Over the next three Mondays I have three screenings I'm very excited for; the Evil Dead remake, Die Hard in the White House Part 1 Olympus Has Fallen and Steve Coogan in The Look of Love.
Evil Dead should be a nightmare for fans of the original trilogy but with the likes of Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell producing this remake, this was looking good from the start. Juno and Young Adult fans will be pleased to note Diablo Cody is on writing duties and anyone who has seen the trailer will immediately be able to tell if this film is for them or not. The red band trailer below is certainly not for the squeamish. It looks absolutely mental, keeping a similar if perhaps slightly more serious tone to the original and whizzing tracking shots through the menacing woods still intact. Here is my review of Evil Dead at Filmoria. Check out the trailer:
Olympus Has Fallen is the first of two Die Hards in the White House of this year with Roland Emmerich's White House Down to follow later.This one has Gerard Butler as the one man army out to save Aaron Eckhart as his President. Next up by the way if you haven't already heard is Channing Tatum protecting President Jamie Foxx if that pairing takes your fancy. Either way, both of these sound like the ultimate movies for my 10-16 year old self. If no one dives in front of the Commander in Chief, saving them from a bullet while yelling NOOOOOOOOOOOO Mr Presideeeeeeeeeeeeeent, then I'll be sorely disappointed. Even Air Force One had a pilot throwing his plane in the way of a missile to save President Harrison Ford's own plane. I hope this is fun, check out the trailer:
A fortnight on Monday, I will be seeing Brit flick biopic The Look of Love starring Steve Coogan as controversial sleezebag entrepreneur Paul Raymond. It's got a pretty cool cast and is directed by Michael Winterbottom so could be good but it's probably the least of these three I'm looking forward to. Here's the trailer:
Any of these take your fancy?
Saturday, 6 April 2013
Dangerous Dogs, Power of Prayer, Honeymoon Spending and Cold Calling
At the Yahoo Contributor Network recently, I have been writing about dangerous dogs, the power of prayer, spending a fortune on my honeymoon and how much I hate clod caller chuminess. What qualifies me to talk about anything of these things and demand that you listen to me? Well.... nothing actually but I love writing and they keep asking people to write about different topics so if I think I've got anything even remotely interesting to say on the subject, then I give it a go. I'm sorry as usual film lovers but non of these have anything to do with films. Just click the links to be magically transported across the web to any of the articles that tickle your fancy.
Why we should forget prohibiting dangerous dogs - and punish the owners behind them
As yet another young girl is killed by out of
control dogs; there will likely be the same old calls for prohibition of
dangerous dog breeds. Dogs are as well behaved as their owners.
Did praying save my life in a plane crash?
When I was in a plane crash in Thailand in
August 2009, as the plane slid off the runway on landing, I had time to
think one thing: ‘Please God don’t let us die’. Was God there for me.
Did he answer my prayer? Or was it simply luck that I survived?
When spending a lot more proved utterly worth it!
Spending a little extra on the honeymoon of a
lifetime is totally worth it. My wife and I began our married life with a
dream trip to Costa Rica that may have cost a fortune but was worth
every penny. £3000 seems a fair price for the fun we had!
Forget cold caller chumminess; just give me the goods
I’m all for friendliness, service with a smile
and treating other people with respect but there is a certain level of
chumminess that I’m not comfortable with. If I don’t know you and you
are too chummy with me, I’m automatically suspicious.
Kubrick One Point Perspective Supercut
Stanley Kubrick, to state the obvious, made some wonderful looking films. I f you haven't already seen this gorgeous supercut of his many one-point perspective shots, then I implore you to click play and remind yourselves of the beauty of Kubrick's films.
Not only does it feature many of the symmetrical, disquieting shots from the likes of The Shining, 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange, but it also shows off why Kubrick is a master of the tracking shot. These iconic images have all been cut together to the epic, emotive tune of Lux Aeterna's Requiem for a Tower. It all adds up to a magical, spellbinding visual and aural feast.
These symmetrical shots have a disturbing psychological impact on the audience, putting them at unease even if there isn't anything immediately menacing present in the shot. The viewer feels very distanced from what is occurring and it is almost like we are watching still images, paintings or other such works of art come to life rather than watching motion picture photography.
