Movies in My Life Lately #1

I watch a lot of movies over the week. I also make my own movies. So I decided it might be a good idea to get a column going where I can sum things up from a particularly busy week of movie watching and movie making.

This past week I watched all the movies from A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Collection that I had not previously seen (I had already seen A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Dream Warriors (Part 3), and Wes Craven's New Nightmare (Part 7)). My favorite that I watched was Freddy's Revenge (which I featured in the Cult Corner last week). My least favorite was Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (Part 6) which was pretty terrible in every way. The Dream Master (Part 4) was a disappointing follow up to The Dream Warriors. I hate that they disposed of the remaining Dream Warriors in the manner that they did. The story was confusing and didn't make much sense. I was surprised, however, at how much I enjoyed that film's follow up: The Dream Child (Part 5). The stalk sequences were inspired, the gothic settings great and Stephen Hopkins' direction was visually exciting. It's a shame that the film was a bomb... it was much better than the successful Dream Master was.

Overall, the series was fun to catch up on and I'm glad that I have finally added it to my film collection.

I recently got Netflix Watch Instantly so I've been watching a lot of movies I normally wouldn't watch. I saw that the panned remake of The Stepfather was on it so, on a particularly boring day, I sat down and gave it a watch.

This movie is pretty bad, which is to be expected. It's not scary (you can see the jump scares coming from a million miles away) and, every time Dylan Walsh tries to be crazy and menancing, it's completely laughable and over the top. Also, the movie seems obsessed with having actress Amber Heard be in either her underwear or a skimpy bikini in literally every single scene she is in (not neccesarily a bad thing but after a while it became glaring that the director liked shooting her this way).

Still, I wouldn't say it was a complete waste of time. I get a certain amount of enjoyment in watching bad horror movies and I can say I got that same amount of enjoyment out of watching this one. There's nothing special about it but it's not the absolute worst way you could spend an hour and a half.

Rating: 3/10

I also finally saw The Coen Brother's much lauded A Serious Man this week. I really wanted to love this movie but, after much thought, I can't say that I did. The film showcased that The Coens are indeed brilliant filmmakers and know how to shoot the mess out of a movie. Visually, the movie is great and has some great pacing. However, I didn't like the story and could not stand the characters. I know that this intentional to an extent-- after all, this is a black comedy. Still, I disliked them to the point where I really wanted to turn the movie off at times.

The movie deals with Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) who is a college physics proffessor dealing with a lot problems: review by the tenure committee, his pot smoking son Danny's bar mitzvah, being bribed by a Korean-American student, the threat of divorce by his wife Judith (who is leaving him for his friend Sy Abelman), and the ongoing encroachment of brother Arthur and his sebaceous cyst.

In a sense, the film works as a modern day retelling of the story of Job. Larry is being put through some major problems and doesn't understand why God is letting this happen to him. He seeks help and understanding from many rabbis but to no real avail.

While the film's hopeless and grating characters turned me off, I have to admit that the movie really made me think (I actually haven't stopped thinking about it since I watched it on Saturday) and displayed why the Coens are great filmmakers. A few sequences really stood out as great pieces of filmmaking. One was the opening sequence. The opening is an old Yiddish folk tale shot in 1:33:1 aspect ratio that tells a story that doesn't really have anything to do with the story told after the opening credits (at least, at first glance-- there are many theories on the Internet on what this has to do with the rest of the movie). The sequence is haunting, funny and kind of gets under your skin. You can watch it here if you interested.

The other sequence that really caught my eye is the story of the Goy's Teeth by one of the rabbis to Larry. This scene really sums up the film quite well and is a blast to watch. It is set brilliantly to Jimi Hendrix's "Machine Gun" and showcases why the Coens are great at directing. Please watch it here.

Still, I really couldn't get into most of the movie because I didn't really like the characters or care much about their plight. Because of that, I can't give the movie a high rating, no matter how well it was directed, shot and edited.

Rating: 6/10

I also spent a lot of the week working on my own film work. I just finished my second television commercial for Mississippi's Southern Fried Comic Con. The Con lasts from June 26-27 and takes place at the Cabot Lodge in Jackson, MS. The commercial features original music by David Tigrett and narration by Jay Long. You can watch my commercial below.

Well that's been my week with film. Hope you all enjoyed reading about it.

Captain America Costume Revealed

Some concept art hit the rounds on movie sites earlier today showing off Captain America's costume in the upcoming Joe Johnston film adaptation. I thought I'd drop a few opinions on the suit really quick.

I never really thought how hard it was going to be to get Captain America to work on film... but then I remembered how bad the original 1990's Captain America movie was (hint: really, really bad). Captain is just a character that's so blatantly pro-America and patriotic that it's hard to get him to work on film and not seem silly.

So, with all that in mind, the new suit does seem like a nice compromise. Sure, I was pretty heart broken and kind of shocked when I saw that they got rid of the wings on the side of his head but... I dunno... as the day has gone on, the costume has been growing on me. It feels as realistic as a Captain America costume could feel on film I think.

Still, with that said, I don't have the highest hopes for this film. I'm not completely sold on Chris Evans as Captain yet (though he was great in Sunshine). Also, I feel like Joe Johnston has never really made a good movie (expect for maybe The Rocketeer). Lastly, Marvel's been kind of pissing me off lately with their interweaving of characters to add up to The Avengers movie. It was cool at the end of Iron Man but now that it's being worked into the actual plots of the films (see the muddled Iron Man 2) it's annoying and hurting the actual films at hand.

So... not exactly hopeful yet. But the design is intriguing.

