Monday, July 14, 2008
Nearly a year ago I recieved an email from a Swedish chap asking permission to use one of my tunes, Saphire Rain, in the movie he was making.It was to be a strictly non-profit making short comedy film for showing in assorted film festivals.
He said he could offer no money, it being non-profit and all that, but if I allowed him to use it, would I like a copy of the film?
I said sure, and yes please.
That was the last I heard from him, and till today, I'd forgotten all about it.
So today, Andrea returned from work with an envelope from Sweden, and wondering why something addressed to me had been sent to her place of work... and what was I ordering from Sweden anyway?
I'd given this chap her work address, as you can never be too sure who you're dealing with on the internet, and as I have a fairly high profile... it was better to be safe than sorry, and not give out my home address.
I'd asked her permission, but obviously, it having been some time ago, she'd forgotten about it too.
So, on opening the envelope, there's a letter and a white label DVD, "Instead of Abracadabra" directed by Patrik Eklund, distributed by the Swedish Film Institute.
To be honest, I hadn't really expected to recieve a copy, and on top of that, if I did, I hadn't expected it to be a whole lot of good... low budget films just for festivals and exhibitions being what they often are.
We watched it anyway.
You know what?
It's really very good.
Around 20 mins to half an hour long, in Swedish with English subtitles, the productions values are excellent, the directing is good, the acting is good, and the story is genuinely funny.
And then best of all... when it gets to the climax... the scene that the whole story is building up to... there's my music... and not simply background music, but integral to the timing of how that scene plays out.
How thrilled am I?!!!
I'd say rush out and buy the film... but you can't. It's not available for sale anywhere.
I'd say rush out to the nearest film festival and see it... but you can't... unless you live in Scandanavia.
But what the heck. I have probably the only copy of this film in the UK, and I'm chuffed.
I'm in the end credits too :D
Edit:
I just googled the film, and guess what? It won an award.
"Swedish director Patrik Edlund's Instead of Abracadabra (I
stället for Abrakadabra) was bestowed with one of the local film world's most valuable trophies, the Bratek Short Film Award, consisting of technical services worth $143,500 adding $15,700 cash from the Swedish Film Institute."
Steve 6:30 PM [+] (1) comments
Friday, April 01, 2005
It's been an incredibly enjoyable week.Andrea's got a couple of weeks off work, so among other things we've been on a bit of a moviefest.
I guess I should really review the movies we've watched, but since Virgin had one of their 5 DVDs for £30 deals, we've watched rather a lot, having bought 5 each.
A quick mention really does have to go to Dreamcatcher though. Being written by Steven King, it was predictably terrible... buit in this case, it was SO ridiculous, as to be absolutely hysterical.
We've also taken to playing each other at chess.
It's been years since either of us played, and neither are what you'd call proficient, but we're both tactically minded, and both intelligent, and so playing at pretty much the same level, we're finding it extremely enjoyable.
The score so far is one game a piece.
Much fun :-)
Labels: movies
Steve 3:54 AM [+] (0) comments
Sunday, January 16, 2005
It's movieblog time, since I sat up and watched 4 dvds yesterday evening.The Chronicles Of Riddick
There's something wrong with this film, and it took me a long while to figure out exactly what it was.
Visually, it's awesome. Okay, so we're all kinda used to fancy special effects where they can put just about anything they like on the screen and make it fairly convincing, but there's a visual stle going on here that though heavy handed, is still quite fascinating. Think H R Geigeresque design, as in Aliens or Dune. Dark and brutal.
Vin Diesel is.... well Vin Diesel. You either like him, or you don't. I like him.
So... what's wrong with it?
I think ultimately, it comes down to misguided editing.
Ok, so this is an action movie, and you expect lots of action.... but *all* action? Non-stop?
There's so much relentless action, the film doesn't stop to take a breath, and so effectively suffocates itself.
The film has been royally panned in the press, but I don't actually think it's that bad. Overall, I enjoyed it... it's just flawed.
Hellboy
Hahahahahaha.
Yup... I love this film. It's not quite perfect, coz it doesnt quite have a big enough bang to it, but it's damned close, and way funny.
Ron Perlman rocks... but then he always did. Its about time he got a lead role that put him up where he deserves to be.
Spiderman 2
Excellent.
Better than the first film, and that rocked.
Tobey MaGuire still annoys me, and really isn't the right actor for the part, but then I dunno who would be, so the point is moot. Kersten Dunst on the other hand is just brilliant.
What really impresses though is that Sam Rami has again managed to stick to the spirit of the comics. I grew up reading Spiderman, and neither of these movies at any point left me thinking "that's not right." Quite an achievement.
What I really wanna know is.... when do we see Venom?
I Robot.
Awesome.
Will Smith playing it straight(ish) shows just how versatile he really is, in being able to hold your interest without resorting to wise-cracks.
Great visuals, great story and entirely plausable.
Interesting social comment too.
Faults? Can't think of any. Damn... that's rare.
Labels: movies
Steve 3:37 PM [+] (0) comments
Tuesday, December 14, 2004
I watched the extended dvd of Return Of The King last night.Some people might wonder why I collected the extended versions when I already have all of the standard ones, and it's kind of tricky to explain it. Like, collect all of the extended ones, or all of the standard ones... but why both?
