Franz Ferdinand

I just wanted to write a quick blog post to let you guys know that I am not in fact dead.

Some bands I am listening to: The White Stripes, Franz Ferdinand, Coldplay.

Listen and tell me what you think!

Bye for now!

127 Hours

I have just watched 127 Hours, directed by Danny Boyle and starring James Franco.

After watching it, I simply sat and struggled to with the emotions welling inside me. What James Franco does so well in his performance as Aron Ralston is that he doesn't play it too dramatically or operatic. Ralston wasn't a Shakespearean actor delivering a death soliloquy; he was a human being who sincerely thought hat he was going to die.

I think that the hardest thing for an actor to do is to be able to act in such a confined space for such a long time. The camera work is astonishing; it pans across the desert and the canyon to show how isolated Ralston was during his entrapment.

Also the makeup done to simulate the amputation is gory and intensely well done.

Overall, 5 out of 5 Stars.

Movies I Have Seen

Cowboys and Aliens revolves around an alien invasion taking place in The Old West. The cast is fantastic, if not slightly mismatched. The characters aren't fully realized. The genres of western and Sci-Fi could have been dealt with more easily, but honestly, the two are like oil and water. They can only mix for so long before they separate. Overall, nicely produced, a good cast, but it just didn't pull through to the end. 2 out of 4 stars.

Zookeeper is a fine summer comedy that is a simple escape. It is not fine filmaking, but you get what you pay for; talking animals and kiddie comedy. 3 out of 5 Stars.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1+2 The final two films pack an emotional punch as we come to the final and stunning conclusion of a decade marked by the series that surpassed all expectations. Amazing and a wonderful performance from the entire cast. 5 out of 5 Stars.

Kung Fu Panda 2 It is rare that a sequel should surpass the original. Here we have the continued story of Po, an unwitting hero in ancient China. With Kung Fu Panda, Dreamworks captured lightning in a bottle; with Kung Fu Panda 2, Dreamworks did it again. 5 out of 5 Stars.

Fright Night (2011)

To some horror fans, news of a Fright Night remake was met with universal dismay. I have not seen the original and cannot make any real judgments.
Fright Night is about a boy named Charley Brewster(Anton Yelchin) who has a new neighbor. This neighbor is Jerry Dandridge played by none other than Colin Farrel.
I have to say that this film has the remarkable ability to stay afloat as both a comedy and a horror film. Much like the Lost Boys, this maintains itself throughout the entire film pulling us into a Las Vegas infested with vampires. The cast itself has great chemistry, and all of the actors work together harmoniously. Colin Farrel in particular exudes charisma, and danger in equal parts. Enough to draw you in and terrify you at the same time.
Set design is phenomenal on this film. It relies on the backdrop of the desert to isolate the struggle. The suburb is so tiny in comparison to the desert. This was more than likely done solely to create an isolated and desperate feel to it all. Overall this film is a scary good time that keeps you glued to your seat. 4 out of 5 Stars.

Alex Eylar

In the world of pop culture you will find some bewildering and intriguing links that lead you to find someone you wished that you had known about years ago.
I was reading an article on different games that they were turning into movies, which lead me to a link on Alex Eylar.
Alex Eylar takes Legos and uses them to build various landscapes and things that I was unaware is possible to do with them.
He also designs posters for movies, which makes for fresh new ways to look at an already beloved movie.
He is a film student,and has a clear understanding on what it takes to set up a good shot.
So check him out: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoyvinmayvin/

More or Less, The Orgin of this Blog

My foray into the world of movies started at a rather surprising source...Twilight. Yes, that vampire romance where Kristen Stewart never smiles. I read the book and was overcome with with a brief bout of Twilight obsession. Several months later I began to go over why I liked the series:
1.Good-looking actor
2.Good looking cast
I thought to myself, if you like a movie solely based on how attractive the cast is versus the writing, you will find yourself scraping the grease of the bottom of the metaphorical movie bowl.
And so, I delved deeper searching for any movies that were better than Twilight. My search soon brought me to IMdB.com (Internet Movie Database).
Curious and hungry for more movie knowledge, I proceeded to type in the name of the first movie I had seen that popped into my head.
Within minutes, I began to experience the same elation and wonder that one expieriences when staring at the stars for the first time.
Now is where the story catches up to us in real time.
Overall, I have to say that this has taught me to appreciate films more. But this is the reality, and the story continues...

Quote of the week:

"I'm not going to waste my time arguing with a man who's lining up to be a hot lunch."
-Hooper, Jaws, (1975).