Trailers: Tropic Thunder

I finally found a trailer so good that it's actually distracted me from the Dark Knight. Who knew that was even possible? But really, this little taste of brilliance is one of the funniest things I've seen in a damn long time. I almost fell out of my chair.

It's actually the second trailer out for Tropic Thunder but the first one didn't even really put this film on my radar. This one has jumped Tropic Thunder up to the top of my list of movies I'm excited about (well not higher than Dark Knight, but you know...).

And here it is, the red band trailer for Tropic Thunder:

ALSO, DEFINITELY NSFW. YOU ARE WARNED :)




For a larger look head over to Film School Rejects.

Thoughts: Film Art

When I first started college I believed that I was destined to become a great biologist. Well maybe not great. But at least competent. I thought my future lay in research labs; I imagined countless hours spent bent over a microscope, running gels, growing bacteria, analyzing, understanding, and discovering.

That's not exactly what happened however. After three semesters in a lab I found my enthusiasm for science waning. I couldn't find the motivation to study and earn more than a C, maybe a B-, on material that I easily understood just did not apply myself to. Science was clearly not for me.

At the same time my grades in Organic Chemistry were slipping, my energy and enthusiasm was drifting elsewhere. To film.

My first semester in college I finally took my first film studies course. Intro to Film Studies. I always thought movies were fun and had wanted to take the film studies class my high school had offered. There had just never been enough room between all of the AP classes earning me college credit. So I waited and looking back I'm glad I did.

While that high school class covered the basics of American cinema, your Spielberg and Godfathers and Taxi Drivers, my college Intro to Film delved deeper. Sure we watched the obvious choices like Citizen Kane and Psycho, but there was more. There were directors I had never heard of. Bergman, Goddard, Eisenstein. Whole worlds were opened before me and I loved them all. With so many new movies to watch, new directors to discover, new favorites to acquire, is it a wonder that I stopped caring as much about how exactly the Hydrogen bonds were forming? Or how much bacteria was growing in my cultures?

That class was a revelation for me. I knew by its end that I was at least going to have a minor in film and it didn't take me much longer to figure out that it would be my concentration. And along with all of those films, guiding our discussion through all of the supplemental essays, was one book. A book that sits on my bookshelf even now.

David Bordwell and Kristen Thompson's Film Art. It is arguably THE text book for film studies. Bordwell and Thompson lay a foundation for appreciating cinema as an art form. And they continue to push the limits of film studies. I'm a regular visitor of their website, a regular reader of their blog.

What prompted me to post about them and Film Art is David Bordwell's blog today about the changing face of film criticism and blogging's role in these changes. I've all ready talked about the argument that film criticism is dying here. Bordwell writes his own response to the assertion that the departure of well known print critics as well as online writers signifies the end of criticism.

He also lays out nicely what exactly film criticism is and the difference between different types (i.e. a review vs. a critical essay). For a very well informed, thought out, and educational view of blogging and criticism, check out his blog In Critical Condition.

I also recommend following the links he has in the article which shed further insight into the current situation.

Personally, while I'm sad to see talented writers leave the scene I don't necessarily feel that their departure means that film criticism is dying. I agree with Bordwell's assessment that the web has much to offer film critics. Room for them to develop their writing into longer, more intelligent pieces that can bring a lot more to the table than the current trend of quick blurbs and word vomit that somehow passes for criticism.

Sure there's a lot to read, so much that it's probably not humanely possible to read it all, but as Moviezzz points out over at his blog The Moviezzz Blog, you can always use something like Google Reader and subscribe to RSS feeds (it's something I do and HIGHLY recommend).

So not dying then. Just changing and I don't think that's a bad thing. Which may be sort of an obvious statement, considering what this is and what I'm writing. But there you go.

Thoughts: My Weekend in Film 5/13

Normally I like to post my weekend thoughts on Monday. Which makes sense, it being the first day after the weekend and everything being fresh in my mind. However yesterday was incredibly busy and I just did not have the time to write.