Probably the best example of why it's worth it is this one scene in the extended ROTK.
I won't spoil it by giving specific details, but there's this scene that appears in the extended cut... You already know what happens from the standard cut, and then it throws this 'event' at you... totally out of the blue and unexpected. It creates an emotional response that you just wouldn't get if you hadn't seen the standard version already.
I was just like.... "Oh fuck!"
Absolutely brilliant.
Even if the films themselves weren't extended at all, it'd be worth getting these special editions, just for the doccumentary disks. They put the standard doccumentaries to shame... utterly.
Labels: movies
Steve 9:51 AM [+] (0) comments
Tuesday, November 09, 2004
I'm having a bit of a LOTR day, or rather... couple of days.After picking up Fellowship Of The Ring last week, I got the extended version of The Two Towers (already got the standard version) and the standard version of Return Of The King (extended version not being out yet... though I'll get that too when it's out)... and watched all 3, one after the other, follwed by all the additional doccumentaries on the extra disks.
The extended Two Towers really is incredible... being 47 mins longer, but oddly, it's worth seeing the standard version first, or even buying both versions. It's hard to explain why... maybe the standard one feels just that bit purer and more focused.
Still... whichever version... Two Towers is still my fave of the three films.
Labels: movies
Steve 7:43 PM [+] (0) comments
Friday, November 05, 2004
At last.Blogger's been a bit of a pig of late and wouldnt let me get to the editing page. Probably the server's been overloaded with people registering their pleasure or displeasure at Bush being re-elected.
Personally I'm rather amazed that a civilised country would want a talking monkey (and he doesn't even do that very well) at the controls... but whatever.
So anyway... I did a spot of shopping yesterday and came away with more DVDs. They've got one of their 5 movies for £30 deals in Virgin, so I could't resist. Got Brazil, Delicatessen, Cross Of Iron, The Matrix, and LOTR Fellowship Of The Ring. And best of all... The History Of England doccumentary box set, reduced to £40 from around £80. Had my eyes glued to that all yesterday afternoon and evening, and still aren't even half way through yet.
I dunno what it is about history. There was a time when I couldn't care less about it, but these days, I just can't get enough. The world seems to make a bit more sense knowing how we actually got to where we are today.
Labels: movies
Steve 7:13 AM [+] (0) comments
Tuesday, November 02, 2004
What can I tell you?I'm feeling rather noisy at the mo. Got music blasting.
Yesterday was a movie day for me. Picked up DVDs of Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions (no need to talk about them as I did that at length when I first saw them), and the directors cut of Dawn Of The Dead (the remake, not the original).
I wasn't expecting too much of 'D of the D', remakes being what they are, and the George Romero version being a classic... but y'know... it kicks arse.
Very very impressive. If you like 28 Days Later, you'll like this.
In retro(ish) gaming mode, I picked up a copy of Daytona USA 2001 for Dreamcast. After two pretty shoddy versions on the Saturn, and reports that this was waaaaay better, I had high hopes.
Well... yup.. it's at least arcade perfect, if not better, but y'know... I still don't like it. Maybe it's just rose tinted spectacles making me remeber the game as better than it was, or the lack of three friends in the seats next to me trying to run me off the road. Whatever it is... it left me cold.
Steve 1:52 PM [+] (0) comments
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
It's been a fun couple of days, and I'm not even done yet.Clothes shopping.
There was a time, not so long ago when just the idea of it made me shudder, but now.... fun fun fun :-)
2 jackets, 1 leather, 1 suede from River Island. 3 pairs ouf trousers from Zara, a sweatshirt and jumper from Monserrat, and another jumper from Mexx.
What I wanna know is, as someone who couldn't give a monkeys about fashion and designer labels, why do most of the clothes I like come from bloody expensive shops?
Anyway... shopping for shoes and maybe another sweatshirt tomorrow, and then I'll be done.
Went to the movies this evening with a friend where we saw Shark Tale.
It's not bad, though I wouldn't say brilliant. It had moments of brilliance, but seemed to be coasting much of the time. DeNiro was great and fitted the part perfectly, and though I never thought I'd say this... if there was a weak link, it was Will Smith. I'm not sure if the problem was him, or his fish character... just something didn't quite hit the spot.
Still... fun film.
Labels: movies
Steve 9:47 PM [+] (0) comments
Wednesday, August 11, 2004
Went to see I, Robot last night.I've never read the book, so I don't know how closely it followed it, but as a film, it absolutely rocks.
Best film I've seen this year, in fact.
Labels: movies
Steve 8:41 AM [+] (0) comments
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Okay, so we didn't see I Robot... it's not out till thursday.Instead we watched the remake of The Stepford Wives.
There's not much I can tell you about it if you've seen the original, and nothing I'm gonna tell you if you haven't... except to say it's much more of a comedy than the original.
Entertainment wise, I'd rate it much the same as the original. Not bad, not great. Worth watching if there's nothing else really good on.
Friday may turn out to be interesting.
My friend has to make a trip up to Derby and is a little nervious about it, coz she's never been further north than Northampton... so I volounteered my services as navigator.
Dunno if she's gonna take me up on my offer yet, she'll see how she feels about the trip nearer to friday. Could be a laugh though, and at least worth taking a camera so I can take lots of pics while she's working.
We'll see.
