in every way....its my baby. So I cant say i was ready for it, even though I was realllly fuckin ready for it. And maybe at first I was not willing to let anything new into the mythology of what I already knew, my biggest issue being the name drop of Robin...a nod if you will. And the ending of the film in general I had a hard time with the first time round, the name drop, the end in Florence...it was just two big hits back to back. And at first I wasn't sold on that ending to my trilogy!

Now having seen this movie 9 times theatrically...lets just say I have worked my issues out completely, and the parts that bothered me that first viewing have become some of my favorite elements in the film. The nod to Robin is just that...a nod, and the coolest way to have worked a wink to the character into Nolan's universe. And the ending now gives me chills, to see Bruce and Selina at peace with clean slates in Italy, that scene is monumental and brilliant....and what our characters deserve.

This trilogy means so much to me, it is my favorite childhood hero getting the ultimate film treatment he deserved....put together by a master. This is the definitive version of Batman in my eyes and nothing will ever compare. I'm so glad to have been the ages I have been for each of these films. The entire journey feels complete to me. I adore this film.

Tom Hardy is amazing and I feel he deserves more praise than he recieved...not that anything bad was really said aside from the voice issue. What he was able to do with that character is unprecedented....I cant see any other actor having the balls to take it where he did. "Do you feel in charge?"

I loved Anne as catwoman, she surprised me and cemented my faith in Nolans casting decisions. I loved all of the character arcs in this film...everyone has their moment to shine.

Some people have their Star Wars trilogy, others have Lord of the Rings....and now i have the best trilogy of all time The Dark Knight Trilogy.

Oh and that blu ray set with the broken cowl.....hurry the fuck up December, cause I cant wait.

Batman Begins 8.5 The Dark Knight 9.5 The Dark Knight Rises 9

Local film

Criticism is a big part of filmmaking. Get used to it.

As of late

Got around to seeing Spidey! And I was very pleased with this flick, I loved Marc Webbs 500 Days of Summer and I think he really pulled through with his first big budget action flick. In my opinion this is the best of the Spider-man films to date....moving away from the camp of Raimi's films, which had grown really stale with the 3rd picture. So yeah Garfield I prefer to Tobey and Emma Stone was great, the only thing I had personal issues with was the design and execution of the lizard.....just kinda meh, wish it hadnt been so CG heavy, but thats minor, I really enjoyed it! 7.5/10

I'm a huge Verhoven fan, and the original Total Recall is one of my childhood faves. So when I heard about Lens remake I was with all the other geeks...."this is totally unnecessary!"  but even when I say these things...i usually get around to seeing the movie. And fuck whatever I was entertained. I liked the films design, taking more of a Blade Runner stylistic approach than that of the original, this film does not take place on Mars. I like the few nods to the original film, 3 boobs, robots arms ripped to accompany the PG 13 rating. This movie is a fine little summer action flick. And i cant forget to mention the beautiful Kate Beckinsale.....Holy shit what a babe she is in this movie. LIKE BABE! ....BABE! ....fuck. 

6./10

I had wanted to see this flick since I heard Bale was doing it. I always found the Rape of Nanking an interesting story and wondered why there weren't more films about it. So here we go, from the director of Hero, we get a beautiful lookin film using Nanking as the backdrop. this film is so wonderful to look at...which seems strange given the subject matter, but it really is. Bale is great in it, even tho the films 3rd act gets a little too melodramatic. I was surprised to see how brutal critical response was to the film...I dont think its warranted. I liked the movie a lot and watched it twice.

7.5/10

Ted was dope.

7/10

My favorite music videos of all time!

I have really been feeling nostalgic as of late and hitting youtube hard to reflect on some of my favorite old music videos.


Now the first will seem extremely odd at first glance, but hear me out....I cant stress enough how much I respect a story to go along with the words of a song....and for the most part in every music video you see, the images have absolutely fuck all to do with the song.

So for my first favorite music video of all time..... I have picked Gwen Stefani's Cool from 2005, directed by Sophie Muller. First off the song tells a story and the music video translates the images beautifully on to the screen. I love the Italian style of this video, the colors, the vignettes and soft focus...its all really "cool". I remember when this video was out in the summer of 05 and every time it was on I would watch it all the way through, though back then I probably wouldn't have told anyone that it was one of my favorite videos. But now after all these years....well it gets my pick as one of my all time favorite music videos. i'm a fan of a narrative story structure...and this music video is as close to a film as it gets, this is how music videos should be. Take note from Sophie Muller, she can make a damn good video to accompany the lyrics of a pop song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGwZ7MNtBFU