I'm Late, I'm Late...

I know when a movie has been badly directed.

ie) Catherine Hardwicke, Twilight.

I know when a screenwriter sux major a$$.

ie) Mathieu Kassovitz, Bablyon AD

And I know when a movie will become a instant classic.

Tim Burton, loves all that is dark and dreary.

I became a fan nearly 10 years ago.

Edward Scissorhands, in my opinion, made him relevant.

Alice in Wonderland, will make him, if not already, one of the greatest directors of the 21st century.

Just peep the pix

Jessica Habit...

There are movies from my childhood that could never be replicated.

The Wizard
The Goonies
The Breakfast Club...

You get the point.

Cool World is just one of those movies.

I could have sworn this was Rated R, but it was def PG13,

oh the 90's.

Hello Young World

What to do on a weekend away from the desk and chain?

Buy some DVD's of course.

If only you could see my cheesy a$$ smile when I walked into Best Buy Friday night.

Okay...so where shall we begin?

I bought one movie

And two shows...

One of which, I've been totally avoiding to watch, for obvious reasons.

So here it is

Season one of True Blood (omg this show is straight comedy, I loved it)

Season one of In Treatment (snoozes fest, but to be expected because of the storyline and personal bias)

and

This $hitty Mc$hit $hit of a movie called Red Mist (who the f-ck got the bright idea to do a remake of I Know What You Did Last Summer/ Carrie with med students?)

The Deepest Low

Before I saw Young Victoria, I watched The Duchess.

It was definitely the catalyst for back to back period pieces.

What can I say? I'm a sucker for the bourgeois ;-)

Anywho, The Duchess is no sob story.

It's a story of The Duchess of Devonshire and her ill mistreatment and partial imprisonment within her own marriage.

I would also recommend this flick.

All to often movies like these go unnoticed.

Highest of the High

After a LONG Chinatown bus ride all I wanted to do was watch a movie.

And did I.

I've mentioned in previous posts that I enjoy watching period pieces.

I ran came across "Young Victoria" trailer while enjoying another flick.

The movie is closely based of off true events about Queen Victoria's early reign.

Seems boring, huh?

Not exactly. Young Victoria does an interesting job depicting life behind the royal's high expectations for their offspring.

Courtship is not a game of love but of political gain.

It definitely makes being poor a privilege.

I rarely recommend a movie, but I will give my stamp of approval.

Swoon Worthy

"I'm the bootleg queen....I'll give it to you for free 99"
-Kanye West

Yup, I'll admit, I'm too lazy and too cheap to purchase an 11 dollar ticket to the theater, so I catch my movie else where.

Top notch secret location....

LMAO!!!

But for real, I just caught Star Trek.

Jesus take the Wheel, Chris Pine is a looker!!!!

Movie was on point and well delivered, but my eyes were feeling up on Captain Kirk.

Spock can get it too.

You know I got a thing for brainiacs.

When White Folks Go Wrong....

Movie #2

Few horror movies ever get me shook. They're usually comical at best.

The Last House on the Left was not funny one bit.

It had me on the edge of my seat hoping that all bad deeds not go unnoticed.

The Last House.. is a remake from the original in the 70's. As a matter of fact, I believe it was Wes Craven's first film.

So damn sentimental...

Anywho,

A family is vacationing at their usual summer spot in the woods.

And in case you didn't realize, they're white.

Let me find out that Blacks go to some cabin in the woods without protection. I had my glock watching this movie. SMH!!!

When you have an equation that includes a dumb broad + white teenagers smoking trees + a physician who knows how to kill you in more ways than one, only one will happen...

Somebody's gonna die and not peacefully.

I'll leave it at that.

Smell Ya Later...

Movie #1

Perfume

I've wanted to see this movie since 2006 when it was in theaters and I'm not sure if I was just to lazy to go see it or purchase it now that it's on DVD, or I truly was not ready to sit through a period piece.

Whatever the case, the film tells the tale of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, who has an uncanny gift to identify any smell within miles.

He's loner and seemly so with a gift like his.

His nose eventually catches a scent that he can neither shake nor ignore.

The scent of a woman....