Labels: movies
Steve 10:59 PM [+] (0) comments
Friday, July 23, 2004
Finally got round to seeing Spiderman 2 tonight.It *is* as good as the reviews said, and it *is* better than the first one... which was great. What's reassuring is it's still sticking to the basic principles laid out by the comics, with only very minor discrepancies.
Great script, very clever multilayerd subplots, fantastic effects, amazing fight scenes, and brilliant humour.
As a spidey fan since I was a kid, I couldn't ask for more. Except maybe Venom and Carnage.
Labels: movies
Steve 11:39 PM [+] (0) comments
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
So yesterday after my weekly trip to the bank I picked up the Planet Of The Apes dvd boxset. All 5 movies, plus a doccumentary.It's been a long time since I've seen any of these, and the first time I've ever seen the last one and I have to say, despite their age, they kick arse. The effects and makeup may not be up to the standard of the recent Tim Burton remake, but for sheer punch and drama, they knock spots off it. Also, lets face it, Planet Of The Apes without Roddy McDowell just isn't Planet Of The Apes.
Now I wonder if I can find the tv series on dvd somewhere....
Labels: movies
Steve 5:01 PM [+] (0) comments
Monday, May 31, 2004
That was kinda hard.Trying to fit in watching the grand prix, and an evening out at the movies while being in full-on night mode. Managed it on about 3 hours sleep... so not bad going.
The Day After Tomorrow is pretty good, though not what I'd hoped for. Fantastic effects, but the lack of a leading actor with any real oomph and the best set piece scenes coming in the first 1/2 of the film left me feeling a bit let down by the end.
Very good, but my fave film of the year so far is still Kill Bill Vol 2.
Next on the 'must see' list for me is I Robot.
Labels: movies
Steve 12:06 AM [+] (0) comments
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Ah... what a fun day.What could be better than spending an afternoon out in glorious weather and then going to see Van Helsing at the movies?
I'll tell you what could be better.
Spending the afternoon out in glorious weather, going to the movies to see Van Helsing and having *the whole theatre* all to yourself.
I was the only person there... not a single other soul. No kids chattering, popcorn being lobbed around, feet on the back of my chair, people with big heads obsucring the view... nothing... no-one... just me.
Good film too, by the way.
Labels: movies
Steve 9:13 PM [+] (0) comments
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
So today was movie day.Back when I still bought vhs videos, I'd go into Virgin or HMV when they had one of those 3 for £20 or 5 for £30 offers, and buy a shed load of movies. Then I switched over to buying DVDs and for a long time, the only cheap ones were a bucket of shite... so buying good movies meant paying full price, thus my movie intake dropped by a factor of 10 or so.
Now however, things appear to have moved on. There's a whole load of really decent films out on mid-price and budget.
Todays movies were...
Bullet Proof Monk.
I know, I know, the reviewers said it was crap. Everyone I know who saw it said it was crap. But hey, I'm a Chow Yun Fat fan, so I had to see it, and guess what?
It's crap.
One Hour Photo
I don't like Robin Williams. Just like Tom Hanks, he's too nice. I don't do 'nice', I like an edge.
This film then is the best thing he's ever done, from an acting standpoint at least. (Yeah, I love What Dreams May Come and prefer it to this film, but he's still 'nice' in that)
Chilling.... very slow, so not one to watch if you're an adrenalin junkie or have a short attention span, but very very edgy.
Ocean's Eleven
Straightforward slick hollywood entertainment. Enjoyable, nothing more, nothing less.
Solaris
Now THIS is maginificent.
I heard about the Russian original years ago, but never saw it, and was maybe a bit concerned that the hollywood treatment would create something of a farce.
Not having seen the original, I don't know how this compares, but never the less.... this is quite the most utterly brilliant film I've seen in a long long time.
Thought provoking, emotional, edgy and fascinating. George Clooney's at his charismatic best too, which helps.
A work of art. Why can't more films be like this?
Labels: movies
Steve 12:15 AM [+] (0) comments
Sunday, April 25, 2004
Went to the cinema with a friend this evening.Kill Bill Volume 2.
I'm not gonna say anyhting about the script itself, except to say it's not a straightforward killffest like volume 1... it tells more of a story.
The question you probably want to ask though is "Is it as good as volume 1?"
In short, no, but it's still very good, and some bits are absolutely excellent. If you liked volume 1 you should see it. If you didnt like volume 1, you should see it, coz it's different. If you like Tarantino you should see it and if you like Uma Thurman you should see it.
Labels: movies
Steve 11:40 PM [+] (0) comments
Sunday, April 11, 2004
Ah real life... well.. kind of.So a friend phoned me yesterday saying "I'm bored."..."Me too." I said
So a trip to the movies seemed in order.
Gothika... her choice... yup not a bad film.
There were some slightly predictable elements, but enough surprises to keep it interesting and enough things going bump in the night to make you jump a bit.
I think what I liked most about it... it plays on one of those deep dark fears that people have but don't like to think about...'what if I did something that I had no control of, and then couldn't remember?'
Best thing about the evening?
Real human company. I've been cooped up indoors and online too long.
Labels: movies
Steve 2:07 PM [+] (0) comments
Thursday, March 11, 2004
Having gotten things working again I settled down to watch a couple of movies.Have you noticed how now DVDs have become popular the movie distibutors are re-releasing absolutely everything in their back catalogues... stuff you've not been able to get on vhs for years, if ever? A lot of it's on budget release too.