At the same time, many of these shots are not symmetrical but the one-point perspective forces the viewer to look towards the central, most distant point. It draws our eyes into the frame, ignoring the sides often and focusing on what is most central and distant. In this way, rather than distancing the viewer, it actually pulls us in to the shots.
Stanley Kubrick was well aware of the impact and contrasting effects these shots would have and was a master creating unforgettable images; cinematography that is dream like, distancing, disturbing but also very beautiful. This supercut shows off some of the weirdest and wonderful imagery of Kubrick's films, edited into short, sharp bursts that emphasise the similarities but also remind of the excellent films that Kubrick directed.
Not only does it feature many of the symmetrical, disquieting shots from the likes of The Shining, 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange, but it also shows off why Kubrick is a master of the tracking shot. These iconic images have all been cut together to the epic, emotive tune of Lux Aeterna's Requiem for a Tower. It all adds up to a magical, spellbinding visual and aural feast.
These symmetrical shots have a disturbing psychological impact on the audience, putting them at unease even if there isn't anything immediately menacing present in the shot. The viewer feels very distanced from what is occurring and it is almost like we are watching still images, paintings or other such works of art come to life rather than watching motion picture photography.
At the same time, many of these shots are not symmetrical but the one-point perspective forces the viewer to look towards the central, most distant point. It draws our eyes into the frame, ignoring the sides often and focusing on what is most central and distant. In this way, rather than distancing the viewer, it actually pulls us in to the shots.
Stanley Kubrick was well aware of the impact and contrasting effects these shots would have and was a master creating unforgettable images; cinematography that is dream like, distancing, disturbing but also very beautiful. This supercut shows off some of the weirdest and wonderful imagery of Kubrick's films, edited into short, sharp bursts that emphasise the similarities but also remind of the excellent films that Kubrick directed.
Friday, 5 April 2013
RIP Kurt Cobain 19 Years Today
I was 12 when he died so I never got to see Nirvana live. I've had to make do with seeing Foo Fighters a few times live instead and forcing myself to remember that Dave Grohl may not have been here if it wasn't for Kurt Cobain and Nirvana.
At 12, I was just getting into Nirvana when my Mum told me that Kurt Cobain had been found dead. She hurried me to the TV and I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I'd only known about Lithium, Smells Like Teen Spirit and Heart Shaped Box for the shortest of time and Kurt was already gone and Nirvana finished. Like many other teenagers I got a bit obsessed with Kurt after that.
I bought all the Nirvana albums, got myself a t-shirt or two and some posters and sat comfortably on the Nirvana bandwagon, cursing Courtney Love and becoming endlessly fascinated with the guy who appeared to have everything and threw it all away with a veins full of heroin and a shot gun.
Kurt taught me that no matter how good your life seems, you can still be depressed and suicidal. It was a horrible way to look at life through my early teens and I worry about the impact his suicide had on my psyche. I now look at him in a slightly different light. His daughter has grown up fatherless and I can't imagine what that has been like.
Anyway Nirvana made some great music. They are still one of my all time favourite bands and in a way, I'm sure Kurt was right about it being better to burn out than to fade away. I wonder how many more great albums they had left in them. Would Dave Grohl have got to write more for Nirvana? Would the Foo Fighters had ever existed? Who knows?
RIP Kurt Cobain.
Great Actor/Director Collaborations #1 David Fincher and Brad Pitt
Lying awake last night and thinking about all the things I'd like to blog about and worrying that I Love That Film has no running features, I kept thinking about all the great actor/director collaborations there have been in cinematic history. I say history, but actually I was thinking mostly about modern ones. So hopefully this is going to turn into a semi-regular feature.
My thoughts immediately turned to David Fincher and Brad Pitt who have made three films together: Seven, Fight Club and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
"They're like brothers - opposite in the way they act, but they understand each other the way families do." Taraji Henson (Bowles, 2008)
Brad Pitt gained international recognition as a sex symbol for his supporting role in Thelma and Louise in 1991. Pitt went on to secure his reputation as a handsome leading man with larger parts in A River Runs Through It and Legends of the Fall. However his appetite for edgier roles was clear from his early work as a psychopath in Kalifornia, and his cameo in True Romance as a couch potato stoner.
On the other hand, David Fincher began his directing career in commercials and music videos. He moved on to feature films with an extremely brave debut- directing the third film in the Alien franchise. Afterwards, Fincher continued on his course of dark, challenging films by choosing to direct a disturbing serial killer film. Pitt was on the look out for new, darker material; a film that would subvert what audiences were expecting from a Hollywood movie ‘starring Brad Pitt’
Brad Pitt plays a young, cocky and short-fused detective, David
Mills. He is newly transferred to a
crime-infested, permanently rain-soaked, unidentified city to be partnered with
Morgan Freeman’s older, wiser detective, William Somerset. After reading the script
and being offered the part, Pitt ‘immediately signed on, with one caveat: The
studio could not change the film's final scene… “They tried all kinds of things
to change our minds," Pitt says. "We wouldn't budge. David isn't
afraid to use an ending that works, even if it isn't the one you want’ (Bowles,2008). This created a bond between actor
and director.
Fight Club (1999)
Fight Club is the story of an unnamed protagonist (Edward Norton) who creates an alter-ego for himself. This imaginary friend is Tyler Durden and is played by Brad Pitt with a shaved head and part of his teeth missing. In Tyler’s own words, he is “All the ways you wish you could be… I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.” Producer Art Linson said studio executives expected “Seven in another costume” (Swallow, 2003, p.121) but got something quite different.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the life story of the titular character played by Pitt. Born with the appearance of an old man and looking younger and younger as he grows older, it is argued that ‘both director and star would have to wade into unfamiliar waters. Pitt would have to get ugly, Fincher happy’ (Bowles, 2008).
Will there be more collaborations?
‘Paramount Pictures has acquired graphic novel "The Killer" and will develop it as a directing vehicle for David Fincher… produced by Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment and Alexandra Milchan’ (Fleming, 2007). This was reported some time ago and has yet to come to fruition. However, there is also Fertig; ‘based on the biography of middle-aged American civil engineer-turned-World War II guerrilla fighter Wendell Fertig who with a small team of Americans refused under orders to surrender and led thousands of Filipinos in a seemingly hopeless war against the Japanese.’ (Holmes, 2008) Fincher believes Pitt would be perfect and would sign up for the project when the script is right.
What is your favourite collaboration of Fincher and Pitt? Seven and Fight Club are, to me, the pinnacles of both Fincher and Pitt's careers to date.
Parts of this post were already printed in an article in Media Magazine back in April 2011.
Next up in this feature: Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese
My thoughts immediately turned to David Fincher and Brad Pitt who have made three films together: Seven, Fight Club and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
"They're like brothers - opposite in the way they act, but they understand each other the way families do." Taraji Henson (Bowles, 2008)
Brad Pitt gained international recognition as a sex symbol for his supporting role in Thelma and Louise in 1991. Pitt went on to secure his reputation as a handsome leading man with larger parts in A River Runs Through It and Legends of the Fall. However his appetite for edgier roles was clear from his early work as a psychopath in Kalifornia, and his cameo in True Romance as a couch potato stoner.
On the other hand, David Fincher began his directing career in commercials and music videos. He moved on to feature films with an extremely brave debut- directing the third film in the Alien franchise. Afterwards, Fincher continued on his course of dark, challenging films by choosing to direct a disturbing serial killer film. Pitt was on the look out for new, darker material; a film that would subvert what audiences were expecting from a Hollywood movie ‘starring Brad Pitt’
Seven (1995)
Fight Club (1999)
Fight Club is the story of an unnamed protagonist (Edward Norton) who creates an alter-ego for himself. This imaginary friend is Tyler Durden and is played by Brad Pitt with a shaved head and part of his teeth missing. In Tyler’s own words, he is “All the ways you wish you could be… I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.” Producer Art Linson said studio executives expected “Seven in another costume” (Swallow, 2003, p.121) but got something quite different.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is the life story of the titular character played by Pitt. Born with the appearance of an old man and looking younger and younger as he grows older, it is argued that ‘both director and star would have to wade into unfamiliar waters. Pitt would have to get ugly, Fincher happy’ (Bowles, 2008).