Source: JoBlo

Cult Corner: A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge

Welcome to the Cult Corner. I watch a lot of weird movies. And by weird movies, I mean weird movies. I also tend to have a greater appreciation for films that didn't do very well upon their release or that were universally disliked by fans and critics a like. I will cover these films in the Cult Corner articles and explain why they deserve a second look and why I love them so much.

The Cult Corner's first entry is the much panned and controversial sequel A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge.

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge has always been the black sheep in the Nightmare on Elm Street series. People have always held a certain amount of hatred and distaste for the film because it takes a very different direction with the series. Gone is the whole premise of Freddy Krueger killing teens in their nightmares. No, this movie has a different story to tell. In this entry, Freddy torments angsty teen Jessie and basically possesses his body, using him to kill people in the real world.

If that wasn't strange enough, this movie is stock full of overall weirdness. I'm talking scenes with killer parakeets that burst into flames, dogs with human faces, and some serious homoerotic undertones.

The biggest thing that people talk about in regards to Freddy's Revenge is the gay undertones that fill the film. The character of Jessie is hinted to be struggling with his sexuality throughout the film, with Freddy Krueger representing his repressed homosexuality. The film has strange sequences like Jessie wondering into a homosexual S&M bar in the middle of the night, his gay gym teacher being stripped naked and having his butt smacked with a towel over and over again in the shower by Freddy before being clawed up, and an interesting scene where Jessie, after a failed make-out session with his girlfriend (which was foiled due to Freddy's intrusion... a.k.a. his homosexual desires kicking in), runs to his buff guy friend Grady's house for comfort and to sleep over. Lastly, Mark Patton, the actor who played Jessie, was gay in real life.

Only recently have people involved in the film come out about the gay undertones of the film. In an interview with Attitude Magazine, Robert Englund (Freddy Krueger) spoke out about the intentions of the film:

The second Nightmare on Elm Street is obviously intended as a bisexual themed film. It was early 80s, pre-AIDS paranoia. Jesse's wrestling with whether to come out or not and his own sexual desires was manifested by Freddy. His friend is the object of his affection. That's all there in that film. We did it subtly but the casting of Mark Patton was intentional too, because Mark was out and had done Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean".

In the recent documentary Never Sleep Again, screenwriter David Chaskin also admitted that the gay undertones were intentional (though the director and producer of the film were unaware of them at the time). I feel like these undertones really make the film more interesting than it already was. They are fun to look for and make the film ultimately deeper and a little more thought provoking (much like the undertones in The Hitcher).

But if you're not into overall weirdness and gay undertones, Freddy Krueger is still here to scare the mess out of you. The Freddy here is much like the one in the first Nightmare film. He's angry, pissed off and kind of terrifying. Sure, he spouts off a few one liners here and there but this is nothing compared to the days when he'd be killing kids via video games. This Freddy is a dark, demon-like creature who wants nothing more to possess Jessie and commit random acts of horrible violence.

A lot of people didn't like bringing Freddy into the real world but I loved it. Where else can you see a scene where Freddy crashes a pool party / kegger? This scene alone was worth the price of the film. Also, the scene where Freddy pops out of Jessie's stomach to slice and dice his potential gay love interest Grady was super tense and had some pretty awesome 80's special effects.

But despite all the film's awesome Freddy-in-the-real-world moments and it's overall strangeness, what really made it work was its overall believable nature. I really cared for Jessie, Lisa and Grady for that matter. Jessie's family felt like a real family and the way they interacted with each other was very natural. Because of this, the threat of Freddy intruding in their real world was a violation and the result was often terrifying. I also really liked the ending of the film where Lisa is forced to confront Freddy / Jessie in the boiler room. The scene was uncomfortable and loved the direction that it took. Ever seen a girl willingly make out with Freddy Kreuger? Well, now you have. It also made me wonder what the film was trying to say about supressed homosexuality. It's almost like Jessie is made to turn from the dark side (a.k.a. embracing his homosexuality) and love Lisa (thus making turning hetero despite your feelings and urges the right thing to do in the film's logic?). It's all interesting and ballsy stuff for a slasher sequel.

All and in all, I really enjoyed this movie. It made me think, cringe and just blew me away with its overall weirdness. If you're into Freddy Krueger and his movies, then this is one that I feel like you have to see to believe. It's odder than any of the other entries in every shape and fashion. It lacks the fun of The Dream Warriors but also isn't as serious as the first entry. It's a dark, little odd ball that's somewhere in the middle.

If you're feeling it, watch the trailer below. And try not to get chills when Freddy proclaims, "You're all my children now!" Fun stuff.

Stay tuned for more entries in the Cult Corner in the future.

YDKS Movies Returns

Hey everyone.

So YDKS Movies hasn't had an update since January. Which is very sad. I never meant to let this place go. However, in the midst of my senior year of college, I just got wrapped up in other things (graduating, getting into film school, filmmaking, social life, etc.).

Senior year is over now and, in the fall, I'm off to film school at the Savannah College of Art and Design. I have a lot more free time on my hands and would like to start updating this place a lot more regularly.

In the next few weeks, expect to see posts every now and again. I'm not doing a post every single day like I used to but I will update this place every week. Expect to see regular topics from the past start to recirculate. I will also finally finish a list I started before YDKS Movies hit its slump (15 Most Hateable Characters in Film).

Since I haven't updated since January, I'd like to update you all on some of my film work. I have made two short films since I stopped updating and a few test films. I just recently purchased a Canon EOS Rebel T2i and it has really changed the way I make movies completely. I love this camera so much.

The first film I'd like to share with you is called "VHS." It was filmed on my old Canon XH A1 so it, unfortunately, doesn't have the visual prowess that the other videos that I'm going to share with you have. Still, it's a good story and I'm really proud of it. It deals with an outcast dealing with high school and how a female classmate befriends him in his time of trouble.

