I thought I'd post up this short film found by my tweep, Flash Your Shorts (thank you!). Here's some info:
"A tribute to John Woo. A sizzling summer blockbuster exploding with high energy action!"
It's very interesting to watch this short. I find it comical and very funny how some action shots are done very well here, I've seen the same shots and/or scenes done in many movies we have today. Are there any action shots that look familiar to you? Which movies are they from?
For all the John Woo and action film fans, this one's for you - check it out!
(p.s. If you have a project(s) you'd like me to check out (i.e. fan trailer, short, spoof, animation, etc), feel free to contact me. I'm always on the lookout for fresh stuff from emerging filmmakers!)
Video Link
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 28, 2009
Surrogates
I have to admit, I wasn't really planning to watch this film. I didn't even know what it was about, I never even saw the trailer. Though, it was more of a spur of the moment kind of thing - I was out voted by present company but decided to give it a try.
(Note: Usually, I recommend checking out the movie trailer and reading the reviews beforehand. However, I have gone and seen movies without knowing anything about them, without reading the reviews, and/or without seeing the trailer. And, I've had both good and bad experiences. Though, I always have a story to tell with the films I see on a "whim" - it's the experience of seeing something unknown despite the outcome. And, having these experiences is what makes life interesting).
Basically, the movie is about humans living the kind of lives they've always wanted through robots (aka "surrogates'). And, these "surrogates" are the ones that go out in the world and live life while the humans (aka "the operators") stay home with their brains connected to computers to control their individual "surrogate."
Almost every human has their own "surrogate." And, their "surrogate" is physically configured to look like however they want to be perceived. The surrogates do not necessarily have to look like their operator. For example, you can have a male operator with a female looking surrogate (scary thought!). Basically, the physical appearance of the surrogates lie in the hands of their operator(s).
I found the whole concept of the film very interesting. Surprisingly, the themes of the film closely resemble some of the issues we face today with the evolution of technology and the Internet. We are told the Internet is here to help us connect and communicate better with the world. In a way, that's true. However, in another way it also secludes us from the world by limiting our physical interaction with others.
Some people say that spending too much time at the computer and the Internet is unhealthy because it inhibits our communication skills and our true nature to physically interact with others. More and more we are spending a great amount of time on the Internet, and I wonder if this will contribute to a lack of verbal skills and inability to interact with others in social, face to face settings? I wonder.
With the Internet, we are free to be anonymous if we choose. And, this freedom of anonymity allows others the opportunity to become whatever they like and to be perceived however they would like due to the physical barrier the Internet provides. On the other hand, the Internet allows us to communicate with many people, some we may not have been able to reach before. The Internet truly levels the playing field of human communication. Though, at what price?
The film addresses these issues and asks the ever so lasting question, "What makes us human?" It truly opened up my eyes and made me think, "With all the changes in technology, what is in store for the human race in the future?" With the evolution of technology, when is enough, enough? And, why do we always keep wanting more? These questions are what makes humans, human and eventually why sometimes wanting too much may not be the answer.
Overall, I found the movie to be more than ok but not great. It's definitely a film that makes you think about the future and where we are headed. It does have a lot of action and kept my attention. Though, I think the story could have been better written.
At times, there were some parts that were a bit confusing especially since the film involved a lot of different characters. Also, the "special effects" were a bit comical (if you've seen the film, you'll know what I mean). Though, they tied it up in the end - it didn't have a strong ending but it did have its twists and turns resulting in an unexpected ending.
If you're in the mood for a sci-fi type movie, this one is a toss up - it's something you can see it at the theater or wait for it to come out on DVD. Either way, I think it's one of those films that's better than average but not over the top spectacular. Though, it does raise some interesting questions - it challenged me to think and question where our world is headed.
(Note: For another perspective on the film, check out my tweep's, Action Flick Chick, review).
Happy movie watching!
Video Link
(Note: Usually, I recommend checking out the movie trailer and reading the reviews beforehand. However, I have gone and seen movies without knowing anything about them, without reading the reviews, and/or without seeing the trailer. And, I've had both good and bad experiences. Though, I always have a story to tell with the films I see on a "whim" - it's the experience of seeing something unknown despite the outcome. And, having these experiences is what makes life interesting).
Basically, the movie is about humans living the kind of lives they've always wanted through robots (aka "surrogates'). And, these "surrogates" are the ones that go out in the world and live life while the humans (aka "the operators") stay home with their brains connected to computers to control their individual "surrogate."
Almost every human has their own "surrogate." And, their "surrogate" is physically configured to look like however they want to be perceived. The surrogates do not necessarily have to look like their operator. For example, you can have a male operator with a female looking surrogate (scary thought!). Basically, the physical appearance of the surrogates lie in the hands of their operator(s).
