REVIEW: The Godfather (1972)

After my friend's suggestion, I watched one of those movies that always appears on those 'Top 10 Movies of All Time' Lists - The Godfather.

I feel like a lot of the film's brilliance was lost on me due to a number of reasons. One because I always have high expectations of acclaimed films such as this one. Secondly the film was way too long for someone who grew up in the internet age and rolls their eyes at a 20 minute YouTube video. It dragged on a bit and it was hard paying attention to everything.

And lastly not only do I have the attention span of a goldfish I'm also as deaf as a....um...bat? No that's not right.... Well I always miss lines in movies and I'm one of those people that has to know what every single character, however minor, said at each second. Foreign accents just make it that much harder for me, so subtitles are my best friend even when I'm watching something in English. Actually not even foreign accents, as The Curious Case of Benjamin Button proved THAT wrong. So yeah, the rolling r's and mumbling crescendos of the sing-songy Sicilian accents were so very authentic but I felt like I missed a lot of important dialogue.

All in all, repeat viewings are in order methinks.

Marlon Brando really stood out as the titular godfather figure Don Corleone, an amazing characterisation from the get go with that limply hanging jaw (apparently Brando came up with that by putting cotton balls in his mouth) and all-knowing look he scrutinises everything with. And according to IMDB, he was only a few years older than the actors who played his sons, so cudos to hair and makeup.

Look at that deliciously dark chiaroscuro

The family dynamics between the Corleones was also played out very well and Al Pacino's Michael gradually transitioning from a reluctant bystander and foil to a key member of the gang operations was fascinating to observe.

And not just Al Pacino, amazing execution from all of the cast, many of whom looked so young and different that I didn't realise who they were until afterwards.

That's Diane Keaton, believe it or not. Yes you may pick up your jaw now.

I think a lot of the fun of watching this movie was also due to the fact that it was so famous and referenced that it became a game of 'spot the famous scene', with shouts of 'Oh my god! That scene! That sceeeennne! ...and that liiinne!'. It was fun to finally see them in context. Not gonna give anything away, but they're so famous you know...

TL;DR VERDICT: 4/5 stars, beautiful detailed epic with epic cast, a little drawn out though

In a gangster mood now, will probably try to watch the others in this trilogy and perhaps Scarface and Goodfellas too.

Procrastination Reviews

Somewhere between the start of stuvac and the end of exams I managed to fit in four movies, a feat only plausible in the wild frenzy that is exam procrastination. And as my usual lazy self, I was only bothered to WATCH but not to actually document my thoughts on them here. So now that exams have ended and I've finally comfortably settled into holiday mode, I thought I should redeem myself.

I saw the new Sacha Baron Cohen comedy The Dictator to celebrate the end of semester, in the blind refusal that it also signaled the on-coming exams. Mr Baron Cohen, I salute you for being a ridiculously normal looking guy (with a British accent to boost!) and then being able to slip into one of your crazy characters like that - *insert finger snap*. Pretty unique considering most Hollywood comedic actors feel the need to be 'on show' even off screen.

I had low expectations for The Dictator because the trailer gave me a more formulaic feel than Sacha's previous endeavours such as Borat and I was scared it would lose the shock value that made his comedies so great. I was pleasantly surprised when he still managed to turn it around in this giant parody of extreme leaders that pop up on our news programs now and again. Highlights include a soundtrack of Arabic renditions of songs popular from film soundtracks and a Wii game tailor made for blood-thirsty tyrants. Props for attention to detail.

Some parts of the script felt a little contrived so at the end of the day, not super amazing.

TL;DR VERDICT: 3/5 stars, good for short term laughs, not memorable

Next on my list is a little more adventurous, as I decided to sit down with my mum one night and take advantage of SBS's Bollywood season. And what was on that night was Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, which is a typical rom-com with a geeky guy getting a makeover for love.

I haven't ventured very much into Bollywood territory but at least this film let me have a proper look at the apparent 'Brad Pitt of Bollywood' aka Shahrukh Khan. All I can say is, I can see where he might be idolised....but his constant derpy expression seemed comical and over the top, even as a nerd in a comedy. Seriously I've seen glimpses of him in other movies and I swear that look is plastered on his face 24/7. Also I got creeped out by the fact that he's forty and his jaw-droppingly gorgeous leading ladies are all almost a generation younger.