Now, I don't want to give you the play by play of how he comes to be a perfume connoisseur unlike any other, but lets just say it's deadly.

High Places...

I peeped this movie back last year on DVD, but I haven't watched it recently.

It just caught my attention like most DVD's do.

Who's in it and what does the cover look like.

Like I've mentioned in the past, that DVD cover might as well be blank, that how I buy.

None of the that overwhelming $hit.

Any way, "Half Nelson" stars Ryan Gosling.

He's a base head teacher battling his drug addiction and teaching history to the inner city youths.

Eventually that addiction catches up to him. He gets sloppy and one of his brightest kids in his class catches him on the floor high as hell.

Considering her up bringing, she can spot an addict a mile away.

She takes a liking to him. He takes a liking to her. And this builds a friendship unlike any other.

Unsolved Mysteries...

Correction, I purchased five new movies. Well two are no longer new because I finished them last night.

I've drawn conclusions on what I like and what I don't and, I'm pretty confident that these flicks were up my alley.

"Quid Pro Quo" and "Elegy"

Elegy tells the story of David Kepesh, an older gentleman whom has a taste for his students. He comes across a beauty that he's never encountered before, Consuela Castillo who renders him senseless and they start a love affair with an age difference of 33 years. She loves him, he loves her, but he realizes it too late in the game.

Quid Pro Quo, tells a tale about Issac Knott, a semi-paralyzed radio reporter, inquiring into a lead involving a man walking in to a hospital and demanding his perfectly healthy legs be cut off. Issac finds himself chasing after a subculture of wannabe paraplegics with the help of his lead, Fiona.

Both films centered around coming to terms with internal issues.

Whether it was David and his philandering ways or Fiona and her obsession with one day become a paraplegic.

Each story was told with awkward silences. In moments you thought something should be said, you fill the gaps of muteness with despair and agony.

You see acting differently. Facial composure or lack there of is the backbone of both films. Such acting is rare an often sought after by casting directors who want you to deliver emotion with few to little words.

And only a select actors can pull off such a sublime thing.

Once was Lost, But Now am Found

I honestly can't remember the first movie that I ever laid my eyes on.

Movies have been central in my life.

Sunday afternoons, 4pm, to be exact were when my brother, my mom, and my dad, and of course myself would go witness some one else's life be explained or even exploited on screen.

The days of having to pack our snacks (Hersey bars and apple juice) into my mom's purse. Making sure that it wasn't obvious that we were sneaking food in, bc the concession stand was way to expensive.

The days of being way to short that I had to sit on the theater chair folded up so, I too, could see who was saying what and whom they were saying it to.

It was good etiquette to never speak while the trailers were on. Because, it was sort of a minnie movie that you saw for a minute and twenty two seconds. And the excitement you felt when you couldn't wait to see it next summer.

Those were the days.

I grew up and my taste in films changed. I went from ducking in to see cult classics like Clueless, to watching Citizen Cane in all it's glory.

I evolved into a no holds bar type of gal.

I love movies, and the film "The Fall", reminds me why I've had such a long love affair with them in the first place.

Imagine seeing the best piece of artwork. Then imagine the emotion you feel, for being so honored to have witnessed it.

Then lastly, imagine those who've never seen it before.

That was me last night, in my bed, crying at how magically sound this movie had been.

The Fall, directed by Tarsem Singh, left me speechless. I was a complete mute while the story unfolded. No commentary, no gasps, no nothing. I couldn't speak.

The movie tells a story of a stuntman who performs a stunt that goes terribly wrong, and leaves him bedridden in a hospital. A young percious little girl, while in the hospital for her own dangerous "stunt" befriends the stuntman and he begins to tell her a glorious fictious saga. The story comes at a price, though. All that he askes in return while he methodically jogs up the next chapter, is that she get him some
"M-O-R-P-H-I-N-3". A very Quid Pro Quo relationship these two have. And as time progresses and the story lengthens, fiction runs into fact and fact overlaps the fiction of the stuntman's story.

The Fall plays well with a child's imagination somewhat being ruined by the adult's personal agony and anguish.