I found the whole concept of the film very interesting. Surprisingly, the themes of the film closely resemble some of the issues we face today with the evolution of technology and the Internet. We are told the Internet is here to help us connect and communicate better with the world. In a way, that's true. However, in another way it also secludes us from the world by limiting our physical interaction with others.
Some people say that spending too much time at the computer and the Internet is unhealthy because it inhibits our communication skills and our true nature to physically interact with others. More and more we are spending a great amount of time on the Internet, and I wonder if this will contribute to a lack of verbal skills and inability to interact with others in social, face to face settings? I wonder.
With the Internet, we are free to be anonymous if we choose. And, this freedom of anonymity allows others the opportunity to become whatever they like and to be perceived however they would like due to the physical barrier the Internet provides. On the other hand, the Internet allows us to communicate with many people, some we may not have been able to reach before. The Internet truly levels the playing field of human communication. Though, at what price?
The film addresses these issues and asks the ever so lasting question, "What makes us human?" It truly opened up my eyes and made me think, "With all the changes in technology, what is in store for the human race in the future?" With the evolution of technology, when is enough, enough? And, why do we always keep wanting more? These questions are what makes humans, human and eventually why sometimes wanting too much may not be the answer.
Overall, I found the movie to be more than ok but not great. It's definitely a film that makes you think about the future and where we are headed. It does have a lot of action and kept my attention. Though, I think the story could have been better written.
At times, there were some parts that were a bit confusing especially since the film involved a lot of different characters. Also, the "special effects" were a bit comical (if you've seen the film, you'll know what I mean). Though, they tied it up in the end - it didn't have a strong ending but it did have its twists and turns resulting in an unexpected ending.
If you're in the mood for a sci-fi type movie, this one is a toss up - it's something you can see it at the theater or wait for it to come out on DVD. Either way, I think it's one of those films that's better than average but not over the top spectacular. Though, it does raise some interesting questions - it challenged me to think and question where our world is headed.
(Note: For another perspective on the film, check out my tweep's, Action Flick Chick, review).
Happy movie watching!
Video Link
Friday, September 25, 2009
Indie Film Trailer - Determinism
(Update 10/21/2009: Here is the link to the film's new website. Thanks!).
I thought I'd post up this film trailer submitted by my tweep, Determinism (thank you!). Check it out!
(p.s. If you are a filmmaker and have a project(s) you'd like me to check out, feel free to contact me. Also, I may be doing some interviews (podcast style) with indie filmmakers down the road if you'd like to send me a message and start a conversation. Thanks for your interest!)
Video Link
I thought I'd post up this film trailer submitted by my tweep, Determinism (thank you!). Check it out!
(p.s. If you are a filmmaker and have a project(s) you'd like me to check out, feel free to contact me. Also, I may be doing some interviews (podcast style) with indie filmmakers down the road if you'd like to send me a message and start a conversation. Thanks for your interest!)
Video Link
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Fan Trailer - The Neverending Story
Since I wrote a review on the movie recently, I thought I'd post up this cool fan trailer. Check it out!
(p.s. If you have a project(s) you'd like me to check out (i.e. fan trailer, short, spoof, animation, etc), feel free to contact me. I'm always on the lookout for fresh stuff from emerging filmmakers!)
Video Link
(Note: Just in case you're interested, this fan trailer was my second choice. It's pretty cool as well, but evokes a very different emotion and feeling. Enjoy!)
(p.s. If you have a project(s) you'd like me to check out (i.e. fan trailer, short, spoof, animation, etc), feel free to contact me. I'm always on the lookout for fresh stuff from emerging filmmakers!)
Video Link
(Note: Just in case you're interested, this fan trailer was my second choice. It's pretty cool as well, but evokes a very different emotion and feeling. Enjoy!)
Monday, September 21, 2009
Inglourious Basterds
Since the last movie I went to go see was a romantic comedy, I decided to stay in the comedy genre but switch gears a bit and see this movie. Let me tell you - it wasn't at all what I expected.
When I first saw the trailer, I thought this was going to be a typical "shoot em up" type movie. Going into the film, I expected Brad Pitt to lead his small army of "Inglourious Basterds" to victory by finding and hunting down their prey. (In this case, the Nazis. By the way, I love how he pronounces the word "Nazis" in the film). Boy, was I ever wrong.
To my surprise, this turned out to be more than a "shoot em up" and kill them type movie. Sure, there were those parts (very bloody and violent) but it wasn't the entire movie.
It had a story, a good story. And, a very interesting way of storytelling. But, then again this is Quentin Tarantino - his films are interesting and unique. I should have know this.
From the opening scene, I could tell this was going to be a good movie. Yes, there's a lot of dialogue (especially in the opening scene) but the dialogue has a purpose. And, dialogue with purpose help tell the story. (Now, dialogue with no purpose really does not contribute to telling a story at all).
What I enjoyed about this movie was Tarantino's ability to tell a story in a unique way. Similar to Kill Bill, the film is divided into chapters (like a book) and each chapter contributes to make up the pieces of the puzzle (aka the story). In a way, there was a sense of mystery and it kept me guessing throughout the movie - it definitely kept my attention. I wanted more.
In addition, Tarantino was able to take a serious subject by adding humor and being witty at the same time. The man is brilliant. His writing exemplifies true wittiness. And, wit is a very valuable skill to have.
Apart from the story and excellent storytelling presentation, I also liked a few other things. In terms of setting the time period, I noticed the film is very detailed oriented. From the wardrobe to the props to the location settings (set designs), I definitely had a sense of the time period. Also, since this was set in Europe I respect the fact that both French and German languages were also used respectively.
Other things I liked were the different angle shots - it really helped add perspective to the story. (On a side note, I also enjoy Robert Rodriguez' work, Tarantino's buddy, who also uses really good and unique angle shots in his films). Probably the best part of the movie (apart from the story), was the audio. The sounds used and the music were superb - they really added to the story and invoked emotion. And, a film able to evoke emotion is one worth watching.
All in all, I really enjoyed this movie. It wasn't at all what I expected. But, in a good way. I don't want to spoil it for you but let's just say the saying, "That's entertainment!" hold true.
If you're in the mood for a comedy type movie, I highly recommend this one! It's definitely worth the money.
(Note: For another perspective on the film, check out my tweep's, Action Flick Chick, review).
Happy movie watching!
Video Link
When I first saw the trailer, I thought this was going to be a typical "shoot em up" type movie. Going into the film, I expected Brad Pitt to lead his small army of "Inglourious Basterds" to victory by finding and hunting down their prey. (In this case, the Nazis. By the way, I love how he pronounces the word "Nazis" in the film). Boy, was I ever wrong.
To my surprise, this turned out to be more than a "shoot em up" and kill them type movie. Sure, there were those parts (very bloody and violent) but it wasn't the entire movie.
It had a story, a good story. And, a very interesting way of storytelling. But, then again this is Quentin Tarantino - his films are interesting and unique. I should have know this.
From the opening scene, I could tell this was going to be a good movie. Yes, there's a lot of dialogue (especially in the opening scene) but the dialogue has a purpose. And, dialogue with purpose help tell the story. (Now, dialogue with no purpose really does not contribute to telling a story at all).
What I enjoyed about this movie was Tarantino's ability to tell a story in a unique way. Similar to Kill Bill, the film is divided into chapters (like a book) and each chapter contributes to make up the pieces of the puzzle (aka the story). In a way, there was a sense of mystery and it kept me guessing throughout the movie - it definitely kept my attention. I wanted more.
In addition, Tarantino was able to take a serious subject by adding humor and being witty at the same time. The man is brilliant. His writing exemplifies true wittiness. And, wit is a very valuable skill to have.
Apart from the story and excellent storytelling presentation, I also liked a few other things. In terms of setting the time period, I noticed the film is very detailed oriented. From the wardrobe to the props to the location settings (set designs), I definitely had a sense of the time period. Also, since this was set in Europe I respect the fact that both French and German languages were also used respectively.
Other things I liked were the different angle shots - it really helped add perspective to the story. (On a side note, I also enjoy Robert Rodriguez' work, Tarantino's buddy, who also uses really good and unique angle shots in his films). Probably the best part of the movie (apart from the story), was the audio. The sounds used and the music were superb - they really added to the story and invoked emotion. And, a film able to evoke emotion is one worth watching.
All in all, I really enjoyed this movie. It wasn't at all what I expected. But, in a good way. I don't want to spoil it for you but let's just say the saying, "That's entertainment!" hold true.
If you're in the mood for a comedy type movie, I highly recommend this one! It's definitely worth the money.
(Note: For another perspective on the film, check out my tweep's, Action Flick Chick, review).
Happy movie watching!
Video Link
Friday, September 18, 2009
The Neverending Story
"People lose their hope and forget their dreams. People with no hope are easy to control. And those who have the control, have the power."
Gmork
The Neverending Story
I recently watched this film based on the novel. Seeing this film, takes me back to my childhood. Growing up, this was one of my favorite movies.
What I enjoyed about this movie as a kid, I still enjoy as an adult - adventure and imagination. The ability to create and imagine is something I really miss from my childhood days. Thus, the reason for this blog. (See my first post).
As I watched this movie as an adult, I could sense an underlying message. The quote above from Gmork says it all. I think the film is trying to make a statement that as we grow up, we lose our sense of imagination and creativity.
