Musical Monday: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger - Interstella 5555 (#48).

[Every Monday, I'm going to be counting down my 52 favorite musical numbers from musical movies and TV shows. I might not like the full movie/show, but the number makes the list for various reasons: 1) I have to like the song, 2) the visual of how the number is performed is most likely unique or fun, 3) both song and visual mixes well to create an exciting or powerful number. So let's get to the next on the list.]

What, did you think I forgot Musical Monday? Well... I kinda did. But let's get into it now. This is the last one for a while where I don't care for the actual movie. This film is basically a really long music video for Daft Punk. It takes a bunch of their songs and puts a sci-fi story behind them. Unfortunately, there is no dialogue outside the songs. Normally, this might not bug me too much. However, it makes it incredibly difficult to follow the story and characters in this particular case, and it really drags after a while. But the music itself is good, and there's one song (and music video) in particular that made me want to see this film in the first place so that I could see the full story around it. And that song? Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger. The animation is great. The song is awesome. The story and video of this song alone is worth checking out.

Random Ramblings of a Demented DoorVlog S2.9.

Here's episode S2.9.

This particular episode shows the aftermath of the Season 1 finale, but doesn't really reference anything else from the first season.

Last time on The Vlog: Throughout the season, DPR has been working to stop a bunch of crazy (sometimes magical) things plaguing the apartment. He's even gotten a bit of help here and there from a mysterious figure known only as RT. In the previous episode, we saw what went down behind the scenes in the Season 1 finale and ending where Nick stabs DPR, leaving him for dead. However, Bill--owing DPR a favor--comes in to help.

I suppose to make up for the fact that my last few have been longer than usual, this one is shorter than usual. However, we also finally get to see our next guest character, the mysterious "RT" who has been helping DPR throughout the season. Besides that wonderful performance, it's not too big of an episode on my end. It's mostly setting us up for the finale, which is coming in 3 weeks. That's right, folks. There are only 3 episodes left of the season! And I promise you, it will be a finale you won't soon forget. I already have some footage, and it's flippin' amazing. Everything is being kept top secret, even from those participating (their scripts were edited to include only what they needed to say, sometimes even removing the identities of those they're supposed to be talking to. And if anything was revealed through their own dialogue, they've been sworn to secrecy). It'll be a star-studded cast including not one, not two, not even three or four... but FIVE guest characters. Plus myself... and a few other surprises. So keep watching!

Anywho... enjoy!

127 HOURS.

So... it finally came here. Now I'm reviewing it. Yup. For those of you who live under a rock (buh dum, psh), this is the true story of Aron Ralston (James Franco), an amateur adventurer who falls into a crevice and gets his hand caught between a rock and a hard place (What? It's the name of the memoir...). He's stuck for 5 days before he finally decides to... well, you know.

I am a fan of Danny Boyle. 28 Days Later... is one of my favorite (not-zombie) films. Sunshine and Slumdog Millionaire are both great, too. Boyle has a very stylish visual... style... and you can really see his vision at work yet again. The editing is sharp, and the angles he takes with the camera are really fascinating.

Of course, at the heart of the film is James Franco's performance. Sure, there are others in the movie, notably two other amateur adventurers played by Kate Mara and Amber Tamblyn. But Franco is the one that sells it. It's all resting in his hands... (OK, OK, I'll stop). His performance starts out relatively average, but by the end, you can really see how Aron is snapping from lack of food and water (not to mention his situation)... and I can definitely tell how, for the awards season, Franco made the cut (sorry).

If I saw anything negative about it, it was the fact that there were just some truly strange moments. Certain flashbacks and/or hallucinations are thrown in, and it makes moments feel either choppy or surreal--sometimes in a good way, sometimes not. But honestly, when has a Danny Boyle film ever not had something strange and experimental? Some people have complained that the film was too slow and boring. There were some moments soon after he first gets stuck, I suppose. But the pace picks up pretty fast, and you're just left wondering what's gonna happen (regardless of knowing how it ends). And yes, I almost got a little emotional at the end.

Overall, it was a fascinating movie. I don't have a terrible lot to say about it, though. The actual scene is pretty intense and visceral, and it doesn't shy away from showing you anything. Between breaking the bone or cutting the nerves and whatnot, it's gut-wrenching. Strangely, I didn't hear anyone hit the floor cold during this scene, but a woman did gag when he had to start drinking his own urine. So yeah, it's not one to miss. I think what got me at the end was that, truly, this actually happened. The gravity of the situation just hit me full force at the very end, and no "true story" movie has ever done that before. It's really good.


A Keanu 'Whoa'

Screener Review: Clickin' For Love.