A couple of months ago I spoke about watching the cold war doccumentary style drama Threads, depicting a nuclear attack on the uk. Well, yesterday I picked up a DVD copy of the other nuclear war film released around the same time. The Day After depicts a nuclear attack on the US, more specifically, Kansas City.
The production values are higher, but I found the typical Hollywood gloss detracted from the outright horror of what it was trying to portray... especially with Steve Guttenberg in a lead role. I just kept waiting for the Police Accademy gags to slip out.
The other film I picked up was one I wasn't sure if I'd actually seen, or just read about in a magazine... coz I recognised certain screen shots on the back and remembered thinking how cool they looked at the time.
Turns out I hadn't actually seen it... and still haven't bothered to watch all of it, coz it really is quite crap. That'll be The Incredible Melting Man then.
Good(ish) effects for the time, but it seems that's where all of the budget went, coz the script, acting and directing are diaboical.
Labels: movies
Steve 11:32 AM [+] (0) comments
Wednesday, February 11, 2004
I finally got my arse into gear and went to see Return Of The King.Guess what?
It's great.
To begin with I found myself thinking "yes, this is all very pretty, but get ON with it"...
and then they got on with it, and I was suitably gobsmacked.
The trouble is, movies now look so truly amazing that it takes something bordering on the impossible before I find myself getting excited. Maybe that's a good thing if it means movie makers will have to concentrate more on the story instead of the eye candy.
Now if I can just recruit that drum playing ogre thing I spotted at the start of the first battle sequence, to come and play on my new album...
Labels: movies
Steve 1:00 AM [+] (0) comments
Thursday, November 06, 2003
So, Matrix Revolutions then.... tricky one.I love the Matrix series, have done ever since a friend told me I had to watch it, and wasn't allowed to see Star Wars instead. Good call Penny.
Now everyone knows the first film was seriously ground breaking stuff, it kicked arse, and all the more so for managing it without any major media hype. So when Reloaded came out, it had a lot to live up to, and though it's not perfect, it did pretty well. It didn't break any new ground, and probably created a lot more questions than it answered, but that's what the second film in a trilogy always does... leaves you with an uncomfortable edgy feeling.
Revolutions though... that's what you want to know about.
Is it amazing? Does it answer all of the questions brought up by Reloaded? Does it do justice to the legend that The Matrix has become, or do they get it all wrong?
Well......
The battle for Zion against the Sentinals is the single most breathtaking piece of movie footage I have ever seen.... EVER!
But..... yes, I said but, and it's a truly huge B U T ....
Everything else about this film is wrong. Absolutely everything.
This film is like a rock star who has come to believe his own hype and as such, has lost the magic that made him special in the first place. It's pompous, overblown and not nearly as good as it thinks it is.
I frequently found myself impatient for the actors to get off the screen so I could watch more sentinals doing their thing, and that's just not right.
So many scenes were obviously tacked on, their only purpose being as devices to move us on to the next big set piece. There's no flow... it's like "Okay, we have the big fight between so and so and so and so... how can we get to that point?"
And the questions we've been waiting for the answers to since Reloaded... do we get answers? Do we hell!
In the first two movies, there was a certain logic that worked, that explained the bizarre things that happened... in Revolutions, that logic appears to have been thrown out of the window.
At the end of the day, they got it wrong, and for me at least, have spoiled what was a fascinating series of movies.
Should you avoid seeing it?
Well... no, and for one reason alone... the battle for Zion. Your eyes will burst out of your head, your jaw will hit the floor, and you WILL utter the words "Holy Shit!"
Just ignore the rest of the film, 'cause though it pains me greatly to say it, it's bullshit.
Labels: movies
Steve 8:14 PM [+] (0) comments
Tuesday, November 04, 2003
So you have two women standing in the snow, one wearing a white kimono, the other in an orange bikers outfit with dark stripes, not unlike that worn by Bruce Lee in Game of Death (and surely no coinsidence)... both are armed with saumurai swords, and a pounding oriental style disco beat sets the mood.What in the world is going on?
Simple... God exists, and his name is Quentin Tarantino.
I consider myself fortunate to have an extensive library of movies, my tastes being varied and often unusual, to the extent that I am familiar with chinese and japanese heroic bloodshed and yukaza movies popularised by the likes of John Woo and Tekashi Kitano, american ultraviolent gangster movies by the likes of Martin Scorsese, and numerous Manga (anime) gorefests.
Now, take all of these, mix together with an absolute killer soundtrack, add a little David Lychesque weirdness, and simmer to perfection.
Tarantino has already proved he has a talent for taking a genre and making it his own... Resevior Dogs is in truth an almost straight copy of Ringo Lam's City On Fire... but this.... this is something entirely different. This is no mere pastiche of a recognised genre... this is a truly valid masterpiece of that genre, while adding its own recognisable twist without diluting the basic content.
Ummm... just for anyone who hasn't figured it out, and as someone who likes to think he knows what he's talking about on such matters... I can honestly say Kill Bill Volume One is an absolute work of art. Easilly the best film released this year... and there've been some VERY good ones.