Watch it below:

The next video is called The Informal. It is a test film I did at the 2010 ST Informal in Jackson, MS with my Canon T2i. It was the first thing I edited that I shot with the T2i. It just chronicles the dance that we had that night. The thing with this video is that I wanted to demonstrate what could be achieved with this camera without color grading and very little editing. All the footage is fresh out of the camera and it is all shot with a 50mm f1.4 lens. It's all very pretty stuff.

Watch it below:

The last video I'd like to share with you was also shot on the Canon T2i and is called 3 P.M. It was a film shot in two class periods for my Acting II class. The assignment was that we had to view the Senior Art exhibit and pick one piece to base a film around. The piece we chose was "HDR Display" by Kyle Hancock (the piece appears in the film). Anyways, the movie is just a short, fun little thriller. Hope you enjoy it.

Watch it below:

I hope you all enjoy these films I have been making in my absence. And I am, once again, sorry to let this place go like I have. I look forward to updating once again.

Thank you all for your patience.

I'm Here Trailer is the Reason I Love Spike Jonze

I'm Here is a thirty minute short film that Spike Jonze made that just premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Read the synopsis below:

Funded by Absolut Vodka, I’m Here is a robot love story celebrating a life enriched by creativity. The movie is set in contemporary L.A., where life moves at a seemingly regular pace with the exception of a certain amount of robot residents who love among the population. A male robot librarian lives a solitary and methodical life — devoid of creativity, joy and passion - until he meets an adventurous and free spirited female robot. The film stars British actor Andrew Garfield (Boy A, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, The Social Network) and Sienna Guillory, one of Maxim’s 100 sexiest women.


If that isn't enough to get you excited about this short film, the trailer is pretty much magically. It basically gave me the same sense of wonder that I felt when I watched the first trailer for Jonze's Where the Wild Things Are. That and the buzz from Sundance says that the film is just as wonderful as its trailer.

Watch the trailer below and get excited.

Source: /Film

Spider-Man 4 is No More

For about a month now, there have been rumors of turmoil on the behind-the-scenes front of Spider-man 4. The production recently went on a month's break due to director Sam Raimi's problems with the latest draft of the script. It appeared that he wanted the film to focus on the villain of the Vulture (who was to be played by John Malkovich). Sony, on the other hand, wanted the film to focus on literally any other villain.

It was this disagreement over villains and story that led to the utter failure of Spider-man 3. However, unlike that unfortunate venture, Raimi stood his ground on this one. Many thought that this would only lead to a delay of production and another script re-write. However, it's much worse than that.

Earlier tonight, Spider-man 4 was scrapped. Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire have both walked away from the production.

This is really surprising news... and it's kind of upsetting. I really wanted to see Raimi make a respectable comeback in this series. He's been very vocal about the failure of Spider-man 3 and has been equally vocal about wanting to right his wrongs. Unfortunately, it looks like we'll never get to see this happen. Still, I'm proud of him for standing his ground and not letting all of this crap happen again. I can't believe Sony would be so ungrateful and belligerent after the man gave them two really wonderful superhero films. It's just insulting.

Sony will be picking up the pieces of this shut down by doing a Spider-man reboot, set for a 2012 release date. It will be scripted by James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) and will focus back on Peter Parker's high school days. While it will be nice to see Spider-man from a new director's eyes, I'll always be angry with Sony for denying Sam Raimi his chance to make one more respectable Spider-man film. It's just not fair to him.

Source: /Film

A Review of The Road

A few years ago, I began the journey of becoming a fiction reader. An English professor, Dr. James Potts (who would go on to be my adviser), sparked my interest in American literature. As I got to know Dr. Potts, I discovered that his dissertation focused on two huge American literary icons: William Faulkner and Cormac McCarthy. When it came time to sign up for classes, Dr. Potts didn't ask me to take his Faulkner course. He told me to enroll in it. I took the class. While the material was difficult, especially for a young reader like I was (and still am), I was blown away by Faulkner's characters, the devastation and heartbreak found in his fictional Yoknapatawpha County. Though Dr. Potts's passion for Faulkner was undeniable, he consistently referenced the author Cormac McCarthy, saying, "This guy switches between writing like Faulkner and Hemingway like you wouldn't believe." My interest was piqued.

I hate to say it, but I bought my copy of The Road from Wal-Mart. I suppose after Oprah hyped the novel, Wal-Mart figured they could make a few bucks off of it. Still, critics and authors had praised the work. Friends championed the book, saying it was magnificent. I'd been to the Kissimmee Social Tribe formal that weekend, and the backseat of the car had grown a bit dull. When I came across the novel at Wal-Mart of all places, I bought it. If you find gold in the trash heap, don't pass it by.

The first few lines carried a sadness with them I'd never encountered: "When he woke in the woods in the dark and the cold of night he'd reach out to touch the child sleeping beside him. Nights dark beyond darkness and the days more gray each one than what had gone before. Like the onset of some cold glaucoma dimming away the world." I read the book slowly, making it last. The pages "each one" more lovely and gripping "than what had gone before." What a story. The novel went on to win the Pulitzer Prize, and rumors of a film adaptation began circulating. With any great novel, a fear of how the story will translate on the big screen is always present. The Road was such a powerful and moving piece of literature. For the story to have been botched by Hollywood would be tragic.