Apparently a makeover also means a return to the nineties

Apart from not being used to the super long length of Bollywood movies, I found myself enjoying the catchy songs and cheesy romance. What really impressed me though, was the gorgeous cinematography, which increased my wanderlust towards the subcontinent of India. Loved the motif of yellow which drew everything from the bustling streets to the isolated temple together.

Guh, I'm gushing all over the place at the landscape

TL;DR VERDICT: 3/5 stars, cute cheesy rom-com with added spice (aha)

The third movie on my procrastination list was a classic that I really wanted to watch - Frank Miller's Sin City. Wow, what can I say. At first I was unaccustomed to the comic book stylisation and found it cheesy (I'm overusing this word in this post), but soon the gripping plot and tough characters grabbed me by the shoulders, shook me hard, and threw me into their monochrome world.

I relish any movie that thrills and chills me, and it's actually harder than you think even as I'm a wimp when it comes to violence. So the almost cartoon-like quality to the gritty underground world made me feel a bit less uneasy. Even so, I don't think I'll ever forget Elijah Wood's Kevin's creepy unwavering eyes. I had to pause the movie after his segment and resume the next day. Yes you may make fun of me now.

Damn Frodo, you've really changed after Mordor

Besides that, I loved the alternative noir elements, I loved the really well done interconnecting plots, and the casting was excellent (including the brilliant late Brittany Murphy). Well.....except for Alexis Bledel. Please, just stay in Gilmore Girls, you don't belong in Basin City, even if you were supposed to portray an innocent girl. I mean how can you compare to this:

And don't get me started on the awesome rocking soundtrack. If I played this track while doing chores it would be the most epic of tasks ever.

TL;DR VERDICT: 5/5 stars, black and white only serves to highlight all the awesome in Basin City

Last on my list is something I randomly picked out at this year's Sydney Film Festival. When I finished picking up the pieces of my heart after being rejected from volunteering there, I still decided to go back and see one film, being exam season after all. It took me so long to decide before a last minute addition to the program caught my eye and I purchased a ticket to Holy Motors.

Hmm....how to explain this French film? Basically a man, Oscar, rides around in a limousine every day and completes 'assignments', which involve him assuming a new identity and playing that character to its fullest. So I guess this is basically one big collection of character studies and a big meta exploration of acting and theatre itself. Only not for an audience, but for life.

Before I get too philosophical (I'm still confused about the film myself), this was an amazingly weird movie. Everything from street urchins to a motion capture artist to a family man is explored by the same man, and nothing is explained.

Intriguing, beautiful and erotic

But unlike a lot of pretentious ambiguous film festival entrants, this one still managed to coax out laughs from the audience, although we weren't really sure what we were laughing about, we knew it was partially intended. Perhaps it was the seriousness of A-list actresses in absolutely head-scratching situations:

Eva Mendes is not fazed by strange companions when it comes to smoke breaks

There isn't much to say except go out and see this, one way or another, just to see what kind of reaction it'll elicit in you. Oh, and Kylie Minogue's in it too.

TL;DR VERDICT: 4/5 stars, strange, intriguing, will leave you wanting an answer, but to what question?

Comedy remedy

A hectic week has come to an end and although I'm still swamped as hell, here's a quick update about some upcoming movies that look to be at least making me stifle a snigger as I watch them on my laptop and try not to wake up my parents.

Starting with the most exciting of all, the return of offices with many leather bound books and rich mahogany, acapella 'Afternoon Delight' and hot days where milk really was a bad choice. Yes your favourite news team returns with their ever so charismatic main anchor Ron Burgundy. Yes that's right, Anchorman: The Legend Continues is a thing and the 2013 release date seems way too far away. Check out one of the two similar teasers that's been released this week:

Even if it's just a teaser, good memories of the original Anchorman come rushing back, especially Steve Carell's adorable Brick. For me the best comedies are the most quotable and Brick's classic lines always made me laugh. Although people who're not familiar with the reference do get confused when I confess my love for lamps randomly...

Anyway, embarrassing moment but I only JUST realised that the amazing Paul Rudd is part of the Channel 4 news team. Blonde moment much? I guess he's funny even without the baggage of his fame, and it's proof the wardrobe and makeup department do a mean 70s beard.