In the first scene, the dad of the main character, Bastian, tells him he needs to get his head out of the clouds and start taking responsibility. His father was upset that his teacher called stating that he was caught drawing unicorns in class and had failed to turn in his homework.
So, we can already see that at an early age Bastian is deterred from using his creativity and imagination. I had a similar childhood experience as well. And, growing up I find that I was also taught to take up more responsibility and be more practical.
Throughout the story, the film tests the main characters', Bastian and Atreyu, faith and belief. There are times when things seem hopeless. Though, the story goes on which shows that persistence and belief is the key. This ties in with the theme of hope and belief - believing in yourself and your dreams. And, I think the film gets this underlying point across very well throughout the story.
What I also find interesting is the symbolism and terms used in the film. For example, the world of Fantasia is an imaginary world where anything can happen. And, as a moviegoer you learn that Fantasia has no boundaries - it's limitless. This message symbolizes our imagination and ability to create anything we want. Our creativity has no barriers - the sky is the limit.
The Nothingness (the cause of the collapse of Fantasia) was also a great symbolic message. To me, the Nothingness symbolized the idea of the real world destroying the imaginary world (i.e. being practical and sensible versus being creative and imaginative). It truly was an eye opener to see that there was only one small grain of sand left of Fantasia at the end. To me, this symbolized the lack of imagination and creativity we tend to lose as we grow up to be adults.
Though, I did enjoy the film ending on a positive note of hope. Hope that we could build up the fantasy world again and exercise our ability to create and imagine. And, that ability is why we still have great stories told today.
If you're in the mood for a fantasy type movie, I definitely recommend this one!
Happy movie watching!
(p.s. Just in case anyone is wondering, the name Bastian gave to The Childlike Empress was "Moon Child" (I looked it up). It's hard to believe that was his mother's name. Go figure!)
Video Link
.
Gmork
The Neverending Story
I recently watched this film based on the novel. Seeing this film, takes me back to my childhood. Growing up, this was one of my favorite movies.
What I enjoyed about this movie as a kid, I still enjoy as an adult - adventure and imagination. The ability to create and imagine is something I really miss from my childhood days. Thus, the reason for this blog. (See my first post).
As I watched this movie as an adult, I could sense an underlying message. The quote above from Gmork says it all. I think the film is trying to make a statement that as we grow up, we lose our sense of imagination and creativity.
In the first scene, the dad of the main character, Bastian, tells him he needs to get his head out of the clouds and start taking responsibility. His father was upset that his teacher called stating that he was caught drawing unicorns in class and had failed to turn in his homework.
So, we can already see that at an early age Bastian is deterred from using his creativity and imagination. I had a similar childhood experience as well. And, growing up I find that I was also taught to take up more responsibility and be more practical.
Throughout the story, the film tests the main characters', Bastian and Atreyu, faith and belief. There are times when things seem hopeless. Though, the story goes on which shows that persistence and belief is the key. This ties in with the theme of hope and belief - believing in yourself and your dreams. And, I think the film gets this underlying point across very well throughout the story.
What I also find interesting is the symbolism and terms used in the film. For example, the world of Fantasia is an imaginary world where anything can happen. And, as a moviegoer you learn that Fantasia has no boundaries - it's limitless. This message symbolizes our imagination and ability to create anything we want. Our creativity has no barriers - the sky is the limit.
The Nothingness (the cause of the collapse of Fantasia) was also a great symbolic message. To me, the Nothingness symbolized the idea of the real world destroying the imaginary world (i.e. being practical and sensible versus being creative and imaginative). It truly was an eye opener to see that there was only one small grain of sand left of Fantasia at the end. To me, this symbolized the lack of imagination and creativity we tend to lose as we grow up to be adults.
Though, I did enjoy the film ending on a positive note of hope. Hope that we could build up the fantasy world again and exercise our ability to create and imagine. And, that ability is why we still have great stories told today.
If you're in the mood for a fantasy type movie, I definitely recommend this one!
Happy movie watching!
(p.s. Just in case anyone is wondering, the name Bastian gave to The Childlike Empress was "Moon Child" (I looked it up). It's hard to believe that was his mother's name. Go figure!)
Video Link
.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Teddy
I thought I post up this funny and entertaining short submitted by my tweep, Shelby Films (thank you!). Check it out!
(p.s. If you are a filmmaker and have a project(s) you'd like me to check out, feel free to contact me. Also, I may be doing some interviews (podcast style) with indie filmmakers down the road if you'd like to send me a message and start a conversation. Thanks for your interest!)
Video Link
(p.s. If you are a filmmaker and have a project(s) you'd like me to check out, feel free to contact me. Also, I may be doing some interviews (podcast style) with indie filmmakers down the road if you'd like to send me a message and start a conversation. Thanks for your interest!)
Video Link
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