The appeal comes from not only the visual encounters you meet along the way, but the comradery that the child and adult gain together on this journey.

In the Garden of Eden

Ok, so my weekend was blah....

Nothing eventful except, I finally got the non bootleg version of Twilight. Loves it!!!!!!

Seeing that I've watched my bootleg well over 20 times it just isn't the same.

You know the rush of overwhelming excitement one feels when they finally get a movie that they loved on the screen and now is you get to love it even more in your bedroom. To watch over and over and over again.

Yeah, that feeling. It just doesn't exist.

However the DVD extras were great.

Moving on to another movie that I picked up was "The Fountain".

It stars none other than Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, in a beautiful avant garde film. It shows the depths of love across continents and across time.

Weisz plays Izzy, who is terminally ill with a brain tumor and her "conquistador" husband played by Jackman is a physician trying to buy more time to save her from death.

The story takes on the topics of life and death and the completion and acceptance of it.

It covers both subjects beautifully and visually entraps you to the very last scene.

Just incredible.

I'm Drowsy....

OK, so the movie Sunshine, directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire), has been on the illest rotation in the DVD player.

Why you ask? Well, it's one of the few sci-movies that I can watch over and over again.

The ending sure as hell hasn't changed, but you see something that you've never noticed before.

Sunshine is a quiet moving film. It's what I've dubbed "Fatigue Film". Movies that have a crazy plot, and even when it meets it's climax, it's still not seeping of climatic abundance, but that doesn't mean it's not good or an ultimate let down.

It's just a movie that took this particular pace for the viewer to truly understand the plot in regards to the characters.

And that makes it even more interesting.

Sci-fi flicks are synonymous for fatiguing the viewer much like they fatigue the character in the movie. Therefore leaving you with emotions that the people in the flick have.

Fatigue Films:

Alien
Sphere
Blade Runner...and many more. But peep these first.

Sweet Dreams are made of These.....

So, I'm stuck at the J.O.B. till eight. So my a$$ is gonna blog away.

Just recently, and when I say recently, I mean two seconds ago, just found out that two of my favorite movies as a child are about to be remade.

Sweet Sweet Victory!!!!

Nightmare on Elm Street

and....

The Never Ending Story

You know you luv it!!!!

1983

I came across this trailer, while movie hunting...

Here's an equation

(BladeRunner + 9 1/2 Weeks) x (Heat) = The Informers


Enjoy

Two out of Three ain't so bad...

Three movies, two days, 4.5 hours....

90 minutes of....

"Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist",

"The Wackness",

&

" A Good Day to be Black and Sexy".

We'll begin with "The Wackness"

Let's just say the soundtrack saved the movie, but ultimately the soundtrack is the most important character in the film.

The musical quality of great throwbacks draws you in and keeps you centered around the ethics of each character.

It gives you what you need on a hot summer day in NYC. Biggie, Total, Puffy. It's the makings of the BAD BOY Dynasty @ it's best.

With"The Wackness" chump changing us, "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist", foots the bill.

Both films use music as a unique character whom gets better in each new scene.

'Nick and Norah', include a sensibility and likable way of capturing the audience, without all the bells and whistles. In short, it doesn't try hard to impress you.

It is what it is. And through these comical truth tellings, you love the characters that much more than you did when you first laid eyes on them.

Speaking of sight, I wish I never witnessed the nonsensical " A Good Day to be Black and Sexy". That movie was all kinds of messy, with no real substance behind it.

It tells tales of Black men and women and the trite $hit that happens in and out the bedroom, pillow talk included. I mean, I like my movies gritty and raw, but this $hit was just sloppy and unnecessary.

I guess better luck next time.

It's All in My Head...

I'm avoiding doing what needs to be done. So, I'll blog.

Last night after watching a horrid two hours of my CW line-up, I wanted to put in my beloved DVD 'Revolver'.

Guy Ritchie at his best.

I mean, I was never a fan of his earlier work, but this movie definitely took to me like none other that he's made before.

It's fast paced, pay attention, or you'll end up being f*cked in the a$$ without any lube kinda of movie.

Details are of the ut most importance in the film.

And in some sick humor, it's those details that betrays you, in the end.