Besides Will Ferrell, another American comedy kingpin Ben Stiller has also released a full trailer for The Watch, formerly known as The Neighbourhood Watch:

Ben Stiller has made me laugh a few times here and there but the main reason I'm so excited to see this is the presence of Richard Ayoade, aka the most adorable Maurice Moss from The IT Crowd, one of my favourite TV shows ever. Not only is he a talented actor but also an accomplished director. My eyes instantly lit up the moment I saw his face, and his presence guaranteed this will not just be another run of the mill commercial comedy. Yes the marketing means he's presented as a Hollywood noob but I'm glad he's at least getting exposure, especially after his IT Crowd co-star Chris O'Dowd is getting all tight and friendly with the SNL crew after the hilarious Bridesmaids. Yay for more introductions of British comedic actors!

Speaking of British comedies, something a little different has also caught my eye. Simon Pegg of Hot Fuzz and Shaun of the Dead fame (NTS: watch both) has a new feature out called A Fantastic Fear of Everything.

Quick plot summary, Pegg is a children's author trying to change gear into crime fiction and gets all paranoid over serial murderers. A little hard to imagine the tone but the trailer sets the stylistically quirky mood:

Get the idea? I love the integration of surreal stop motion animation that adds a fantasy-like element which would be pretty suited to the film's themes of imagination and fiction. British comedies usually execute black humour pretty well so I'm excited to see what this film is like in the flesh.

That's all folks, so many releases lately I don't know what to feature, but hopefully my next post will be a review! Now to slink back into the cocoon comfort of my bed...

REVIEWS: The Avengers (2012) & A Beautiful Mind (2001)

Yes I know I've only got around to a review at my fourth post. But alas, uni is a pain and I haven't got around to watching anything......until BAM - two movies in one day.

I watched The Avengers in the cinemas, without 3D cos I'm poor it's distracting. It's been anywhere and everywhere in the cinemasphere, so I was pretty late to the party. First of all I haven't watched ANY of the previous movies related to the main superheros and their franchises, so this was a pretty new thing for me. Apart from wishing that I knew some of the back stories, director Joss Whedon did a pretty good job updating all those clueless audiences like yours truly.

What's that up there? Oh just our box office sales kicking everyone's ass as it shoots to the sky.

Let's see.....action? Check. Cliched catch phrases? Check. Search for the true meaning of heroism? Check. Ok so it sounds like a pretty typical superhero movie, but instead of the usual personal character development of the one or two superheroes, The Avengers wins by having an array of characters who've already settled into their heroic roles and instead plays on the development of relationships between them. As seen by recent movies like X-Men: First Class, having a league of superheroes not only ups the awesome but allows for some superpower-fueled disputes and camaraderie.

To top it off the editing was seamless and everything was segwayed together nicely, even if a little cheesy. But hey, it is a superhero movie. Plus there was a nice smattering of humour here and there, and nothing out of character.

Things I couldn't help noticing included the fact that Thor was predominantly still that guy from Home & Away in my head, perhaps you could work on your accent Chris Hemsworth?

Captain America fights along Captain Straya with his tousled beach hair

I loved the unique blend of mythological, alien high-tech and prehistoric biological aesthetics that gave us awesome alien worms (fish?) that looked like they came out of Starcraft:

Y'know, just casually gliding through and destroying your city

The only thing I hoped could be changed was the fact that the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) could have been a much more badass character. She had the perfect tough persona and killer moves but seriously, compared to people like the god of thunder she looked a little lack-luster. I mean c'mon, even Hawkeye the other under-represented Avenger at least got to use some badass exploding arrows. Maybe it's my inner feminist showing, but I guess it could be contributed to the comics being written in a more conservative time.

Having an explosive background doesn't help the fact that she only got a plain black uniform and regular guns, *sigh*

The good news is that apparently the Black Widow will get her own movie soon, so I guess it works out after all!

TL;DR VERDICT: 4/5 stars, 6 Avengers in one movie means more bang for your buck

Now onto the second movie, which I watched on telly, something I haven't done for a long time. For those who don't know, A Beautiful Mind is about the life of famous mathematician John Nash whose life spirals out of control after he accepts covert work for the Department of Defence, without giving too much away.

Much of the movie is more a character study of Nash (played by Russell Crowe) and how his straight-forward nature means he pretty much has no friends, which plays to his strengths as he likes staying in the library alone while scribbling maths functions. I thought Crowe did a pretty good job translating his anti-social traits like a bashful chin waggle or nervous limp. He almost stepped across the line into over-acting territory but mostly had us sympathising with Nash.