Will there be more collaborations?
‘Paramount Pictures has acquired graphic novel "The Killer" and will develop it as a directing vehicle for David Fincher… produced by Brad Pitt's Plan B Entertainment and Alexandra Milchan’ (Fleming, 2007). This was reported some time ago and has yet to come to fruition. However, there is also Fertig; ‘based on the biography of middle-aged American civil engineer-turned-World War II guerrilla fighter Wendell Fertig who with a small team of Americans refused under orders to surrender and led thousands of Filipinos in a seemingly hopeless war against the Japanese.’ (Holmes, 2008) Fincher believes Pitt would be perfect and would sign up for the project when the script is right.
What is your favourite collaboration of Fincher and Pitt? Seven and Fight Club are, to me, the pinnacles of both Fincher and Pitt's careers to date.
Parts of this post were already printed in an article in Media Magazine back in April 2011.
Next up in this feature: Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese
Thursday, 4 April 2013
The Making of The Blair Witch Project
For my upcoming book on The Blair Witch Project, commissioned for the Auteur Devil's Advocate series on classic horror films, I am currently writing a chapter on the production of the film. It's likely a story you have heard a thousand times before but I've been completely immersing myself in research for the last couple of weeks and finding out more all the time.
The directors Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick took what they called a 'method directing' approach. The level of improvisation they demanded from their actors Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams is astounding. The torment, anxiety and discomfort the cast went through while shooting the film is now legendary.
It's got me thinking how many of these Blair Witch imitators these days actually try to achieve a similar effect. Blair Witch was all shot by the stars. I'm sure this is not the case with most other found footage films. I know for a fact films like REC and Cloverfield did not use this technique.
Is this why Blair Witch was so successful? Is the realism created by the production process the reason for its phenomenal success or was it more a case of being the first on the scene to try the found footage thing since Cannibal Holocaust?
I'm reading some fascinating interviews with the stars of Blair Witch in which they go into great detail about what happened on the grueling shoot of the film. To me, it is absolutely fascinating stuff. It's the kind of film I wished I'd made, not just because it made a ton of money but because I love the idea of totally immersing your actors in an experience and making them improvise. The stimulus that the directors provided should have made 'acting' an easier task for the cast. Not having to wait hours for the camera and lighting departments to set up must have been a dream come true for the actors too.
I don't want to reveal all the details of what is in the chapter but suffice to say it's looking like it will be around 5000 words and if you think you know the full story of the making of The Blair Witch Project, then I assure you that it is unlikely you do. I hope you might buy the book when it gets published, hopefully maybe by the end of this year or early 2014!
The directors Eduardo Sanchez and Daniel Myrick took what they called a 'method directing' approach. The level of improvisation they demanded from their actors Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael C. Williams is astounding. The torment, anxiety and discomfort the cast went through while shooting the film is now legendary.
It's got me thinking how many of these Blair Witch imitators these days actually try to achieve a similar effect. Blair Witch was all shot by the stars. I'm sure this is not the case with most other found footage films. I know for a fact films like REC and Cloverfield did not use this technique.
Is this why Blair Witch was so successful? Is the realism created by the production process the reason for its phenomenal success or was it more a case of being the first on the scene to try the found footage thing since Cannibal Holocaust?
I'm reading some fascinating interviews with the stars of Blair Witch in which they go into great detail about what happened on the grueling shoot of the film. To me, it is absolutely fascinating stuff. It's the kind of film I wished I'd made, not just because it made a ton of money but because I love the idea of totally immersing your actors in an experience and making them improvise. The stimulus that the directors provided should have made 'acting' an easier task for the cast. Not having to wait hours for the camera and lighting departments to set up must have been a dream come true for the actors too.
I don't want to reveal all the details of what is in the chapter but suffice to say it's looking like it will be around 5000 words and if you think you know the full story of the making of The Blair Witch Project, then I assure you that it is unlikely you do. I hope you might buy the book when it gets published, hopefully maybe by the end of this year or early 2014!
Wednesday, 3 April 2013
More Film News at Filmoria
News stories are fun, quick and a real test of your ability to come up with something fresh to say about a poster, trailer or a new still from a film when you know that other sites have already had a pop at the story.
Film news changes and updates rapidly. In the age of Twitter, any news story can break and be all around the web in seconds. It seems ‘news’ can also be a good way to keep in the good books of PR companies who have the power to giveth and taketh away access to preview screenings. If you help promote their films in the run up to release, I guess you might be more likely to get access to the stars and the screenings.
I started a post ages ago for keeping track of my news stories but I think it’s time for a new one so please find below continuously updated links to any news stories I have published over at Filmoria with the newest link always at the top:
RIP Roger Ebert
World War Z Poster
Made of Stone Poster
Rebellion Poster and Images
Rebellion Trailer
Spring Breakers Posters
Saoirse Ronan Joins How to Catch a Monster
Die Hard 6 Looks Likely
Entourage Movie Green Lit
The Sweeney Publicity Stunt
Before Midnight New Stills
New Warm Bodies Poster
Gremlins Reboot Rumours
A Good Day to Die Hard R rated
The Last Exorcism Part 2 Poster
Berberian Sound Studio Wins at BIFA's
Filmoria on the Radio
Rise of the Guardians Magical Funland
New The Impossible TV Spot
Star Wars: Episode VII Director
More Dark Knight Rises Bonus Material
The Dark Knight Rises Bonus Features
Independence Day 3D
Wayne's World 3 Script
Star Trek Into Darkness Preview
One Direction Documentary Director
Django Unchained Poster
Keep an eye out for more news stories at Filmoria.
You're Next Trailer Offers a Perfect Day
The trailer for upcoming horror You're Next features the second best use of Lou Reed's Perfect Day I've ever enjoyed. The use of the song is arguably more appropriate in Trainspotting, particularly as the scene it is used in when Renton overdoses on heroin actually takes place during the day. However it seems to complement this thrilling new trailer with the same kind of irony that Lou Reed hopefully intended of the lyrics that many suggest were about his own addiction.
So the perfect day featured in the You're Next trailer looks like a family reunion rudely interrupted by animal mask wearing hunter types, intent on killing their prey. Crossbows, axes, knives and all manner of weaponry look to be doled out in an excruciating horror that may not look overly original but still seems to have plenty of gore and thrills to offer. Check out the trailer below:
It reminds me of Switchblade Romance (aka High Tension), the French film that is possibly the last film to have genuinely scared me. That opened with a family under attack from a ruthless killer in a rural, isolated setting. The animal masks also remind me of the recent episode of Black Mirror called White Bear that is one of my favourite bits of TV ever. Whether You're Next can live up to the expectations created by these comparisons will remain to be seen. It isn't out until August in the UK, despite being screened at the Toronto Film Festival in 2011. All signs look good with many critics describing it as a superior home invasion horror.
Just for fun, I though I'd post this snippet of Trainspotting that featured Lou Reed's Perfect Day accompanying Renton's descent into over dose. It's also a nice timely reminder that plans are afoot for the follw-up to Trainspotting, based on Irvine Welsh's book Porno. Let's hope Danny Boyle and the team can bottle lightning once again.
So the perfect day featured in the You're Next trailer looks like a family reunion rudely interrupted by animal mask wearing hunter types, intent on killing their prey. Crossbows, axes, knives and all manner of weaponry look to be doled out in an excruciating horror that may not look overly original but still seems to have plenty of gore and thrills to offer. Check out the trailer below:
It reminds me of Switchblade Romance (aka High Tension), the French film that is possibly the last film to have genuinely scared me. That opened with a family under attack from a ruthless killer in a rural, isolated setting. The animal masks also remind me of the recent episode of Black Mirror called White Bear that is one of my favourite bits of TV ever. Whether You're Next can live up to the expectations created by these comparisons will remain to be seen. It isn't out until August in the UK, despite being screened at the Toronto Film Festival in 2011. All signs look good with many critics describing it as a superior home invasion horror.
Just for fun, I though I'd post this snippet of Trainspotting that featured Lou Reed's Perfect Day accompanying Renton's descent into over dose. It's also a nice timely reminder that plans are afoot for the follw-up to Trainspotting, based on Irvine Welsh's book Porno. Let's hope Danny Boyle and the team can bottle lightning once again.
Tuesday, 2 April 2013
Do you want to see a Die Hard 6?
A Good Day to Die Hard made a bit of a killing at the international box office despite mostly negative reviews, many critics pretty much despising it. A Good Day to Die Hard managed to make nearly $300 million worldwide according to Box Office Mojo despite earning an extremely rotten 15% over at Rotten Tomatoes. That's over three times its $92 million production budget and therefore Willis' rumour mongering that there will be a Die Hard 6 should likely become a reality.
For fans of the franchise, this is bound to elicit strange and strong mixed feelings, pretty much like the last few films of the series have. Die Hard 4.0 left me dying to go back and watch the original film rather than sitting through this sequel. I loved the original trilogy. Die Hard is the greatest action film of all time for my money. Die Hard 2 might have some problems and inherent silliness but it stuck to what the series knew best; keeping McClane confined, his wife as damsel in distress and having everyone's favourite cop escaping explosions through ridiculous means (ejector seat anyone?)
After the disappointment of Die Hard 4.0 in which McClane had a whole city to play with but unlike in Die Hard with a Vengeance, no Sam Jackson to banter with or schools full of kids under threat, I had low expectations for A Good Day to Die Hard. I wished it all the best as any fan would but didn't get my hopes sky high like I had done for Die Hard 4.0. As a result, I quite enjoyed A Good Day to Die Hard and gave it probably one of the kindest reviews it received.
So now my thoughts turn to Die Hard 6. Do I want to see the action franchise that I was raised on fall further into disrepute? Do I want to see McClane make a wise-cracking, ass kicking comeback? Well obviously I would rather the latter but what if another unwanted (by many) sequel just makes things worse? Willis is balder, grouchier and angrier every time we see him on and off screen. Perhaps it's time he kicked back, put the slippers on and started wearing cardigans and smoking a pipe.
On the other hand, I hope Fox dig deep and find the funds to snag a great director, a great screenplay writer and really make something that works this time. It's got to be personal. It has to have a villain that can top Alan Rickman. It's got to keep McClane cooped up and out of his depth. I want to see McClane cocky and determined but also vulnerable, scared and completely outgunned. Take him out of his comfort zone. Make him beg for his life or for the lives of those he loves. Forget the G.I. Joe invincible action man bullshit. No more computer generated stunts. Do all the action in camera and old school.
Dare I say it, if there has to be a Die Hard 6 then maybe it's time McClane finally died... hard!
What do you think? Will you give Die Hard one more chance?
For fans of the franchise, this is bound to elicit strange and strong mixed feelings, pretty much like the last few films of the series have. Die Hard 4.0 left me dying to go back and watch the original film rather than sitting through this sequel. I loved the original trilogy. Die Hard is the greatest action film of all time for my money. Die Hard 2 might have some problems and inherent silliness but it stuck to what the series knew best; keeping McClane confined, his wife as damsel in distress and having everyone's favourite cop escaping explosions through ridiculous means (ejector seat anyone?)
After the disappointment of Die Hard 4.0 in which McClane had a whole city to play with but unlike in Die Hard with a Vengeance, no Sam Jackson to banter with or schools full of kids under threat, I had low expectations for A Good Day to Die Hard. I wished it all the best as any fan would but didn't get my hopes sky high like I had done for Die Hard 4.0. As a result, I quite enjoyed A Good Day to Die Hard and gave it probably one of the kindest reviews it received.
So now my thoughts turn to Die Hard 6. Do I want to see the action franchise that I was raised on fall further into disrepute? Do I want to see McClane make a wise-cracking, ass kicking comeback? Well obviously I would rather the latter but what if another unwanted (by many) sequel just makes things worse? Willis is balder, grouchier and angrier every time we see him on and off screen. Perhaps it's time he kicked back, put the slippers on and started wearing cardigans and smoking a pipe.
On the other hand, I hope Fox dig deep and find the funds to snag a great director, a great screenplay writer and really make something that works this time. It's got to be personal. It has to have a villain that can top Alan Rickman. It's got to keep McClane cooped up and out of his depth. I want to see McClane cocky and determined but also vulnerable, scared and completely outgunned. Take him out of his comfort zone. Make him beg for his life or for the lives of those he loves. Forget the G.I. Joe invincible action man bullshit. No more computer generated stunts. Do all the action in camera and old school.
Dare I say it, if there has to be a Die Hard 6 then maybe it's time McClane finally died... hard!
What do you think? Will you give Die Hard one more chance?
Monday, 1 April 2013
Movies in March Round-up
I haven't watched or reviewed quite so much this month. In 2013 I have now watched a total of 50 films for the first time and 15 re-watches. I blame all the TV shows for the slow down this month. I've also been doing quite a lot of work on my thesis on found footage movies so that has been keeping me busy. Anyway without further ado, here's a round up of what I have been watching and writing this month:
Robot and Frank
Sinister
Killer Joe
Tape 407 (Terrible, terrible found footage)
Baise-Moi
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
Sleep Tight
The Lords of Salem (review imminent)
Trance
The Liability (out in May, review currently embargoed)
Side Effects
I didn't review many of these but The Lords of Salem and The Liability will be reviewed soon at Filmoria. I also started Game of Thrones series 1 and Breaking Bad series 4, both ace so far. I feel like this series of Breaking Bad could possibly be the best yet. Game of Thrones has grabbed me and I'm just waiting for more discs from Lovefilm! I was worried the boobs might put off my wife but we're in the clear so far, two episodes in.
My reviews of Stoker and Broken went up at Filmora this month. I also wrote for Filmoria about who I think should direct the next Bond film, James Cameron and his carbon neutral Avatar sequels, and some news stories about the following:
Roman Polanski's Tess released on Blu-ray
The Lords of Salem new poster and pictures
Rebellion new trailer
I re-watched Shallow Grave, Sunshine, Millions and 127 Hours in preparation for my Danny Boyle retrospective at Filmoria. And I re-watched Terminator 1 and 2 with my Film Studies class at college so that we could talk about genre analysis and feminism analysis in films. We are studying Fight Club in another of my classes so I have been writing about Fight Club a bit and I also tried my first video essay.
I've been doing more writing for Yahoo about all sorts of strange things from praying to dog attacks to the Iraq war. Other stuff I've been writing about here are music videos and job roles in the TV and Film Industries. Overall it's been a fun month. Best films: (apart from re-watches) Trance and Side Effects. Worst film: Tape 407.
What' s been your best and worst films of the month?
Robot and Frank
Sinister
Killer Joe
Tape 407 (Terrible, terrible found footage)
Baise-Moi
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
Sleep Tight
The Lords of Salem (review imminent)
Trance
The Liability (out in May, review currently embargoed)
Side Effects
I didn't review many of these but The Lords of Salem and The Liability will be reviewed soon at Filmoria. I also started Game of Thrones series 1 and Breaking Bad series 4, both ace so far. I feel like this series of Breaking Bad could possibly be the best yet. Game of Thrones has grabbed me and I'm just waiting for more discs from Lovefilm! I was worried the boobs might put off my wife but we're in the clear so far, two episodes in.
My reviews of Stoker and Broken went up at Filmora this month. I also wrote for Filmoria about who I think should direct the next Bond film, James Cameron and his carbon neutral Avatar sequels, and some news stories about the following:
Roman Polanski's Tess released on Blu-ray
The Lords of Salem new poster and pictures
Rebellion new trailer
I re-watched Shallow Grave, Sunshine, Millions and 127 Hours in preparation for my Danny Boyle retrospective at Filmoria. And I re-watched Terminator 1 and 2 with my Film Studies class at college so that we could talk about genre analysis and feminism analysis in films. We are studying Fight Club in another of my classes so I have been writing about Fight Club a bit and I also tried my first video essay.
I've been doing more writing for Yahoo about all sorts of strange things from praying to dog attacks to the Iraq war. Other stuff I've been writing about here are music videos and job roles in the TV and Film Industries. Overall it's been a fun month. Best films: (apart from re-watches) Trance and Side Effects. Worst film: Tape 407.
What' s been your best and worst films of the month?
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