The Coen Brothers certainly proved that with the right atmosphere and storytelling McCarthy's work can be powerful on film. No Country for Old Men blew me away, but could John Hillcoat (director) and Joe Penhall (writer) do The Road justice? I wasn't without skepticism, considering that Billy Bob Thornton's film version of McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses was pretty disgraceful. How would The Road fare in comparison to No Country for Old Men and All the Pretty Horses? I was fairly anxious to see the picture, especially after it was delayed twice from release in 2008. Like a lot of great movies, the picture did not come to Mississippi. My initial attempt to see the movie was thwarted due to flooding in New Orleans, and my prepaid tickets were wasted. However, thanks to a pretty awesome girl in my life, I was able to catch the movie in Memphis the next weekend.

For those unfamiliar with The Road's premise, it is a post-apocolyptic story involving a father and his little boy journeying across scorched America. How things have become so bleak we are never told. It doesn't matter. What matters is that humanity has been reduced to the most depraved and bare bones existence imaginable. The earth continues to die. Cannibalism runs rampant. Food is scarce at the very best. It is cold, "cold enough to crack rocks." All that spurs the father on is his love for his child; all that keeps the boy alive is his love for and trust in his father. Pretty bleak stuff to capture on screen, but Hillcoat did not fail. Not even a little, really.

For the most part, McCarthy's story is very much in tact. The grey, somber, and desperate imagery is dead on. You can always see the character's breath in front of their faces; everything is wet; the clothes are tattered and dirty; bones jut out from beneath each character's skin; scorched bodies hide in every crevice. This picture is haunting, but its ability to paint a bleak picture doesn't make the movie ugly to look at. It's quite beautiful.

The father and son travel south, doing their best to find the warmest place possible. They face cannibals, victims of cannibalism, those trying to survive as they are. They search for food, often coming across surprises like a can of Coca-Cola which the boy has never before tried. Here and there they can catch their breath, but they must always be wary, must always be on the run. The father carries a gun containing two bullets. "One for you and one for me," he tells his son. "We'll do it together." Suffering is so likely that they have a plan for suicide. Some of the most intense and suspenseful scenes involve their hectic decision to commit suicide or to try fleeing. It's gut-wrenching stuff.

The acting is superb. It isn't atypical for a child in a movie to overact or make it abundantly clear that they are beginners. The Boy is played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, a newbie to the screen and an excellent choice for the role, as he authenticates McCarthy's character. When the Father says about his son "If he is not the voice of God, God never spoke," we believe it. Viggo Mortensen is a pleasure to watch as the father. He embodies a desperate man attempting to survive against all odds. Their interaction is charming, and its easy to get attached to them. The same can be said for all supporting actors, including Robert Duvall and Guy Pearce (who makes a great appearance at the movie's end). I can't remember a weak moment.

The film differs from the novel in its description of the Father's marriage. Charlize Theron plays the Father's wife, who ends up leaving him and the boy behind to die alone in the cold. These scenes come as flashbacks, interrupting the narrative as dreams or recollections. Some critics have said that this causes the movie to be unstable as a narrative, switching back and forth between the present and the past. While these flashbacks are not present in the novel, I think it works for the movie. Had Penhall kept strictly to the novel, the movie would have been a long, hard, and painful slog: two full hours of trekking across dead America, searching for food, trying to survive. McCarthy gets away with it because his language is so gorgeous and the reader is free to put the book down when he or she needs a break. With the addition of the loss of the wife, however, the film maintains the same sense of urgency that the book does, without forcing the viewer to endure an entire two hours of sheer hopelessness. Perhaps the flashbacks are too numerous, but I'm not sure how the movie would have fared without them.

By the last scene I had tears in my eyes. The Road, as both a film and novel, has left me humbled and jealous. Few movies/stories break my heart like this one has. Few stories translate as beautifully as this one has on film. If filmmakers continue to do justice to McCarthy's novels the way the Coen Brothers and Hillcoat have, it's possible that these movie adaptations could become as important to me as his books have. McCarthy isn't for the faint of heart. Candidly, my body sort of ached after this movie was over. I have trouble recommending the movie based on its graphic nature. However, the acting is excellent, the imagery beautiful, and the story timeless. It'll be in my collection.

Music Videos of Note #1

With it being a new year, I've decided to start a new column on YDKS Movies called Music Videos of Note. For those of you who do not now, many great directors such as David Fincher, Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze and Mark Romanek all got their starts directing music videos. Through this column, I'd like to showcase their work as well as music videos that I feel show great originality or artistic merit. There are a lot of great things that can be achieved in a music video, despite all the trash that is played on MTV and VH1 today. Through this column, I hope to showcase all that can be powerful in a well-made music video.

The first video I would like to showcase on here is a personal favorite of mine. It is the music video for Nirvana's "Heart-Shaped Box." It was directed by the very talented Dutch photographer and director Anton Corbijn. 

The concept of the video was originally developed by Kurt Cobain to such an extent that Corbijn almost didn't take the job. However, once he took the job, he was able to add a lot of connection and fluidity to Cobain's bizarre ideas. 

This is a very strange but powerful video. It features imagery of an old man in a Santa hat on a cross, a little girl in KKK attire trying to grasp fetuses hanging from trees and an overweight inside-out angel walking in place. It's all set in a surreal landscape that looks like it's out of a nightmare version of The Wizard of Oz. The video was originally filmed in black and white and was later colorized in post production. The result is a video that is at times unsettling but ultimately beautiful to look at. 

The video won two MTV Video Music Awards in 1994 for Best Alternative Video and Best Art Direction. Unfortunately, by this time, Kurt Cobain had committed suicide so the awards were accepted by bassist Krist Novoselic, drummer Dave Grohl and back-up guitarist Pat Smear.

Watch the video below.

The Most Hateable Characters in Film (Part 1)

Throughout film history, there have always been characters that we have loved to hate. After all, without a good villain, a film just isn’t as good. I can remember as a kid actually hating the villain in movies. When they were played just right, they truly could make you actually want to cause them physical harm. Today, I’m not as affected by film villains. Still, I felt like I should do a list to honor some of the most hateable characters in film history.