Derpy Russell does maths good, nawwww

When Nash becomes extremely paranoid as he realises he's bitten off more than he can chew in his double life, the tone is set perfectly to become tense and doubtful as we're taken along for the ride with him. This, through Nash's POV, was a large part of what makes A Beautiful Mind worthwhile. Good musical scores also kept the suspense going in these scenes, while contrasting with the blossoming romance in other parts.

Jennifer Connelly won an Oscar as Mrs Nash but although her character was a good foil to bounce off all of Nash's problems and insecurities, I don't think it was hard to portray a woman pained and trapped by love. And I guess she WAS gorgeous:

Not so antisocial after all

What struck a chord with me most though, was the fact that a lot of Nash's paranoia and ambition-driven big-headedness came from his fear of not being recognised for his work, and his UNIQUE work at that. The search for that one thing that would make him and only him stand out from the rest is something that I have felt many times. *sigh*.....sorry for the personal tangent but I got a little emotional whenever this was brought up in the movie.

TL;DR VERDICT: 4/5 stars, the twists + emotional baggage + a love story to boot = equation for success (Yes I did just make a maths equation cos it was a maths movie..............what of it).

This blog post has dragged on way too long already but since we're already here here's a lovely Mother's Day message from Hugh Jackman on the set of Les Miserables, happy Mother's Day everyone =).

Reboots and Reinventions

Hollywood seems to be getting lazier and lazier lately. All you hear are reboots, re-adaptations and prequels after sequels after spin-offs after.......you get the idea. Case in point: is it just me or has the land of reboots outdone themselves with only 5 years spanned between Andrew Garfield in spandex and Tobey Maguire in spandex? Guys, srsly. SRSLY, YOU GUISE.

I see no difference besides eye candy for a new generation

That's not so bad when the formula works, they're popular and keep everyone happy dappy, but what irks me a little more than usual is when Hollywood decides to re-adapt popular foreign films. Why?

Is it because of the much more talented Hollywood actors? Um, NO.

Is it so we can better appreciate the original movie and pay homage to it? Hardly, since the most of the originals are forgotten.

Is it so we can introduce new exciting elements into western cinema?  NONONONONONONONONO. I'm sorry Keanu Reeves, as much as your Sad Keanu memes are endearing to me, I will forever be disappointed that you got stuck as the American Kaneda, who should not only remain Japanese but AS AN ANIMATED ONE AT THAT.

But why ELSE, you ask?

Is it so that western audiences can understand the language? Unfortunately, YES. 'Tis true, we are apparently too lazy to read subtitles. I mean c'mon, foreign audiences read subtitles all the time, Y U NO LEARN? This is also why I have a problem with dubbed animes, which completely devolved the sound aspect of the productions. Plus c'mon subtitles give us gems like this:

Is it so we can see the same story played out by familiar faces? Another YES. Although I am too chicken to ever watch Old Boy, I have read the synopsis and the general consensus is that it's brilliant. But nooooo, apparently we can't form a deep emotional bond with incredibly creepy and disturbing characters unless they're WHITE. I mean what's the point of cinema if you're going to concentrate on the ACTOR instead of the CHARACTER?

MORAL OF THE STORY: the majority of foreign adaptations wipe any trace of the foreign culture away (one of the key attractions in the first place) and repackage it into your standard Hollywood production. Very rarely do they work. I look forward to the day when foreign cinema can have a wider distribution and subtitles will only be a minor setback.

Going on to the less ranty part of this post, many young stars are starting to break out of their teen idol typecast mold. What with Daniel Radcliffe's Woman in Black out, fellow Harry Potter star Robert Pattinson's new dystopian action/drama Cosmopolis has also released a full trailer:

RobPattz plays a young billionaire in a limo going across Manhattan for a haircut. Sounds meh but there's a lot more sex, violence and philosophical musing than expected in usual limo rides, especially considering it comes from the director of The Fly. Curious to see what viewers will think when it first shows at Cannes this year.

Pattz has been busy nabbing roles as troubled youths as news has it that he's been cast in David Michod's new film The Rover, another gritty crime drama similar to his awesome Animal Kingdom (YAY AUSSIE FILMS!!).