So yeah, I finally got a "screener" DVD. Does that mean I'm starting to head in the right direction? Anywho, this isn't about me, but the movie. And this particular movie is actually a documentary. I should say that I'm not a big "doc" person, and it takes a lot for me to really love a documentary. My favorites are the ones that are more narrative (King of Kong or Man on Wire, for instance).

This one, however, is mostly interviews. Director Pablo Pappano interviews a virtual cornucopia (no pun intended) of people who have tried, are trying, or have general opinions about online dating. I believe it was Pappano's goal to make a film that explored and showed the ups and downs of online dating, particularly since he himself found love through the medium. There are plenty of fish to choose from in this doc, from a girl named Rain to an older woman named Judy Garland... and even a middle-aged man who lives and breathes swinging and sex.

First I'd like to talk about the cast of characters. There are probably 4-5 main people with a few others sprinkled in throughout. To me, the majority of these people were pretty unlikable, unfortunately. At the very least, they were unstable, which doesn't shed a positive light on online dating, which I think is the opposite of the point trying to be made with the doc. The Asian guy was borderline offensive. Audrey, I believe her name is, was kinda crazy (like... crazy crazy) and not really allowing me to feel for her. Judy was actually the most likable of the cast. She was just a total sweetheart and I really felt for her story. But the one that stuck out to me, and probably will always stick out to me, is the swinger, Marty. Marty was disgusting yet oddly fascinating and quite funny in an over-the-top caricature kind of way. For the first half of the movie, I found myself just trying to get a handle on this guy. I couldn't believe half the stuff coming out of this guy's mouth, especially in comparison to everyone else. By the time he pulls out the sex swing or the black book, I'm trying not to laugh hysterically at just how absurd he really is (and I mean that in all the right ways, Marty, if you ever read this). The dude is a total hoot and is really one of the most memorable parts of the whole documentary.

There's another guy, too, I wanted to mention. I can't remember his name, but there's a narrative sprinkled throughout the movie of a guy using internet dating for the first time. He just got out of a relationship and wanted something easy. He gets on craigslist and finds a girl where the same thing has happened and she wants something easy. Despite the whole thing being kinda creepy, I really think the movie could have used a lot more of this narrative more often. Like I said earlier, I like my documentaries with fuller narratives. Had there been more of him maybe juxtaposed with the questions and scenarios being asked of the interviewees (kinda like them discussing their experiences and then us seeing one happen first-hand), the movie could have been much tighter.

Another thing I could have used more of was the animated sequences. Around the middle, there were about 2-3 animated flashbacks that reenacted moments that the interviewees discussed. This was a really great idea, and one that really got me excited even in the trailer. But it was horribly underused, and I wish I could have seen more of this.

The way questions are introduced, too, is very creative. Sometimes the questions are typed onto the screen (this was the most common way). Then later, a TV interview is introduced, and the interviewee discussions are based on comments the TV guy mentions. Those, I felt, was really creative and fun. And they were really consistent.

Overall, the cast of characters were insane (literally), and some bizarrely funny. The first 30 minutes are kinda slow, but it picks up after that. Unfortunately, the movie seems to lose purpose for a while, turning from a study of online dating to a focus on the personal lives of these people. While fascinating in most cases, it made the documentary feel unbalanced. The uneven quality either with the scattered narrative case, the coming-and-going of certain interviewees, the unfortunate lack of more animated bits, among other things made it sink ever so slightly for me. However, all that being said, it was all quite entertaining and definitely held my attention. And while the end product could have been a bit tighter, for what it is, I definitely think it's worth a look.


I Am McLovin!

(P.S. I love how the final "where they are now" bits at the end were fun in how they kinda poked fun at these people, showing that the director did realize how strange his cast actually was.)

(P.P.S. For more information you can check out the main website: Clickin' For Love.)

(P.P.P.S. I made a name mistake. I called Audrey, Colleen. That has been fixed.)

60/60 Review #12: Brazil.

Note: For reference, there are apparently 2-3 versions of this film. I caught the longest version, which was about 2 and a half hours long.

---------------------------

I knew going into this movie that it was a strange dystopian film. But that's about all I knew. But when I fell asleep for about fifteen minutes (tiredness, not boredom) and woke up to see a guy in a suit of armor with wings running from zombie-esque creatures and fighting a giant samurai, I was really like... WTF? Of course, I rewound it and caught what I missed and then finished the movie. But still, overall, the movie is a total mindfuck.

For those that don't know, Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) works for a world-running corporation that, due to a clerical error, makes a mistake and takes away (and eventually kills) the wrong man. Who they meant to take was Tuttle (Robert De Niro), one of many terrorists who fight against the oppressive government. Sam must also deal with his overbearing mother (Katherine Helmond), who is getting a major reconstructive facial surgery from her doctor (Jim Broadbent). He also has to deal with other people who work for said corporation, like his boss (Ian Holm), a couple workers (including Bob Hoskins), and a friend named Jack (Michael Palin). Sam ends up in the middle of a conspiracy when he sees a woman of his dreams (literally) named Jill (Kim Greist) and tries to figure out who she is.