Labels: movies
Steve 11:41 PM [+] (0) comments
Friday, September 19, 2003
Y'know, Johny Depp's really cool when you can't actually recognise him.I've long been impressed by the part he played in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas... and now in Pirates of the Caribbean... yup, quite excellent.
It's not a high brow movie by any stretch of the imagination... more like The Mummy movies, and highly entertaining for it too.
Labels: movies
Steve 9:36 AM [+] (0) comments
Saturday, August 30, 2003
Ah, the wonders of this blog.Not only do I bring you occasional movie reviews before they're out in the cinema.... I also bring them to you several months after everyone else on the planet has already seen them.
So... Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers.
In a word - AWESOME!!!
Everything about this film is perfect. The effects are fantastic, the sets are amazing, the acting is fantastic... but y'know what really impressed me about it? The editing. I just loved the flow of it. How you follow one of the groups of characters in their given situation for exactly the right length of time, and then the scene switches, builds up, and switches again.
Film of the year!!!
Judging by the additional material on disk two, The Return Of The King is going to be even better. I can't wait.
Labels: movies
Steve 8:39 PM [+] (0) comments
Tuesday, August 26, 2003
I just watched a film that took me back to a time I'd rather forget.In the early to mid 80s cold war tensions were still high and everyone lived with that nagging fear in the back of their minds. I was in my early teens and rather neurotic to say the least.
QED, a doccumentary describing in great detail the effects of a nuclear attack was shown on uk tv, followed by two movies... an american film 'The Day After', and the british doccumentary style drama 'Threads'.
It's hard to describe the effect these films had on me, though traumatised might be a good word to use. Looking back, I find myself rather angry that Threads was actually shown to us in a special lesson at school. I was 14, maybe 15... is it honestly a good idea to be showing kids of that age people being burned alive in a nuclear blast, and all the horrors that follow?
Already a neurotic child with a nervous disposition and emotional problems, watching this film in a school lesson was like saying to me "Okay kids... watch this, because this is what's going to happen to you."
I lived in real fear every day after watching that movie, probably untill around the time the Berlin Wall came down, and had nightmares of nuclear attack on a regular basis well into my mid twenties.
So this morning I watched Threads again for the first time in nearly 20 years. It's predictably dated, but its impact isn't lessened for it. It's not a film to watch for pleasure, and seeing it again, remembering the fear I lived in because of it and how it fundamentally damaged a large part of my younger years... I find I'm very relieved to be so unfucked up in my 30s and enjoying life to such a degree.
There are some aspects of the 80s I love, most notably the music... but watching that film and remembering the darker aspects of that decade, I wouldn't ever want to go back and relive it. Indeed, Y2K and onwards have so far proved to be the best years I've ever known, and I'm very glad to be here.
Labels: movies
Steve 8:14 AM [+] (0) comments
Wednesday, August 20, 2003
While I'm in a movie reviewing mood, I just watched Tomb Raider: The Cradle Of Life.Now that's a much better movie than last night's.
While the script may be pure Indiana Jones, it's a highly entertaining flick and the production values are spot on. As a side line, I really liked the music... it's the kinda stuff I find myself inspired by when making my own tunes.
Just as an afterthought... Angelina Jolie..... yummmmm!!!
Labels: movies
Steve 10:03 PM [+] (0) comments
I just finished watching Freddy Vs Jason.
Hmmm.
For a trashy piece of rubbish, I have to say it was fairly entertaining. No real surprises, but the novelty of seeing two splatter movie icons ripping each other to pieces was quite amusing.
Not one to watch if you're looking for anything remotely ground breaking or mentally stimulating though.
Labels: movies
Steve 12:50 AM [+] (0) comments
Tuesday, August 05, 2003
I just watched Showgirls on tv having never seen it before.I guess I can see what all the debate was about when it came out.
Was that a valid movie or just a mass market porno?
I enjoyed it, kind of... but for the right reasons? Maybe not.
Very questionable.
Labels: movies
Steve 12:48 AM [+] (0) comments
Monday, July 07, 2003
You've seen Spiderman, The X-Men, Daredevil and maybe even The Hulk, but did you know there's a Fantastic Four movie? I'll bet you didn't.Made in 1994 for a paltry $2 million, the film was pulled from release before any reviewer ever saw it, with the intention of producing a $50 million blockbuster in it's place. Needless to say, that blockbuster was never made, and the original version has sat hidden on some movie company shelf ever since.
Almost.
Ummm....
Labels: movies
Steve 10:21 PM [+] (0) comments
Sunday, July 06, 2003
Brigitte rocks.Let me say that again, just in case I didn't make myself clear... Brigitte rocks!!!
See the super funky bath sponge she bought for me in town the other day...
In other news, I watched Terminator 3 today.
How did I see it when it's not released in the uk till August?
*Cough*
If you've been reading this blog for a while, you'll already know... and if not, I'm not telling.
Anyway, suffice to say the film is very good.
I'd had my doubts about it, Arnie being no spring chicken these says, but he pulls it off really well... better than in T2 in fact.
With all the effects you'd expect and pretty good acting too, the film had a slightly different feel to the last two, probably because it wasn't directed by James Cameron.
It's hard to say what exactly was different... there was more obvious humour, but it seemed somehow more grown up too. The biggest surprise was the ending (no I'm not telling), and I'm not sure if I liked it or not, but it certainly isn't what I've come to expect. Maybe that's why I'm not sure about it.