Blockbusted

Two major action packed movies have released new trailers and the first is Christopher Nolan's third installment in his Batman adaptations. The Dark Knight Rises releases its third trailer:

This immediately reminded me of the trailer of Nolan's other epic Inception. Besides the presence of Tom Hardy and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, both are tied together with deceptively quiet background music that blows up to a crescendo, successfully pulling audiences in. You know, that famous BUAAAAAMMMMM that is now synonymous with Inception. Other action movie trailer editors should take note.

I thoroughly enjoyed the last installment of the franchise, The Dark Knight, and look forward to more of the careful controlled suspense Nolan is famous for. And even though Christian Bale was majorly upstaged by Heath Ledger last time, there will be a new baddie (it's always more fun to play the evil guy) Bane (Tom Hardy) to look forward to. And even though we can't actually see much of his mug behind that Saw-like contraption (shoosh, I'm not well read in comic books), there is lots to look forward to. Anne Hathaway proves that she might even be able to pull off the Catwoman role. I mean, who doesn't still see her as Mia Theamapoulos (sp?).

I am much much more excited about the next movie in question. If you know me in person and I haven't ranted to you yet about Prometheus, then I will probably do so the next time I see you. Check out the new international launch trailer (pish posh it's just another trailer) below:

Why am I excited? I think the first few trailers and teasers have captured my heart already, pretty much. Ridley Scott, god of sci-fi, returns with an epic prequel to Alien with visuals and audios to match. Ok I'll admit, I haven't watched Alien and the only Scott movie that I've watched, Blade Runner, was for school and a bit of a let down after I pumped up my expectations. But I will admit that it was probably groundbreaking at the time, and as a recently new sci-fi fan, Prometheus looks amazeballs.

There's not much to say for the story as it is all in the trailer. This can also be a bad thing as many YouTube comments have pointed out that it gives away too much............I guess. I don't really mind as these movies are pretty predictable anyway, but at the same time entertaining because of that. Plus I've been actively trying to pry my eyes away from the copious amounts of Prometheus featurettes, viral ad campaigns, etc to stop hyping myself up.

Can't WAIT to see this on the big screen, ahhhhhhh.

Fantasmical updates

As the title suggests (very vaguely), there have been some rather exciting updates on movies with fantasy elements. Pretty excited to start off with Pixar's newest animation Brave, which has released its third trailer, offering a more complete picture on the story:

As every person and their grandmother is enamoured by the story telling capabilities of Pixar, this one doesn't look to disappoint. Particularly enjoying the fact that they've picked a female leading character, riding on the wave of more and more strong heroines. I love the unique medieval Scottish setting, which reminds me of 2010's How to Train Your Dragon and the lesser known gorgeous gem The Secret of Kells. Have you realised I'm an animation nut yet?

But to get back to the Scottishness of the film at hand, love the accents (can't pull one off meself), looking forward to plenty of tartan-clad adventure, and most of all: LOOK AT THAT HAAIIIRRRR. Must be a pain/a lot of fun to animate.

Getting on to the less animated part of this post, Ang Lee's Life of Pi adaptation has me very intrigued, but at the same time reminding me of the endless list of classics that I've yet to read. I even borrowed Life of Pi once but it suffocated under a pile of books higher up on my priority list (NTS: swing by the uni library asap).

The above is a first look at the movie. And it looks freakin' AWESOME. Sure any seasoned filmmaker can get a stunning shot but I give props to Ang Lee for being able to do that while working with children and animals - the death of showbiz - at the same time. Plus he's one of the most diverse directors yet, from wuxia epics to gay cowboys to the flippin' Hulk.

Finally a 10 minute press preview of The Hobbit has everyone in a frenzy because of the jarring quality of the 48fps frame rate. For those who are confused modern movies usually use 24fps (frames per second) and The Hobbit's higher frame rate means less motion blur and added realism.

When I heard about this I got very excited as I had experienced the same thing with our new HD TV (I know, totally on par right?) and felt like the realism was too much for me. It makes the whole cinema experience more like watching it as if you were there instead of being treated to a film, a piece of art. After a little digging around I even managed to find a name for the phenomenon. Well what do you know, you learn something new every day.

For those of you who haven't seen the trailer (where have you BEEN?) here it is, even though it's not going to be released in Australia for eons until December: