Moving Day

Thank God, not for me! But for 2 family members and a good friend - which on top of helping LuLu move a couple weeks ago - means I'm over moving... Though it's nice to get a little unwanted by them - but much needed by me - swag!

For some reason - every time moving comes up I for some reason think of this Richard Pryor film. I have vague memories of watching it long ago - but couldn't tell you anything about it - but still it haunts me. Has anyone heard of it? Seen it? Like it? Or is it one of those bad 80's films that we've all erased from our collective conscience?

I only really recall watching ONE Richard Pryor film - and that was SILVER STREAK - and I ALWAYS tuned in at the same spot... When Gene Wilder paints his face and starts pretending to be black. Which always made me go - what the hell?

Anyway... Have a great weekend everyone!

Dog Soldiers [2002]

P is for... [part 2]

Before it ever arrived in the U.S., this epic, animated 1997 fantasy had already made history as the top-grossing domestic feature ever released in Japan, where its combination of mythic themes, mystical forces, and ravishing visuals tapped deeply into cultural identity and contemporary, ecological anxieties. For international animation and anime fans, Princess Mononoke represents an auspicious next step for its revered creator, Hayao Miyazaki (My Neighbor Totoro, Kiki's Delivery Service), an acknowledged anime pioneer, whose painterly style, vivid character design, and stylized approach to storytelling take ambitious, evolutionary steps here.

Set in medieval Japan, Miyazaki's original story envisions a struggle between nature and man. The march of technology, embodied in the dark iron forges of the ambitious Tatara clan, threatens the natural forces explicit in the benevolent Great God of the Forest and the wide-eyed, spectral spirits he protects. When Ashitaka, a young warrior from a remote, and endangered, village clan, kills a ravenous, boar-like monster, he discovers the beast is in fact an infectious "demon god," transformed by human anger. Ashitaka's quest to solve the beast's fatal curse brings him into the midst of human political intrigues as well as the more crucial battle between man and nature.

Miyazaki's convoluted fable is clearly not the stuff of kiddie matinees, nor is the often graphic violence depicted during the battles that ensue. If some younger viewers (or less attentive older ones) will wish for a diagram to sort out the players, Miyazaki's atmospheric world and its lush visual design are reasons enough to watch. For the English-language version, Miramax assembled an impressive vocal cast including Gillian Anderson, Billy Crudup (as Ashitaka), Claire Danes (as San), Minnie Driver (as Lady Eboshi), Billy Bob Thornton, and Jada Pinkett Smith. They bring added nuance to a very different kind of magic kingdom. Recommended for ages 12 and older. (synopsis provided by Amazon.com)

directed by Hayao Miyazaki

released 1997

Weekend Viewing - April 23-24, 2011

I watched BIRDEMIC & TROLL 2 on Saturday night – details of which I posted on Sunday. We were going to watch my blu-ray of HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PT. 1 but obviously – it got a little late for a 3 hour film (or half a film).

Sunday – it was HEREAFTER and THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS – both fairly solid films – with flaws on both.

HEREAFTER is another absolutely magnificent directing effort by Clint Eastwood – he lets his characters work their story. Clint is an actor’s director – he appreciates what it was like for him to be in front of that camera – and knows what it takes to pull the performance of the actors out of a solid story. The story is what kind of lets down HEREAFTER – it is good – but there’s not as strong of a thread connecting everyone – and the kind of hidden epiphanies that they go through didn’t work for me.


THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS was all right – certainly not as good as I thought it would be. The film probably suffers from the fact that I’ve seen a lot of films that followed and copied it – and that simply made me feel like this film was weak. Daniel Day Lewis is a great actor – but I wanted more scene chewing. (C’mon – take a big bite, Danny! Nom nom nom!) The action was pretty good – fairly intense – yet disjoined in parts that made me just not enjoy the film for all that it was. It’s something I will probably rent later to take a second glance – as it’s one I will probably think about for a little while.

P is for...

Sometimes a movie achieves such legendary status that it can't quite live up to its reputation. Plan 9 from Outer Space is not one of these movies. It is just as magnificently terrible as you've heard. Plan 9 is the story of space aliens who try to conquer the Earth through resurrection of the dead. Psychic Criswell narrates ("Future events such as these will affect you in the future!") as police rush through the cemetery, occasionally clipping the cardboard tombstones in their zeal to find the source of the mysterious goings-on. More than just a bad film, Plan 9 is something of a one- stop clearinghouse for poor cinematic techniques: The time shifts whimsically from midnight to afternoon sun, Tor Johnson flails desperately in an attempt to rise from his coffin, and flying saucers zoom past on clearly visible strings. Fading star Bela Lugosi tragically died during filming, but such a small hurdle could not stop writer-producer-director Ed Wood. Lugosi is ingeniously replaced with a man who holds a cape across his face and might as well have "NOT BELA LUGOSI" stamped on his forehead.Plan 9 is so sweetly well- intentioned in both its message and its execution that it's impossible not to love it. And if you don't, well, as Eros says, "You people of Earth are idiots!" (synopsis provided by Amazon.com)

directed by Edward Wood Jr.

released 1958

Monday Muzak: Tender

Birdemic [2008]

I'm really not quite sure what I can say about this film that hasn't already been said - or is apparent by any viewing of any section of this film. It's bad - and deserves that distinction of badness in every right - except for the fact it was made by an amateur. There is practically zero redeeming qualities to this film - but its badness that carries you through.

So, the couple meets up - goes out on a few dates - and after they have sex in a no-tell-motel - birds start to attack and blow up the town!!!


The editing was a constant source of amusement - the lack of any sound editing was also a big laugh - the lighting was horrible - one character lit perfectly the next blurry. If they would've invested in a second camera to keep the continuity of the conversation flowing between the characters instead of shooting each line separate - the entire film would've improved by 75%.


The bird effects - bad! The gun effects - bad! The character development - bad!


It's really hard to distinct that this is a bad film compared to films that were actually made prior to home video editing software. This film if edited professionally - would've been plain bad - not in the conversation with a PLAN 9 or a TROLL 2 - but we watched this back-to-back with TROLL 2 - and you know TROLL 2 actually looked like competent filmmaking. Neither had much of a story - but it was superior and not as comical because it had competency and not the air of someone shooting this with a camcorder and editing it at home.


But anyway - if birds are attacking - I will not have an outdoor picnic! Or stop by every car that's pulled over on the side of the road to see what's up! I would keep driving - just like every other car that's in this film - unaffected by the birds attacking. It's like the birds are only attacking this very small California town because they are mad about global warming and all - but everyone else is going about their business because they aren't a part of the movie - they are just in the background because this is some guy and a video camera on the side of the road shooting his friends "act".


An electric powered Mustang?????? Let's stop at the woods because birds don't live in the woods... You saw a creek as you were driving by - and it was that much of a hike into the woods???? What's up with the bird expert on the bridge??? And the tree hugger??? And Susan???? My name is Susan!!! SUSAN!!! Argh!!! I'm still buzzed and trying to write this for Sunday before I go to bed - and I think I will have those fucking bird sound effects going through my brain for the rest of the week!


Obviously, this was a poor Hitchcock homage - made by an amateur filmmaker - but it still ranks up there with some of the worst films I've ever seen - but it doesn't mean I didn't laugh my ass off and have a good time watching it.