Steve 10:33 PM [+] (0) comments
Monday, June 30, 2003
When is a REALLY crap film really great?When it's Alex Cox's Straight To Hell.
A magazine was giving this away on DVD, and loving some of Cox's other work and having heard such awful things about the film, I figured what the heck, I'd give it a looksee.
Knowing the story behind the film helps, though it doesn't help you understand the plot, as there really isn't one. Basically, you have a bunch of semi-washed-up rock stars and an indi/cult movie director who couldn't afford to go on their planned tour of Nicaragua, so made a trashy modern day spagetti western in Spain instead.
The result is pure mayhem and nonsense. Imagine The Good The Bad and The Ugly minus the script, acting skill and buget, as filmed by the Monty Python team while either drunk as skunks or out of their faces on industrial strength coffee.
Terrible acting, scenes where the dialogue makes no sense whatsoever and obviously isn't supposed to, and a sense of humour so dark you need a flashlight to find it, all add up to the kinda movie I love, but can't bear to watch too often. Once you stop trying to make sense of what's going on and realise there is no sense, it's a very cool crap film.
Labels: movies
Steve 11:36 PM [+] (0) comments
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
Hmmm.It's not very often I see a film that I don't understand first time. I just watched Donnie Darko, and I'm waaaaay confused. Obviously there's some weird time stuff going down there, like I guess he really died, but through some wierdness, got an extra 28 days to see what might have been... but... I need to watch it again to really get a grip of it.
I know one thing though... I like it. I like it a lot.
Labels: movies
Steve 7:49 AM [+] (0) comments
Monday, June 09, 2003
That was a pretty cool weekend.Saturday we went to the library and borrowed some dvds and videos. Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring, MIB2, xXx, About A Boy, and WindTalkers. Most were great, and I was very surprised to enjoy About A Boy, as I can't stand Hugh Grant. Sadly, there's something very wrong with MIB2, though I can't quite put my finger on it, and Windtalkers is so contrived it's laughable.
Yesterday I put some air into the tyres of Brigitte's bike, and we went for a cycle ride. The plan had been to go to Willen Lake, but we stopped off at Milton Keynes shopping centre on the way to munch burgers, and it's a good job we did. Just as we were about to set off again, the heavens opened. If we'd gone all the way to Willen, we'd have been soaked, so when it stopped raining, we decided to play it safe, and headed home again.
I have to give it to Brigitte, for someone who hasn't ridden a bicycle in years, she did really well. There are a few killer hills on our route, and she only needed to get off and walk up one of them... one I sometimes walk up myself. We'll have to do that more often :-)
Last night I watched another movie... this one a little more exclusive. The Hulk is a very surprising film... brilliant, and very odd. While X-Men2 is very dramatic and Spiderman spectacular and playful, The Hulk is a whole different thing... incredible even, if you'll excuse the pun.
It's not at all easy to explain what makes this film so special, and I suspect many people won't like it... many people won't get it. It's not all handed to you on a plate, you have to work some things out for yourself, but unlike say Matrix Reloaded, the plot isn't convoluted... just... I dunno, thoughtful, perhaps.
I guess if I wanted to be blunt about it, it's a work of art... and not everyone appreciates good art. A summer blockbuster, no doubt about it, but a very very strange one.
Labels: movies
Steve 12:14 PM [+] (0) comments
Tuesday, June 03, 2003
I watched the Scooby Doo movie this morning. Yeah... I was that bored.It really is rather awful, though there were a couple of funny moments. Tossing Scrappy Doo out of the van was a great move, while the farting contest between Scoody and Shaggy had me in stitches.
Overall though... complete pants. I'm glad I didn't buy it *chuckles*.
Labels: movies
Steve 3:10 AM [+] (0) comments
Saturday, March 08, 2003
Ever seen the Final Fantasy movie?I don't get it... the movie press, and most sci-fi magazines I've read pretty much slate the film.
So it bombed at the cinemas. Big deal, and indeed, not at all surprising. This isn't some braindead good vs evil space romp that a retarded baboon could understand. It takes a brain to understand the plot, but it's a very good plot. The movie press should know better than to stoop to lowest common denominator values when reviewing a movie. Just because it's not easy doesn't make it bad... quite the oposite in many cases. I mean, who could call Akira easily comprehensible?
So anyway... I've been watching it again this evening, and marvelling at the utterly amazing visuals. Breathtaking. If you like sci-fi, have a brain, and haven't seen this film already, trust me, you should.
Labels: movies
Steve 12:53 AM [+] (0) comments
Monday, January 20, 2003
That was a pretty cool weekend, it has to be said.Saturday, we went and watched Star Trek - Nemesis. Ignoring the slightly questionable continuity in places, this has to rate up there with First Contact among Trek movies. There's an awesome battle sequence, possibly the best yet, and this is surely what a lot of people watch these films for, so no-one's gonna feel short changed. Death of a major character? I'm not saying a word.
Sunday morning was spent tinkering with the template on Brigitte's blog. A joint operation, and certainly something more fitting with her character than the original look. She likes it, I like it... go tell her how nice it is :-)
An afternoon spent playing video games was nicely relaxing, and kind of amusing. Brigitte fell asleep while I played Gran Turismo 3, while I fell asleep as she played Crash Bandicoot. Hehehe... I hate that game ;-)
The train ride home this morning was amusing for entirely the wrong reason. There was this guy sitting just ahead of me in the coach, and for the WHOLE of the journey, he had a finger stuck up one or other of his nostrils. He'd dig around for a bit, look at his finger, wipe it on his jacket, and then continue in the other nostril. You'd think that'd be it... but he'd then go back to the first nostril and start all over again. I dunno, either this guy has some extremely overactive crusty snot glands up there, or he's just bloody disgusting. Trouble is, even when I looked out of the window to get him out of my field of vision, all I could see was his reflection. Ack!
In non-weekend related news, I dunno what's happened with the chatroom. Clearly moving to the new network's made it easier for people to get in, but for some reason, instead of being inundated with trolls and lamers like we used to be, we've had some seriously pleasant and intelligent characters come and make themselves at home with us. I have to say, I'm quite thrilled, and find my enthusiasm for hosting the place has been rekindled.
Labels: movies
Steve 6:26 PM [+] (0) comments
Thursday, January 02, 2003
A year or so ago a friend of mine told me a friend of his had seen Minority Report and said it was crap. Needless to say, I completely ignored his opinion (like I do most people's opinions actually) but didn't actually get round to seeing the film till today.Wow!
Very, very, VERY clever, and I'm not even talking about the effects. Easily the cleverest film I've seen since The Matrix. The funny thing is, I can't stand Tom Cruise... he's an arrogant bastard, but damn, he makes some good movies.
Interesting use of colour too. Where The Matrix is green, Minority Report is blue. I find I rather like that tinting effect they use in some films lately... makes me wonder if they copied the idea from the guy who directed Amelie. Ever seen Delicatesen or City Of Lost Children? He directed those, and they were very heavy on tinting the colour of the entire film.
Labels: movies
Steve 2:26 PM [+] (0) comments
Thursday, October 03, 2002
Feeling much better today. I guess it was just some minor virus or whatever that was dragging me down a bit.It's funny how a happy, trouble free life makes for dull reading. What can I tell you? Sorry folks, life's good right now, and if that's too boring to read about, I can't help it... I certainly wouldn't change it :-)
Okay, I really do need something to write here. Hmm.... how about... I watched Blade 2 yesterday. Pretty cool, and better than the first one, which wasn't bad either. That guy from Bros, Luke Goss, was seriously good as the mutated vampire. It rather makes me wonder how many of these kids in manufactured boy/girl bands actually have real talent, but are stifled by the corporate bullshit music/money by numbers game. Wesley Snipes was Wesley Snipes, and Kris Kristopferson looked old, but oddly cool. I can never decide if he`s great, or utterly crap. Odd, that.
Labels: movies
Steve 3:43 PM [+] (0) comments
Friday, September 20, 2002
A quiet day today, just catching up on sleep mostly. My old routine had already gone to hell anyway, so now I'm just settling into an entirely new one, and enjoying every moment.I picked up a new dvd yesterday... Black Hawk Down. Awesome. Far better than behind Enemy Lines, which left me cold. It's actually the second film in a month that I've felt the urge to watch twice within two days, the other being We Were Soldiers.
What else can I tell you?
A friend of mine popped round a couple of days ago with some good news of his own. His girlfriend from the states will be moving over here to live with him on sunday. This is great news, not only because it'll make him a happy chappy, but because he won't be feeling left out in the cold, or the odd one out, what with Brigitte and myself being a couple, if you follow my meaning.
Labels: movies
Steve 5:57 PM [+] (0) comments
Tuesday, September 03, 2002
Watched a couple of movies this afternoon.Behind Enemy Lines... I'd seen trailers of this a while back and wanted to see it in the cinema, but never got round to it, so I've been waiting for it to come out on dvd for a while. Hmmm. I'm not sure it was worth the wait. The thing is, it's been done before, and better. BAT21 was a vastly superior film, also starring Gene Hackman. This just seemed cliched.
The other film I watched has also been done before, in the form of Platoon and Hamburger Hill (though certainly not Apocalypse Now, as they suggest on the box), but unlike Behind Enemy Lines, We Were Soldiers is a brilliant film, and superior to those that have gone before it. I don't care much for Mel Gibson lately, though his earlier work's great fun... in this though, he's really awesome, even if his accent does sound a little dodgy. Harrowing, traumatic, emotional and action packed... this is what a Vietnam war movie should be, it shows the horror of war, and the bravery of the men who fought it, and does it in an intelligent and sensetive manner. There's no gung-ho bullshit here... they just tell it like it is.
The only thing that bothers me is the notes on the packaging. Why do they have to compare every Vietnam movie to Apocalypse Now? That film wasn't about the Vietnam war, it was just based in it. It was an exploration into the darkness of the human soul, and an examination of insanity, going further into uncharted territory than any film that has followed has dared to tread. The people making these comparrisons need to wake up and try to understand what it is they're watching.
Labels: movies
Steve 11:02 PM [+] (0) comments
Sunday, August 25, 2002
It's been a while... I was wondering when I'd hit this mood again. Anyone so much as looks at me funny and I'll jump down their throat. Time to shut myself away a bit.It's gonna be a long night. I have movies for nights like tonight. Truth is, I have movies for every occasion. Right at this moment, it's Bringing Out The Dead... perfect... insomnia, tension, angst, and flakey sanity. Probably gonna have some good art in the making when I come back to earth.