That's the sanest way to describe this movie. Visually, it's fantastic. The basic visual style alone looks much more modern and clearer, especially considering this was made in the 80s. But then there's all the special stuff, like all the set designs and the fantasy sequences where Sam imagines himself flying and all sorts of things happen. It's a wonderful film to look at.

It's also pretty funny. Most of its entertainment comes from some wacky comedy. The characters can be a hoot and are written well. And the actors do well to show this. Though the whole thing isn't a comedy. One of the strange things about the film is its inconstant tonal shifts. Sometimes its funny, sometimes absurd, sometimes dead serious, sometimes freaky... it just depends on how it feels at the moment.

I don't necessarily have any major issues with the film. A lot of people complain that the movie takes forever to go anywhere and they get bored. I can honestly say I wasn't really ever bored with it, and it didn't bother me that it didn't seem to go anywhere at first (OK, so the first 30-45 minutes or so did drag at times, but it didn't bug me too bad). I can't even say that the movie eventually went off the rails; the movie was never on the rails. It's just insane through and through.

I honestly don't know how to review this movie. It's... too strange. I think I liked it. I know I didn't dislike it. It's been a day since I've watched it, and I still can't wrap my head around it. I know everything was metaphorical and/or allegorical and whatnot... but yeah. I really have nothing else I can say. So I guess I'll just leave it at that. It's an entertaining and well made yet thoroughly bizarre film.


WTF

(P.S. That wraps up "Foreign" Month. Tune in next week when I transition into "Comedy" month with my transitional film, Kentucky Fried Movie.)

60/60 Extra: Lady Vengeance.

This was the only one of Chan-wook Park's Vengeance Trilogy I had yet to see. Oldboy is one of my favorite films. Mr. Vengeance... I didn't care for it, but I need to check it out again. And now this one. Geum-ja (Yeong-ae Lee) has just gotten out of prison for the murder of a young boy... that she probably didn't kill in the first place. And now she's out for revenge on one Mr. Baek (Min-sik Choi). Having put together a complicated plan while in prison, she begins her quest to bring it to fruition.

The first thing I need to mention is that this movie is unnecessarily complicated. The first thing that makes it complicated is on a plot level--unlike Oldboy, the revenge plot of this film has no need to be drawn out in this complicated fashion. The plan was very simple, but it was done in a way that just overcomplicated an otherwise simple idea. The other thing that makes the film complicated is on a storytelling level--I had a hard time sometimes figuring out whether what I was watching was real time or a flashback... or even a dream sequence. It was all very confusing for the first half of the film.

Otherwise, I think the basic idea and story is fantastic. The mystery behind why revenge was happening and then how she plans on performing it is very good. The last half of the movie with all the parents and family members of certain people is a fascinating and powerful sequence.

I really don't have a lot to say about the movie, honestly. It was good. The cinematography was good. The acting was good (primarily by its main actress). How everything connected together, especially with the flashbacks and how she met people and used them to their advantage was good. I just think it was very strange at times and everything was presented a bit too complicatedly. But otherwise, it was quite a fine film, and I enjoyed it immensely.


A Keanu 'Whoa'

Musical Monday: Classico - Tenacious D In The Pick Of Destiny (#49).

[Every Monday, I'm going to be counting down my 52 favorite musical numbers from musical movies and TV shows. I might not like the full movie/show, but the number makes the list for various reasons: 1) I have to like the song, 2) the visual of how the number is performed is most likely unique or fun, 3) both song and visual mixes well to create an exciting or powerful number. So let's get to the next on the list.]

Now we're headed back into "Don't care for this movie as a whole"-ville. I like the music of Tenacious D, and Jack Black can be great. A student last year actually gave me a copy of this movie (he had two copies or something and wanted me to see it, so he gave it to me. When I tried to give it back, he just said to keep it). So anyway, the movie itself is kinda WTF most of the time, and it just flat-out lost me come the mushroom hallucination scene. But like I said, I do enjoy the music of Tenacious D. Looking back, I'm not sure how much I agree actually putting this so high on the list (even if it's just number 49). But anytime I hear these classic songs now, all I can do is try and refrain from singing along with Black's rather inappropriate lyrics. So here it is, the moment Jack Black meets Kyle Gass. It's so simple and basic, especially compared to most of the other songs/moments in the film. It's just easy fun.

Random Ramblings of a Demented DoorVlog S2.8.

Here's episode S2.8.

This particular episode references the Season 1 finale. If you need a refresher on how things went down, I'd recommend re-watching it (I know, it's a long one...) but if you don't feel like doing that, here's some info that might help.

Previously, in Season 1 of The Vlog: Nick wakes up in his dark bathroom and discovers he's being held captive by somebody named JS, as shown to him through some audio on his laptop. Meanwhile, DPR is reading something from Nick's own blog. Nick ends up escaping the bathroom with a knife and tries to say something nice about another blogger. Unfortunately, he "can't do it" and rushes off to his room, where he freaks out when he sees the penguin hanging from his ceiling fan. Thinking someone else must be behind this, Nick leaves and heads for his dining room, freaking out. As he does this, the laundry closet opens to reveal DPR, and Nick realizes he must be behind this. Nick stabs DPR, apparently killing him, but finds that DPR was just another pawn of JS.

Last time on The Vlog: DPR found out information on JS and his "plans," but he's been able to thwart them, either by things like magic counter spells or--in one instance--just counseling Bill (who feels he 'owes' him now). But DPR is attacked by the penguin after hearing some information about Plans 6, 7, and 8.

This was a complicated one to film. I had to check a lot of continuity bits throughout, making sure that even my toothpaste was in the right position. If the Season 1 finale is SAW, I suppose that makes this that one part of SAW 3. I splice in footage from that finale in with this episode, adding some new parts from DPR's perspective (which is why I think it might be more fun if the finale is fresh in your mind). It was a lot of fun putting together, despite the difficulty in getting it just right. It's slightly longer than usual, but not by too much.

Anywho... enjoy!

The Demented Podcast #7 - Dark Ramblings.

For the seventh episode, it's all about classics with Mad Hatter of Dark of the Matinee. But first, we start off with some feedback and The Challenge.

The main discussion consists of the mentality behind watching classic films today, as well as (and mostly involving) my 60/60 Project (see the left side bar for reference). Hatter interviews me about anything and everything involving the project, as well as some thoughts on watching classics in general.

But then it's time for some classic revenge. Hatter takes his turn at The Tower, even going so far as to make a prediction that he will push Jess down to 4th place. But does his prediction ring true? Let's just say... he does pull off a 'first' during his climb. Listen to find out all the details!

Also, I apologize for Hatter's audio changing every now and then (it's mostly consistent, but alters here and there). Skype wasn't being friendly with me during the recording. (And there's a slight Easter Egg at the end.)

Current Leaderboard (The Demented Tower):
1) Rachel - 179 Points
2) James - 135 Points
3) Jess - 95 Points
4) Tom - 92.5 Points
5) Jason - 33 Points
6) Travis - 32.5 Points

You can listen to this episode on the player below or by subscribing through iTunes.



That being said, enjoy! Thanks goes out to Kevin MacLeod's Incompetech website for great, royalty-free music. And thanks to Google for helping me find a website that will give me free video game audio samples.

60/60 Extra: Mother.

What is this? A foreign film review for a movie not in English? That's so blasphemous, the last time I did that, I had to follow it up with 4 that were in English. Or something like that.

Anyway.

So this movie has apparently become some kind of modern classic or something. Directed by the same guy who did The Host, Mother tells us the story of Yoon Do-joon (Bin Won) and his mother (Hye-ja Kim). Do-joon is a mentally handicapped young man who is arrested for the murder of a girl, and his mother goes out to find out the truth and who really committed this crime. In the process, she finds herself in a circle of conspiracy and shame (not her own... other people's).

This is a very strange movie. It starts off with Mother dancing in a field and then flashes back to the beginning. It took me a while to realize her son was mentally handicapped and not just socially awkward. This is a serious story, but it's mixed with a lot of strangely comedic moments. It wasn't a tone I was expecting going in. There's also an ambiguous undertone of whether or not Mother and her son are a little incestuous or if it's really just innocent and misconstrued discussions.

There is a lot of suspense in the film, though, too. Even from the beginning, I got so nervous with her and the blade as she was chopping (really, anytime she was doing that). And then there were other instances, like Mother hiding in the closet and sneaking out of that house, etc. And then all the times she wants to do her special acupuncture, leading up to the moment at the end...

The mystery of the film was good, and it was really interesting watching her go around trying to figure out what was really going on. Of course, when this major twist happens and you realize what is going on... there's a slight stretch you have to go with, but it works overall. Besides the twist, there were some good, unexpected moments. You find some information out about their personal history, as well as the whole acupuncture bit I already mentioned.

I'll just give a warning not to even look at the imdb comments section prior to seeing the film, because even topic titles will spoil some things. I wasn't spoiled, thankfully, but I just wanted to give a bit of a warning. This movie is hard to talk about without giving things away. If you like mysteries, you'll enjoy this. It's a pretty entertaining movie, and it's very well made. The cinematography is very nice. There's just a bit of a lighter tone than I expected, and it has some strange moments. But overall, it's a pretty dang good flick.


A Keanu 'Whoa'