Work was busy. In the morning I had to go to a production meeting for a few hours (meaning I sat there while people talked at us about the importance of confidentiality). When I finally got back to the office there was a pile of stuff to do. Make up for lost time and all that.

After work I braved traffic and made my way up to the valley and my editor's apartment. We worked for the next few hours working on my short and I'm pleased to say that it's just about finished. A whole lot of work and even more time and now I've almost got a movie to share. It's pretty exciting stuff.

With a day that went from pretty much 8:45 AM until 11:00 PM I just did not have the energy left for blogging. Today is a little calmer so I've got a second to catch things up. And here it is. My weekend in film:

Friday PM:

Anyone who lives or has lived in the LA area has probably heard of The Getty. It's a fantastic museum that's worth visiting for the views alone.



On Friday and Saturday night they were doing a special exhibit of California Video makers. Projected on the walls of The Getty's gardens were 18 different short films created by artists who make their homes in California. There were a variety of subjects but many focused on issues of identity as well as the artist's relationship with the video medium.

I wasn't a fan of every video but there were a few that were quite good. And the juxtaposition of moving images, The Getty's white walls with their clean lines, and the sparkling lights of the city of LA spread out below us was one that carried a message in itself. It gave a wider context to the medium.

We're constantly exposed to a such a never ending stream of media input that it eventually fades to white noise. This exhibit brought the power of the visual into sharp relief and made me think about the role and importance of media in the more mundane aspects of our lives. Sure, I spend a lot of time thinking about film and television but even still, there's plenty that I just take for granted. Exhibits like this one serve as a reminder that there is meaning to be found in the seemingly meaningless. Video is a form of art that has relevance beyond the mass produced, flavorless, assembly line entertainment we're fed day in and day out.

While the outside exhibit was only over the weekend, the main California Video exhibit runs through June 8. I recommend checking it out.

Saturday PM:

My parents were in town visiting for Mother's Day so I spent most of my day out and about with them. The beach, a little shopping in Venice, dinner at Natalee Thai (delicious!). After dinner my mom and I decided to go see Iron Man. Yes, I know I've all ready seen it. And talked about it twice. However, my dad didn't really want to go and I knew it was something my mom would like. So it being Mother's Day and all, I figured it was the perfect excuse to go see it again.

My second viewing and I enjoyed it just as much. The fun holds up and I really must say that I love watching Robert Downey Jr. in an action movie. There are a few things that aren't perfect (Gwyneth Paltrow is pretty flat, it really should have been shorter) but overall, like I've said, it is what it's meant to be. It's fun, it's shiny, and I've gotta say... I kind of want more. Hopefully sequels and etc won't suck. That would be pretty spectacular.



Is it wrong for me to say that I find Robert Downey Jr really, really attractive? Cause I do. He's hot. I had a bit of a crush on him when he had his brief stint on Ally McBeal and now that I'm a little older and wiser... my crush has moved beyond "a bit". I also do have huge respect for him as a comedic actor, an action hero, and, really, as just an actor in general. I'm pleased that he seems to have moved past his previous troubles and I look forward to what more we'll be getting from him in the years to come.


Sunday Early PM:

While waiting for the sun to come out on Sunday my parents and I just kind of hung around my house. I decided it was as good a time as any to stick on a little bit of Indiana Jones. Raider's of the Lost Ark was on cable and it was a great way to kill a little time.



I love the original Indiana Jones movies but you know, I'm not sure how excited I am about this new one that's coming out. Despite all of the ridiculousness of the originals, they managed to at least stay somewhat grounded in the realm of realism. This new one, Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, seems like it just might be crossing the line. It looks huge budget and goofy. Also, rumors of aliens in the plot? Come on. Really? Ugh.

Of course I'll go see it and hopefully I'll like it. I just have fairly low expectations and I'm not hugely excited.

On The Slate:

Yeah. Three things, that was it for the weekend. What's coming up this week?

Prince Caspian - The new Chronicles of Narnia! Yay! The first one isn't the most amazing movie I've ever seen but it is cool. This new one looks like it's even a little darker. I think it's got a lot of potential. Opens Friday so I'll probably be checking it out come Sunday.

The Fall - A fantasy adventure set in 1920's Los Angeles. It stars Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies and the short lived Wonderfalls) whom I like a lot. I'm hoping to check this out tomorrow after work.

Paris, Texas - Still have it from Netflix. Still haven't watched it.

Justice League: The New Frontier - Also in from Netflix. Honestly, I accidentally bumped this to the top of my queue. I do want to see it though and with all the comic book movie talk going on the timing for it seems just about right.

Production: Medicine for Melancholy at the LA Film Festival

To give these guys another mention, Barry Jenkins's film Medicine For Melancholy will be playing at the LA Film Festival in June. The fest runs from June 19-29. The opening and closing films this year will be Wanted and Hellboy II, respectively. It promises to be a good time and if you're in LA you should check out M4M along with all of the other films being showcased.

For more info: http://lafilmfest.com/films.php

Thoughts: My Weekend in Film 5/5

I've just got to start this out by saying I am completely exhausted. I'm not even sure what happened this weekend, it was just a lot. There were house guests and social activities. There was the beach and the pool, shopping, a picnic, hang outs. There was food. And, as always, there were movies.

Thursday PM:



Technically the weekend doesn't start until Friday. Technically. And even though I did work on Friday, Thursday night's adventures at the cineplex felt like a weekend kick-off to me. Just like it was the summer movie season kick-off.

I all ready posted my Review of Iron Man so I'm not going to talk too much about it. I just want to say again that this movie is Fun. With a capital "F". It's not great but it is pretty perfect for what it's trying to be. A superhero movie with awesome effects and a lot of action. I love Robert Downey Jr and personally I think he makes the movie. It could have been slightly improved with a shorter running time but in the end it's worth seeing on the big screen.

Friday PM:



Made it to disc 3 of Season 1 of The Tudors. I'm definitely getting more into the show. The episodes I watched covered the outbreak of the sweat. At this point the drama is building, there are a couple of more story lines unfolding, and everything is being given more depth. I'm almost done with Season 1 now which is unfortunate since I still don't actually have Showtime. Oh well, Season 2 will be out on DVD eventually.



After The Tudors my roommate joined me and we put Mr. Bourdain back on the TV. I love having the DVR. We watched a few more episodes of No Reservations but that, along with Sex and The City, is an almost daily occurrence. I think we actually watched at least an episode every day this weekend. Friday night was Sweden. We also caught an Italy episode, another New York episode, and a couple of others. Good times.

I know I say a lot how much I like this show, but I just want to keep saying it! What really makes it is Tony's charming personality, the writing, and the locations. And Tony's reactions to all of the locations. One of these days I will actually pick up his book. And while I am not a fan of working in Reality TV (not that that's prevented me from being here) I would love to work on No Reservations. I think that would certainly be an adventure.

After No Reservations and a couple of beers I was ready for sleep. It was about midnight and after working all week I'm usually really tired on Friday nights.

Not that my going to bed meant the night was over. In fact, it was far it...

Saturday Super Early AM:

Around 2:30 AM my other roommate came home with a couple of Scottish boys in tow. I think she found one of them at Coachella the other weekend. Anyway, instead of sleeping I hung out, drank more beer, listened to a lot of music, and eventually stuck on a movie.

Now, what kind of movie would you put on at 6 in the morning, a little drunk, extremely sleepy, and in the company of a Scottish Italian? A Clint Eastwood western of course!



That's right, Sergio Leone's classic The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.

I adore Clint Eastwood, especially his appearances in the westerns. The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly is easily one of the best. Angel Eyes, Tuco, and Blondie. Of course Blondie. Lee Van Cleef, Eli Wallach, and Clint Eastwood. This casting is perfect, the chemistry is there, these men are rough. Gunslingers.

I'll be honest and say that I fell asleep before the end. It was 6 AM after all. But for Morricone's score alone it was the perfect choice. I love the music and with that in my ears and Clint's face floating through my blurry vision I fell happily comfortably asleep.

For a few hours at least...

Saturday:

Didn't watch anything. Not really. Turned the TV on a couple of times. There was a little bit of Scrubs, a little Sex and The City, some more No Reservations. Mostly though I was off doing other things and being social. Go figure.

Sunday PM:

Again, most of my day Sunday was spent out and about so I didn't watch anything during the day. After the day out and my picnic dinner by the Marina I was ready for some couch time.



I finally put in Once. And then my roommate brought the Scottish boys back and I couldn't for the life of me tell you anything about the movie. I got a good way through but really wasn't following so I hit the stop button. I'll try again this week.

I can say this though, I love the music! I'm actually really excited to actually watch this thing, especially now that I've heard a bit of it. I also have a feeling that I'll be purchasing that soundtrack. Probably sometime very soon.

After a while the Scottish boys left with roommate J and we finally had the couch returned to us. Roommate K and I watched a little Family Guy and then I introduced her to the crazy that is Aqua Teen Hunger Force.



I haven't watched the show in a while, I haven't even seen the movie, but I adore everything that I have seen. I think it's hilarious and nuts and it entertains me. Knowing my roommate, I was really surprised she had never seen it. It's just right up her alley. I'm now on a mission to make her watch a lot of it. A LOT.

Sunday Late PM:

Eventually she gave in to the tired and the TV was mine. I wasn't quite ready for sleep yet so I switched on Aliens (it was playing on Fox Movie Channel). I've always loved Aliens but it's been a long while since I've seen. Watching it again last night... I had forgotten how amazingly good it actually is.



James Cameron gives us a work of brilliance. Aliens is arguably one of the best sequels ever made. It fits so perfectly into the universe that Ridley Scott established in Alien but gives us something new. It's a formula that I've seen countless times since but I can't think of a single example that comes close to getting it as right as Cameron does. There's a reason the first two Alien movies are two of my favorite movies ever. Watching Aliens again last night just reminded me why that was.

On The Slate:

Once - Now I've seen a bit of it I'm all anxious to watch all of it. Hopefully I can actually make that happen this week.

Paris, Texas - Wim Wenders's classic road movie. In the mail from Netflix.

Batman - Tim Burton's original. With all of the Batman talk K and I are both feeling this journey back to the beginning. Some don't think it holds up but I'm still a fan.

Not sure what else. Gossip Girl tonight, Top Chef on Wednesday. Maybe some Grey's. And possibly a few other movies thrown in. I'm all in the mood to watch Alien again now.

Hopefully there will be a little sleep mixed in there as well. I think I definitely need some.

Trailers: The Dark Knight NEW

For real this time.

The Dark Knight

I am so freakin excited.

Seriously.

Review: Iron Man

And Summer 2008 at the movies has officially begun.

What can I say about this season’s opener, Iron Man? A few things, some good, some not so good. The one thing that matters though: if this is just the beginning of what we’ll be getting over the next few months, then it’s going to be one hell of a summer.

In this latest of the comic book adaptations we’ve gotten over the last few years, we meet Tony Stark. He’s a billionaire playboy at the head of a weapons manufacturing dynasty. A genius (and possibly borderline sociopath) Tony takes life for granted and gets off more when he blows something up than when he, ah, lays someone down.

The story of Iron Man is simple. This carefree lothario is ambushed in the desert, taken prisoner by Middle Eastern terrorists, and has a revelation that yes, his weapons are in fact hurting the world. He builds a ridiculous “iron” suit, escapes, learns how to fly; there’s a bad guy, a cute girl, and lots of explosions.

That, my friends, is that.

But let’s face it, we don’t go to see a movie like Iron Man for its in-depth plot, complicated characters, or social commentary. We go for the explosions, the shiny lights, and the other absurd effects. So the question then is, does Iron Man deliver?

On the surface it does. By it’s nature, to a certain extent, that’s all that matters. The effects are spot on. The score is appropriately rock & roll and adrenaline pumping. The cinematography is actually quite good (thank you Mr. Libatique!). The acting is… certainly it’s not bad. Okay, the acting is fine. Continuing with the theme of shallow, there just isn’t a lot for these actors to do.

Actually, I was surprised when I first learned of this film’s cast. Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges. You really don’t need that kind of talent in a film of this caliber. But then again maybe that’s the difference between something like this and, say, Fantastic Four. Or Daredevil. Perhaps those movies would have reached the level of Watchablity if they had been filled with more talented casts. As I’ve said in the past, Jessica Alba may be pretty to look at but pretty is about all that girl’s got going for her. So by casting someone like Downey as Tony Stark, someone who’s charm is so easy and natural it’s nearly impossible to temper, John Favreau astutely made the decisions that elevated what would have otherwise been another depressing waste of celluloid into something at the very least entertaining.

That is what Iron Man has going for it. Where does it fall short?

Iron Man is missing the key factor that makes other comic book adaptation successes like the first two Spiderman movies, X-Men, and Batman Begins. Yes, those are good, occasionally even great, films and Iron Man is not on their level for many reasons. But there is one thing above all others that keeps it from crossing that threshold into the realm of greatness. Those other movies are able to go beyond their stories of super heroes and evil villains. They have more to them than just the age-old story of Good vs. Evil. They take their archetypes and they make them Human. They are able to appeal to an audience wider than the fan boys and comic book lovers and special effects freaks. Iron Man fails to move beyond explosions into humanity.

One prime example of this failure, and the thing that bothered me most, is its treatment of the terrorists or insurgents or warlords or whoever they were supposed to be. The men who initially take Stark captive are simple caricatures of the people in the Middle East who we are currently at war with. And yes, I know there’s a long history of dehumanizing the enemy in cinema. We’re about to see another entry into another franchise that is built on this very practice (“I hate Nazis” anyone? You know who I’m talking about). However, I feel like Iron Man takes this simplification too far. Our involvement in the Middle East is complicated and it made me uncomfortable to watch such a crude portrayal of our “enemy”. I can give the film credit and say that it at least moves past this by the end, after we’ve been introduced to the real villain, but I still think that it could have been handled better.

All in all though, Iron Man gives us what it promised it would: the flashy explosions, the badass (and gorgeous and sexy) hero, the epic final battle, and plenty of fan service. It is what it is. A simple action movie. A comic book adaptation. Fodder for sequels and spin offs. And it is wildly entertaining. It made me smile more than it made me cringe and sometimes that’s enough.

If you only see one movie this summer, this is certainly NOT the movie to see. But it looks great on the big screen and tastes good with some popcorn and soda. For a fun start to the summer season, check it out.

If nothing else, you get a few amazing trailers to go along with it.

Trailers: The Dork Knight

I know, I keep posting about Batman trailers. I can't help it! They're fun!

So here is another one. And it's really cool. It's the new trailer, slightly off. Somebody has been at the film frames...



As part of the Viral campaign, they've put out Jokerfied trailer film frames. The video above splices them all together. I think it's pretty cool.

What am going to do once The Dark Knight actually opens??? I mean, other than write about how much I (hopefully) love it. I suppose there will be something to fill the void that will be left.

Maybe another Batman movie...? One can only hope.

Trailers: New Trailer for The Dark Knight

Anyone following the Viral campaign has probably heard by now that there's a new trailer for The Dark Knight. Supposedly it will be officially hitting the internet on Sunday. But who can wait until Sunday? Thanks to traileraddict.com, we now get a glimpse of the bootlegged trailer.

If you've got more patience than I do, by all means wait for the hi res on Sunday. Otherwise enjoy this little beauty now.



[EDIT] Big surprise... someone made them take it down. Oh well, I guess now you really do have to wait until Sunday.

Thoughts: My Weekend in Film 4/28

It was another weekend of nonsense, mischief, and TV watching. One of these weekends I really will catch up on movies. And watch Once.

Friday PM:

I was supposed to go see Body of War which opened at the Nuart Theater up on Santa Monica after I got off of work. However I ended up leaving work early and went home and then I just couldn't get the motivation to get back into rush hour traffic to make the movie. Rush hour in LA? Yuck.

Instead I put in the second disc of Season 1 Tudors and committed my night to Henry and his court.



This second disc (episodes 4-6) left me feeling a little ambivalent about the show. The production value continues to be incredibly impressive, I think the acting is fine, and there a few steamy, exciting scenes. Overall though, I'm left wanting more. A lot of the time it feels like the episodes are just glossing over the events. There is a lot that I want to see more fully developed. Characters, plot, history.



I did like the subplot with Charles Brandon and Henry's sister Margaret. I think that's actually been my favorite bit so far actually. I'll be honest and admit that that partly has to do with Henry Cavill and the fact that he looks pretty amazing without a shirt.

I'm not completely shallow though! I also think that they actually manage to do a decent job with the development here, I have a pretty good idea who these characters are, what they're feeling, what's going on between them. There's less crazy intrigue going on with them, it's a pretty straightforward bit of story, so I guess they had less to tell in more time and were able to give more attention to details. Or maybe it's a sign that the series will improve over the course of the season and some of these issues I'm having will be resolved. Here's hoping for that!

Saturday AM:




Scrubs again! I love Comedy Central and its Saturday morning Scrubs marathon. I watched a few episodes and then got ready for the day. It was pretty brilliant.

After Scrubs it was off for bike riding and the beach. I managed only a slight sunburn so I'm pretty happy with that. The weekend was gorgeous, a little hot even, and Saturday was perfect for a day at the beach.

Saturday PM:



After the beach and bike riding to Santa Monica with the roommate, I was a little tired. We talked about going out but managed to make it only as far as the neighbors' house. After socializing we wandered back to our couch and turned the TV back on. We talked about catching some Monty Python action but didn't make it that far. Instead it was back to the old staples. Sex in the City and some No Reservations.



Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations is one of my favorite shows currently on TV. It combines so many elements that I love (cooking, travel, a snarky host) into a perfect blend of entertainment, commentary, and even a bit of education. Tony Bourdain is hilarious and while his delivery with the narration can border on cheesy it's always clever and well written. I love seeing all of these different sides to places I've always dreamed of going. And I mean, this guy gets to travel cool places, eat cool food, write about and have his own TV show. How lucky is he?

That is one reality show I would LOVE to work on.

The rest of the weekend:



Scattered throughout the rest of the weekend was more of pretty much everything. Mixed with some of the US version of The Office, BBC's Robin Hood, and some Family Guy. Honestly, with as much as I did this weekend (a lot) I'm really surprised by how much TV I still managed to watch. I went to the beach, I did lots of shopping, I spent almost all of the second half of Sunday at the neighbors' BBQ. I guess that could be why there was a lot of TV but no actual movies. Makes sense to me.

On The Slate:

Body of War - I'll definitely be going to see this either tomorrow or Wednesday. Normally I'm not a huge documentary person but this one looks really, really good. Check out their site for more info and the trailer and showtimes.

Once - I really will watch it this week! I promise!

Girls Just Want to Have Fun - An old Sarah Jessica Parker flick my roommate really wants to check out. With the Sex and The City movie coming up, we're preparing ourselves.

More Tudors - depending on how much else I get through, I may watch the next disc.

And that, as they say, is that.