Labels: movies
Steve 1:07 AM [+] (0) comments
Friday, August 23, 2002
Reign Of Fire is a curious movie. It's the first brit film I've seen in years that isn't some crappy period drama... and god knows, I hate those. There's no Hugh Grant either, thank god. The only person I actually recognised was the guy who plays Julian Bashier in DS9 (can't remember his name). He probably had the best line in the whole of the film too.... "Never mind what the bird sees, use the scope you wanker!"Sadly, true to the british movie making tradition, the acting, directing, character development, and script in general were all pretty second rate, remeniscant of Life Force, though thankfully, also like that film... the effects were rather good. I really liked the dragons, even if they did remind me of a certain ex girlfriend.
I guess what it came down to was, being on a limited budget, they had to cut corners and rush the whole thing. Since they absolutely had to have good effects, everything else suffered, so what could have been a great film was in the end only an interesting curiosity.
Labels: movies
Steve 11:54 PM [+] (0) comments
Thursday, August 22, 2002
Well... since I can't be at blogcon in Las Vegas this weekend, I'm sitting watching Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas... just to get a feel for what I'm missing (or not). Make sure you wear golf shoes folks, and watch out for those lizards... they'll tear you apart.I dunno what it is about this film. I start out watching it with a straight head, and come away completely fucked up, without doing a single controlled substance. No other film works quite like it.
Now I have a strange urge to watch 50s B movies... giant crappy spiders, ants and stuff.
Labels: movies
Steve 11:05 PM [+] (0) comments
Sunday, July 28, 2002
Watching Grosse Pointe Blank on tv. Good film, darkly funny.I'm finding it strikes something of a chord, the whole school reunion thing. "So what've you been doing for the past 10 years?" ... "Oh, I'm a professional killer" ... "Good for you. It's a growth indusrty."
Thing is, I recently signed up to this school reunion website, and a few old friends got in touch, and the situation's rather similar. Here they all are, with thier normal lives, good jobs, married, kids etc, and then there's the question... "So what're you doing?" Well... okay, so I'm not a professional killer, but... how do you tell people you rather live on the fringes, finger in several pies, none are real money spinners, but that life's great for no obvious reasons.
Anyway... brilliant film, and John Cusack impresses the hell out of me.
Labels: movies
Steve 10:47 PM [+] (0) comments
Friday, June 28, 2002
Today started with a bleary, sleep deprived Benway cycling into town with the intention of doing all the things he was supposed to do there yesterday. Haha, yeah right.I was so addled, I did the job centre thing, and then decided screw the bills and bank, they could wait till Monday… or Tuesday… or...
Wandering round aimlessly, I by chance stumbled into my favourite music/video store, and then stumbled back out 15 minutes later with a copy of A.I. on DVD and David Bowie’s new album Heathen in a limited edition double CD pack.
So tell us what they’re like, I hear you ask. (Actually, I don’t, but I’m gonna tell you anyway… so there.)
A.I. rocks.
There. Wanna know more? No? Tough… I’m gonna tell you anyway…hehe.
The acting is excellent all round. Haley Joel Osment is without a doubt the best child actor I’ve ever seen, utterly stomping all over other puke/cringe inducing, too cute to live child actors I could mention, while Jude Law never ceases to impress with every new movie he makes.
The visuals are utterly stunning. It really has reached a point now where movies can do anything and convincingly too. The quality off effects over the past couple of years seem to have made a massive leap, to the point where if you can imagine a thing, they can put it on the screen and make you believe it. Can you see the strings? Heck no.
A number of reviews I read/saw about this film suggested it had something of an identity crisis, with the dark edgy feel of Stanley Kubrick’s original material struggling to make it’s presence felt through Spielberg’s cutesy treatment. I’m not convinced by this argument, as to me the whole thing seemed to hang together very well as a whole, with only the ending feeling tacked on. Maybe I’m just a miserable git and don’t like happy endings though, cynic that I am.
Bowie’s Heathen album… interesting.
After Outside and Earthling, both utterly awesome albums, he seemed to drop the ball a little with Hours, it seeming somewhat uninspired. Heathen then, comes as a pleasant return to form.
It’s an odd album though, not at all easy to pin down and know where it’s coming from… with an edgy feeling, reminiscent of his East German trilogy Low/Heroes/Lodger, but with elements of his earlier, almost cabaret style heard in Diamond Dogs and even Ziggy Stardust. The production values though are bang up to date. Definitely odd. I like it. Of course, anything odd is good in my book.
I’m not actually sure if I’ve heard the whole album yet though, as I was so tired that after watching A.I., I kept drifting in and out of sleep while the album played on repeat for a few hours.
Something I’ve noticed about the music he’s released over the past few years… he doesn’t make songs you can sing along to anymore. This isn’t a criticism as such, but I’m sure it must affect his record sales, there having been no tracks like Ashes To Ashes, Modern Love, etc that you’d find yourself humming on the way to wherever. I wonder if this is to do with what must surely be a reduced vocal range, ‘cause lets face it, at 50 something, his voice is starting to sound just a little strained. Not a criticism, just an observation. He still rocks, and as a musician, will always be my hero.
Steve 8:33 PM [+] (0) comments
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