 

If you haven’t seen the film in question for the character I am covering, I would advise that you don’t read my opinion on why the character is so hateable. There will be some spoilers for the films I discuss.

 

I hope you all enjoy the list.

 

Part 1 of 3.

 

15. Chigurh from No Country for Old Men

 

Chigurh is a hard character to encounter. Mentally, he’s pretty unstable. He believes in his own little code that doesn’t necessarily make sense to anyone else. And he’s really good at killing people. In a sense, he is the perfect killing machine. And that’s what makes him so frustrating. Throughout the entirety of No Country for Old Men, Chigurh is unmatched in wits and brawn. He pretty much kills everyone. While the car crash he gets in towards the end of the film hints at the fact that he may not be completely unstoppable, the fact that he gets away with no real punishment is very frustrating to the viewer. There are times when Javier Bardeem’s amazing performance makes Chigurh charismatic and even cool. Still, I couldn’t help but hate him and wish he received punishment for all of his actions.

 

14. Frank Fitts from American Beauty

 

Chris Cooper’s rendition of Frank Fitts almost exemplifies what I think of when I think “strict military dad.” Fitts is ultra strict, doesn’t mind using physical punishment and is pretty homophobic. The scene where he beats the crap out of his son for moving his old Nazi plate is pretty much all you need to hate the guy. However, things get really complex at the end of the film when you find out that he’s actually struggling with his own feelings of homosexuality. And how does he deal with this? By awkwardly kissing Lester Burnham in the garage and then later blowing Lester's brains out for no reason. Yeah, I hated this guy.

 

13. Richard Strout from In the Bedroom

 

Todd Field’s 2001 film In the Bedroom pretty much banked on the fact that you had to hate Richard Strout. The movie told the story of a likeable young college boy Frank (Nick Stahl) who is having a summer romance with the recently divorced Natalie Strout (Marisa Tomei). Everything’s going good until ex-husband Richard breaks into Natalie’s home one day and shoots Frank in the face with a handgun in cold blood. And then, guess what? He gets off with no jail time. Frank’s parents Matt and Ruth (Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek) then have to grieve over the sudden violent loss of their son all the while running into his killer on the streets on a daily basis. So when Matt finally decides to seek revenge, you’re all for it. Richard Strout has to die. He has to.

 

12. Warden Norton from The Shawshank Redemption

 

Warden Norton is a unique character. At first, he seems like an all right guy. Then, he has Tommy shot to death because he knows information that could free Andy Dufresne from the prison walls of Shawshank. That’s when we learn that this prison warden will do anything to keep his prisoners down and under his control. That and he’s been laundering money for years. So when Andy finally bests him and the warden blows his own brains out, it’s beyond satisfying. Never has the audience been happier.

 

11. Colonel Hans Landa from Inglourious Basterds

 

Christoph Waltz’s performance as Colonel Hans Landa (a.k.a. The Jew Hunter) in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds was the one thing everyone talked about after walking out of the movie. Somehow, Waltz made the villain funny, charismatic, beyond intelligent and ultimately hateable all at the same time. In a sense, Landa exemplifies evil. He’s very polite and well spoken but deep down there’s something horrible and sinister boiling. We don’t ever get to see this sinister side to Landa except for one moment (when he savagely strangles a character) but when we do it’s truly a horrible thing to witness. I think the thing that makes Landa so hateable is the fact that he is so intelligent. For the entire movie, he is one step ahead of everyone. He has everything figured out perfectly and no one stands in his way… not even Hitler himself. Unfortunately, his one fatal flaw is underestimating Aldo Raine and his Basterds. This results in a horrific but crowd-pleasing moment to end the epic film. 

Stay Tuned for Parts 2 and 3.

The Top Ten Movies of 2009

Hey everyone. I did not do a Ten Top List last year and got a lot of flack for it. So, with that said, here is my Top Ten of 2009. Enjoy.

 

Runner Up: Drag Me to Hell

 

I loved Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell. To be honest, it was the most fun I’ve had in the theater this entire year. In fact, every time I’ve viewed this movie with a group of friends, I’ve had a great time. The movie is a great return to the horror genre for director Sam Raimi that is filled with great performances, nice scares and wonderful horror / comedy gags. The whole movie is just a lot of fun. Please see it if you haven’t already.

 

10. Where the Wild Things Are

 

Spike Jonze’s Where the Wild Things Are wasn’t what a lot of people where expecting. It was dark, at times slightly scary and pretty depressing. Still, it was a great piece of filmmaking that really captured what it was like to be a child but through an adult’s eyes. The special effects were incredible, the performances were spot on and Jonze’s direction was both inspired and full of energy. Where the Wild Things Are is a movie you should definitely check out if you’re a fan of Jonze’s work, the original children’s book or intelligent filmmaking in any sense of the word.

 

9. Avatar

 

James Cameron’s much-hyped Avatar delivered in a lot of ways. The 3D was incredible. Experiencing the film in the theater (especially in a 3D IMAX theater) was one of the coolest experiences of my life.  While many have complained about the film’s simple storyline and occasional bad dialogue (which there is a lot of), I never stopped enjoying this film. Most people point to the film’s effects being the reason behind this but I must disagree— if the film had a bad plot, then there would be no reason to be invested in the film or much less even watch the film. While simple, Cameron’s story is well told and is constantly engaging and entertaining throughout. That, combined with some near-revolutionary special effects and 3D, makes Avatar a very unique and special film-going experience.

 

8. Funny People

 

The first time I saw Funny People, I was slightly disappointed. However, as time has gone by and I’ve watched it more, the film continues to grow on me. Not only is it director Judd Apatow’s most mature film to date… but also it may be his best. The film is surprisingly angry and depressing. Its characters are cruel and, at times, hard to like. Still, the film remains truthful, honest and really tells a unique story. Along with all of this, it really does have some great moments of comedy. Plus, Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Eric Bana all give really solid, memorable performances. Funny People is not for everyone but I can’t help denying that there’s something really special about it. I hope to write more on the film at a latter date.

 

7. Inglourious Basterds

 

Inglourious Basterds is a great movie. However, I can’t help but be dismayed knowing that it could have been Quentin Tarantino’s masterpiece if he had just shown some restraint. The film runs twenty minutes too long and the dialogue scenes are all beyond drawn out (and this is coming from someone who was a defender of Death Proof). Despite these drawbacks, this movie still manages to be light-years better than the majority of the films released this year. Tarantino really manages to create some tension-filled sequences, gives some interesting takes on violence and delivers with an insane finale that not many saw coming. However, the shining light in the film is actor Chistoph Waltz, who’s take on Colonel Hans Landa (a.k.a. The Jew Hunter) is beyond brilliant.

 

6. Watchmen

 

Being a giant fan of Alan Moore’s original Watchmen graphic novel, I was really apprehensive about Zack Snyder’s film adaptation. Lucky for me, the adaptation was pretty solid. Sure, it was beyond confusing for most people who had never read the graphic novel. And yes, the new ending was just a sterilized vision of Moore’s original shocker. However, the movie worked. It was Watchmen in film form. And it was never boring. In fact, it was pretty damn entertaining. Jackie Earle Haley’s incredible performance as fan favorite Rorschach definitely helped this notion.

 

5. 500 Days of Summer

 

Despite 500 Days of Summer being poppy and glossy in nature, the story it has to tell about relationships really hit home with me. I really identified with the character of Tom and felt like I had been in his shoes before (in fact, I know I have… it was just this past summer... no pun intended). The movie manages to be incredibly entertaining and humorous all the while telling a pretty painful story about a guy getting his heartbroken and dating the wrong girl for him. With that said, I loved it.

 

4. Star Trek

 

Star Trek was not only the most entertaining blockbuster I saw this summer but it was also the most heartfelt and thought-out. I feel like it’s impossible to not like this movie. The story is familiar and new at the same time. Nearly everyone can find some character that they identify with in some way, shape or form. The action sequences are incredible. The film has one of the best uses of the concept of time travel that I’ve ever seen. And it’s just fun. It takes Star Trek and completely revitalizes it… making it all fresh once again. It’s really a great example of how to completely revamp a series.

 

3. Up in the Air

 

Up in the Air is Jason Reitman’s best film to date. It tells the story of a materialistic, company man who has cut himself off from the world and everyone that really matters and how he truly pays for it. It manages to be exciting, funny, charming and absolutely devastating all at the same time. But, most of all, it feels genuine. There was a lot of care and talent that went into this movie and it truly shows. It has a wonderful story, great characters, solid acting and inspired directing from one of the best working directors today.

 

2. Adventureland

 

Adventureland surprised me in so many ways. While it was sold as just another teen-sex comedy, it was actually a personal piece from director Greg Mottola about growing up, falling in love and working one of the shittiest jobs on the planet. Everything about the movie felt so genuine and honest that I couldn’t help but fall in love with it. The cast was great, the direction was well thought-out and personal, the soundtrack was amazing, the humor was spot on and the story was well crafted. I couldn’t help but identify with the character of James, feeling like I’d been in his shoes more than one occasion. To me, that’s really the most special thing about this movie. It really made me feel like I had been there, putting a warm feeling in my stomach by the time the credits rolled.

 

1.     District 9

 

District 9 blew my mind the first time I saw it. It took a concept that had been done before (aliens land on Earth) and injected such an insane amount of freshness, originality and energy into it that it was a little overwhelming to watch the first go-around. With director Neil Blomkamp’s haphazard, quasi-documentary direction style, the film feels more real than it should. After five minutes, it really starts to feel like what you are watching is actually real and not a fictional film. That is not an easy feeling to achieve with an audience. The film has truly powerful sequences filled with occasion humor, incredible action, moral issues and sometimes even horror. The movie is never not entertaining nor does it ever let down on its dosage of originality. I have never seen a movie like District 9 and I don’t think I ever will again.

 

I hope you guys enjoyed and agreed with this list. Here’s hoping 2010 is an equally great year for film.

Watch This 70-Minute Review of The Phantom Menace

Nobody liked Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace. The film has been a subject of fan boy hatred ever since it was released back in 1999. There have been countless rants and acidic reviews on the film since it's original release date. It was basically the moment when George Lucas became the enemy to all the people who had grown up with the original Star Wars trilogy. For many, it was the moment our childhoods died a little.

Despite all the rants that have popped up since this infamous film's release, did you know that there was a 70-minute review posted on YouTube? Yes, that's right-- 70 minutes. And it's absolutely brilliant.

The other day I found this item featured on /Film. It comes from a guy simply called "Mike from Milwaukee" and is actually a well-thought out piece of criticism. This isn't your typical YouTube review where a guy sits in front of a camera and talks. No. This is an epic piece of filmmaking. Mike goes through the whole movie and various pieces of behind the scenes footage to show you, the viewer, exactly why this movie did not work and completely fell apart. 

The review is also filled with some very dark humor that I feel may turn some people off (Mike presents himself as a character; a film nerd that isn't very subtle about being a serial killer on the side). However, don't let that keep you from watching this. I really can't stress this enough-- you have to watch this review. It is absolutely required if you like film in any way, shape or form.