It stars none other than Jason Statham (Crank, Italian Job) , Ray Loitta (NARC, Goodfellas), Vincent Pastore (Sopranos) , and Andre "3000" Benjamin( Outkast, Four Brothers, Semi- Pro).

It's a wham-bam-thank you ma'am kinda of joint.

Just makes you wanna smoke afterwards.

An Ode to Sam Jackson

How do you watch a movie?

Do you...

Watch a movie simply because of the cast?

ie) Don't front, when you saw 'Fast and the Furious' ladies, you were not watching it for the cars. Vin Diesel and his steroid induced a$ was the only thing you can remember.

Are you...

Able to remove the man or woman behind the acting?

ie) Lindsay Lohan, is and will always be a basehead. But we must give credit, where credit is due. She kicked butt in 'The Parent Trap'. LOL!!!!

Can you...

Remember the last time you saw a movie that had all elements. Drama, Comedy, and Action?

ie) Lake View Terrace. On some real 'ish, that movie was not suppose to be funny. But we all know Sam Jackson. That nicca can scream at anything and it will be pure comedic genius.

Peep the video and compare for yourself.






If you still don't believe me...watch this

Story Time Children....

Fifty minutes till I say SAYONARA to my desk at work.

After all, the real fun begins once I leave the opp. I get to work towards my side venture and second I get to watch a new movie.

Updates later on the flick and my personal review.

But for those who can't wait to hear my take on a new flick or two, here's something to keep you mentally full to capacity.

I wandered across this trailer while "working". LOL

I'll let the trailer do the talking.

'Franklyn' is a cross between Dark City and Perfume.

If you have yet to see those movies, step your game up.

See Spot Run...

Last night, I was in the craziest rush to get out of work and get to Best Buy to purchase yet another workout video that's bound to collect dust. My initial intention was to get a few new ones because the old ones were, well, getting old. Best Buys selection was slacking, although I caught my eye on some yoga/ pilates cardio workout.

What can I say, I like to mix it up. lol!

But any who, after debating on what new moves I was willing to subject myself to, I realized that my DVD collection was getting a little stale too. I mean, you can only watch Donnie Darko so many times before you start thinking your a$$ is time traveling with him.

I'll watch just about anything, only because I like to open my mind to someones visual masterpiece. Some of the best stories that are told through film, are the most underrated movies that don't even make a dent in the box office.

Hence, the Sundance Festival. But back to my Easter egg hunt...

When I go DVD hunting, I have two methods that always work out to my benefit, especially when I'm searching in such a commercial store as Best Buy.

Of course there's a method to my madness.

The DVD cover has to be bland. What I mean is, I look for a DVD that has no bells and whistles. No bright colors, lots of empty space and usually has just the title and maybe a quick blurb.

The second thing I do is look for who's in it. If I've seen you on media outlets like,

E!... I ain't buying it
Access Hollywood.. I'll pass
EXTRA, Perez Hilton, you name it I seen it....I'm not interested

You get the picture, I like underrated actors, characters, storylines, essentially movies that no one has ever heard of.

Perhaps I should give an example of what I mean....

Does 'Juno' ring a bell. The indie film that instantly became a cult classic overnight.

Unwed teen gets preggers and has a decision to make amidst all the adversities that she must face..blah, blah, blah.

But to those who may not know, Ellen Paige, before Juno was in a small budget film called 'Hard Candy'.

Simple storyline with the complexity that kept me wanting more.

Girl meets man on Internet. Man meets girl in ice cream shop. Man invites girl back to his sketchy apartment. Sounds familiar??

What it sounds like to me is the making of a new episode of Dateline, to Catch a Predator. But there are no cameras, no producers and Chris Hansen is not waiting behind the other side of the door.

What happens next in this film disturbs you to the core that you feel as if you shouldn't be watching it, but it's like rubbernecking on the highway. You just can't stop looking at the car crash.

With all the voyeuristic viewing, you are now able to witness something that you may have been curious about for sometime. Movies take being a peeping tom to a sociable after-school activity.

And if being a 'Tom' is your cup of tea, independent low budget films are the way to go.