I know that the 70-minute time length may turn a lot of people off. Conveniently, it is provided in seven 10 minute segments on YouTube (all of which I have embedded below). Please just start watching the first part. I guarantee you that you won't be able to stop watching once you do (I ended up watching the whole thing in one sitting when I definitely didn't plan on doing so). It's a very entertaining, fascinating piece of criticism. Plus, if you get through the whole review, one thing's for sure-- you'll never look at pizza rolls the same way again. I know I don't.

Watch this epic review below. 

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Part 4:

Part 5:

Part 6:

Part 7:

I hope you guys enjoyed it.

Source: /Film

A Year with Twin Peaks

Last Christmas break, I really fell in love with a television show. Unfortunately for me, it was a show that had been off the air for well over ten years.

I received the Gold Box Set of Twin Peaks as a gift on Christmas day from my parents. I had never seen a single episode from the show at that point in time. I had asked for it knowing only that crazy director David Lynch was behind the show and that I had found a great deal for the box set on Amazon. Since I was also lucky enough to get a Blu-ray player last Christmas as well, my Twin Peaks set really got the shaft for a few days. I don’t think I watched the pilot episode until three days after Christmas. However, a lot of things changed once I did.

I can remember getting up early that specific Saturday morning just to watch Twin Peaks for the first time. In a way, it was the perfect time and setting. It was an especially cold morning. The air was icy and thick. Outside, the sky was hazy and slightly overcast. Still, despite this, there was a certain warmth about my house. As the main theme kicked in over my surround sound system and that opening image of the bird on a tree limb covered my screen, something clicked inside of me. Everything just felt right.

Through that first episode, I was kept completely intrigued the entire time. I was taken in immediately by the murder mystery surrounding the death of the young but mysterious Laura Palmer, the amazing rural Northwestern Pacific atmosphere that soaked every frame, the charismatic Agent Dale Cooper (played brilliantly by Kyle MacLachlan), Angelo Badalamenti’s haunting original score and David Lynch’s skilled blend of quirky humor and nightmarish horror. From the very beginning, the show hit a certain chord with me. I knew it was something I was definitely going to enjoy. However, I never knew how much it would resonate with me for the next few days.

That very first day I watched two DVDs worth of episodes out of the ten-disc box set. Slowly, I was becoming obsessed. And, in a way, I needed to.

Last Christmas break at this point in time, I was in a pretty serious state of depression. I had had an incredibly hard semester of college where I almost lost my 4.0. During this time period, I reached my breaking point in terms of studying and working. At the same time, my obsessive compulsion disorder was raging out of control, making the whole situation much worse. By the time I got out for Christmas break, I was beyond burned out. It looked like I was getting better when a certain situation with a girl I had feelings towards went very bad. Upon this, I got sick with a bad sinus infection and got bronchitis. Because of the depression I was in, I couldn’t seem to get better.

I spent the majority of the break sick. I was still in the middle of this state of sickness and depression when I got my hands on Twin Peaks. Slowly, but surely, it became the one thing that could get my obsessive mind off everything that had been going on around me for the past few months.

That following week, all I did was watch Twin Peaks. 

And I’m not just talking about watching the series off and on. I am talking about getting up early in the morning, starting the show and finishing it up late that night. In a way, I had truly found an escape from all the things that were going on around and inside of me. Every time I turned a new episode on, it was like David Lynch was taking me on my own personal trip to the town of Twin Peaks-- the land of women with eye patches who are obsessed with drape runners, a dancing midget that visits people in their dreams and the best damn cherry pie you’ll ever taste in the USA.

There were times when the watching the show wasn’t completely enjoyable. I was watching the Season Two premiere at 2 am one morning. Without delving into big spoilers, I got to what I call the “hospital scene” at the end of the episode. This one of the first times where the character of Bob (who I’ve talked about on this site multiple times before) was really showed off in the show and the result was pretty horrific to me. I do not scare easily. I’ve seen so many horror films by this point that I’m pretty much numb. But there was something about this scene that really got to me. I was scared. A numb feeling crept in from my stomach and moved through my legs and to my toes. I felt sick. I can actually remember looking away briefly for a moment or two.

By the time the scene was over, I knew I wouldn’t be sleeping very well that night. Sure enough, I didn’t. I actually had nightmares about Bob that night. While the scene doesn’t bother me on the same level as it did that first time, I still got chills every time I revisit it. There were many moments through the show that repeated this level of horror to me, though maybe not to the same extreme.

By the time I finished the show, I was completely obsessed with it. By this point, my brother (and former YDKS Movies guest writer) Austin had started watching with me. He too was pretty engaged in the show. The closer we got to the show’s finale, the more our anticipation for the show’s grand ending became. Unfortunately for both of us, we had no idea what was in store for us.

I’m still very torn over the ending of the final Twin Peaks episode. For those unaware, the show ends on an ambiguous cliffhanger. The reason for this was that David Lynch was unhappy with the show’s direction during the second season and basically came in and sabotaged it. In some ways, the episode feels like a middle finger to the fans that stuck around through the whole show. In other ways, it almost feels fitting. It’s just as insane of some of the show’s more bizarre moments. Also, it goes the Twin Peaks route of making one think a little harder than other shows out there. After seeing the disappointing but artistically appealing Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, the show’s ending does make a little more sense in hindsight. It was disappointing the first time I saw it but, the more I’ve watched it and thought about it, the ending has grown on me.

With the show finished and done, I can remember a vast, empty feeling running over me. Now what was I going to do? There was no more Twin Peaks to occupy my mind. Quickly, I purchased the critically panned Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me. This film prequel to the series quenched my Twin Peaks thirst slightly but, in the end, it didn’t do the series justice. It just didn’t have the same atmosphere and feel that the show had. It was disappointing but I still believe that it does have its moments of brilliance (if interested, you can read my full review here).

When Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me didn’t measure up to my hopes, I found myself looking for other ways to satisfy this new void in my new life. After much thought, it finally hit me— I could introduce my friends to Twin Peaks. Throughout my life, I’ve loved bringing movies I’ve loved into my friends’ lives. Watching it with them on their first viewing has, for me, always been like watching it for the first time again myself. Now, I could do this with Twin Peaks.

At the beginning of the spring semester of 2009, I brought my box set of Twin Peaks with me to college is large zip lock bag (once again, that’s my OCD kicking in). The first night we were all on campus, I got my friends Caleb, Rob, Guy and Seth together to watch the pilot episode. By the end of the viewing, they all seemed to like it. I can remember being really excited and overjoyed that I was going to get to watch the all over again and with my good friends.

Unfortunately, this feeling didn’t last. The further that we got into the first season of the show the more they seemed to dislike the show. Because of the way I had talked about being scared by the “hospital scene” over the break, they were expecting an all-out horror fest. So, when instead they got a show filled with David Lynch’s quirky humor and revolving-door love stories soaked with a dread-filled atmosphere, they weren’t pleased. By the time we reached the end of the first season, they were ready to call it quits. In the process, they (specifically Caleb) verbally belittled the show that I had come to love so much.

To be honest, the situation was beyond disappointing. In fact, it was quite upsetting. To me, there is nothing worse than two feelings in the world— getting rejected by woman and having a friend dislike a movie that I am very passionate about. So when my friends rejected Twin Peaks, I was actually pretty upset and angry.

A month or two passed where I didn’t watch Twin Peaks with anyone or by myself. Then, something special happened. My friend and former co-writer Zach read my review of Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me and expressed interest in watching the show itself. I had been talking to my friend and current co-writer Ellis about the show at the same time. So, one night, we three sat down and watched the pilot episode.

Immediately, they were as hooked as I had been on my first viewing. They got the humor, the atmosphere, the weirdness and the horror. We were all on the same page. As we continued to watch, our viewing turned into Twin Peaks parties. By this time, my friend and frequent commenter Blossom had joined in on the fun.

I cannot tell you wonderful the Twin Peaks parties were. There have been times this year when I’ve lamented with Zach, Ellis and Blossom about how much I miss them. We’d all get together with chips, cookies, salsa and whatever else we could get together and feast on as David Lynch’s bizarre world unfolded before us. As the episodes played, we’d offer up on our own running commentary that was usually beyond foul. I’ll be honest— some of the worst things I’ve ever heard come out of a human being’s mouth were heard during those Twin Peaks parties.

We also used to get quite worked up emotionally during these Twin Peaks parties. During one session, my RA began to knock on my door because he thought my TV was too loud. Ellis, all wrapped up in the episode, yelled, “F*ck off!” The RA then entered the room awkwardly and muttered, “Um… negative…”

When I finished watching Twin Peaks with this special group of friends, it was just as emotional for me as it was the first time I finished the show. It really felt like something special was leaving my life. The harsh ending was a little easier the second go around and, to my surprise, the guys were much more accepting of it than I had been the first time around.

With the end of Twin Peaks parties in June, my viewing of Twin Peaks had come to an end. Now, it’s December again. It’s almost been a year since I first watched the show. It’s just weird to think of all that’s changed since the first time I got my view of the small town of Twin Peaks. It’s just hard to think of my life now without having Agent Cooper or the weird old Log Lady somewhere in the back of my subconscious. It’s even scarier to think how bad my depression may have gotten last year if it hadn’t been for this amazing show to take me away for hours at a time.

As I get closer to the one-year anniversary of receiving Twin Peaks, I find myself wanting to introduce it to someone else and thus watch it all over again for a third time. It’s been making its way back into my life. Recently, I made my own personal poster for the show (which can be viewed at the top of this article) to be hung up in my dorm room and my room back home. I recently downloaded the Season Two soundtrack and Julee Cruise’s “Float into the Night” album (which features many songs that were used in the show) and have been listening to both non-stop. I’ve also been mentioning the show in subtle ways to my little sister for the past few days. Deep down, I’m hoping I can get her to watch the show and get just as obsessed with it as I’ve been.

Even if I cannot get my sister to watch the show with me, I hope that this article can maybe convince some of you out there that haven’t seen the show before to give it a shot. In fact, you can do so for free here on IMDB, which features every episode of the show minus the brilliant pilot episode, which can be found here.

If you’ve never seen Twin Peaks before, please give the show a shot. It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen. I wouldn’t have written such a long article like this about my history with it if it weren’t. I only can hope that, if you do decide to give the show a shot, that your experience with it is as enjoyable, rewarding and special as mine has been. David Lynch truly created a work of art with this series. It’s deeper and more symbolic than most shows that you will encounter in your life. The easiest way I can think of describing what watching Twin Peaks is like is that it is somewhere in between having a beautiful dream and a horrible nightmare. It’s the kind of show that really puts you in a certain state of mind and mood. Watching that cold night wind blow through the dark, evil-filled forest will send goose bumps crawling up your arm. Never will you look at a ceiling fan or a streetlight the same way again. And never will you want to have a piece of cherry pie more in your life.

So I hope you all watch Twin Peaks. I hope you all get to see the budding friendship between Agent Cooper and Sheriff Harry S. Truman. I hope you learn the importance of Tibet. I hope you all get to meet the horror that is Bob. I hope you all get to take that deep trip into the dark woods at night to the Black Lodge. As you fall deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole, just remember one thing— the owls are not what they seem.